Adjustable accumulator for selectively modifying spring rate of gas spring system

A gas spring system, comprising:

• a gas spring configured to enclose a spring chamber and having a first mount and a second mount, the spring chamber defining a spring chamber volume therewithin;
• an accumulator comprising an accumulator chamber, the accumulator chamber defining an accumulator volume;
• a gas passage connected to both the gas spring and the accumulator to provide fluid communication between the spring chamber and the accumulator chamber, the gas passage configured so that a gas can flow bidirectionally between the spring chamber and the accumulator chamber;
• and
• a working volume of the gas spring system comprising a sum of the spring chamber volume and the accumulator volume that are bidirectionally flowable to each other, the accumulator configured to selectively change the working volume of the gas spring system and modify a spring rate of the gas spring system, the spring rate being dependent on the working volume of the gas spring system;
• wherein the accumulator comprises an actuator configured to selectively move a piston to change the accumulator volume.

A gas spring system, comprising,

• a gas spring configured to enclose a spring chamber and having a first mount and a second mount, the spring chamber defining a spring chamber volume therewithin;
• an accumulator comprising an accumulator chamber, the accumulator chamber defining an accumulator volume;
• a gas passage connected to both the gas spring and the accumulator to provide fluid communication between the spring chamber and the accumulator chamber, the gas passage configured so that a gas can flow bidirectionally between the spring chamber and the accumulator chamber;
• and
• a working volume of the gas spring system comprising a sum of the spring chamber volume and the accumulator volume that are fluidly connected to each other, the accumulator configured to selectively change the working volume of the gas spring system and modify a spring rate of the gas spring system, the spring rate being dependent on the working volume of the gas spring system;
• wherein the accumulator comprises an actuator configured to change the accumulator volume.

A method of changing a spring rate characteristics of a gas spring system that has a working chamber system that defines a working volume enclosing pressurized gas that is compressed to a first gas pressure when a first load is applied between a first mount and a second mount of the gas spring system, comprising:

• permitting flow of gas from a spring chamber to an accumulator chamber to increase the working volume of the working chamber system and to decrease a spring rate of the gas spring system;
• and
• wherein the gas spring system comprises a gas spring having a spring chamber defining a spring chamber volume and an accumulator having an accumulator chamber defining an accumulator volume, the working chamber system comprising the spring chamber and the accumulator chamber, the spring chamber being in fluid communication and allowing gas to bidirectionally flow between the accumulator chamber and the spring chamber, the working volume is a sum of the spring chamber volume and the accumulator volume, and increasing the working volume of the working chamber system comprises increasing the accumulator volume;
• regulating flow of gas from the spring chamber to the accumulator chamber to decrease the working volume of the working chamber system and to increase a spring rate of the gas spring system.