US 5,845,749 AGranted

Linear motion absorber with synthetic components

AssigneeTMJ Properties, L.L.C.

InventorsRalph D. Moretz, William D. Solomon, Ronald L. Johncox

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Abstract

A linear motion absorber for damping linear movement utilizing a cylinder having a reciprocal piston located therein. The cylinder and piston are molded of synthetic plastic and the piston is of an extended length and a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the cylinder as to be self aligning therewith and includes a homogeneous annular lip seal to produce unidirectional sealing. The piston stem or rod is also of a synthetic plastic material and in the rigid stem embodiment homogeneously extends from the piston. The piston rod may also consist of a flexible synthetic strand attached to the piston for transmitting tension forces, and a compression spring within the cylinder acting upon the piston will position the piston to a retracted position. The open end of the cylinder is sealed by a removable cap entirely formed of a synthetic plastic material which may be readily affixed to the cylinder to produce a closed circuit during damping.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A damped linear motion absorber comprising, in combination, an elongated cylinder having a closed end, an open end, a cylindrical inner wall, and a longitudinal axis, said cylinder being formed of a synthetic plastic material, a synthetic plastic piston with said cylinder longitudinally displaceable therein, said piston having a longitudinal axis, a cylindrical axially extending side wall, a central hub, exhaust and pressure sides and an annular lip seal engaging said cylinder inner wall which allows unidirectional air flow, said piston side wall being of slightly less diameter than said cylinder inner wall and of sufficient axial length to maintain said cylinder and piston axes coincident and parallel, said lip seal being homogeneously formed of the synthetic plastic material of said piston comprising an annular flexible lip constituting an axial extension of said piston side wall extending in the direction of said piston pressure side and comprising a flexible annular lip of decreasing wall thickness terminating in a sharp edge of lip minimal radial thickness engaging said cylindrical inner wall, tension force transmitting piston rod means attached to said piston extending through said cylinder open end, and a fluid bleed passage defined in said piston establishing communication between said piston sides.

A damped linear motion absorber comprising, in combination, an elongated cylinder having a closed end, an open end, a cylindrical inner wall, and a longitudinal axis, a piston within said cylinder formed of a synthetic plastic material longitudinally displaceable therein, said piston having a longitudinal axis, a cylindrical axially extending side wall, a central hub, exhaust and pressure sides and an annular lip seal engaging said cylinder inner wall, said lip seal being homogeneously formed of the synthetic plastic material of said piston comprising an annular flexible lip constituting an axial extension of said piston side wall extending in the direction of said piston pressure side and comprising a flexible annular lip of decreasing wall thickness terminating in a sharp edge of lip minimal radial thickness engaging said cylindrical inner wall, said piston side wall being of slightly less diameter than said cylinder inner wall and of sufficient axial length to maintain said cylinder and piston axes coincident and parallel, the length of said piston side wall being at least two-thirds of the diameter of said cylinder inner wall, a flexible tension force transmitting strand attached to said piston extending through said cylinder open end, and a fluid bleed passage defined in said piston establishing communication between said piston sides.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.