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US 8,801,016 B2Granted
Gas spring piston and gas spring assembly including same
AssigneeFirestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
InventorJoshua R. Leonard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A piston assembly (204) including an integral piston chamber (218) with an increased volume that is maximized by providing a mounting arrangement whereby the piston can be mounted to a structural member (stz) such that the piston chamber (218) surrounds at least two sides of the structural member (stz). The piston chamber (218) can therefore utilize space adjacent the structural member (stz) to which it is mounted thereby resulting in a piston chamber of a greater volume than prior art designs. A gas spring assembly (200) utilizing such a piston is also included.
Claims20
A gas spring assembly comprising:
- an end member adapted to be mounted along a first associated support structure;
- a piston assembly adapted to be mounted along a second associated support structure spaced from the first associated support structure;
- and,
- a flexible sleeve extending between and sealingly connected to said end member and said piston assembly, and forming a main chamber therebetween for containing a pressurized gas;
- said piston assembly including:
- a shell including a piston profile portion thereof having an exterior surface over which said flexible sleeve is configured to roll, said shell generally defining a piston chamber for containing a pressurized gas;
- and,
- a mounting surface dimensioned to mount said piston assembly along the second associated support structure, said mounting surface at least partially defining a mounting plane and being recessed into said shell such that said piston chamber extends through said mounting plane such that said piston chamber at least partially surrounds the second associated support structure on at least two sides when said piston assembly is mounted along the second associated support structure.
5 more elements
A gas spring assembly comprising:
- an end member adapted to be mounted to a first associated support structure;
- a piston assembly adapted to be mounted to a second associated support structure spaced from the first associated support structure;
- and,
- a flexible sleeve extending between and sealingly connected to said end member and said piston assembly, and forming a main chamber therebetween for containing a pressurized gas;
- said piston assembly including:
- a shell including a shell wall with a piston profile portion and a reservoir portion, said piston portion having an exterior surface over which said flexible sleeve is configured to roll with at least said piston profile portion of said shell wall generally defining a piston chamber in fluid communication with said main chamber and for containing the pressurized gas, and said reservoir portion rigidly interconnected in fluid communication with said piston chamber for containing the pressurized gas;
- and,
- a mounting surface for mounting said piston assembly to the second associated support, said mounting surface being recessed into said shell and defining a mounting plane, said piston profile portion extending in a first direction from said mounting plane and said reservoir portion extending in a second direction from said mounting plane;
- said piston assembly dimensioned to be mounted to the associated second support structure such that said piston profile portion can be located on a first side of the second associated support structure and said piston reservoir portion can be located on a second side of the second associated support structure.
6 more elements
A piston assembly for a gas spring, said piston assembly comprising:
- a shell including a shell wall with a piston profile portion thereof having an exterior surface over which an associated flexible sleeve can be configured to roll, said shell wall generally defining a piston chamber for containing a pressurized fluid;
- and,
- a mounting surface for mounting said piston assembly to an associated support member, said mounting surface being recessed into said shell such that said piston chamber extends through a mounting plane of said piston defined by said mounting surface;
- said piston assembly dimensioned to be mounted to the associated support member such that said piston chamber at least partially surrounds the associated support member on at least two sides thereof.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.