Abstract: A suspension strut having a piston tube containing a floating piston, slidable within a cylinder tube. A collar is fixed to the inner surface of the cylinder tube and contains a tapered wear ring. As the strut expands by extending the piston tube relative to the cylinder tube, the tapered wear band slides over valve orifices in the outer surface of the piston tube, gradually cutting off fluid flow from the annular space between the two tubes into an end cavity of the strut, thus increasing damping and reducing the likelihood of metal to metal contact at full strut extension. This reduces shock loads on the strut for smoother vehicle operation and increased component life.

Abstract: A suspension strut includes a housing assembly including first and second opposed housing members. The first and second housing members are relatively movable along an axis. At least the first housing member includes an engagement surface. At least one compressible spring member is interposed between the first and second housing members. The spring member includes a peripheral portion. The strut is configured such that, when the first and second housing members are relatively displaced along the axis in a prescribed direction, the spring member is axially compressed to provide a spring force opposing further relative displacement between the first and second housing members in the prescribed direction, and the peripheral portion frictionally engages the engagement surface over an area of engagement to provide dynamic damping between the first and second housing members.

Abstract: A gas spring includes an outer tube; a base plate; a head plate; an inner tube mounted to extend between the head plate and the base plate; a piston/rod assembly mounted to reciprocate vertically in the inner tube between a retracted, compressed position and an extended, rest position; a valve ring coaxially mounted around the rod to reciprocate between the main piston and head plate; a primary gas chamber; a relief chamber; seals for preventing fluid flow from the primary and relief chambers; a passageway providing communication between the primary gas chamber and relief chamber; and, valve apparatus for controlling fluid flow between the primary and relief chambers. The valve apparatus operates to open and close the fluid flow as a function of the position and direction of travel of the piston/rod assembly.

Abstract: The housing of a shock absorber is constructed to include an inner chamber surrounded by an outer chamber. The inner chamber is divided by the piston to which the piston rod is connected into two portions. One of these portion has a number of orifices that fluidly connect that portion to the outer chamber. A piston slidably and movably fitted along the length of the outer chamber divides the outer chamber into two compartments, one of which is in fluid communication with the portion of the inner chamber to which it is connected by means of the orifices. An incompressible fluid is provided in the fluidly interconnected compartment and portion. A biasing force acts against the piston in the outer chamber by means of a pressurized gas provided in the other compartment of the outer chamber. With the shock absorber thus constructed, when the piston rod moves, the piston to which it is connected would force an exchange of fluid between the inner chamber and the outer chamber, which acts as a reservoir.

Abstract: A shock and acoustic mount for reducing transmission of forces between two relatively moveable members such as a mounted component and a supporting structure, providing a compressible fluid spring with large allowable relative movement of the mounted component and support structure. The mount comprises a casing, a piston shell with one end disposed in the casing and another end extending outside of the casing, and a piston housed in the piston shell, all relatively moveable in response to external axial forces. In one embodiment, the mount is filled with a compressible fluid, such as air, providing an air spring. The piston is sealingly bonded to the inner surface of the piston shell, the bond accommodating acoustic and vibration forces by deformation of the bond material. An annular seal between the piston shell and the casing accommodates large and shock forces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydropneumatic shock absorber. This new telescopic system comprises an outer sliding tube, an inner sliding tube and structure for adjusting the braking level of the shock absorber in expansion. Fastened on the base of the outer sliding tube is the bottom of a barrel on which rests an elastic structure, such as a counter-acting spring, which pushes on the inner sliding tube in the expansion stroke. The inner sliding tube carries at its internal end a bell which cooperates with a stop spring when in the expansion stroke. The liquid filled barrel contains an axially movable piston connected to the closure plug assembly with the piston contains a first valve, which opens only in the compression phase, and a second valve, which acts as variable throttle and is controlled by the padded end of a screw axially placed within the support tube. By acting on a screw, the expansion braking level of the shock absorber can be adjusted.

Abstract: A gas spring shock absorber (10) includes a damping fluid cylinder (14) telescopically housed within a gas cylinder (12). A shaft (16) connects a sealed, outer end (18) of the gas cylinder (12) with a vented piston (32) movably mounted within damping fluid cylinder (14). Shaft (16) passes through a sealed inner end (28) of damping fluid cylinder (14) so that a sliding seal (34) located between gas cylinder (12) and damping fluid cylinder (14) creates a sealed variable-volume gas cylinder (40) between the cylinders.

Abstract: A stay damper for a door etc., includes a cylinder member filled with filler gas under pressure, a piston rod slidable in the cylinder member and a cover supported by the projecting end of the piston rod so that the lower end of the cover can move radially toward and away from the cylinder. The upper end of the cylinder member is formed with a notch opening upward. When the stay damper is extended, the notch of the cylinder member catches the lower end of the cover and prevents inward movement of the piston rod to hold the stay damper in the extended state.

Abstract: A front fork for a motorcycle in which an outer tube (1), an inner tube (2) which is inserted to slide freely in said outer tube (1), a damper cylinder (3) disposed on the bottom of said inner tube (2), a piston (4) accommodated in said damper cylinder (3), a piston rod (5) connected to said piston (4) and said outer tube (1), a spring (7) pushing said outer tube (1) and said piston rod (5) in an extending direction, a tubular guide (12) disposed on an upper end of said damper cylinder (3); and a free piston (15) disposed to displace freely in a vertical direction along said guide (12), said free piston (15) separating an upper reservoir (14) and a lower oil chamber (13) in said inner tube (2) and supporting an end of said spring (7).

Abstract: The invention relates to a shock absorbing assembly including a steering assembly for a vehicle, such as a mobile crane, and consisting of a shock absorbing leg including an outer tube securable to the frame of the vehicle, a wheel carrier telescopically extensible downwards from the outer tube by a piston/cylinder unit, and a steering assembly for the wheel carrier. The steering assembly includes a steering input coupler at the top end of the shock absorbing leg for transmitting steering forces to the wheel carrier through the piston/cylinder unit.

Abstract: An improved hydraulic strut (30) for mounting a moveable structure (24) to a support structure, the strut having an outer telescoping member (20) and an inner telescoping member (32). The outer telescoping member defines a first hydraulic chamber (402) and a second hydraulic chamber (400), connected by a fluid flow restrictor (100). The inner telescoping member includes a main piston (200) that translates within the second hydraulic chamber between a closed position, where the inner telescoping member is fully retracted into the outer telescoping member, and an open position, wherein the inner telescoping member is fully extended from the outer telescoping member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hydraulic shock absorber 10, with a cylinder 12 which is filled with a hydraulic fluid; a piston 14 connected to one end of a piston rod 15, which is slidably located in the cylinder; and a free piston 47 which is slidably located in the cylinder so as to partition the cylinder into a gas chamber 45 and an oil chamber 16A, and wherein a gas chamber cartridge 48 is inserted into one side of the cylinder 12 so as to be fixed thereto, and the free piston 47 slidably disposed in a gas chamber case 46 of the gas chamber cartridge 48, defining one chamber partitioned by the free pistion 47 of the gas chamber case 46 as the gas chamber 45 encloses a gas therein, and defining the other chamber partitioned by the free pistion 47 of the gase chamber case 46 as connected to the oil chamber 16A on the other side of the cylinder 12.