Abstract: According to an illustrative example, a steering column is capable of telescopic length adjustment. A positioning device is provided for securing the steering column in a selected length position. The positioning device is selectively locked and unlocked by an electric mover fastened to the positioning device. The mover is controlled through a flexible line from a push button. The push button is easily accessible to the driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: According to an illustrative example, a gas spring (8) is provided within a base tube (9) of a chair column. The piston rod (8-2) of the gas spring (8) is axially supported on a bottom (22) of the base tube (9). The cylinder (8-1) of the gas spring (8) is axially and rotatably guided within a guide (1) at the upper end of the base tube (9). The guide (1) comprises a main sleeve body (2) and a guiding sleeve body (3a) inserted into a central passage of the main sleeve body (2). These sleeves are provided on their surfaces facing each other with at least one projection, and/or at least one recess which engage each other in a snap fit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a height-adjustable support device, in particular for the seat (12) of a chair (10), having a base (14) and an upright tube (16) disposed on the base vertically along a center axis (11) thereof, in which a height-adjustment element (18), preferably a gas spring, is arranged so as to be rotatably and/or vertically displaceably guided by a guide surface (34c) disposed concentrically to the center axis and so as to be supported on a support (28) in the lower end section of the upright tube (16). The guide surface (34c) and the support (28) are integrally-formed with the upright tube (16) itself, and the upright tube (16) and the base (14) are made in one-piece of a plastic material.

Abstract: A ball socket body (16) of a ball-and-socket joint has an exterior surface (18) and a ball-receiving channel (20). The receiving channel (20) has a channel axis (P--P), an insertion opening (22), an interior circumferential surface (24), an interior end support (26) and ball-securing elements (32). The ball socket body (16) may be made of one piece with the securing cam (32) and may also have a passage (30) opening through the back exterior surface thereof to make a ball head (10) located in the ball socket body (16) accessible to a tool. The ball head (10) is provided with a tool engagement point (10b) for reception of the tool. By use of the tool, the ball head (10) may readily be fastened to a support structure even though the ball head (10) has already been assembled with the ball socket body (16).

Abstract: According to an illustrative example of the invention a fluid damper comprises a cylinder and a piston rod axially movable through one axial end of the cylinder. The piston rod is provided with two damping pistons within a cavity inside the cylinder. The two pistons are axially spaced and in sealing engagement with an internal circumferential face of the cylinder. In a middle section of the cylinder there is provided a by-pass by an axial groove in the inner circumferential wall of the cylinder. In each axial position of the piston rod at least one piston is within the axial extent of the by-pass. When one of the pistons moves beyond the axial extent of the by-pass toward an axial cylinder end nearer to this piston, a throttled channel through this piston allows restricted fluid flow through the piston. When this piston moves in the other direction away from the nearer end of the cylinder, liquid can flow through this piston without substantial flow resistance.

Abstract: According to an illustrative example of the invention, a chair column comprises a lockable gas spring for height adjustment of the chair column. The gas spring is inserted into a stand tube of the chair column. The piston rod extends downwards and is rotatably fastened to a bottom part of the stand tube. The cylinder of the gas spring extends upwards out of the upper end of the stand tube. At the upper end of the cylinder there is provided in axial alignment with the axis of the cylinder a valve pin. A pushing member acts onto the valve pin. The pushing member is connected with a Bowden cable. One end of the Bowden cable core is fastened to a guide sleeve of the pushing member. The tube member of the Bowden cable acts onto the pushing member. The other end of the Bowden cable is connected to a releasing lever by which the valve can be opened. When the valve is opened, the working chambers located on both sides of a piston are interconnected so that height adjustment of the gas spring is possible.

Abstract: According to an illustrative example of the invention, a chair column comprises a base tube with a support plate. A gas spring is accommodated within the base tube. The piston rod of the gas spring is supported on the base tube by a ball bearing. The cylinder of the gas spring is guided at the upper end of the base tube by a guiding sleeve. The guiding sleeve is telescopical with respect to the base tube in response to outward and inward movement of the cylinder with respect to the base tube such that a full satisfactory guiding function is maintained between the cylinder and the base tube, even when the cylinder is in its uppermost position.

Abstract: A telescopic spring unit with two telescopic parts capable of being shifted, one in relation to the other, along a telescopic axis, which telescopic spring unit, when in its lengthened state, is lockable by means of a locking unit that is arranged on one of the telescopic parts and is pivotable around a tilting joint into a stop position. First and second pivoting elements are provided on the two telescopic parts, respectively, for pivotally connecting the spring unit to an articulated structural assembly. The pivoting elements of the telescopic part connected to the locking unit is attached to the locking unit, and the tilting joint and the pivoting elements are coordinated with one another in a manner such that, in the lengthened state of the telescopic spring unit, a force that acts on the telescopic spring unit through the two pivoting points in the compressive direction exerts a tilting moment on the locking unit which biases the locking unit around the tilting joint towards the stop position.

Abstract: A pneumatic spring is equipped with a shell tube (12) which is telescopically guided on a pneumatic-spring cylinder (9) and which can snap into different positions. For bolting between the shell tube (12) and the pneumatic-spring cylinder (9), a bolt body (16) is attached to the cylinder bottom (17). In the bolt body (16), a bolt (18) is spring-loaded by a resilient force directed radially outward. In order to bolt the pneumatic-spring cylinder (9) relative to the shell tube (12), the bolt (18) engages in various breaches (19a and 19). Finger pressure required to release the bolting depends on which one of the two relative-shift directions between the pneumatic-spring cylinder (9) and the shell tube (12) is intended. (FIG.

Abstract: A steering column of a motor vehicle is composed of two telescopically and torque transmittingly interengaging steering column tubes. These tubes are mounted in bearings. A steering wheel is allocated to a first steering column tube. The other steering column tube is connected with a steering gear box. A cylinder piston device is provided within at least one of the two steering column tubes. This cylinder piston device can be locked in a plurality of positions, such as to define a plurality of variable lengths of the steering column.

Abstract: According to an illustrative example of the invention, a gas spring is combined with a telescopic tube which is axially slidable on the cylinder of the gas spring. The piston rod and the telescopic tube are provided at the respective most remote ends thereof with fastening eyes. The telescopic tube can be fixed in a plurality of positions with respect to the cylinder. For such fixation, the cylinder is connected with a carrier within the telescopic tube between opposite end walls of the cylinder and the telescopic tube. A locking bolt is guided within the carrier in a direction transverse to the axis of the telescopic tube. The locking bolt is engageable with a corresponding plurality of openings in the telescopic tube. The locking bolt is biased by a spring into an engagement position with respect to a respective opening and can be released from such engagement by being inwardly pressed by an operator.

Abstract: A gas spring comprises a cylinder and a piston rod. The piston rod extends through a first end wall of the cylinder in axial direction of the cylinder. A volume of pressurized gas is contained within a cavity defined within the cylinder. The pressurized gas exerts an expelling force onto the piston rod. A sliding tube is slidingly guided on the cylinder. This guiding tube has a bottom wall engageable with a second end wall of the cylinder. The tube is provided with a guiding ring at its end remote from its bottom wall. The guiding ring is slidably guided on the piston rod. A helical compression spring is axially compressable between the first end wall of the cylinder and the guiding ring. One fastening eye is provided at an outer end of the piston rod. A further fastening eye is provided at the bottom wall of the tube.

Abstract: A steering column comprises a pressure tube and a piston rod extending inwards and outwards of said pressure tube. The outer end of the piston rod is connected with a steering wheel. The pressure tube at its end remote from said steering wheel is connected with a steering mechanism of a motor vehicle. The pressure tube is rotatably mounted in a bearing tube. The piston rod is axially movable but non-rotatable with respect to the pressure tube. A liquid chamber is confined within the pressure tube and has a variable volume dependent on the axial position of the piston rod with respect to the pressure tube. The liquid chamber is connectable through a pivotal connection selectively with a pressure liquid source or with a pressure liquid receiving space or can be separated from both of them. A spring acts on the piston rod and is in balance with the liquid in the fluid chamber.

Abstract: A cylinder piston device comprises a cylinder and a piston rod. The piston rod is guided through one end of the cylinder inwards and outwards of the cylinder. A damping body is provided for damping the axial movement of the piston rod with respect to the cylinder. This damping body is deflectable in response to change of direction of the axial movement. A deflection of the damping body results in change of the frictional resistance.

Abstract: According to an illustrative example of the invention, a gas spring is combined with a telescopic tube which is axially slidable on the cylinder of the gas spring. The piston rod and the telescopic tube are provided at the respective most remote ends thereof with fastening eyes. The telescopic tube can be fixed in a plurality of positions with respect to the cylinder. For such fixation, the cylinder is connected with a carrier within the telescopic tube between opposite end walls of the cylinder and the telescopic tube. A locking bolt is guided within the carrier in a direction transverse to the axis of the telescopic tube. This locking bolt is engageable with a corresponding plurality of openings of the telescopic tube. The locking bolt is biased by a spring into an engagement position with respect to a respective opening and can be released from such engagement by being inwardly pressed by an operator.

Abstract: According to an illustrative example of the invention, a gas spring comprises a cylinder which is closed at both ends thereof. A piston is provided within the cylinder and separates two working chambers within the cylinder. The working chambers are filled with a pressurized gas. The piston is connected with a piston rod which extends axially through one end of the cylinder. The working chambers can be selectively connected or separated from each other through an axial channel extending through the piston. This axial channel accommodates a valve pin. The valve pin is axially movable by an actuating rod accommodated by an axial bore of the piston rod. The piston is in sealing engagement with an inner circumferential face of the cylinder. The valve pin is in sealing engagement with the channel. The piston is provided with an elastic covering layer, which covering layer provides both the sealing engagement of the piston with the cylinder and the sealing engagement of the valve pin with the piston.

Abstract: A pressure tube piston unit (10) with a pressure tube (11) which is subdivided into a first working space (14) and a second working space (15) by a piston (12) adapted to be extended and retracted on a piston rod (13). The two working spaces are adapted to be in a lockable flow connection with each other via an externally actuable valve arrangement (18). The piston (12) is radially externally provided with an encircling groove (19) and a packing ring (20) is inserted into the groove. The groove (19) is provided with a radially inwardly directed widened portion, the widening being of a predeterminable height. The packing ring (20) inserted into the bottom of the groove (19) is capable of being displaced axially into the widened portion.

Abstract: A chair column comprises a stand tube. A support bush is inserted into the upper end portion of the stand tube. A gas spring cylinder extends axially through the receiver bush. The piston rod is directed downward and is connected with a bottom of the stand tube. The gas spring cylinder is guided through two axially spaced bearing bushes. The bearing bushes are radially supported by the receiver bush through a radially prestressed transmission ring or a plurality of circumferentially distributed buffers. The radial prestress is transmitted to the contact face between the bearing bushes and the gas spring cylinder.

Abstract: According to an illustrative example of the invention, a motor vehicle comprises a basic frame. A compartment is defined within this basic frame. This compartment is intended for receiving an engine or for receiving luggage. The compartment is provided with a lid which is pivotable about a horizontal axis. For facilitating opening and closing of the lid, a gas spring is in operative connection between the basic frame and the lid. A light source is provided for illuminating the compartment when opened. This light source is mounted on the gas spring.

Abstract: According to an illustrative example, a chair column comprises a stand tube. A gas spring is inserted in the stand tube with the piston rod thereof directed downwardly toward an abutment wall of the stand tube. The lower end of the piston rod is connected to the abutment wall and is rotatably supported on the abutment wall by a ball bearing. The ball bearing comprises two bearing discs and a plurality of balls therebetween. The bearing discs and the balls are pre-assembled by a cage. The bearing can be pre-assembled before it is combined with the lower end of the piston rod and is mounted thereafter on the lower end of the piston rod. The cage remains within the chair column when the gas spring is inserted subsequently into the stand tube together with the bearing.