Abstract: A gas spring for moving a load relative to a body includes a cylinder member having an axis, an inner surface forming a chamber, a rod end and a closed end, a piston rod seal/guide received in the rod end of the cylinder member, and a piston rod received in the seal/guide for movement into and out of the cylinder member. A floating piston is received in the cylinder member for movement along the axis and in sealed engagement with the inner wall to define in the chamber a gas section between the floating piston and the rod end and a closed end section between the floating piston and the closed end. A mass of gas under a pressure above atmospheric pressure is contained in the gas section. A powered drive is provided for moving the floating piston axially of the cylinder member to vary the volume of the gas section of the chamber. A sensing device senses a characteristic of the gas spring that is indicative of the force applied to the rod by the gas in the gas section and produces a signal indicative thereof.

Abstract: A gas spring for moving a load relative to a body includes a cylinder member having an axis, an inner surface forming a chamber, a rod end and a closed end, a piston rod seal/guide received in the rod end of the cylinder member, and a piston rod received in the seal/guide for movement into and out of the cylinder member. A floating piston is received in the cylinder member for movement along the axis and in sealed engagement with the inner wall to define in the chamber a gas section between the floating piston and the rod end and a closed end section between the floating piston and the closed end. A mass of gas under a pressure above atmospheric pressure is contained in the gas section. A powered drive is provided for moving the floating piston axially of the cylinder member to vary the volume of the gas section of the chamber. A sensing device senses a characteristic of the gas spring that is indicative of the force applied to the rod by the gas in the gas section and produces a signal indicative thereof.

Abstract: An adjustable installation includes a body and a member carried by the body for adjustment among a plurality of positions by movements substantially in tandem of two spaced-apart locations on the member. A controllable locking gas spring is coupled between the body and the member at one of the locations, and an emergency locking gas spring is coupled between the body and the member at the other of the locations. The emergency locking gas spring normally acts like a non-locking gas spring and is thus in a follower relationship to the controllable locking gas spring but is locked automatically in either of two ways, depending on its design. In some designs, the emergency locking gas spring locks when a force greater than a predetermined force is imposed on it. In other designs, the emergency locking gas spring is locked in response to a signal generated by an acceleration detector upon detection of an acceleration of the installation greater than a predetermined acceleration.

Abstract: An adjustable installation includes a body and a member carried by the body for adjustment among a plurality of positions by movements substantially in tandem of two spaced-apart locations on the member. A controllable locking gas spring is coupled between the body and the member at one of the locations, and an emergency locking gas spring is coupled between the body and the member at the other of the locations. The emergency locking gas spring normally acts like a non-locking gas spring and is thus in a follower relationship to the controllable locking gas spring but is locked automatically in either of two ways, depending on its design. In some designs, the emergency locking gas spring locks when a force greater than a predetermined force is imposed on it. In other designs, the emergency locking gas spring is locked in response to a signal generated by an acceleration detector upon detection of an acceleration of the installation greater than a predetermined acceleration.

Abstract: A gas spring has a single bypass across the piston that is controlled by a valve member of an elastomeric material, which restricts flow through the bypass when the gas spring is compressed (piston rod moving into the cylinder) and produces a pressure differential across the piston that varies inversely with temperature. The increasing force opposing compression of the gas spring due to the pressure differential across the bypass as the temperature of the gas spring, and thus the output force, decreases maintains the handle load more even over a range of temperatures. The elastomeric valve member has very little effect on the normal operation of the gas spring in the extension (rod moving out) mode.

Abstract: An adjustable installation includes a body and a member carried by the body for adjustment among a plurality of positions by movements substantially in tandem of two spaced-apart locations on the member. A controllable locking gas spring is coupled between the body and the member at one of the locations, and an emergency locking gas spring is coupled between the body and the member at the other of the locations. The emergency locking gas spring normally acts like a non-locking gas spring and is thus in a follower relationship to the controllable locking gas spring but is locked automatically in either of two ways, depending on its design. In some designs, the emergency locking gas spring locks when a force greater than a predetermined force is imposed on it. In other designs, the emergency locking gas spring is locked in response to a signal generated by an acceleration detector upon detection of an acceleration of the installation greater than a predetermined acceleration.

Abstract: A gas spring comprises a first bypass with a one-way valve that allows fluid to bypass the piston when the piston moves outward and a second bypass with a temperature-compensating spring-biased one-way valve that allows fluid to bypass the piston when the piston is pushed inward with a force exceeding the total of the force due to the gas pressure of the gas spring and the force required to open the spring-biased valve. Variations due to temperature changes in the force required to retract the gas spring are minimized.

Abstract: Rattling of the piston against the tube in a gas spring due to transient lateral loads on the piston are inhibited by engagement of the base of the piston ring groove with internal projections of a serrated inner edge of the sealing ring. Assurance against seizure of the sealing ring to the piston and preservation of a minimum width of the face seal between the sealing ring and the ringland to ensure against leakage are provided.