Abstract: An exemplary hockey puck includes a gyroscope within an outer shell. An exemplary method of controlling movement of a hockey puck includes holding a gyroscope within an outer housing of a hockey puck.

Abstract: An exemplary hockey puck includes a gyroscope within an outer shell. An exemplary method of controlling movement of a hockey puck includes holding a gyroscope within an outer housing of a hockey puck.

Abstract: A gas spring assembly is used to control movement of a vehicle body panel relative to a vehicle body member. The gas spring assembly includes a rod and piston that are received within a tube or cylinder. A first rod end is coupled to the piston to move the piston back and forth within the cylinder. A second rod end is mounted to one of the vehicle body panel or the vehicle body member. The cylinder is mounted to the other of the vehicle body panel or the vehicle body member. The gas spring assembly includes a resilient cover that covers the rod and cylinder and extends from the second rod end to a distal cylinder end. The resilient cover extends and retracts with rod movement and is sealed at each end of the resilient cover to provide a completely sealed gas spring assembly.

Abstract: An improved gas spring has a drive motor for driving a piston. A piston head has a thread at an outer periphery that is guided along a mating thread in an inner periphery of a cylinder. The piston is caused to rotate relative to the cylinder, and is guided for reciprocating movement. In this manner, a drive motor is incorporated into the gas spring such that the gas spring has both a driven and a manual mode. The inventive gas spring has particular application in attaching a vehicle closure to a vehicle frame.

Abstract: A gas spring assembly is used to control movement of a vehicle body panel. The gas spring assembly includes a magnetic collar that allows an end user to position an intermediate stop position at a desired location. The magnetic collar is externally supported on a tube of the gas spring assembly. The end user selectively adjusts the intermediate stop position by moving the magnetic collar relative to the tube. The gas spring assembly includes a piston that is received within the tube and connected to a rod. The rod moves relative to the tube between a fully extended position and a fully compressed position. The magnetic collar includes a magnet that cooperates with the piston assembly to stop and hold the vehicle body panel at the intermediate stop position as the rod moves from the fully compressed position toward the fully extended position.

Abstract: An example valve for controlling airflow to an engine includes an actuator with an actuator arm that moves between extended and retracted positions, and a valve housing defining an airflow passage extending between a first housing opening and a second housing opening. The airflow passage has an axis X. The example valve also includes at least one finger within the valve housing. Movement of the actuator arm causes radial movement of the finger relative to the axis X, and the finger moves between a position that provides a restricted flow of air through the airflow passage, and a position that provides a greater flow of air through the airflow passage.

Abstract: A gas spring that has particular advantage in a vehicle safety system which is infrequently used, includes a safety switch to monitor pressure of compressed gas within a cylinder. Should the pressure in the cylinder drop below a predetermined minimum, a switch component moves to break an electric circuit. A control can then determine that the pressure is insufficient and a warning can be actuated.

Abstract: A vehicle decklid system uses a planetary gear drive to move a decklid relative to a vehicle body. The planetary gear drive includes a rotatable gear that is disposed between two fixed gears. One fixed gear is rigidly mounted to the decklid and one fixed gear is rigidly mounted to the vehicle body. A rotating link connects centers of the rotatable gear and two fixed gears. The combination of the planetary gear drive and rotating link make it possible to provide powered complex, two-dimensional motion of the decklid requiring a four-bar linkage.

Abstract: A gas spring is mounted through a unique mount structure including a socket joint. The socket joint is mounted in a yoke for rotation through 180° about an axis of the yoke. The inventive structure provides greater freedom of movement than the prior art, and in many applications will allow rotation for more than 180°.

Abstract: A power mechanism for opening and closing a vehicle trunk decklid includes power-operated guides that move the linkages on the decklid. The guides are moved by push-pull cables operated by a motor and disposed in a guide rail located in a trunk sill. The motor may be controlled by a controller that receives a user signal and operates the motor based on the signal.

Abstract: A powered system to selectively position a vehicle liftgate at a multiple of positions intermediate a fully open and a fully closed position. A controller receives commands from a remote, such as a key fob, and/or from a selector located within the vehicle to selectively operate the liftgate to move the liftgate through a multiple of liftgate positions through a combination of button presses or selector positions.

Abstract: A powered system to selectively position a vehicle liftgate at a multiple of positions intermediate a fully open and a fully closed position. A controller receives commands from a remote, such as a key fob, and/or from a selector located within the vehicle to selectively operate the liftgate to move the liftgate through a multiple of liftgate positions through a combination of button presses or selector positions.

Abstract: A gas spring provides an outer cylinder which is partitioned into a multiple of auxiliary volumes. A multiple of temperature compensation valves are located within a piston cylinder which sequentially open or close. As the temperature increases, the temperature compensation valves open sequentially and as the temperature decreases the temperature compensation valves close in reverse sequence. Between each pair of adjacent temperature compensation valves is a passage which provides communication between the working volume and an auxiliary volume to effectively increase or decrease the working volume of gas within cylinder through communication with or isolation of the auxiliary volumes.

Abstract: A support assembly for a vehicle closure member includes a gas spring that biases an arm against the vehicle closure member and toward an initial opening pop-up position. The support assembly includes the arm pivotally attached to the vehicle body. The arm includes a first segment pivotally attached to a gas spring and a second segment contacting the vehicle closure member. The gas spring is attached to the closure member on a segment distal from the segment pivotally attached to the arm. A biasing force exerted by the gas spring causes rotation of the arm about the pivot point such that the second segment of the arm contacts and forces the vehicle closure member to the desired initial pop-up opening position.

Abstract: A power operating system for a vehicle liftgate includes an actuator having a gas strut and a linear electric motor mounted thereto along a common axis. By activating the linear electric motor, a slidable rotor moves along the linear stator to drive the gas spring between an extended position and a retracted position to provide remote operation of the liftgate. When power is unavailable to the linear electric motor, the liftgate may still be manually opened and closed in the conventional manner without the necessity of an override.

Abstract: A power operating system for a vehicle liftgate includes an actuator having a gas strut and a linear electric motor mounted thereto along a common axis. By activating the linear electric motor, a slidable rotor moves along the linear stator to drive the gas spring between an extended position and a retracted position to provide remote operation of the liftgate. When power is unavailable to the linear electric motor, the liftgate may still be manually opened and closed in the conventional manner without the necessity of an override.

Abstract: A seal that is particularly suitable for use in a gas spring (and other high pressure hydraulic and pneumatic sealing applications) and that minimizes leakage of relatively high pressure gas and lubricating oil from the rod end of the gas spring. The generally annular seal body includes a radially inwardly facing surface, force directing lobes and either a plastic wiper insert or a wiper lobe that are designed for minimizing the leakage of oil between the radially inwardly facing surface of the seal body and the adjacent, radially outwardly facing surface of the gas spring's piston rod, and that include a corner edge that projects radially inwardly beyond the plane of the seal body's radially inwardly facing surface. When the seal body is compressed for use in a gas spring and is thus subjected to the high-pressure gas, the induced stresses in the seal body result in the corner edge being forced against the adjacent surface of the piston rod to effectively prevent the leaking of oil therebetween.

Abstract: A seal that is particularly suitable for use in a gas spring and other high pressure hydraulic and pneumatic sealing applications and that minimizes the leakage of relatively high pressure gas and lubricating oil from the rod end of the gas spring or other application. The generally annular seal body includes a number of convex sealing lobes on its radially inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces. All of the sealing lobes have a predetermined radius and project radially beyond the plane of their respective surfaces. The axial facing surfaces of the seal body are generally flat or non-concave. The seal also includes a wiper insert secured in a recess in one corner of the radially inwardly facing surface of the seal body. When the seal body is compressed between the relatively movable, annularly spaced piston rod and cylinder of a gas spring or application, the compression induced stress in the seal causes the seal body and insert to form an effective gas and oil seal.

Abstract: A seal that is particularly suitable for use in a gas spring and other high pressure hydraulic and pneumatic sealing applications and that minimizes the leakage of relatively high pressure gas and lubricating oil from the rod end of the gas spring or the other applications. The generally annular seal body includes radially inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces and non-concave axial facing surfaces. Lobes for sealing, wiping and directing enhanced forces project radially beyond the planes of the radially inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces. The seal also includes a wiper insert that has a parabolic shaped radially outwardly facing surface and a radially inwardly facing surface, and that is secured in a recess adjacent to the front corner of the seal body's radially inwardly facing surface.

Abstract: A seal that is particularly suitable for use in a gas spring and other high pressure hydraulic and pneumatic sealing applications and that minimizes the leakage of relatively high pressure gas and lubricating oil from the rod end of the gas spring or other applications. The generally annular seal body includes a number of convex sealing lobes on its radially inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces. All of the sealing lobes have a predetermined radius and project radially beyond the plane of their respective surfaces. The axial facing surfaces of the seal body are generally flat or non-concave. The seal also includes a wiper insert secured in a recess in one corner of the radially inwardly facing surface of the seal body. When the seal body is compressed between the relatively movable, annularly spaced piston rod and cylinder, the compression induced stress in the seal causes the seal body and insert to form an effective gas and oil seal.