F16F9/02

GAS SPRING
20220325770 · 2022-10-13 ·

A gas spring comprising: a cup-shaped body; a movable piston which is inserted in an axially slidable manner in the cup-shaped body and is coupled to the cup-shaped body in a fluid-tight manner, so as to delimit a variable-volume closed chamber adapted to contain a pressurised gas; and a safety plug provided with a shank which extends in pass-through manner in the bottom wall of the cup-shaped body, and protrudes cantilevered within the cup-shaped body so that its distal end can be reached/struck by the movable piston in the case of overtravel; the distal end of the shank having a substantially tubular structure that directly communicates with the closed chamber.

Supporting device and gas spring
11629770 · 2023-04-18 ·

A supporting device including an installation assembly; a first supporting arm assembly having a longitudinal direction, a first end, and a second end; a switching bracket; a bearing unit pivotally connected to the switching bracket; and at least one gas spring is provided. The first end is pivotally connected to the installation assembly. The switching bracket is pivotally connected to the second end of the first supporting arm assembly. The gas spring is disposed in the first supporting arm assembly and is respectively connected to the switching bracket and the installation assembly to provide a supporting force. Each gas spring has a hollow tube, a piston rod, and a compression spring. The piston rod is slidably disposed through the hollow tube and has a head. The head may be varied between maximum and minimum protruding positions relative to the hollow tube. The compression spring is sleeved on the piston rod.

Systems for damping a solar photovoltaic array tracker

A solar tracker system includes a torque tube, a solar panel assembly attached to the torque tube, a housing defining a chamber and a fluid passageway extending from the chamber, and an active lock connected to a seal configured to prevent a flow path of fluid while in a sealed state and allow the flow path of fluid in an unsealed state. The system further includes a controller in communication with the torque tube and the active lock. The controller is programmed to receive a command to place the solar panel assembly in a stowed position, instruct the torque tube to rotate the panel assembly to a stowed angle corresponding to the stowed position, monitor a current angle of the panel assembly, compare the current angle to the stowed angle, and instruct the seal to transition to the sealed state when the current angle is equal to the stowed angle.

Methods and apparatus for suspension adjustment

A shock absorber includes a gas spring cylinder containing a piston moveable between an extended position and a compressed position within the gas spring cylinder. A mechanical actuator is arranged whereby a bleed port is automatically closed when the gas spring is compressed to a predetermined position corresponding to a desired sag setting. In one embodiment, the position corresponds to a predetermined sag setting whereby the gas spring is partially compressed. In another embodiment, a proper sag setting is determined through the use of a processor and sensor that in one instance measure a position of shock absorber components to dictate a proper sag setting and in another instance calculate a pressure corresponding to a preferred sag setting.

Multi-mode air shock
11644079 · 2023-05-09 · ·

A multi-mode air shock is disclosed herein. The air shock includes an air spring having a primary air chamber, and a damper having an insertion end to telescope within the primary air chamber and a coupler to couple with a portion of a vehicle. An adjuster housing is fixedly coupled to an end of the air spring opposite of the damper, the adjuster housing having a secondary air chamber in communication with the primary air chamber and a mounting structure to couple with a different portion of the vehicle. There is a bulkhead with a valve to open or close the fluid communication between the primary air chamber and the secondary air chamber. The air shock also includes a tertiary air chamber in fluid communication with the secondary air chamber but not in fluid communication with the primary air chamber except via the secondary air chamber.

GAS CYLINDER ACTUATOR WITH SAFETY DEVICE

A gas cylinder actuator with safety device, which comprises: a tubular containment jacket, two opposing heads for closing the tubular jacket, with corresponding sealing elements between the heads and the jacket, a first head provided with a through hole for the passage of a stem-piston, and a second head provided with a gas filling duct, a stem-piston, between the tubular jacket, the heads and the stem-piston there being a chamber for pressurized gas; the second head has a seat for the accommodation of a flow control element of the gas filling duct and corresponding sealing means, the flow control element comprising a tab for controlling a retracting stroke of the stem-piston, the control tab protruding from a body that has a lightened portion for triggering a controlled fracture or deformation in the event the control tab is crushed by the stem-piston.

Suspension including coil spring and ambient air cushion
11685464 · 2023-06-27 · ·

A front fork of a bicycle may include a suspension system that includes a damper. The damper may include a hollow tube with orifices that may be partially blocked by an adjustable blocker. A free end of the adjuster that adjusts the blocker may maintain its axial position in any rotational position. Ambient air may be introduced through a valve and retained in the suspension system. The suspension may include a mechanical spring in a chamber away from the valve that introduces the ambient air.

GAS PRESSURE SPRING AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE GAS PRESSURE SPRING
20230193975 · 2023-06-22 ·

A gas pressure spring is provided including a working cylinder which, together with a slidably mounted compensating piston, encloses a working chamber filled with a working medium. A slidably mounted working piston is fastened to a working rod. In the event of a temperature increase, a compensating medium in a compensating chamber expands. The compensating piston is acted upon by the pressure of the working medium and the pressure of the compensating medium) such that the volume of the working chamber is increased. The temperature dependency of the gas spring force should be reduced by a design which is as simple as possible. For this purpose, the compensating chamber is at least partially surrounded by the working rod. Thus, the compensating medium can be compactly accommodated, and the assembly of the gas spring is simplified.

SPRING UNIT
20170356518 · 2017-12-14 ·

The present invention relates to a spring unit (1) for a shock absorber (100) intended for a vehicle. The shock absorber (100) comprises a damping cylinder (101), wherein the damping cylinder (101) is adapted to be telescopically arranged within the spring unit (1). The spring unit (1) comprises a hollow body (2) comprising at least one compression chamber (2b) and at least one additional chamber (3) arranged to be in fluid communication with the compression chamber such that at least a first flow of fluid (F1) is adapted to be allowed between the compression chamber (2b) and the additional chamber (3) when a threshold value is met. The invention further relates to a shock absorber (100) comprising such a spring unit (1), and a front fork comprising such a shock absorber (100) as well as a method for filling the shock absorber (100).

MODIFICATIONS FOR PNEUMATIC POGO STICKS
20170354841 · 2017-12-14 ·

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to pneumatic pogo sticks having features that allow for the jumping and/or landing characteristics of the pogo stick to be varied. These characteristics may even be modified by a user during use. For example, the housing of the pogo stick may have multiple air chambers and air may be selectively transferred between the multiple air chambers. The transfer of air may change the volume, air pressure, compression ratio, and spring-characteristics of the one or more air chambers in which air is compressed during the compression stroke of the pogo stick. These changes will affect the jumping and/or landing characteristics of the pogo stick and in some cases may allow the user to obtain a greater jump height. At the same time, these features may also allow the pogo stick to be collapsed so that it can be easily stored, packaged, and transported.