A vibration isolator (10; 210) for supporting a payload and isolating the payload from vibrations has a contact member (12) configured for supporting the payload, at least two pressurized gas compartments (24) arranged offset from each other to support the contact member at different locations, which pressurized gas compartments are connected to each other via a tubing system (54). The tubing system contains at least one restriction (66) at which a cross section of the tubing system is reduced by at least 50%.

A switch valve is disclosed including a stepping motor and a housing configured to receive a stepping motor, itself operatively connected to an actuating element which is configured to position a valve body that is arranged in the housing so as to perform a translatory movement of the switch valve. The coupling element is configured to convert a rotational movement of the stepping motor into a translational movement of the actuating element. A motor shaft of the stepping motor is arranged coaxially with the actuating element and the coupling element. The motor shaft and the actuating element are configured to engage in the coupling element.

Described is a gas spring (200), comprising a guide (2), having an outer surface (212), a slider (1), defining with said guide (2) at least one chamber (11) containing pressurised gas, said slider (1) being slidably connected to said guide (2) in such a way as to have a maximum stroke, of expansion, wherein said guide (2) is partially extracted from said slider (1), and a maximum stroke, of compression, characterised in that it comprises a bushing (3), positioned between said slider (1) and said guide (2), comprising sealing means for the tightness of the chamber (11), and removably coupled and so as to move integrally with said slider (1) up to said maximum stroke, in such a way that, when said slider (1) slides with respect to said guide (2) beyond said maximum stroke, said bushing (3) decouples from said slider (1) so as to eliminate the seal of the chamber (11).

An inflatable structure includes a top end cap, a bottom end cap, a bladder attached to the top and bottom end caps and configured to hold pressurized air therebetween, and a plurality of tethers disposed within the bladder, each tether in the plurality of tethers having a first end coupled to the top end cap and a second end coupled to the bottom end cap, wherein when the bladder is inflated, the bladder expands axially forcing the top end cap and the bottom end cap away from one another, the plurality of tethers adapted to restrict movement of the top end cap and the bottom end cap away from one another and limit axial expansion of the bladder, wherein, at least one of the plurality of tethers is elastic, and the inflatable structure is adapted to provide multiple support profiles that are capable of supporting compressive loading.

The present invention relates to a gas spring comprising a first element, a second element, and a limit, wherein the second element comprises a first chamber and a first opening for accessing the first chamber, the first element is fixable to a reference plane and comprises a second chamber), a second opening for accessing the second chamber, and external walls, and is inserted into the first chamber through the first opening, wherein said first and second elements are movable and reciprocally slide along an axis, wherein the limit comprises a stem and a head adapted to slide through the second opening into the second chamber parallel to the axis so as to limit the maximum travel of the second element to the extension of the external walls of the first element, wherein said first and second chambers communicate through an existing play between said stem and said second opening, and the second element slides through the first opening along the external walls of the first element.

The invention provides a vibration isolation system (IS), comprising a piston (402) to carry a payload, a connecting member (410), a spring (404) and a flexible member (408). The spring is arranged to support the piston along a direction with a positive stiffness. The flexible member is arranged to apply a force to the piston along the direction via the connecting member with a negative stiffness.

The invention relates, inter alia, to an inflatable shock-absorbing cellular structure (1) which consists of two sealed sheets (10, 11) welded together along weld lines (100) that define inflatable cells (2), said inflatable cells (2) being arranged according to at least one two-dimensional matrix (MA) of n rows (L1-L6) and m columns (C1-C6) of cells (2), n and m being the same or different integers, each greater than or equal to 2, a peripheral cell (2) of the matrix (MA) being connected to an inflation nozzle (4). Said structure is characterised in particular in that: —the cells (2) are not contiguous; —the cells (2) of the row and/or column to which the peripheral cell (2) connected to the inflation nozzle (4) belongs communicate with one another through a channel (3) forming a constriction, while each remaining cell (2) of the matrix (MA) is also connected to at least one of the neighbouring cells (2) of the same row and/or the same column through a communication channel (3) forming a constriction.

A damper includes a cylinder, a rod including a first engaging portion at a tip end thereof, and a piston formed of an elastic resin material. The piston includes a convex portion provided so as to protrude at a base end portion located on a rod base end side and always in pressure contact with an inner circumference of the cylinder. During damper braking, the first engaging portion of the rod abuts against the other end portion of the piston, and an axial compression force acts on the piston between the first engaging portion and the convex portion in pressure contact with the inner circumference of the cylinder.

End mount assemblies include a mounting bracket dimensioned for securement to an end member of a gas spring and damper assembly. The end mount assembly can include an inner mounting element dimensioned for securement to an elongated damping rod of the gas spring and damper assembly. A first plurality of bushing elements can be operatively disposed between the inner mounting element and the mounting bracket. A second plurality of bushing elements can be operatively disposed between the inner mounting element and the end member. Gas spring and a damper assemblies including such an end mount assembly as well as suspension systems and methods of assembly are also included.

A temperature compensating valve assembly is provided that includes a bimetallic spring that deforms from a closed position to an open position in response to temperature, and a single-piece valve body having an aperture therethrough and having an open end for receiving the bimetallic spring. The single-piece valve body includes integral retainers for retaining the bimetallic spring in the open end in a location such that the aperture is blocked by the bimetallic spring when in the closed position and is not blocked by the bimetallic spring when in the open position.