A vehicle suspension damper for providing a variable damping rate. The vehicle suspension damper comprises a first damping mechanism having a variable first threshold pressure, a second damping mechanism having a second threshold pressure, and a compressible chamber in communication with a damping fluid chamber, wherein the second damping mechanism is responsive to a compression of said compressible chamber.

Housing has first and second parallel tubular chambers. The first chamber contains a gas spring whose output shaft connects to a first piston of area A.sub.1. The second chamber contains a second piston of area A.sub.2<A.sub.1. Piston A.sub.2 connects to the device's output shaft. The housing has a valve block with an internal port in fluid communication with the two chambers between the first and second pistons. The valve block contains an incompressible fluid. A poppet valve is in the internal port. The poppet includes a flow restricting bore therethrough. A force on the output shaft causes the fluid to force open the poppet and displace the piston, A.sub.1, storing energy in the gas spring. Upon removal of the force on the device's output shaft, the gas spring pushes the fluid to close the poppet. Hence, only a low volume flow through the bore in the poppet is permitted.

A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a first chamber. The piston portion is movable from a first position yielding a first chamber volume to a second position yielding a second chamber volume. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is disposed in the chamber.

A vehicle suspension damper for providing a variable damping rate. The vehicle suspension damper comprises a first damping mechanism having a variable first threshold pressure, a second damping mechanism having a second threshold pressure, and a compressible chamber in communication with a damping fluid chamber, wherein the second damping mechanism is responsive to a compression of said compressible chamber.

A vehicle suspension damper for providing a variable damping rate. The vehicle suspension damper comprises a first damping mechanism having a variable first threshold pressure, a second damping mechanism having a second threshold pressure, and a compressible chamber in communication with a damping fluid chamber, wherein the second damping mechanism is responsive to a compression of said compressible chamber.

A gas spring and gas damper assembly includes a gas spring and a gas damper. The gas spring includes a flexible spring member with opposing end members secured thereto and at least partially defining a spring chamber. The gas damper includes an inner sleeve that is at least partially received within one of the end members and at least partially forms a damping chamber. A damper piston assembly is received within the damping chamber and secured to the other of the end members. An elongated damping passage fluidically connects the damping chamber and the spring chamber. Suspension systems and methods are also included.

Housing has first and second parallel tubular chambers. The first chamber contains a gas spring whose output shaft connects to a first piston of area A.sub.1. The second chamber contains a second piston of area A.sub.2<A.sub.1. Piston A.sub.2 connects to the device's output shaft. The housing has a valve block at one end with an internal port in fluid communication with the volumes of the two chambers that are between the first and second pistons and the valve block containing an incompressible fluid. A spring-biased poppet valve is contained in the internal port. The poppet includes a flow restricting bore therethrough. A force on the output shaft causes the fluid to force open the poppet and displace the piston, A.sub.1, to store energy in the gas spring. Upon removal of the force on the device's output shaft, the gas spring pushes the fluid to close the poppet. Hence, only a low volume flow through the bore in the poppet is permitted to dampen output shaft movement.

A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a first chamber. The piston portion is movable from a first position yielding a first chamber volume to a second position yielding a second chamber volume. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is disposed in the chamber.

End member assemblies are dimensioned for securement to an end of a flexible spring member for forming gas spring assemblies. An end member assembly can include an end member body and at least one connector fitting. The end member body includes a base section and a cap section that are secured together at a single flowed-material joint. The base section and the cap section together at least partially define a reservoir chamber within the end member body. The at least one connector fitting is at least partially embedded within the end member body. Gas spring assemblies including at least one end member assembly and suspension systems including at least one gas spring assembly are also included.

A vehicle suspension damper for providing a variable damping rate. The vehicle suspension damper comprises a first damping mechanism having a variable first threshold pressure, a second damping mechanism having a second threshold pressure, and a compressible chamber in communication with a damping fluid chamber, wherein the second damping mechanism is responsive to a compression of said compressible chamber.