A hood lifting mechanism according to various implementations includes a housing and a piston. A distal end of the piston is urged away from a distal end of the housing to lift a hood upwardly away from a vehicle body in response to the vehicle hitting a pedestrian. To prevent the piston from rattling or moving within the housing while in a stored position, a portion of the piston and a portion of the housing form an interference fit in the stored position. A gas generator in fluid communication with a proximal end of the housing provides sufficient force to overcome the interference fit and urge the distal end of the piston out of the housing.

A rod (1), the length of which is variable, is used for adjusting the compression ratio of an engine. The rod comprises a cylinder rigidly connected to a first end of the rod; a piston that is movable within the cylinder, and is rigidly connected to the second end of the rod, and defines, in the cylinder, a first hydraulic chamber referred to as the high-pressure hydraulic chamber, capable of transmitting compression forces, and a second hydraulic chamber referred to as the low-pressure hydraulic chamber, capable of transmitting tensile forces; at least one conduit calibrated to enable fluid to flow between the low-pressure chamber and the high-pressure chamber; and return means to bring the rod back to its nominal length, wherein the cross-sections of the low-pressure hydraulic chamber and the high-pressure hydraulic chamber are equal.

The invention relates to an automation component or clamping device including a basic housing, at least one jaw movably guided in a jaw guide of the basic housing, and a piston movably guided in the basic housing, wherein the piston has a piston surface, wherein the piston is coupled in terms of movement to the jaw, and wherein a piston rod extending on the piston transversely with respect to the piston surface, wherein the centroid of the piston surface is spaced apart from the central longitudinal axis of the piston rod (22).

A rotary actuator (10) is provided with a linear activation mechanism (40a) that causes a pinion (80) to rotate, and a cylinder body (12) in which a cylinder hole (28a) is formed. The linear activation mechanism (40a) comprises a rack (42) on which a plurality of teeth (44) that mesh with the pinion (80) are provided, and pistons (48a, 48b). The pistons (48a, 48b) are each provided with a piston main body (50a, 50b) that has a shape corresponding to that of the cylinder hole (28a). Each of the piston main bodies (50a, 50b) comprises a body (52a, 52b) and an extension section (54a, 54b). The ends of the rack (42) are connected to the extension sections (54a, 54b) of the set of pistons (48a, 48b), and a space (73a) shielded from the cylinder hole (28a) is formed between the bodies (52a, 52b) of the set of pistons (48a, 48b). The linear activation mechanism (40b) is also configured similarly.