A shock absorber for a vehicle suspension system may include a damper tube having an axis defining an axial direction extending between a first end and a second end, a bumper cap, and a dust gaiter operably coupled to the bumper cap. The bumper cap may have a cover portion and a retention portion. The cover portion may be operably coupled to the second end of the damper tube, and the retention portion may extend along a lateral periphery of the damper tube to an opposite end of the bumper cap relative to the cover portion. The retention portion may include a continuous ring at a distal end of the bumper cap relative to the cover portion to define a limit for movement of the dust gaiter along the bumper cap in the axial direction. The continuous ring may be retained by a plurality of fixed fingers that extend from the cover portion to the continuous ring. A movable finger is disposed between each of the fixed fingers, each instance of the movable finger having a radially extending locking tab to engage the dust gaiter. Each instance of the moveable finger has a radial deflection rate of less than about 8 N/mm.

Lateral support elements include an element wall with an exterior surface dimensioned to abuttingly engage an associated flexible wall and an interior surface that at least partially defines an element chamber within the lateral supporting element. Gas spring assemblies include a flexible spring member that at least partially defines a spring chamber. The lateral support element is disposed along and operatively connected to the flexible spring member. The element chamber can, optionally and in some cases, be disposed in fluid communication with the spring chamber. The gas spring assembly can include one or more end members operatively connected to the flexible spring member. Suspension systems and methods of assembly are also included.

A pneumatic spring strut for a vehicle is provided including a hydraulic cylinder having a lower end for connection with a suspension system of the vehicle; a hydraulic piston slidably mounted within the hydraulic cylinder; a piston rod connected with the hydraulic piston; a pneumatic spring mount body connected with the hydraulic cylinder; a pneumatic spring bellows having a lower in connected with the pneumatic spring mount body; a top cap encircling the piston rod and being connected with a top end of the spring bellows, and a closing cover twist lock connected with the top cap.

A metering needle for an oleo-pneumatic-type shock absorber includes a base made of thermoplastic material, from which projects a rod arranged to control the flow of a hydraulic fluid through an orifice. The base has an arched bottom for withstanding pressure forces, in which is mounted an insert arranged to mechanically reinforce the arched bottom and distribute the pressure forces evenly.

A diaphragm holder for an oleo-pneumatic-type shock absorber includes a tubular body made of thermoplastic material, having one end arranged to hold a diaphragm and an opposite end defining an arched bottom for withstanding pressure forces. An insert is housed in the bottom of the tubular body and is arranged to mechanically reinforce the bottom and to distribute the pressure forces evenly.

A fluid mount for a vehicle includes a main bush mounted on an outer circumferential surface of an inner pipe and to which an outer pipe is coupled so that a fluid-contained internal region is sealed, and a middle bush dividing the internal region into a front liquid chamber and a rear liquid chamber and configured to, when vibration is generated along an axial direction of the inner pipe, form a fluid path extending a vibration-generating direction to allow the fluid to selectively flow from the front liquid chamber to the rear liquid chamber or from the rear liquid chamber to the front liquid chamber in the internal region.

A sealing unit for a stem of a mono-tube shock absorber includes a first seal having a sealing ring providing an annular sealing lip that projects in a radially and axially inner direction to slidingly cooperate with the stem and ensure a sealing action with respect to pressurized working fluid inside the mono-tube shock absorber; a second seal with a sealing ring having an annular sealing lip, which projects protruding in a radially and axially external direction to slidingly cooperate, with the stem and ensure a sealing action with respect to the outside of the mono-tube shock absorber; a reinforcing ring snapped into an annular seat of the sealing ring. The reinforcing ring is arranged axially locked between the lip and a bottom wall of the second sealing lip; the first and second seals are two physically distinct and separate elements assembled separately inside a body of the shock absorber.

A protective impact device is provided that produces an approximately constant force during compression. The device distinguishes several structural features. First, the cross-sectional area in between two impact surfaces increases over the stroke distance when compression takes place. Second, a compressible fluid containing vessel, held in between two impact surfaces, defines an outer shape with a positive second derivative slope defined from one impact surface towards the other impact surface. Third, orifices allow the fluid to bleed out from the compressible vessel when an impact force causes compression of the protective impact device. The resulting approximately constant force scales more or less linearly with impact energy, regardless of impact velocity caused by the impact force. Applications include athletic equipment, automotive bumpers, aircraft landing gear, and any other application that would benefit from maximum energy absorption during an impact.

A shock absorber having a shock absorber tube (10) is disclosed and has an external module tube (11) which is connected to the shock absorber tube (10) via a flange (12), wherein the flange (12) has one or more fluid ducts (13, 14) which fluidically couple the module tube (11) to the shock absorber tube (10). The flange (12) has at least one metallic support cage (15) which forms a retentive connection between the shock absorber tube (10) and the module tube (11), and the flange (12) has a plastics body (16) in which the fluid duct (13, 14) for the fluidic coupling of the module tube (11) to the shock absorber tube (10) is formed.

Custom fitting protective athletic equipment composed of larger compressive chambers to generally surround a body part as well a plurality of smaller compressive chambers, which can be shaped to absorb rotational impact forces, outside the larger compressive chambers. A hard or yielding shell positioned either outside the chambers or between them can provide additional impact dampening and protection. Both the larger and smaller compressible chambers preferably contain compressible fluid, such as air, another gas, gel or liquid. Valves are preferably provided in the chambers so that the fluid can be controlled when an impact is received. A method is also disclosed to use three-dimensional scanning techniques and three-dimensional 3D printer manufacturing techniques to produce the protective athletic equipment of the present invention.