Patent EP0095552A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0095552A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Gas pressurized shock absorber assembly
Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Inc
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Filing: 1983-01-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-01-28
Abstract
Abstract A hydraulic shock absorber is formed as a sealed assembly and subsequently, at a desired time, an opening is non-contaminantly pierce in the outer shell and the shock absorber is pressurized by passing a pressurized fluid through the opening and the opening is then non-contaminantly sealed with a metal ball by welding to make the hydraulic shock absorber permanently gas pressurized. The shock absorber assembly, the method of making it and the apparatus for making it are disclosed in this specification.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael R. Bethell
- 👤 Michael G. Gaines
- 👤 James F. Mowat, Jr.
- 👤 Roger D. Wheeler
- 👤 Richard P. Woidke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:50
CPC Classifications
F; F17; F17C; F17C5/00; F17C5/06; F16; F16F; F16F9/00; F16F9/32; F16F9/43; F16F9/435
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A closure for a sealed container having a weldable metal wall (4), said closure being characterized by a cylindrical opening (38) in said metal wall (4), said opening having an exterior terminal end ( 2 01) on an exterior surface of said wall and an interior terminal end (202) on an interior surface of said wall, a depression (94) formed in said metal wall surrounding said exterior terminal end (201) of said opening (.38), a weldable ball (39) in said depression (94), said ball (39) completely covering said exterior terminal end (201) of said opening (38) and a continuous annular portion of said ball being fused to a continuous annular portion of said exterior surface of said wall surrounding said exterior terminal end (201). of said opening (38) for sealing said opening (38) against fluid flow.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
A closure for a sealed container having a weldable metal wall (4), said closure being characterized by a cylindrical opening (38) in said metal wall (4), said opening having an exterior terminal end ( 2 01) on an exterior surface of said wall and an interior terminal end (202) on an interior surface of said wall, a depression (94) formed in said metal wall surrounding said exterior terminal end (201) of said opening (.38), a weldable ball (39) in said depression (94), said ball (39) completely covering said exterior terminal end (201) of said opening (38) and a continuous annular portion of said ball being fused to a continuous annular portion of said exterior surface of said wall surrounding said exterior terminal end (201). of said opening (38) for sealing said opening (38) against fluid flow.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A closure according to claim 1, characterized by said depression (94) having an outer end (200) in substantially the same plane as the exterior surface of said wall (4) and an inner end radial inwardly spaced from said outer end.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
A closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one half of said ball (39) is contained within said depression (94) whereby the portion of said ball (39) not contained by said depression (94) presents an outwardly deflective surface to an object moving substantially parallel to the surface of said metal wall (4) for aiding in preventing dislodgement of said ball (39) from said depression (94).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A closure according to claim 3, characterized by the volumetric capacity of said depression (94) between said exterior end (200) of said depression and said inner end of said depression being sufficient for receiving at least one half of the volume of said ball.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A closure according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said ball is a steel ball (3a). having a diameter of from about 1.5 millimeters (1/16 inch) to about 6.4 millimeters (.1/4 inch).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The closure according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the sealed container is a vehicle shock absorber assembly having a reserve tub.e having said metal wall (4) and said closure is placed on a portion of said wall (4).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The closure according to claim 6, characterized in that said reserve tube forms a sealed reservoir having a liquid filled portion and a fluid filled portion and said closure is located contiguous to said fluid filled portion.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for placing a pressurizing fluid in a sealed container and resealing said container to maintain said container pressurized, said container having an outer shell of which at least a portion is formed of a weldable metal, said method being characterized by the steps of penetrating the metal portion of the outer shell by displacing a portion of the metal of the outer shell to form an opening in the outer shell without separating any metal from the outer shell; passing a pressurizing fluid through said opening into said container; placing a weldable metal plug over said opening while maintaining said container pressurized; and welding a continuous annular portion of said plug to a continuous annular portion of said outer shell surrounding said opening for maintaining said pressurizing fluid within said container.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for placing a pressurizing fluid in a sealed container and resealing said container to maintain said container pressurized, said container having an outer shell of which at least a portion is formed of a weldable metal, said method being characterized by the steps of penetrating the metal portion of the outer shell by displacing a portion of the metal of the outer shell to form an opening in the outer shell without separating any metal from the outer shell; passing a pressurizing fluid through said opening into said container; placing a weldable metal plug over said opening while maintaining said container pressurized; and welding a continuous annular portion of said plug to a continuous annular portion of said outer shell surrounding said opening for maintaining said pressurizing fluid within said container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the container is pressurized by placing said opening in sealed fluid flow communication with a work chamber having a working bore aligned with said opening; passing a fluid under pressure through said working bore and said pierced opening into said container.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 9, characterized in that said work chamber is sealed to a portion of said shell surrounding said opening as the pressurized fluid is passed from said work chamber through said opening into said container.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that said shell is first-impacted with a tool for indenting said shell and secondly, impacted with a tool for forming said opening in said shell at the radially innermost portion of said indented portion.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
210 words
A method for gas pressurizing a sealed shock absrober assembly, said assembly having pressure tube, a piston reciprocable in said pressure tube, a piston rod affixed to said piston and reciprocable with respect to said pressure tube and a weldable metallic reserve tube coaxial with and radially outwardly spaced from said pressure tube, said pressure tube and said reserve tube being sealingly engaged to form a sealed unit containing a liquid and having a substantially liquid free space, said method being characterized by placing said extended shock absorber assembly in a fixed position in a moveable fixture; moving said fixture to a piercing work station; piercing an opening in said outer shell, said pierced opening being contiguous with said liquid free space; moving said fixture to a pressurizing and welding station; placing said pierced opening in sealed fluid flow communication with a working chamber of said pressurizing and welding station; passing a pressurizing fluid through said working chamber and said opening into said liquid free space; placing a continuous annular portion of a weldable plug in contact with. a continuous annular portion of said outer shell surrounding said pierced opening; and welding said plug to said outer shell to seal said pierced opening for maintaining said shock absorber gas pressurized.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
210 words
A method for gas pressurizing a sealed shock absrober assembly, said assembly having pressure tube, a piston reciprocable in said pressure tube, a piston rod affixed to said piston and reciprocable with respect to said pressure tube and a weldable metallic reserve tube coaxial with and radially outwardly spaced from said pressure tube, said pressure tube and said reserve tube being sealingly engaged to form a sealed unit containing a liquid and having a substantially liquid free space, said method being characterized by placing said extended shock absorber assembly in a fixed position in a moveable fixture; moving said fixture to a piercing work station; piercing an opening in said outer shell, said pierced opening being contiguous with said liquid free space; moving said fixture to a pressurizing and welding station; placing said pierced opening in sealed fluid flow communication with a working chamber of said pressurizing and welding station; passing a pressurizing fluid through said working chamber and said opening into said liquid free space; placing a continuous annular portion of a weldable plug in contact with. a continuous annular portion of said outer shell surrounding said pierced opening; and welding said plug to said outer shell to seal said pierced opening for maintaining said shock absorber gas pressurized.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
138 words
Apparatus for gas pressurizing a sealed container having an outer shell of which at least a portion is formed of a weldable metal said apparatus being characterized by piercing means for piercing an opening in said weldable metal of said outer shell; chamber means for sealing against a continuous annular portion of said outer shell surrounding said opening; gas charging means for passing a gas under pressure through said chamber means and said pierced opening into an interior portion of said outer shell; and plug handling means for moving a weldable plug into said chamber means and placing said plug in contact with a continuous annular portion of said outer shell surrounding said pierced opening; and welding means for welding said spherical plug to said outer shell to seal said pierced opening for maintaining said container gas pressurized.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
138 words
Apparatus for gas pressurizing a sealed container having an outer shell of which at least a portion is formed of a weldable metal said apparatus being characterized by piercing means for piercing an opening in said weldable metal of said outer shell; chamber means for sealing against a continuous annular portion of said outer shell surrounding said opening; gas charging means for passing a gas under pressure through said chamber means and said pierced opening into an interior portion of said outer shell; and plug handling means for moving a weldable plug into said chamber means and placing said plug in contact with a continuous annular portion of said outer shell surrounding said pierced opening; and welding means for welding said spherical plug to said outer shell to seal said pierced opening for maintaining said container gas pressurized.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized by moveable holding means for holding said container in a desired position; and moving means for moving said moveable holding means to a plurality of operating means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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