Load-supporting damper unit

Claim 1

A LOAD SUPPORTING DAMPER UNIT ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED BETWEEN THE SPRUNG AND UNSPRUNG MASSES OF A VEHICLE COMPRISING: A RIGID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER OPEN AT ONE END AND CLOSED AT THE OTHER; A RIGID OPEN ENDED CYLINDRICAL MEMBER FIXEDLY SECURED AT ONE END TO THE OPEN END OF SAID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER AND EXTENDING THEREIN; A CYLINDER MEMBER DEFINING A HYDRAULIC DAMPING CHAMBER THEREIN; A PISTON SLIDABLY ENGAGED WITHIN SAID CYLINDER MEMBER; A PISTON ROD EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID PISTON OUTWARDLY OF SAID CYLINDER MEMBER AND HAVING ITS OUTER END SECURED TO SAID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER; A TUBULAR CASING MEMBER DISPOSED IN SURROUNDING RELATION TO SAID CYLINDER MEMBER AND MOVABLE THEREWITH TELESCOPICALLY WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND SAID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID CASING MEMBER DEFINING WITH SAID CYLINDER MEMBER AN ANNULAR HYDRAULIC REPLENISHING CHAMBER; MEANS INTERCONNECTING ONE OF THE ENDS OF SAID CYLINDER AND CASING MEMBERS FOR PERMITTING CONTROLLED RESTRICTED FLOW OF HYDRAULIC FLUID BETWEEN SAID DAMPING AND REPLENISHING CHAMBERS IN RESPONSE TO THE SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTON WITHIN SAID CYLINDER MEMBER; MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID CYLINDER AND CASING MEMBERS FOR PROVIDING A FLUID-TIGHT SEAL BETWEEN THE PORTION OF SAID PISTON ROD EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CYLINDER AND CASING MEMBERS AND SAID DAMPING AND REPLENISHING CHAMBERS; MEANS CARRIED BY SAID PISTON FOR PERMITTING CONTROLLED RESTRICTED FLOW OF HYDRAULIC FLUID WITHIN SAID DAMPING CHAMBER ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PISTON IN RESPONSE TO THE SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTON WITHIN SAID CYLINDER MEMBER; A SLEEVE OF FLEXIBLE, FLUID IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL MOUNTED IN FOLDED RELATION BETWEEN THE EXTERIOR PERIPHERY OF SAID CASING MEMBER AND THE INTERIOR PERIPHERY OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, SAID SLEEVE HAVING ONE END THEREOF SECURED TO THE INNER END OF SAID CASING MEMBER AND THE OTHER END THEREOF SECURED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, THE PORTION OF THE SLEEVE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE ONE END THEREOF AND THE FOLD THEREIN BEING DISPOSED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE EXTERIOR PERIPHERY OF SAID CASING MEMBER AND THE PORTION OF THE SLEEVE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF AND THE FOLD THEREIN BEING DISPOSED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INTERIOR PERIPHERY OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER; THE EXTERIOR PERIPHERY SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, SAID SEALING MEANS, AND THE PORTION OF SAID PISTON ROD EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF SAID SEALING MEANS AND THE INTERIOR PERIPHERIES OF SAID SLEEVE AND SAID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER DEFINING A LOAD SUPPORTING AIR CHAMBER VARIABLE IN VOLUME IN RESPONSE TO THE TELESCOPIC MOVEMENTS OF SAID CYLINDER AND CASING MEMBERS WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL AND OUTER TUBULAR MEMBERS; AND MEANS FOR PERMITTING AIR UNDER PRESSURE TO BE INTRODUCED INTO AND EXHAUSTED FROM SAID AIR CHAMBER.