Gas spring

Claim 2

A gas spring comprising: a cylinder; a free piston axially slidably and sealingly received in said cylinder to divide the interior of said cylinder into a gas chamber and a working liquid chamber; a piston axially slidably received in said working liquid chamber to divide the same into first and second working liquid chamber sections, the first section being located in the vicinity of said gas chamber; a piston rod connected at its one end to said piston and extending therefrom through said second working liquid chamber section to project axially outwardly from said cylinder; a first valve means for providing a passage between said first and second working liquid chmaber sections only when said piston moves in a direction to contract said second working liquid chamber section; a second valve means for providing a passage between said first and second working liquid chamber sections only when said piston moves in a direction to contract said first working liquid chamber section; and a third means for providing an additional passage when said piston is positioned in a predetermined area near said gas chamber, wherein said second means is constructed to form the passage between said first and second working liquid chamber sections when said piston rod is pushed toward said gas chamber to provide a displacement thereof relative to said piston.

Claim 3

A gas spring as claimed in claim 1, in which said second valve means comprises: an axially extending through hole formed in said piston and loosely receiving therein the end of said piston rod so as to provide a clearance between the hole wall of said piston and said end thereby permitting the relative displacement of said piston rod relative to said piston, the end of said piston rod being projected into said first working liquid chamber section through said hole to form a projected section; stopper means fixed to said projected section to limit the displacement of said piston rod relative to said piston in a direction away from said gas chamber; a valve member arranged between said stopper means and said piston, said valve member having a side to close said hole of said piston; and biasing means for biasing said piston rod relative to said piston in the direction away from said gas chamber thereby biasing said valve member to close said hole of said piston.

Claim 4

A gas spring as claimed in claim 2, in which said valve member comprises an annular valve member disposed on said projected section of the piston rod.

Claim 5

A gas spring as claimed in claim 3, in which said biasing means comprises a spring seat secured to said piston rod at a position located in said secondary working liquid chamber section, and a spring compressed between said spring seat and said piston.

Claim 6

A gas spring as claimed in claim 4, in which both said hole of the piston and said end of the piston rod are splined so as to achieve a spline connection therebetween.

Claim 7

A gas spring as claimed in claim 5, in which said first means comprises a plurality of passages formed in said piston to provide a communication between said first and second working liquid chamber sections, and a valve member which closes said passages only when said piston moves in the direction toward said gas chamber.

Claim 8

A gas spring as claimed in claim 6, in which each of said passages comprises an opening formed in a first land portion of said piston, an axially extending groove formed in a second land portion of said piston, and a port portion formed between said first and second land portions, and in which said valve member comprises an O-ring loosely coupled in said port portion, said O-ring being capable of closing each groove when it is brought into contact with said second land portion.

Claim 9

A gas spring as claimed in claim 7, in which said third means is an axially extending groove formed at the interior wall of said cylinder.

Claim 10

A gas spring comprising a cylinder, a piston axially slidably received in said cylinder to divide the interior of the cylinder into first and second chambers, a piston rod connected at its one end to said piston and extending therefrom through said second chamber to project axially outwardly from said cylinder, first means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston moves in a direction to contract said second chamber, second means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston rod is pushed toward said first chamber against said piston by a force greater than a predetermined degree, and third means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston is positioned in a predetermined area in said cylinder, wherein said first means comprises a plurality of passages formed in said piston to provide a communication between said first and second chambers, and a valve member which closes said passages only when said piston moves in the direction to contract said first chamber, each of said passages comprising an opening formed in a first land portion of said piston, an axially extending groove formed in a second land portion of said piston, and a port portion formed between said first and second land portions, and said valve member comprising an O-ring loosely disposed in said port portion, said O-ring being capable of closing said groove when it is brought into contact with said second land portion.

Claim 11

A gas spring comprising a cylinder, a piston axially slidably received in said cylinder to divide the interior of the cylinder into first and second chambers, a piston rod connected at its one end to said piston and extending therefrom through said second chamber to project axially outwardly from said cylinder, first means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston moves in a direction to contract said second chamber, second means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston rod is pushed toward said first chamber against said piston by a force greater than a predetermined degree, and third means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston is positioned in a predetermined area in said cylinder, wherein said first means comprises a plurality of passages formed in said piston to provide a communication between said first and second chambers, and a valve member which closes said passages only when said piston moves in the direction to contract said first chamber, each of said passages comprising an opening formed in a first land portion of said piston, an axially extending groove formed in a second land portion of said piston, and a port portion formed between said first and second land portions, and said valve member comprising an O-ring loosely disposed in said port portion, said O-ring being capable of closing said groove when it is brought into contact with said second land portion.

Claim 12

A gas spring comprising a cylinder, a piston axially slidably received in said cylinder to divide the interior of the cylinder into first and second chambers, a piston rod connected at its one end to said piston and extending therefrom through said second chamber to project axially outwardly from said cylinder, first means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston moves in a direction to contact said second chamber, second means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston rod is pushed toward said first chamber against said piston by a force greater than a predetermined degree, and third means for providing a passage between said first and second chambers only when said piston is positioned in a predetermined area in said cylinder, wherein said second means comprises an axially extending through hole formed in said piston and loosely receiving therein the end of said piston rod so as to provide not only a clearance between the hole wall of said piston and said end but also a relative displacement between said piston and said piston rod, the end of said piston rod being projected into said first chamber through said hole to form a projected section, stopper means fixed to said projected section to limit the displacement of said piston rod relative to said piston in a direction away from said first chamber, a valve member arranged between said stopper means and said piston, said valve member having a size to close said hole of said piston, and biasing means for biasing said piston rod to move relative to said piston in the direction away from said first chamber thereby biasing said valve member to close said hole of the piston.

Claim 13

A gas spring comprising a cylinder, a piston axially slidably received in said cylinder to divide the interior of the cylinder into first and second chambers, a piston rod connected at its one end to said piston and extending therefrom through said second chamber to project axially outwardly from said cylinder, first means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston moves in a direction to contact said second chamber, second means for providing a communication between said first and second chambers only when said piston rod is pushed toward said first chamber against said piston by a force greater than a predetermined degree, and third means for providing a passage between said first and second chambers only when said piston is positioned in a predetermined area in said cylinder, wherein said second means comprises an axially extending through hole formed in said piston and loosely receiving therein the end of said piston rod so as to provide not only a clearance between the hole wall of said piston and said end but also a relative displacement between said piston and said piston rod, the end of said piston rod being projected into said first chamber through said hole to form a projected section, stopper means fixed to said projected section to limit the displacement of said piston rod relative to said piston in a direction away from said first chamber, a valve member arranged between said stopper means and said piston, said valve member having a size to close said hole of said piston, and biasing means for biasing said piston rod to move relative to said piston in the direction away from said first chamber thereby biasing said valve member to close said hole of the piston.

Claim 14

A gas spring as claimed in claim 10, in which said valve member comprises an annular valve member disposed on said projected section of the piston rod.

Claim 15

A gas spring as claimed in claim 11, in which said biasing means comprises a spring seat secured to said piston rod at a position located in said second chamber, and a spring compressed between said spring seat and said piston.

Claim 16

A gas spring as claimed in claim 12, in which both of said hole wall of the piston and said end of said piston rod are splined so as to achieve a spline connection therebetween.

Claim 17

A gas spring as claimed in claim 10, in which said third means is an axially extending groove formed at the interior wall of said cylinder.