Patent ID: 9387741
Filing Date: 2016-07-12
CPC Classification: B60G,F16F

Claim Text:
1. A gas spring and elastomeric thermal barrier system comprising: a gas spring having a longitudinal axis and including a first end member, a second end member and a flexible wall extending peripherally about said axis, said flexible wall extending axially between a first end and a second end opposite said first end with said first end secured in a substantially fluid-tight manner to said first end member and said second end secured in a substantially fluid-tight manner to said second end member such that said flexible wall at least partially defines a spring chamber between said first and second end members, said flexible wall being at least partially formed from an elastomeric material susceptible to thermal degradation upon exposure to an associated external thermal energy source, and said flexible wall having a flexible wall color visible from along at least one surface thereof that at least partially establishes a wall thermal property value of said flexible wall for a first thermal property; and, an elastomeric thermal barrier extending peripherally around and axially along at least a portion of said flexible wall, said elastomeric thermal barrier spaced radially outward from at least said flexible wall of said gas spring such that a gap establishing a thermal disconnect is formed between said elastomeric thermal barrier and at least said flexible wall, said elastomeric thermal barrier including a barrier wall with an exterior surface, said barrier wall being at least partially formed from a flexible barrier material and said barrier wall having a barrier wall color along at least said exterior surface that at least partially establishes a barrier thermal property value of said barrier wall for said first thermal property, said barrier wall color being lighter than said flexible wall color such that said barrier thermal property value for said first thermal property is different from said wall thermal property value for said first thermal property such that said difference in color is operative to reduce transmission of thermal energy from the associated external thermal energy source into said flexible wall through said elastomeric thermal barrier.