Patent ID: 8191692
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: F16F

Abstract:
1. A cylinder apparatus comprising: a cylinder; a piston mounted within the cylinder for sliding longitudinally of the cylinder; a piston rod coupled to the piston, and arranged to extend through one longitudinal end of the cylinder; a spring seat mounted within the cylinder, and clearance-fitted to the piston rod with a first lateral clearance for moving along the piston rod longitudinally of the cylinder, the spring seat including a longitudinal extension at one longitudinal end for defining a space between the longitudinal extension and the piston rod; a spring mounted around the piston rod within the cylinder, the spring having one longitudinal end fixed to another longitudinal end of the spring seat; and an elastic member retained in the defined space by the longitudinal extension of the spring seat, and clearance-fitted to the piston rod with a second lateral clearance for moving along the piston rod longitudinally of the cylinder, wherein the second lateral clearance is smaller than the first lateral clearance, the elastic member includes an outer lateral periphery larger in diameter than an inner lateral periphery of the longitudinal extension of the spring seat under condition that the elastic member is off the spring seat, the outer lateral periphery of the elastic member includes a lateral projection being in contact with the longitudinal extension of the spring seat, wherein the elastic member is out of contact with the longitudinal extension of the spring seat except the lateral projection, and in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder, the lateral projection of the outer lateral periphery of the elastic member is located substantially at a center of an entire portion of the elastic member that is clearance-fitted to the piston rod with the second lateral clearance.