Patent ID: 7677539
Filing Date: 2010-03-16
Classification: F16F

Abstract:
1. A force control strut comprising an elongated housing having an axis and axially opposite first and second ends and an internal chamber with an inner surface, a rod member coaxial with said axis and having an inner end reciprocally movable inside said housing and along said internal chamber and an outer end extending outwardly of said first end of said housing, a guide member secured at or near said first end of said housing to allow reciprocation of said rod member axially in said housing between a retracted position and an extended position relative to said housing, a bottom plug fixed at least partially in said internal chamber at or near said second end of said housing, a guide piston secured at or near said inner end of said rod member and slideable along said inner surface of said internal chamber, a first coil spring positioned between said guide piston and said bottom plug to bias said rod member in said extended position in said housing, a first external connector fixed at or near said outer end of said rod member, a second connector fixed at or near said bottom plug, and a damper combined with said rod member, said damper including a plunger having first and seconds ends and a plunger piston, said plunger piston and said first end of said plunger reciprocally mounted in an elongated force controlling passageway inside said rod member and coaxial with said rod member, said plunger piston movable in said passageway of said rod member between a compressed and uncompressed position, said second end of said plunger engageable with said bottom plug to force said plunger piston to move in said passageway toward said compressed position to at least partially dampen movement of said rod member in said housing as said rod member moves toward said bottom plug, said plunger including a plunger biasing arrangement to bias said plunger in said uncompressed position, said plunger biasing arrangement positioned at least partially between said inner end of rod member and said bottom plug.