Patent ID: 6634627
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: F16F

Abstract:
A pneumatic spring unit for assisting the opening of a door structure pivotally mounted to the body structure of an automotive vehicle with respect to an opening therein comprising an elongated gas charged cylinder tube for operative connection to one of said structures, a piston and rod providing an assembly for operative connection to the other of said structures and operatively mounted in said cylinder tube for stroking movement between a first position in which the closure is in closed position with respect to said opening and in which said piston and rod assembly is telescopically collapsed to a predetermined fully retracted position with respect to the cylinder tube and a second position in which the closure is in a fully opened position with respect to the opening and in which the piston and rod assembly is telescopically displaced to a fully extended and terminal position with respect to said cylinder tube, an elongated support tube extending around said cylinder tube and operatively connected to said rod, a fixed stop carried by said support tube extending radially inwardly toward said cylinder tube, a stop contact member carried on said cylinder tube disposed radially outward thereof for operative engagement with said fixed stop for limiting the extent of stroking movement of said piston and rod assembly relative to said cylinder tube to a plurality of positions proximate to said second position, and an adjustable connection between said cylinder tube and said stop contact member operative to allow said stop contact member to be adjustably fixed at any of a number of positions on said cylinder tube for limiting the stroking movement of said piston and rod assembly to fixed positions between said first and second positions.