Patent ID: 8191458

Claim:
A gas spring assembly comprising: a flexible sleeve including a sleeve wall extending between longitudinally-spaced sleeve ends and having a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, said sleeve wall extending circumferentially about said axis to at least partially define a spring chamber; an end member secured along one of said ends of said flexible sleeve such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed with said sleeve wall; and, a piston secured on the other of said ends of said flexible sleeve such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed with said sleeve wall, said piston including a first end wall abuttingly engaging said sleeve wall and an outer side wall extending longitudinally from along said first end wall, said outer side wall suitable for rolling a lobe of said sleeve wall therealong, said outer side wall including: a first side wall portion at least partially defining a fully circumferential support area for abuttingly engaging said flexible sleeve, said first side wall portion having a distal extent disposed at a first longitudinal distance from said first end wall; a second side wall portion extending longitudinally from said first side wall portion in a direction away from said first end wall, said second side wall portion having a distal extent disposed at a second longitudinal distance from said first end wall that is greater than said first longitudinal distance such that said second side wall portion extends longitudinally beyond said distal extent of said first side wall portion, said second side wall portion defining a partially circumferential support area for abuttingly engaging a corresponding circumferential portion of said flexible sleeve upon longitudinal displacement of said lobe of said sleeve wall beyond said fully circumferential support area; and, a distal edge disposed opposite said first end wall, said distal edge being at least partially defined by said distal extent of said first side wall portion and said distal extent of said second side wall portion such that said distal edge has a non-planar profile with said second side wall portion including first and second transition sections disposed along circumferentially opposite ends of said second side wall portion, said first and second transition sections interconnecting said distal extent of said second side wall portion and said distal extent of said first side wall portion such that said distal edge of said outer side wall extends substantially continuously about said outer side wall.