Patent ID: 7387181

Claim:
A strut assembly comprising a compression spring rod assembly, said compression spring rod assembly including a housing, a rod member, a guide member, a spring system and a locking arrangement, said housing having a cavity along a longitudinal axis of the housing, said housing including axially opposite first and second ends and a side wall extending therebetween, said cavity including at least a portion of a rod bushing that is secured at least closely adjacent to said first end of said housing, said rod member having a first and second ends, said rod member positioned at least partially in said cavity of said housing and having a longitudinal axis that is generally coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said housing, said rod member having a cross-section shape and a maximum cross sectional area that enable said rod member to move along said longitudinal axis of said housing without engaging an inner wall surface of said cavity of said housing, said rod member movable between a fully retracted and a fully extended position, said rod member having a length such that said first end of said rod member always extends through said rod bushing and beyond said first end of said housing as said rod member moves between said fully retracted and fully extended positions, said guide member positioned in said cavity and secured to said rod member, said guide member designed to support said rod member during movement of said rod member between said fully retracted and fully extended positions, said spring system located in said cavity of said housing, said spring system including a first spring arrangement positioned about a portion of said rod member and between said first end of said housing and said guide member and a second spring arrangement positioned between said guide member and said second end of said housing, said locking arrangement at least partially positioned on said housing, at least a portion of said locking arrangement positioned externally of said cavity and at least a portion of said locking arrangement positionable in said cavity that includes said first spring arrangement, at least a portion of said locking arrangement movable into said cavity via an opening in said side wall of said housing, said locking arrangement including an engagement member designed to engage said rod member in said cavity of said housing and to inhibit movement of said rod member when said engagement member engages said rod member.