Patent ID: 8801016

Claim:
A gas spring assembly comprising: an end member adapted to be mounted along a first associated support structure; a piston assembly adapted to be mounted along a second associated support structure spaced from the first associated support structure; and, a flexible sleeve extending between and sealingly connected to said end member and said piston assembly, and forming a main chamber therebetween for containing a pressurized gas; said piston assembly including: a shell including a piston profile portion thereof having an exterior surface over which said flexible sleeve is configured to roll, said shell generally defining a piston chamber for containing a pressurized gas; and, a mounting surface dimensioned to mount said piston assembly along the second associated support structure, said mounting surface at least partially defining a mounting plane and being recessed into said shell such that said piston chamber extends through said mounting plane such that said piston chamber at least partially surrounds the second associated support structure on at least two sides when said piston assembly is mounted along the second associated support structure.