Patent ID: 7497423

Claim:
A gas spring assembly comprising: an end member; a piston assembly disposed in spaced relation to said end member such that an axis is defined therebetween, said piston assembly including a first piston member and a second piston member slidably interengaging one another and being freely displaceable relative to one another between a collapsed condition and an extended condition, said first piston member including a first proximal end disposed toward said end member and a first distal end spaced from said first proximal end in a direction axially-opposite said end member, said second piston member including a second proximal end disposed toward said end member, a second distal end spaced from said second proximal end in a direction axially-opposite said end member, an outer side wall portion and a flexible wall-engaging portion; and, a flexible wall secured between said end member and said piston assembly and at least partially defining a spring chamber therebetween, said flexible wall secured on said flexible wall-engaging portion of said second piston member; said gas spring assembly operable in a first condition in which: a1) said flexible wall is disposed along said outer side wall portion of said second piston member such that a rolling lobe is formed along said flexible wall for movement along said outer side wall portion; and, a2) said piston assembly is in said collapsed condition such that said flexible wall-engaging portion of said second piston member is axially spaced a first distance from said first distal end of said first piston member; and, said gas spring assembly operable in a second condition in which: b1) said flexible wall is tensioned between said end member and said second piston member such that said flexible wall extends away from said second piston member; and, b2) said piston assembly is drawn into said extended condition due to said tension between said end member and said second piston member such that said flexible wall-engaging portion is axially spaced a second distance from said first distal end of said first piston member with said second distance being greater than said first distance.