Patent ID: 8864113

Claim:
An end member dimensioned for securement to an open end of an associated gas spring flexible wall, said end member comprising: an end member wall having an outer peripheral extent and formed from thin-walled metal material, said end member wall including: a first wall portion disposed along said outer peripheral extent and including a substantially-flat surface area at least partially defining a first plane of said end member; a second wall portion disposed radially outwardly of said first wall portion and at least partially defining said outer peripheral extent of said end member wall, said second wall portion extending from said first wall portion out of said first plane in a first direction; and, a third wall portion disposed radially inwardly of at least part of said first wall portion, said third wall portion including a substantially-flat surface area, a first valley and a second valley each extending depthwise into said end member wall in said first direction and lengthwise across said substantially-flat surface area of said third wall portion separating said substantially-flat area of said third wall portion into at least three substantially-flat surface area sections, said substantially-flat surface area at least partially defining a second plane of said end member that is disposed in approximate alignment with said first plane and in spaced relation to said first plane in a second direction generally opposite said first direction, said first and second valleys each including first, second and third valley segments defining lengthwise portions of said first and second valleys, said first and second valley segments extending approximately linearly across said third wall portion and in approximate alignment with one another with said third valley segments of said first and second valleys disposed between and interconnecting respective ones of said first and second valley segments, and said third valley segments extending in a non-aligned orientation with respect to said first and second valley segments of respective ones of said first and second valleys; and, a first securement feature disposed along said substantially-flat surface area of said third wall portion that is adapted to engage an associated external component.