Gas Spring Throttling Passage for Controlled Deceleration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional gas springs for forming equipment often result in sudden impact and part bounce during return to full extension, leading to reduced production efficiency and potential damage, as they lack effective deceleration mechanisms to control the return stroke.

Innovation Solution

A gas spring design featuring a dual-chamber system with a cushion seal and throttling passage that varies in cross-sectional area to control gas flow, allowing for controlled deceleration of the piston during the return stroke, reducing the sudden stop and vibration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If conventional gas springs are used without deceleration mechanisms, then the piston returns quickly to the extended position, but sudden impact and part bounce occur during return to full extension

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereturn stroke speedVSAvoidsudden impact and part bounce
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a cushioning mechanism beforehand by creating a cushion chamber that accumulates gas and a throttling passage that restricts gas flow during the return stroke. This allows the piston to be decelerated gradually before reaching the extended position, preventing sudden impact and part bounce while maintaining efficient return speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a dual-chamber system with throttling passage is added, then piston deceleration and vibration reduction are achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepart bounce and vibrationVSAvoidgas spring structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cushioning function with the existing gas spring structure by integrating the cushion chamber and throttling passage into the cylinder assembly. The cushion chamber is formed within the cylinder volume, and the throttling passage is incorporated into the cylinder wall or piston structure, combining multiple functions (gas storage, flow control, and cushioning) into a unified design that reduces part bounce without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The controlled deceleration mechanism reduces part bounce and vibration, increases production efficiency, and extends the life of the gas spring by smoothly guiding the piston to its fully extended position without sudden stops.

Implementation Method 1

the pressurized gas provides a force on the piston to bias the piston toward an extended position and resists retraction of the piston from its extended position toward a retracted position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

The at least one throttling passage is configured to at least partially restrict gas flow therethrough in a manner varying with return of the piston so as to decelerate the piston at a predetermined rate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas flow restriction: Pressure Drop

Data Source

PatentEP2618019B1Gas spring
Publication Date: 2019.08.14 DADCO INC
  • EP2618019B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2618019B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2618019B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A gas spring (10) for forming equipment, including a piston (12) received at least partially in a cylinder (14) for reciprocation between extended and retracted positions, and including a throttling passage (94) disposed between the piston (12) and the cylinder (14) in fluid communication between first and second pressure chambers (16,18) during at least a portion of the reciprocation of the piston (12). The throttling passage (94) is of variable cross-sectional area, which varies with a length of the passage (94) to at least partially restrict gas flow therethrough in a manner varying with return of the piston (12) toward its extended position to decelerate the piston (12) at a predetermined rate.