| CPC F16F 9/362 (2013.01) [F16F 9/18 (2013.01); F16F 9/3271 (2013.01); F16F 2224/0291 (2013.01); F16F 2230/30 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A hydraulic damper comprising:
a housing defining an internal chamber;
a fluid-drivable rod disposed within the internal chamber of the housing, the fluid-drivable rod comprising:
a shaft extending between a first end of the rod and a second end of the rod opposite the first end; and
a bushing support region at the first end of the rod, wherein a diameter of the bushing support region is less than a diameter of the shaft;
a rod support disposed within the housing and configured to support the fluid-drivable rod within the internal chamber of the housing and to facilitate movement of the fluid-drivable rod between a retracted position and an extended position, the rod support comprising:
a movable rod support assembly configured to support the first end of the fluid-drivable rod within the internal chamber of the housing and configured to move with the fluid-drivable rod between the retracted position and the extended position, the movable rod support assembly comprising:
a first bushing disposed on the bushing support region of fluid-drivable rod with the fluid-drivable rod being received through a central aperture of the first bushing, wherein an outer surface of the first bushing is in surface contact with an interior surface of the internal chamber of the housing;
a seal base disposed on the fluid-drivable rod at the first end of the fluid-drivable rod adjacent to the first bushing with the fluid-drivable rod being received through a central aperture of the seal base and configured to retain the first bushing on the bushing support region of the fluid-drivable rod, the seal base comprising a seal support region and a flange, wherein an outer diameter of the seal support region is less than an outer diameter of the flange, and wherein the outer diameter of the flange is less than the outer diameter of the first bushing;
a first seal disposed on the seal support region of the seal base with the seal support region of the seal base being received through a central aperture of the first seal; and
a seal retainer disposed on the fluid-drivable rod at the first end of the fluid-drivable rod adjacent to the seal base with the fluid-drivable rod being received through a central aperture of the seal retainer and configured to retain the seal on the seal support region of the seal base;
a stationary rod support assembly configured to support the second end of the fluid-drivable rod within the internal chamber of the housing and configured to remain stationary within the internal chamber of the housing during movement of the fluid-drivable rod between the retracted position and the extended position, the stationary rod support assembly comprising:
a rod guide configured to mount to the interior surface of the internal chamber of the housing with the fluid-drivable rod being received through a central aperture of the rod guide and without any surface contact between an outer surface of the fluid-drivable rod and an interior surface of the rod guide, the interior surface of the rod guide defining a bushing receiving region, a bushing cap receiving region, a seal receiving region, and a tip receiving region, wherein an inner diameter of the bushing cap receiving region and an inner diameter of the seal receiving region are larger than an inner diameter of the bushing receiving region and are larger than an inner diameter of the tip receiving region;
a second bushing disposed within the bushing receiving region of the rod guide with the fluid-drivable rod being received through a central aperture of the second bushing, wherein the outer surface of the fluid-drivable rod is in surface contact with an interior surface of the second bushing;
a bushing cap disposed within the bushing cap receiving region of the rod guide with the fluid-drivable rod being received through a central aperture of the bushing cap and configured to retain the second bushing within the bushing receiving region; and
a second seal disposed within the seal receiving region of the rod guide with the fluid-drivable rod being received through a central aperture of the second seal; and
a tip mounted at the second end of the rod, wherein the tip is configured to be at least partially received within the tip receiving region during movement of the fluid-drivable rod toward the retracted position.
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