Design Considerations For a Gas Spring

While gas springs and hydraulic dampers, specializedpermeability increases and gas molecules may escape
types of springs that utilize gas under compression tothrough the seal more easily. They are also designed
exert force, are produced in various sizes and lengths,based on the performance guidelines that include cold
selecting one depends on two main factors, theclosing and opening efforts, hot closing and opening
required spring force and the effective stroke of theefforts, self-rise and self-close angle, hump, room
spring. Application design considerations of the gastemperature, and damping.
springs involves selecting springs with the right sizedResistance to dents, damage, and abrasion should also
cylinder and piston based on the force required for thebe ensured while designing the cylinder and the piston.
application. For example, the trunk lid of a car isSpecial features, such as external locking and variable
supported by two gas springs on either side of the lid,damping, should also be considered. Safety is another
which when compressed produce a force that ismajor factor that should be considered while producing
roughly equivalent to the weight of the lid. Similarly forgas springs. As a part of this factor, the suitability of
an office chair, the force produced by the gas liftthe spring and the mounting position strength are taken
should be a little higher than the weight of the chair,into consideration. In addition, a secondary locking
allowing the user to effortlessly move the chair up andmechanism may also be incorporated for safety
down. Furthermore, to prevent buckling the buckling ofpurposes, if required.
the gas springs, the force produced should always beWhile mounting a gas spring, care should be taken to
in line with its centerline, particularly for a slender gasensure that they are mounted in an upright fashion with
spring device.the piston rod pointed downwards. This is to ensure
Another factor to consider while selecting or designingthat the rod seal is kept lubricated at all times. If the
a gas spring is the ambient operating temperature, asspring is to be mounted at an angle, care should be
both extreme hot and cold temperatures affect thetaken to ensure that the level of the lubricating oil is
operation. The change in temperature affects thesufficient for the rod seal to be always lubricated
pressure that a gas spring can exert and consequentlyduring the operation.
the output force. At very high temperatures, the seal