CONTENTS

Introduction
: 01
Product information :
02
Operating principle :
03
Properties
: 03
Working of gas spring :
04
Characteristics of gas springs :
05
Terms associated with gas springs :
09
Advantages of gas springs :
13
Different types of gas springs :
14
Operating conditions :
16
Apllications
: 17
Conclusion
: 19

INTRODUCTION
Gas springs provide controlled motion and speed for elements, such as lids and d
oors, that open and close. They typically rely on the fluid dampening of a gas s
uch as nitrogen in the cylinder. Important performance specifications for gas s
prings include absorber stroke, compressed length, extended length, maximum forc
e (P1), and maximum cycles per minute
The absorption or damping action for gas springs can be compression or e
xtension. In a compression gas spring the shock absorption or dampening occurs
in the compression direction. In an extension gas spring the shock absorption o
r dampening occurs in the extension direction. Important physical specification
s for gas springs include the cylinder diameter or maximum width, the rod diamet
er, mounting, and body material. The cylinder diameter or maximum width refers
to the desired diameter of housing cylinder. The rod diameter refers to the des
ired diameter of extending rod. Choices for body materials include aluminum, st
eel, stainless steel, and thermoplastic.Common features for gas springs include
adjustable configuration, reducible, locking, and valve. An adjustable configur
ation allows the user to fine tune desired damping, either continuously or at di
screte settings. A reducible gas spring has an adjustment style for gas shocks
in which gas is let out to permanently reduce force capacity. In a locking gas
spring the position can be locked at ends or in the middle of stroke. Valves ca
n be included for fluid absorbers, a valve or port, which can be used to increas
e or decrease fluid volume or pressure.Gas springs are a proven and reliable met
hod of counterbalancing large covers and objects. They offer ideal capabilities
for safely lifting, lowering and positioning heavy or cumbersome objects. More v
ersatile than mechanical springs, gas springs offer your product the advantages
of speed-controlled dampening, cushioned end motion, simple mounting, compact si
ze, flat force curve, and a wide range of available forces.
Product Information

A gas spring is typically comprised of the following parts:

• Cylinder: Heavy gauge steel body; painted and cured to a glossy finish.
• Piston Rod: Chromium-plated, hardened steel, precision-ground and highly polishe
d.
• Piston Assembly: Self-cleaning design automatically opens during each compressio
n stroke to keep the piston area free of contaminants. Not offered by all manufa
cturers.
• Sealing System: This is the area where most manufacturers differ in their approa
ch. AVM uses a patented Triple-Lobe Rubber Seal, as well as a Rubber O-Ring Pist
on Seal.
• Seal Backup System: Teflon ring, functions as a backup to the seal system, uniqu
e to AVM. Prevents seal wear.
• Temperature Compensation: Optional feature, this module provides for an increase
in the force when the temperature drops below approximately 40 F enabling the u
se of lower forces at room temperatures to provide easier closing efforts.
• Nitrogen Gas Charge: Gas springs are charged with nitrogen most often to 1500 ps
i, but not more than 2500 psi. It does not react with any of the internal compon
ents. The amount of charge varies from 1/3 gram in the smallest springs to about
24 grams in the largest. Nitrogen is inert and is not flammable.
• Glycol Fluid: Lubricant for internal components. Also provides dampening to slow
down movement of liftgate just prior to full open. This is a high viscosity ind
ex synthetic oil with a pour point of -70 F.

Operating principle of a gas spring

The gas spring is a hydropneumatic adjusting element, consisting of a pressure t
ube, a piston rod with piston and appropriate connection fittings. It is filled
with compressed nitrogen, which acts with equal pressure on differently dimensio
ned cross-sectional areas of the piston. This produces a force in the extension
direction.This extension force can be exactly defined within physical limits thr
ough the appropriate selection of the filling pressure.

Properties
Gas springs always require some initial force to begin compression.
Gas springs in their “free length” require some initial force before any movement t
kes place.
This force can range from 20 to 250 pounds.
Gas springs have a controlled rate of extension.
Gas springs can have multiple extension rates within the same gas spring (Typica
lly 2: one through the majority of the extension stroke, another at the end of t
he extension stroke to provide damping).

How the gas spring works

In its simplest form: the compression of the rod/piston into the tube/cylinder r
educes the volume of the tube as it compresses.
When the cylinder is filled with gas, this constitutes the spring like force or
action associated with gas springs.
 The gas pressure on both sides of the piston are equal.
However, there is the small area of the shaft where the internal gas pressure d
oes not exert any pressure. Therefore, the internal pressure times shaft cross-s
ectional area equals the output force exerted by the shaft.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GAS SPRINGS

1)LOCKABLE
For gas exchange between the two chambers,separated by the piston ,gas springs a
re equipped with a bore in the piston.However ,if the piston is equipped with a
special valve,inorder to close this bore,the gas spring can be locked in any str
oke position desired.In addition ,spring locking as well as rigid locking can be
provided.
Spring locking Rigid locking

Spring locking
In the case of spring locking ,the gas spring is filled entirely with gas.Becaus
e of the gas compressibility,a spring effect (bounce) is obtained when the valve
is closed.this ensures absorbing and damping of sudden impact or pulse-like pea
k loads(eg. In swivel chairs)
Rigid locking
In case of rigid locking the gas spring is filled with oil.The rigid locking eff
ect is determined by the non-compressibility of oil.This allows rigid locking of
the spring and thus the application;even when subjected to greater external for
ces.
2)DAMPING
To provide the “comfortable” stopping of the application in the end position(eg. Fo
r tail gates in vehicles),in most application instances,end-position damping is
provided.In addition,either the extension and compression stroke or only the mov
ement in one direction can be damped.Damping can be achieved in either of two wa
ys;either hydraulic or dynamic.
Hydraulic damping Dynamic damping
Hydraulic damping
Inorder to enable gas exchange between both chambers of the pressure tube separa
ted by the piston,the piston is provided with a bore.however if the pressure tub
e is partially filled with oil and the gas spring is mounted with the piston rod
pointing downwards(in this event the oil collect on the seal and guide element
of the gas spring),thus at the end of the stroke the oil must flow through the b
ore in the piston.Due to the viscosity of the oil,the flow resistance is greater
than that of gas,and therefore motion is damped.
Dynamic damping
Dynamic damping allows the gas spring to be mounted in almost any orientation.Co
ntrol of the extension speed of the gas spring is achieved by providing a longit
udinal groove inside the pressure tube.In this case the piston does not have a f
low conduit so that the gas flows through the groove cross-section.The groove ge
ometry determines the extension speed;the smaller the groove cross-section becom
es,the slower the extension or compression speed is.In this way the extension sp
eed is controlled up to the end of the stroke and ensures a gentle stop of the a
pplication.By varying the groove geometry,it is possible to pre-define the motio
n speed of the piston rod over the effective stroke.
3)SPRING CHARACTERISTICS
The spring characteristic is the means of measuring the change in spring force o
f the gas spring over the entire stroke.Arealistic spring characteristic is illu
strated(Force-Stroke diagram).The difference between the force during extension
and the force during compression is the product of dynamic friction force.In dif
ference to mechanical springs,the flat and linear spring characteristic is typic
al for gas springs

When an external force exceeds the force (F3) of the extended gas spring,the pis
ton rod is retracted (compressed)back in to the cylinder.If the extension (F2) i
s greater than the external force,the piston rod of the gas spring is extended.T
he increase in the characteristic is determined by the force ratio F2/F1 and is
also known as spring characteristic.Standard gas spring have a spring characteri
stic of between 1.2 and 1.4 (depending on application,various values can also be
predefined).
SPECIAL SPRING CHARACTERISTIC
Several application demand specially defined force requirements.For eg. In certa
in applications the end stroke position may require greater spring force than th
at of the main stroke run.The standard linear spring characteristic of a gas sp
ring can be adapted to various requirements by adding mechanical coil springs
Progressive spring characteristic Degrssive spring charact
eristic

Progressive spring characteristic

Inorder to achieve a progressive spring characteristic,a mechanical coil spring
is placed between the piston and bottom of the pressure tube.Since the gas sprin
g is supported by the coil during a part of its extension stroke,the gas spring
force is increased in its compressed state.
Degressive spring characteristic
By installing a coil spring on the piston rod, the gas spring force is reduced d
uring extension at the end of the stroke by the force of mechanical coil spring.
This results in what is known as a degressive spring characteristic.Thus the spr
ing force of the extended gas spring is less than that of a standard gas spring

TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH GAS SPRINGS

Crossover - Self-Rise - Self-Close
Crossover is the point in the opening cycle where the gas prop takes over all th
e lifting action (self-rise).At this point no further assistance is required by
the operator for the door to reach the fully open position.There is a correspond
ing crossover position for the closing cycle where the door will fall to the clo
sed position with no operator assistance (self close).The actual angle at which
these two events occur are usually separated by a few degrees.The separation is
due to friction in the gas spring internal components and connectors and with th
e hinge.
Self rise angle
The self-rise angle is the angle at which the gas spring will lift the door with
out any assistance from the operator. For most systems this will take place betw
een 10° and 30° from the full closed position.This angle will become greater as the
temperature falls from ambient and will be smaller as the temperature rises.

Self-close angle
Self-close is the angle at which the door will close without any assistance from
the operator.Self-close is related to self-rise.The only reason these two angle
s are not exactly the same is due to friction.One of the sources of friction is
friction internal to the gas spring.Another source is the friction in the hinge
or hinge system.
Hump
Hump is defined as the difference between the force required to begin closing th
e liftgate and the maximum force required to close the liftgate at any point in
the closing cycle.
Closing and opening efforts
Cold closing and opening efforts
Room temperature closing and opening efforts
Hot closing and opening efforts
Opening and Closing Efforts
For the most part, opening and closing efforts are dictated by one thing: liftga
te weight.The lighter the liftgate the easier the opening and closing efforts wi
ll be at all temperatures.Currently, opening and closing efforts for an automoti
ve liftgate above 50 pounds total weight should be 12 to 15 pounds to open and c
lose. Acceptable efforts would be in the 15 to 18 pound range.Typically cold hol
d open effort is set to 3.0 pounds at -30C for an automotive liftgate or hatch.
Relation between self rise angles and efforts
For most systems self rise angles take place between 10° and 30° from the full close
d position. This angle will become greater as the temperature falls from ambient
and will be smaller as the temperature rises.If the designer tries to make the
self-rise angle small it will tend to make the closing efforts high. This is bec
ause in order for the system to have a small self-rise angle the output force in
the compressed position will have to raise. Raising the compressed force tends
to raise the extended output force at some proportional rate.
Life of a Lift Support
All Lift Supports lose output force over time.When estimating the life of a Lift
Support, one must first determine how much force the support can lose before th
e application becomes unacceptable. The time it takes to lose this amount of for
ce is considered to be the life of the support.

Factors that affect the rate of force loss are:

Size of the support
Orientation
Amount of cycles
Ambient temperature
Safety
Buckling
Buckling of a gas spring will not occur if the stroke meets the recommended leng
th requirements of the chart shown.It is based on the EULER equation for long sl
ender rods, and the design limitations of overall spring length, for smaller sha
ft diameters.

The pressure in a gas spring is determined by: pressure = output force/shaft are
a. The shaft areas are as follows:
6 mm shaft is .0491 sq.in
8 mm shaft is .0779 sq.in
10 mm shaft is .1217 sq.in
Burst pressures
Burst pressures of gas springs are recommended to be a minimum of 5 times the ch
arge pressure to meet design requirements.
Side Loading
Side loading is tested as shown in Figure. The gas spring should withstand the l
oads as shown in the table below for a given shaft diameter.

Shaft Diameter 0 - 10 inches 10 - 20 inches 20 - 30 inches 30 - 40 inches

6 mm 40 lbs 20 lbs n/a n/a
8 mm 79 lbs 40 lbs 27 lbs 20 lbs
10 mm 154 lbs 77 lbs 52 lbs 39 lbs

ADVANTAGES OF A GAS SPRING

Gas springs are used to provide counterbalance and force assistance in applicati
ons requiring a convenient and reliable adjustment function.Compared to mechanic
al springs,for many applications gas springs offers remarkable features which in
clude:
a flat spring rate flat spring rate (lower change in forces), even for high forc
es and long strokes
a compact design,
straightforward assembly mounting to other equipment
definable linear, degressive or progressive spring characteristic
damping of the adjustment motion without additional damping components,
infinitely-variable locking
elastic or rigid behavior in locked position.
Gas springs have a number of advantages over coil springs.
1. They can offer a much higher force in a smaller package than coil springs.
2. On compression they do not bounce back, and the extension rate can be contr
olled, giving a smooth return.
3. Typically gas springs have a low compression rate, but if required this can
be increased.
4. With a wider range of end fittings available, gas springs can be easier to
fit.
5. A wide range of additional features can also be offered.
Different types of gas springs
Micro Gas Springs
Micro compression gas springs offer users many advantages due their small size a
nd low force.
The table below shows standard sizes.
Micro springs are also available in 316 stainless steel and in custom strokes an
d lengths.
Locking Gas Springs
A locking gas spring incorporates a mechanism to enable the rod to be locked at
any point in its travel. This locking mechanism operates when the plunger rod is
depressed by opening a valve in the piston.When the plunger rod is released the
valve closes and the passage of oil or gas is prevented, locking the piston in
that position.
Three types of locking gas springs

Tension gas springs

Tension gas springs sometimes referred to as traction springs, these units opera
te the opposite of compression gas springs.They retract rather than extend.Examp
les include doors and access panels hinged horizontally at the bottom and any ty
pe of cover or lid that must be pulled open or pulled shut.Tension gas springs a
lso find many uses as tensioners on mechanical assemblies and belt drives.

Operating Conditions
TEMPERATURE -40°C (-40°F) TO +80°C (176°F)
ALTITUDE VACUUM TO PRESSURIZED CHAMBER
HUMIDITY 0 TO 100%
CORROSION AS PER TESTS
(SALT SPRAY) BODY PASSES 240-480 HOURS
PASSIVATED 96 HOURS
DUST & DIRT PASSES FORD ES TEST WITH FINE COAT
OF ARIZONA ROAD DUST APPLIED TO
CYCLING SHAFT EVERY 1500
CYCLES
ULTRAVIOLET A 10% LOSS OF GLOSS OCCURRED WHEN
TESTED TO GM SPECIFICATION
VIBRATION 0-100 HERTZ RANGE ONLY IF NO
BUILDUP OCCURS
HEAT NOSE TEMPERATURE NOT TO
EXCEED 25°F
CYCLE FREQUENCY ABOVE AMBIENT DURING RAPID
CYCLING

Applications
Automotive
• Trunk lids
• Hatch lids
• Engine hoods
Consumer
• Desks
• Tool boxes
• Sewing machines
• Folding tables
• Seating
• Cabinet doors
Electronic
• Printer covers
• Printers
• Money sorting equipment
• Copy machines
Health & Fitness
• Angle adjustment
• Resistance equipment
• Height adjustment
• Treadmill
Marine
• Engine covers
• Folding beds and tables

Applications

CONCLUSION
The goal is the same with either type of spring; to move or resist the movement
of some object.Gas springs in fact can be used in many applications where mechan
ical springs are applied because of their compact size and accurate adjustment.G
as springs are now achieving greater importance with greater variations being in
corporated in it for specialized applications. More versatile than mechanical sp
rings, gas springs offer your product the advantages of speed-controlled dampeni
ng, cushioned end motion, simple mounting, compact size, flat force curve, and a
wide range of available forces.

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REFERENCE
www.stabilus.com/produts.htm
www.mechanicalcomponents.com/gassprings/learnmore.htm
www.arvinmeritor.com/gassprings.htm

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