Stabilus Gmbh

Udo Wagner

Heinz-Josef Heinrichs

Reiner Wendling

Castor Fuhrmann

Stephan Enders

Alfred K Klein

Alfred Dirksen

A steering column of a motor vehicle is composed of two telescopically and torque transmittingly interengaging steering column tubes. These tubes are mounted in bearings. A steering wheel is allocated to a first steering column tube. The other steering column tube is connected with a steering gear box. A cylinder piston device is provided within at least one of the two steering column tubes. This cylinder piston device can be locked in a plurality of positions, such as to define a plurality of variable lengths of the steering column.

Telescopically length variable steering column arrangement

In the case of an item of seating furniture, particularly an office chair, comprising at least one seat adjusting device, for example for adjusting the height of the seat, with a spring element engaging the two parts of the seat which are to be adjusted in respect of each other, particularly a pressurized fluid filled spring, and with a locking device for the separable fixing of the two seat parts in whatever is the desired and selected adjusted position, the use of an electrical actuating element for the locking device is proposed, which is connected to a manually operable control means for the at least one seat adjustment, this allowing simplified operation with minimal structural expenditure.

Electrical seat adjustment device

According to an illustrative example of the invention, a gas spring comprises a cylinder and a piston rod. The piston rod is axially movable with respect to the cylinder and has a fastening eye mounted on the outer end of the piston rod. A tubular protection member surrounds an end portion of the cylinder adjacent to the end of the cylinder which is passed by the piston rod. The other end of the protection tube surrounds a holding disk fixed to the piston rod adjacent to the fastening eye. The protection tube and the piston rod define an air space therebetween. The air space is substantially tight against a liquid treating agent, such as a lacquer. On the other hand, the air space is in air flow connection with the surrounding atmosphere so that in response to axial movement of the piston rod with respect to the cylinder, excesssive pressure within the air space is prevented.

Cylinder piston device

In a hydraulically blockable gas spring a hydraulic chamber and a gas chamber are provided one behind the other within a cylinder. The chambers are separated from each other by a separating wall. A first section of a piston rod is sealingly guided through one end of the hydraulic fluid chamber and is connected with a separating piston within the hydraulic fluid chamber. The separating piston divides the hydraulic fluid chambers into two hydraulic fluid compartments. The fluid compartments are interconnected by a hydraulic flow path. The hydraulic flow path can be selectively opened and closed by a valve. A second piston rod section extends from the separating piston through the separating wall and sealingly enters into the gas chamber. The pressurized gas within the gas chamber provides a biasing action onto the second piston rod section. The hydraulic chamber is completely filled with a hydraulic fluid. When the valve is closed, the separating piston and the piston rod sections are positively blocked in both axial directions. When the valve is open, the separating piston and the piston rod sections can be moved as a unit and are subject to the biasing action of the pressurized gas.

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Dachsenhausen, Germany

Udo Wagner