It gets worse
Whatever, the point remains that it would be good to know the date of manufacture of ‘globes’ (meaning the date nitrogen was injected). As good as the membranes may be, there will be a ‘shelf life’, the nitrogen eventually will diffuse through the membrane materials albeit very slowly, faster if temperatures are elevated – in a similar but slower way in which carbon dioxide gas in a plastic soft drink bottle eventually diffuses through the plastic material.
The Head Company in the Group thought to manufacture at least some of ‘globes’ a.k.a. Gas Chambers for Toyota/Lexus would appear to be
Overseas Group Companies | Company | NOK CORPORATION - https://www.nok.co.jp/en/company/group.html , sometimes referred to as
“NOK”, a large Japanese manufacturer with worldwide relationships and is a known supplier to Toyota/Lexus.
Subsidiaries of NOK include the Eagle Industry Co., Ltd, also known as
“EKK”.
EAGLE INDUSTRY CO.,LTD. - https://www.ekkeagle.com/en/
EKK provides a catalogue and some information of interest concerning MUV type accumulators, as identified by
@uHu:
https://www.ekkeagle.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/EKK_Accumulators_EN_201510.pdf
Interestingly, (for those who like to get into such details

), the EKK catalogue notes that:
“Use of NOKʼs polymeric material technology and processing technology has resulted in a resin layered diaphragm that dramatically improves the gas retention of accumulators. This accumulator should be selected if a longer lifespan and maintenance-free operation are desired.
Cannot be refilled with gas. Use at 80 °C or less recommended”.
Different to my replacement ‘globes’ reported earlier in this thread (and which arrived without a date sticker), the original ‘globes’ on my June 2006 LC100 (Model designation HDJ100R-GNAEZQ) have the initials
“NOK” engraved or stamped on their top face (under the sticker in one case). Two examples are shown in the pictures below. The date stickers are clear and may refer to the date at which they were supplied to Toyota after nitrogen had been added. The following numbers also appear:
MUV 200 – 400 (on a Front ‘globe’)
6403 - 4359
MUV 200 – 500 (on a Rear ‘globe’)
6412 - 0642
The designation MUV XXX – YYY has been explained by
@uHu and refers in particular to the sandwich membrane specified by Toyota/Lexus. While the remaining date stickers are clear, there is no obvious indication of dates in the other numbers which appear to be Serial Numbers.
There are other manufacturers of these kinds of accumulators – for example, Nippon Accumulators --
NIPPON ACCUMULATOR CO., LTD.|NACOL|Manufacturing accumulator - https://www.nacol.co.jp/english/index.html and KYB --
KYB Corporation - https://www.kyb.co.jp/english/index.html -- whose brand appears on the Height Control Accumulator for LC100/LX470 and also the slightly different version on LX570.
It may be that Toyota/Lexus used several sources, so other details may emerge. Nowadays most vehicle manufacturers do not themselves manufacture everything but use literally thousands of suppliers of the various parts used in the assembly of their vehicles. Where appropriate, supply is diversified from multiple specialist manufacturers to reduce risks of interruption of supply and to keep competitive pressure on supplier’s prices. Suppliers would be required to include such markings and packaging as specified by Toyota/Lexus. Suppliers, rather than Toyota/Lexus, would be required to hold stocks – keeps inventory and finance costs off the Toyota Balance Sheet – and Suppliers may be allowed to supply directly (such as to Amayama, Partsouq, Megazip, large US outfits, etc) rather than exclusively through Toyota/Lexus, especially for models such as LC100/LX470 which are long out of production (last produced in 2007).
Further insights welcome


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