# US 12,181,015 B2 · Damper > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,015 B2 - Document ID: US12181015B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/010,605 - Filed: 2021-06-10 - Published: 2023-08-17 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-15 - Assignees: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Ryota Takeuchi; Hidetsugu Ishimaru - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181015B2 ## CPC - F16F 9/12: Devices with one or more rotary vanes turning in the fluid any throttling effect being immaterial, {i.e. damping by viscous shear effect only (F16F9/53 takes precedence; pivoting supports for apparatus or articles placed on stands or trestles F16M11/06)} - F16F 15/0237: {involving squeeze-film damping} - F01D 25/164: {Flexible supports; Vibration damping means associated with the bearing} - F16C 27/04: Ball or roller bearings, e.g. with resilient rolling bodies - F16C 27/045: {with a fluid film, e.g. squeeze film damping} - F16C 35/077: between housing and outer race ring - F16C 19/06: with a single row or balls - F16C 33/72: Sealings - F16C 2360/00: Engines or pumps - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS ## Abstract A damper includes: cylindrical damper body, damper body including inner ring and outer ring located concentrically, arc springs located side by side in circumferential direction between inner and outer rings, and slits that separate inner ring, outer ring, and arc springs; sealers on both sides of damper body in axial direction, sealers including sealing surfaces, sealing surfaces facing open ends of slits in axial direction, with gaps between sealing surfaces and open ends of slits; and viscous fluid that fills slits and gaps. Arc springs include first arc spring and second arc spring located side by side in circumferential direction. Each slit includes: inner slit portion that separates first arc spring and inner ring; outer slit portion that separates second arc spring and outer ring; connecting portion that connects inner slit and outer slit portions. Connecting portion includes restrictor that restricts viscous fluid movement between inner and outer slit portions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A damper comprising: a damper body that is cylindrical, the damper body including an inner ring and an outer ring that are concentrically located, arc springs that are located side by side in a circumferential direction between the inner ring and the outer ring, and slits that separate the inner ring, the outer ring, and the arc springs from each other; sealers located on both sides of the damper body in an axial direction, respectively, the sealers including sealing surfaces, respectively, the sealing surfaces facing open ends of the slits in the axial direction, with gaps present between the sealing surfaces and the open ends of the slits; and a viscous fluid that fills the slits and the gaps, wherein the arc springs include a first arc spring and a second arc spring that are located side by side in the circumferential direction, each of the slits includes: an inner slit portion that separates the first arc spring and the inner ring from each other; an outer slit portion that separates the second arc spring and the outer ring from each other; and a connecting portion that connects the inner slit portion and the outer slit portion, the connecting portion includes a restrictor that restricts movement of the viscous fluid between the inner slit portion and the outer slit portion, and the restrictor includes a hinderer that is located in a slit width of the connecting portion and extends along an extending direction of the connecting portion, and that hinders a flow of the viscous fluid in one of, or both, the circumferential direction and a radial direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The damper according to claim 1, wherein the damper body includes at least one fluid feeding hole that extends in a radial direction from an outer surface of the outer ring, communicates with at least one of the slits, and feeds the viscous fluid to the at least one of the slits, and the fluid feeding hole includes a reverse flow preventer that prevents a reverse flow of the viscous fluid from the at least one of the slits to the fluid feeding hole. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The damper according to claim 2, wherein the reverse flow preventer is a restrictor that restricts a flow of the viscous fluid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The damper according to claim 2, wherein the sealers, which include the sealing surfaces, respectively, further include coupling surfaces, respectively, the coupling surfaces are coupled to the outer ring, or the inner ring, of the damper body, and the sealing surfaces are recessed relative to the coupling surfaces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The damper according to claim 2, wherein the sealers are coupled to the outer ring, or the inner ring, of the damper body via plates, respectively, the plates each having a thickness corresponding to a gap dimension of each of the gaps. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The damper according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of a circle that passes between an inner peripheral edge and an outer peripheral edge of each of the arc springs at a middle between the inner peripheral edge and the outer peripheral edge in a radial direction is an arc spring center diameter, and a ratio of a slit width of at least one part of each slit to the arc spring center diameter (the slit width/the arc spring center diameter) is not less than 1/100. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The damper according to claim 1, wherein the hinderer is located in a passage of the connecting portion and reduces the cross-sectional area of the passage in both the circumferential direction and the radial direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The damper according to claim 1, wherein the hinderer is located along slit walls of the connecting portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The damper according to claim 1, wherein the hinderer is located at a middle of the slit width of the connecting portion.