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US 2003/0196501 A1Published application
Roller/damper assembly
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsDavid A. Doornbos, Steven L. Bivens
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AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsDavid A. Doornbos, Steven L. Bivens
Estimating the term…
A roller/damper is configured for use with an associated sliding object such as a drawer that is movable between a first position and a second position along a rail having a rack gear disposed thereon. The roller/damper includes a roller having an outside diameter that is configured for movement along the rail. A gear housing is disposed adjacent the roller and has gear teeth formed thereon for engaging the rail rack gear. A damper rotor is positioned in the gear housing. The roller, gear housing and rotor rotate about a common axis. A damping material is disposed about the damper rotor within the gear housing for damping rotation of the gear housing relative to the rotor. A shaft extends through the roller, the gear housing and the rotor. The rotor is fixed to the shaft and the roller and gear housing are rotational about the shaft independent of one another. The roller rotates as it moves along the associated rail, and when the gear housing, moving along the rail with the roller, engages the rack gear, movement of the roller/damper is dampened by the engagement of the gear housing with the rack gear.
A roller/damper for use with an associated sliding object that is movable between a first position and a second position, comprising:
A roller/damper for use with an associated sliding object that is movable between a first position and a second position along an associated rail, the associated rail having a rack gear disposed thereon, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Backward citations are indexed for grants only.
For interconverting rotary or oscillating motion and reciprocating motion: comprising a rack
Vibration-dampers
Vibration-dampers; Shock-absorbers: with friction surfaces rectilinearly movable along each other
Drawer movement damping: drawer damping device with 2 relatively movable parts to convert kinetic energy
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates to damped rollers. More particularly, the present invention relates to rollers that have integral dampers formed as part of the roller assembly.
Rollers are used in a wide variety of applications. For example, rollers may be used in conjunction with slides for drawers, sliding racks, desk drawers, cabinets and the like to slide the object, such as the drawer, from another object, such as the cabinet in which the drawer is installed.
Typically, higher quality sliding arrangements include rollers in conjunction with rails on which the sliding object (e.g., the drawer) slides into and out of, for example, the cabinet. In that the rollers provide a smooth, low-resistance movement of, for example, the drawer, it has been found to often be desirable to dampen or slow the movement of the drawer in one direction. This may be particularly desirable when the drawer is heavily loaded and fast movement, in conjunction with a large mass can result in a high inertia of the moving drawer.
The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled roller/damper assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the roller/damper assembly of FIG. 1;
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
It should be further understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein.
Referring now to the figures and in particular, to FIG. 1, there is shown a roller/damper assembly 10 embodying the principles of the present invention. The roller/damper assembly 10 provides an arrangement by which a drawer or the like is readily rolled, on rails R, for movement. Such a unit can provide smooth, yet damped movement in one direction and smooth, undamped or free-rolling movement in an opposite direction, or such a unit can provide smooth, yet damped movement in both directions in the notched or rack area.