Hinge damper assembly
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsToby Berry, JR., David A. Doornbos, Daniel P. Calby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A damper assembly incorporating a bushing adapted to rotate within a wall structure and engage a post on a bin or other element to be controlled. The bushing defines a hub of an integral, coaxial rotor which rides within a fluid containing housing. The bushing and rotor rotate concurrently about a common axis during rotation of the bin or other device being controlled. The drag on the rotor thereby slows the rotation of the engaged post and the associated bin or other structure being controlled.
Claims20
A damper assembly adapted for mounting through a support wall for engagement with a pivot shaft of a pivoting structure, the damper assembly comprising:
- a rotor assembly including a rotor and a bushing member integral with the rotor, the bushing member extending outwardly away from a position on the rotor to a distal end remote from the rotor, the bushing member having an elongated tubular construction including an outer surface adapted to rotate within an opening in the support wall, the bushing member also including an internal axial passageway, the internal axial passageway having an opening at the distal end and extending from the distal end at least partially along the length of the bushing member such that the internal axial passageway defines a female acceptance opening for mating engagement with the pivot shaft of the pivoting structure;
- and
- a housing containing a damping liquid disposed at least partially about the rotor, wherein the rotor and bushing member are maintained in fixed relation to one another and are conjunctively rotatable relative to the housing about a common axis defined by the axial passageway in the bushing member.
A damper assembly adapted for mounting through a support wall for engagement with a pivot shaft of a pivoting structure, the damper assembly comprising:
- a one piece rotor assembly, the rotor assembly including a rotor having one or more vane elements and a bushing member integral with the rotor, the bushing member extending outwardly away from a position on the rotor to a distal end remote from the rotor such that the bushing member defines a central hub of the rotor, the bushing member having an elongated tubular construction including an outer surface adapted to rotate within an opening in the support wall, the bushing member also including an internal axial passageway, the internal axial passageway having an opening at the distal end and extending from the distal end at least partially along the length of the bushing member such that the internal axial passageway defines a female acceptance opening for mating engagement with the pivot shaft of the pivoting structure, wherein the axial passageway has a cross-sectional geometry including one or more planar surfaces adapted to block rotation of the pivot shaft within the axial passageway such that rotation of the pivot shaft is translated in geared relation to the rotor assembly;
- and
- a housing containing a damping liquid disposed at least partially about the rotor in covering relation to the vane elements, wherein the rotor and bushing member are maintained in fixed relation to one another and are conjunctively rotatable relative to the housing about a common axis defined by the axial passageway in the bushing member.
A damper assembly adapted for mounting through a support wall for engagement with a pivot shaft of a pivoting structure, the damper assembly comprising:
- a one piece rotor assembly of thermoplastic polymer, the rotor assembly including a rotor having one or more outwardly extending vane elements and a bushing member integral with the rotor, the bushing member extending outwardly away from a position on the rotor to a distal end remote from the rotor such that the bushing member defines a central hub of the rotor, the bushing member having an elongated tubular construction including an outer surface adapted to rotate within an opening in the support wall, the bushing member also including an internal axial passageway, the internal axial passageway having an opening at the distal end and extending from the distal end at least partially along the length of the bushing member such that the internal axial passageway defines a female acceptance opening for mating engagement with the pivot shaft of the pivoting structure, wherein the axial passageway has a cross-sectional geometry including one or more planar surfaces adapted to block rotation of the pivot shaft within the axial passageway such that rotation of the pivot shaft is translated in geared relation to the rotor assembly and wherein the cross-sectional geometry of the axial passageway matches the cross-sectional geometry of the pivot shaft, such that the pivot shaft is held in non-rotatable keyed relation within the axial passageway;
- and
- a housing containing a damping liquid disposed at least partially about the rotor in covering relation to the vane elements, wherein the rotor and bushing member are maintained in fixed relation to one another and are conjunctively rotatable relative to the housing about a common axis defined by the axial passageway in the bushing member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.