Visco-elastic delayed actuator and system

• US 4,948,927 A
• Filed: 10/03/1988
• Issued: 08/14/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Piezo Electric Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Piezo Electric Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Pajak, Vic
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, J. R.
• Application Number:
  US07/252,647
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 200/33 R, 200/288, 200/250, 200/251, 200/34, 239/44, 239/56, 239/57, 239/70, 222/638
• US Class Current: 200/33.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 7/00 Devices for introducing a predetermined time delay between the initiation of the switching operation and the opening or closing of the contacts time or time-programme switches H01H43/00

Abstract

A visco-elastic delayed actuator and system are provided, including a visco-elastic delayed actuator which includes a restorable and collapsible structure having at least two confronting surfaces and a resilient member interconnecting the surfaces. A visco-elastic delay member including visco-elastic adhesive on at least one of the confronting surfaces of the structure provides a visco-elastic holding force when the confronting surfaces come into mutual contact with the visco-elastic adhesive. The delayed actuator system also includes a support section and an operator member mounted in the support section. A resilient member in the structure biases the operator member in a first state while permitting the operator member to be selectively switched to a second state, thereby initiating a visco-elastic delay period. In the second state, the collapsible, restorable structure is held in the collapsed position by the visco-elastic holding force of the visco-elastic adhesive coming into contact with the confronting surfaces of the structure. The resilient member in the structure gradually urges apart the adhered confronting surfaces, generally restoring the structure and moving the actuator towards its initial position to end the visco-elastic delay period.

Claims

1. A visco-elastic delayed actuator system comprising:

a visco-elastic delayed actuator including a restorable, collapsible structure having at least two confronting surfaces, resilient means having a first portion directly connected to one said surface and having a second portion directly connected to the other said surface, and visco-elastic delay means including visco-elastic adhesive on at least one of said confronting surfaces of said structure for providing a visco-elastic holding force when said other confronting surface comes in contact with said visco-elastic adhesive;

a support member for receiving said structure; and

operator means proximate one of said confronting surfaces of said structure in an initial position and adapted to force together the confronting surfaces of said structure, said operator means adapted to move into a secondary position, initiating a visco-elastic delay period, said resilient means urging apart said confronting surfaces to overcome said visco-elastic adhesive holding force and separate said confronting surfaces, generally restoring said structure, moving the operator means toward its initial position and ending the visco-elastic delay period.

2. The system of claim 1 in which said operator means is mounted to said support member.

3. The system of claim 1 in which said support member includes means for constraining said operator means within said support member.

4. The system of claim 1 in which said operator means is attached to said restorable structure.

5. The system of claim 1 in which said operator means includes valving means.

6. The system of claim 1 in which said restorable structure is attached to said support member.

7. The system of claim 1 in which said restorable structure includes foam rubber.

8. The system of claim 1 in which said restorable structure includes a plastic material.

9. The system of claim 1 in which said restorable structure is homogeneous.

10. The system of claim 1 in which said restorable structure is electrically conductive on at least a portion of its outer surface.

11. The system of claim 1 in which said resilient means are bellows.

19. The actuator of claim 1 in which said structure includes a plastic material.

12. A visco-elastic delayed actuator system for dispensing a medium comprising:

a delayed actuator including a collapsible and restorable structure having at least two confronting surfaces, resilient means interconnecting said surfaces, and visco-elastic delay means including visco-elastic adhesive on at least one of said confronting surfaces of said structure providing a visco-elastic holding force when said confronting surfaces and said visco-elastic adhesive come into mutual contact;

a support member for supporting said structure;

compartment means in said support member for storing a medium to be dispensed;

venting means in said compartment means for allowing dispensing of said medium; and

operator means proximate one of said confronting surfaces of said structure in an initial position and adapted to force together the confronting surfaces of said structure, said operator means adapted to move into a secondary position, allowing dispensing of said medium and initiating a visco-elastic delay period, said resilient means urging apart said confronting surfaces to overcome said visco-elastic adhesive holding force, generally restoring said actuator and moving the operator means toward its initial position, preventing the dispensing of said medium and ending said visco-elastic delay period.

13. The system of claim 12 in which said support member includes means for constraining said operator means within said support member.

14. The system of claim 12 in which said operator means includes valving means.

15. A visco-elastic delayed actuator comprising:

an elastomeric collapsible and restorable structure having at least two confronting surfaces, and resilient means interconnecting said surfaces; and

visco-elastic delay means including visco-elastic adhesive on at least one of said confronting surfaces of said structure for providing a visco-elastic adhesive holding force when said confronting surfaces and said visco-elastic adhesive come into mutual contact, said resilient means urging apart said adhered confronting surfaces to overcome said visco-elastic adhesive holding force, generally restoring said structure.

16. The actuator of claim 15 in which said visco-elastic adhesive is located on both confronting surfaces of said structure.

17. The actuator of claim 15 in which said structure is homogeneous.

18. The actuator of claim 17 in which said structure includes foam rubber.

20. The actuator of claim 15 in which said structure is an electrically conductive on at least a portion of its outer surface.

21. The actuator of claim 15 in which said structure is an annulus.

22. The actuator of claim 15 in which said resilient means includes bellows.

23. The actuator of claim 15 in which only a portion of said structure is resilient.

24. The actuator of claim 15 in which said resilient means includes spring means.

25. The actuator of claim 15 in which said structure includes a closed geometric shape having an air vent.

27. The actuator of claim 15 in which said structure is an annulus.

28. The actuator of claim 27 in which said annulus includes foam rubber.

26. A visco-elastic delayed actuator comprising:

a homogeneous collapsible and restorable closed structure having at least two confronting surfaces and resilient means integral with said homogeneous structure; and

visco-elastic delay means including visco-elastic adhesive on at least one of said confronting surfaces of said structure for providing a visco-elastic adhesive holding force when said confronting surfaces and said visco-elastic adhesive come into mutual contact, said resilient means urging apart said confronting surfaces to overcome said visco-elastic adhesive holding force, and generally restoring said structure.

29. The actuator of claim 26 in which said homogeneous structure includes an air vent.