Rotation retarder and use thereof

• US 5,660,252 A
• Filed: 02/01/1996
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITW de France S.A.S. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITW de France S.A.S. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Lafon, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Douglas C.
• Application Number:
  US08/595,338
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 188/130, 188/129, 188/381, 188/83, 188/82.84, 188/82.8, 188/82.1, 188/82.6, 188/268, 16/337-343, 16/354, 74/474, 74/531, 267/196-216
• US Class Current: 188/130
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/14 with fluid brakes of the rotary type
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/00 Braking devices, e.g. checks; Stops; Buffers construction of pneumatic or liquid braking devices E05F3/00; braking devices, buffers or end stops on drawers for tables, cabinets or like furniture A47B88/473; combined with devices for holding wings open E05C17/00; devices for limiting opening of wings or for holding wings open by a movable member extending between frame and wing E05C17/04
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/254 Fluid or viscous friction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/266 rotary
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/538 Interior lids
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/04 in the direction of the axis of rotation F16F7/023 takes precedence

Abstract

A rotation retarder has a startor (1), a rotor (3) designed to receive the rotational movement to be retarded, and an elastic component (10) disposed between the rotor and the stator (2) the stator (2) having a seat (4) from which projects a shaft (6) with an overall cylindrical wall, and the rotor (3) having a housing (13) with an overall cylindrical wall for rotational mounting on the shaft (6). The retarder (1) is characterized in that the elastic component (10) is in direct contact with the wall of the shaft (6) and the wall of the housing (13) between which it is compressed, the area of contact between the first one of these walls and the elastic component (10) being larger than the area of contact between the second one of these walls and the elastic component (10), whereby the elastic component (10) is held on the first wall while the second wall is able to slide with respect to the elastic component (10).

Claims

1. A rotation retarder, comprising:

a stator;

rotor means rotatably mounted upon said stator for undergoing rotational movement with respect to said stator and which rotational movement is to be retarded;

elastic means interposed between said rotor means and said stator so as to be compressed therebetween; and

means mounting said elastic means upon one of said stator and rotor means such that said elastic means is disposed in direct contact with said one of said stator and rotor means over a first area of contact which is greater than a second area of direct contact defined between said elastic means and the other one of said stator and rotor means such that when said elastic means is mounted upon said stator, said elastic means is fixedly retained upon said stator while said rotor means is permitted to rotate relative to said elastic means and said stator whereby retarded rotation between said elastic means, fixedly retained upon said stator, and said rotor means is achieved in response to rotation of said rotor means with respect to said stator, whereas when said elastic means is mounted upon said rotor means, said elastic means is fixedly retained upon said rotor means so as to permit said motor means, and said elastic means fixedly retained upon said rotor means, to rotate relative to said stator whereby retarded rotation between said rotor means and said stator, as a result of said elastic mean is fixedly retained upon said rotor means and rotatably engaging said stator, is achieved in response to rotation of said rotor means, and said elastic means fixedly mounted thereon, with respect to said stator.

2. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said stator comprises a base portion and a substantially cylindrical shaft portion, having a substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion, projecting upwardly from said base portion; and

said rotor means comprises a substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion having a substantially cylindrical internal peripheral wall portion disposed about said substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion of said stator.

3. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said rotor means further comprises a plurality of gear teeth integrally formed upon outer peripheral wall portions of said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion so as to define pinion means for meshed engagement with a corresponding gear member of a component whose rotational movement is to be retarded.

4. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said elastic means comprises an O-ring member; and

said substantially cylindrical shaft portion of said stator has an annular recess defined within said substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion thereof for housing said O-ring member.

5. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said substantially cylindrical shaft portion of said stator comprises a plurality of centering surfaces equiangularly spaced about said substantially cylindrical shaft portion of said stator and projecting radially outwardly from said substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion thereof for rotatably mounting said rotor means thereon with a minimum amount of friction.

6. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion of said rotor means comprises a plurality of stepped surfaces equiangularly spaced about said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion of Said rotor means and projecting radially inwardly from said substantially cylindrical internal peripheral wall portion thereof for engaging said O-ring member mounted upon said substantially cylindrical shaft portion of said stator so as to prevent axially separation of said rotor means from said stator once said rotor means is operatively rotatably mounted upon said stator.

7. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said centering surfaces of said shaft portion of said stator and said stepped surfaces of said housing portion of said rotor are disposed at axial positions located upon opposite sides of said annular recess defined within said shaft portion of said stator, and said O-ring member disposed therein, so as to limit relative axial movement between said stator and said rotor means.

8. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion of said rotor means has a plurality of studs equiangularly spaced about a lower end portion of said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion of said rotor means for engaging said base portion of said stator so as to rotatably support said rotor means up on said base portion of said stator with a minimum amount of friction.

9. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said stator and said rotor means each comprises a component molded from a suitable plastic material.

10. A rotation retarder, comprising:

a stator;

rotor means rotatably mounted upon said stator for undergoing rotational movement with respect to said stator and which rotational movement is to be retarded;

elastic means interposed between said stator and said rotor means so as to be compressed therebetween; and

recess means defined within one of said stator and rotor means for mounting said elastic means upon one of said stator and rotor means such that said elastic means is disposed in direct contact with said one of said stator and rotor means, as a result of being disposed within said recess means of said one of said stator and rotor means, over a first area of contact which is greater than a second area of direct contact defined between said elastic means and the other one of said stator and rotor means such that when said elastic means is mounted upon said stator, said elastic means is mounted upon said stator, while said rotor means is permitted to rotate relative to said elastic means and said stator whereby retarded rotation between said elastic means, fixedly retained upon said stator, and said rotor means is achieved in response to rotation of said rotor means with respect to said stator, whereas when said elastic means is mounted upon said rotor means, said elastic means is fixedly retained upon said rotor means so as to permit said rotor means, and said elastic means fixedly retained upon said rotor means, to rotate relative to said stator whereby retarded rotation between said rotor means and said stator, as a result of said elastic means being fixedly retained upon said rotor means and rotatably engaging said stator, is achieved in response to rotation of said rotor means, and said elastic means fixedly mounted thereon, with respect to said stator.

11. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said stator comprises a base portion and a substantially cylindrical shaft portion, having a substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion, projecting upwardly from said base portion; and

said rotor means comprises a substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion having a substantially cylindrical internal peripheral wall portion disposed about said substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion of said stator.

12. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said recess means comprises an annular recess defined within said substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion of said substantially cylindrical shaft portion of said stator; and

said elastic means comprises an O-ring member disposed within said annular recess defined within said shaft portion of said stator.

13. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said substantially cylindrical shaft portion of said stator comprises a plurality of centering surfaces equiangularly spaced about said substantially cylindrical shaft portion of said stator and projecting radially outwardly from said substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion thereof for rotatably mounting said rotor means thereon with a minimum amount of friction.

14. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 13, wherein:

said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion of said rotor means comprises a plurality of stepped surfaces equiangularly spaced about said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion of said rotor means and projecting radially inwardly from said substantially cylindrical internal peripheral wall portion thereof for engaging said O-ring member mounted upon said substantially cylindrical shaft portion of said stator so as to prevent axial separation of said rotor means from said stator once said rotor means is operatively rotatably mounted upon said stator.

15. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 14, wherein:

said centering surfaces of said shaft portion of said stator and said stepped surfaces of said housing portion of said rotor means are disposed at axial positions located upon opposite sides of said annular defined within said shaft portion of said stator, and said O-ring member disposed therein, so as to limit relative axial movement between said stator and said rotor means.

16. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said rotor means further comprises a plurality of gear teeth integrally formed upon outer peripheral wall portions of said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion so as to define pinion means for method for meshed engagement with a corresponding gear member of a component whose rotational movement is to be retarded.

17. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion of said rotor means has a plurality of studs equiangularly spaced about a lower end portion of said substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion of said rotor means for engaging said base portion of said stator so as to rotatably support said rotor means upon said base portion of said stator with a minimum amount of friction.

18. A rotation retarder for retarding rotational movement of a component undergoing rotational movement, comprising:

a stator;

rotor means rotatably mounted upon said stator for operative connection to a component undergoing rotational movement so as to retard said rotational movement of said component;

elastic means interposed between said stator and said rotor means so as to be compressed therebetween; and

means mounting said elastic means upon one of said stator and rotor mean such that said elastic means is disposed in direct contact with said one of said stator and rotor means over a first area of contact which is greater than a second area of direct contact defined between said elastic means and the other one of said stator and rotor means such that when said elastic means is mounted upon said stator, said elastic means is fixedly retained upon said stator while said rotor means is permitted to rotate relative to said elastic means and said stator whereby retarded rotation between said elastic means, fixedly retained upon said stator, and said rotor means, and said component operatively connected thereto, is achieved in response to rotation of said rotor means with respect to said stat or as a result of said rotational movement of said component, whereas when said elastic means is mounted upon said rotor means, said elastic means is fixedly retained upon said rotor means so as to permit said rotor means, and said elastic means fixedly retained upon said rotor means, to rotate relative to said stator whereby retarded rotation between said rotor means, and said component operatively connected thereto, and said stator, as a result of said elastic means fixedly retained upon said rotor means and rotatably engaging said stator, is achieved in response to rotation of said rotor means, and said elastic means fixedly mounted thereon, with respect to said stator as a result of said rotational movement of said component.

19. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 18, wherein:

said rotor means further comprises a plurality of gear teeth integrally formed upon outer peripheral wall portions thereof so as to define pinion means for meshed engagement with a corresponding gear member of said component whose rotational movement is to be retarded.

20. The rotation retarder as set forth in claim 18, wherein:

said component comprises one of an automotive vehicle handle, glove-box lid, and an ashtray lid.

21. A rotation retarder, comprising:

a stator comprising a base portion and a substantially cylindrical shaft portion, having a substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion, projecting upwardly from said base portion;

rotor means, comprising a substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion having a substantially cylindrical internal peripheral wall portion disposed about said substantially cylindrical upon said stator for undergoing rotational movement which is to be retarded; and

elastic means interposed between said rotor means and said stator so as to be compressed therebetween,

said elastic means being disposed in direct contact with a first one of said stator and rotor means over a first area of contact which is greater than a second area of direct contact defined between said elastic means and a second one of said stator and rotor means whereby said elastic means is retained upon said first one of said stator and rotor means while retarded rotation between said elastic means and said second one of said stator and rotor means is achieved in response to rotation of said rotor means with respect to said stator.

22. A rotation retarder, comprising:

a stator comprising a base portion and a substantially cylindrical shaft portion, having a substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion, projecting upwardly from said base portion;

rotor means, comprising a substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion having a substantially cylindrical internal peripheral wall portion disposed about said substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion of said stator, rotatably mounted upon said stator for undergoing rotational movement which is to be retarded;

recess means defined within one of said stator and rotor means; and

elastic means disposed within said recess means of said one of said stator and rotor means so as to be interposed between said stator and said rotor means and be compressed therebetween;

said elastic means being disposed in direct contact with said one of said stator and rotor means, as a result of being disposed within said recess means of said one of said stator and rotor means, over a first area of contact which is greater than a second area of direct contact defined between said elastic means and the other one of said stator and rotor means whereby said elastic means is retained upon said one of said stator and rotor means while retarded rotation between said elastic means and said other one of said stator and rotor means is achieved in response to rotation of said rotor means with respect to said stator.

23. A rotation retarder foe retarding rotational movement of a component undergoing rotational movement, comprising:

a stator comprising a base portion and a substantially cylindrical shaft portion, having substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion, projecting upwardly from said base portion;

rotor means, comprising a substantially cylindrical tubular housing portion having a substantially cylindrical internal peripheral wall portion disposed about said substantially cylindrical external peripheral wall portion of said stator, rotatably mounted upon said stator for operative connection to a component undergoing rotational movement so as to retard said rotational movement of said component; and

elastic means interposed between said stator and said rotor means so as to be compressed therebetween,

said elastic means being disposed in direct contact with a first one of said stator and rotor means over a first area of contact which is greater than a second area of direct contact defined between said elastic means and a second one of said stator and rotor means whereby said elastic means is retained upon said first one of said stator and rotor means while retarded rotation between said elastic means and said second one of said stator and rotor means is achieved in response to rotation of said rotor means with respect to said stator as a result of said rotational movement of said components.