Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Dynamic mechanism subsystem – Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-09
2002-02-19
Cao, Allen (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Dynamic mechanism subsystem
Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production
Reexamination Certificate
active
06349084
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible support device disposed between two members provided so as to relatively displaceable to each other.
2. Related Art
A flexible support device
129
disposed between two members
110
and
120
that are provided so as to be relatively displaceable to each other as known from the related art is shown in FIG.
44
. As shown in
FIG. 44
, a first member
120
comprises a flat annular supported part
121
. A second member
110
has a columnar supported part
111
substantially orthogonal to the supported part
121
of the first member
120
, and is relatively displaceable to the first member
120
in the axial direction of the columnar supported part
111
.
The flexible support device
129
disposed between this first member
120
and second member
110
comprises first and second hollow flexible support parts
129
a
and
129
b
and a middle fitting part
129
c
integrally disposed between these flexible support parts
129
a
and
129
b
. The flexible support parts
129
a
and
129
b
are disposed substantially coaxially and are flexibly displaceable at least in the direction of this axis. The middle fitting part
129
c
is fit to the supported part
121
of the above-noted first member
120
.
The flexible support device
129
is made from a material, such as rubber, with the specified elastic property, and is formed such that the middle fitting part
129
c
is a constricted neck between the flexible support parts
129
a
and
129
b
. The flexible support device
129
is then disposed with the outside circumference part of this middle fitting part
129
c
fit to a hole
121
h
in the flat supported part
121
of the first member
120
.
When first member
120
and second member
110
are assembled with the supported part
111
of the second member
110
passing through the hole
121
h
in the supported part
121
of first member
120
, and this supported part
121
is then fit to the middle fitting part
129
c
as described above, the flexible support device
129
is mounted between the first and second members
120
and
110
with the supported part
111
of second member
110
passing through the hollow interior of the flexible support parts
129
a
and
129
b
of the flexible support device
129
. The second flexible support part
129
b
is thus positioned between the middle fitting part
129
c
and the base surface
110
f
of the second [first, sci] member
110
. The first flexible support part
129
a
is free and unrestrained on one side thereof (the top side as shown in
FIG. 44
) at this time.
A flat end plate
112
is then fastened to the end of the supported part
111
with the first flexible support part
129
a
of the flexible support device
129
located between the middle fitting part
129
c
and end plate
112
. The flexible support device
129
is thus disposed between base surface
110
f
of second member
110
and the end plate
112
, and the total length (height) of the flexible support device
129
is thereby limited in the axial direction.
This end plate
112
acts as a load bearing plate (stop) when a load is applied in a direction compressing first flexible support part
129
a
, and acts to prevent the removal of flexible support device
129
when a great displacement force is applied in a direction causing supported part
121
of first member
120
to separate from the base surface
110
f
of second member
110
. The end plate
112
is therefore typically secured to the end of columnar supported part
111
with a locking pin, threaded member, or similar means (not shown in the figure).
When a vibratory force or impact load causing relative displacement of the first member
120
and second member
110
is applied to the above-described assembly, the damping action accompanying compressive deformation within the elastic limits of the second flexible support part
129
b
is able to absorb the vibration component or impact load in the direction in which the supported part
121
of first member
120
approaches the base surface
110
f
of second member
110
, i.e., downward as seen in FIG.
44
. Vibration components and impact loads in the direction in which the supported part
121
of first member
120
approaches the end plate
112
on the end of supported part
111
of second member
110
, i.e., upward in
FIG. 44
, can be similarly absorbed by the damping action accompanying compressive deformation within the elastic limits of the first flexible support part
129
a.
It will thus be obvious that the flexible support parts
129
a
and
129
b
exhibit independent damping actions depending upon the direction of an applied load.
As will be known from the above description, a separate end plate
112
must be fastened to the end of the supported part
111
with this conventional flexible support device
129
after the flexible support device
129
is mounted between the first and second members
120
and
110
by fitting the middle fitting part
129
c
to the flat supported part
121
.
A problem with this configuration is that assembling the flexible support device is thus complicated, requiring a greater number of parts and assembly steps. This conventional design is therefore a hindrance to keeping the production cost down.
Furthermore, in the final assembled state, a conventional, typically rubber flexible support device
129
is disposed between end plate
112
and the base surface
110
f
of a typically plastic or metal second member
110
with the overall length (height) thereof in the axial direction limited by the end plate
112
and second member
110
.
A problem arising from this configuration is that the damping action of the flexible support device
129
changes when the temperature rises a certain amount. This is due to the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of the material used for the second member
110
, including the flat supported part
111
, and the end plate
112
, and the material of the flexible support device
129
.
Yet further, the flexible support parts
129
a
and
129
b
operate independently to damp an applied load in a conventional flexible support device
129
as described above. When a particularly large load is expected to act in one direction, the flexible support part on the side bearing the load or vibration component must be made particularly large, or a spring or other auxiliary means must be provided to assist the flexible support part.
The problem in either case here is an increase in the size and/or complexity of the flexible support device.
When the first member
120
and second member
110
move circularly relative to each other in this conventional flexible support device
129
, it is difficult to achieve a smooth circular motion because a flat end plate
112
is fastened to the end of the supported part
111
, and the flexible support device
129
is disposed between this end plate
112
and the base surface
110
f
of second member
110
.
Considering these problems of the related art, a basic object of the present invention is to provide a flexible support device that is easy to assemble; has a simple, compact construction; achieves a stable damping action even when temperature rises; and enables a good, smooth circular movement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve this object, a flexible support device according to a first aspect of the present invention is disposed between a first member having a flat supported part, and a second member having a columnar supported part substantially orthogonal to the flat supported part of the first member, and being relatively displaceable to the first member in an axial direction of the columnar supported part. The flexible support device has first and second hollow flexible support parts disposed substantially coaxially and flexibly displaceable at least in the direction of this axis respectively; a first fitting part formed integrally between the first and second flexible support parts for fitting to the flat supported part of the first member; a second fitting
Cao Allen
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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