Brakes – Internal-resistance motion retarder – Including seal or guide
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-22
2001-03-13
Oberleitner, Robert J. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Internal-resistance motion retarder
Including seal or guide
C188S322150, C188S322220, C267S064120, C267S120000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199673
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a silent damper with directionally dependent damping, and with a self-adjusting O-ring cap for eliminating or minimizing rattle. A typical application for such a damper would be for use with an automotive glove box.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, it is known to provide a damper, such as for use with an automobile glovebox, which has directionally dependent damping which is varied by the degree of air or fluid communication between the opposite sides of a reciprocating piston. An example of such a damper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,477, entitled “Air Damper” issued on Dec. 16, 1997 to Hiramoto et al. in which an O-ring within the piston assembly moves dependent upon the direction of travel of the piston thereby changing the damping strength. Additionally, this reference discloses ridges cut into the side of the cylinder and a cylinder of varying diameter to vary the damping dependent upon the location of the piston within the cylinder. However, as the O-ring travels over a circular disk-type support, the movement of the O-ring can have unwanted resistance, roughness and noise. The O-ring can even bind in such a configuration.
Additionally, the cap of the damper disclosed in the Hiramoto reference is substantially inelastic and therefore is susceptible to rattle and does not provide for any rotation of the piston shaft which is of rectangular cross section. Moreover, a damper with such a cap does not compensate for misalignment of the glovebox or allow for a simple adjustment from a right-hand part to a left-hand part.
Other references in this field include U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,263 to Grundei et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,634 to Grundei et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,700 to Popjoy; U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,115 to Bauer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,098 to Jobmann et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,893 to Chalaire et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,857 to Zweiniger et al.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a damper, for automotive glovebox or similar applications, which has a damping strength which is dependent upon the direction of travel of the piston.
It is therefore a further object of this invention to provide a damper, for automotive glovebox or similar applications, which has reduced frictional resistance in the movement of the components associated with the directionally dependent damping strength.
It is therefore a still further object of this invention to provide a damper, for automotive glovebox or similar applications, which has increased smoothness in the movement of the components associated with the directionally dependent damping strength.
It is therefore a still further object of this invention to provide a damper, for automotive glovebox or similar applications, which has a decreased tendency for binding in the movement of the components associated with the directionally dependent damping strength.
It is therefore a still further object of this invention to provide a damper, for automotive glovebox or similar applications, which has a decreased tendency to rattle, particularly the piston shaft against the cylinder or cylinder cap.
It is therefore a still further object of this invention to provide a damper, for automotive glovebox or similar applications, which can be easily adjusted from a right-hand part to a left-hand part, and vice versa.
It is therefore a still further object of this invention to provide a damper, for automotive glovebox or similar applications, which allows for the misalignment of the damper and the twisting of the piston shaft, particularly piston shafts of other than circular cross section.
These and other objects are attained by providing a damper with a piston formed by two disks separated by a spacer, the spacer being formed of longitudinally and radially extending planar portions with an X-shaped cross section. At least one of the distal ends of the planar portions of the spacer includes a groove which forms and air passageway. The groove extends to the periphery of the trailing disk of the piston. The groove may extend to a periphery of the leading disk of the piston but to a lesser depth. A seal rides on the distal ends of the planar portions of the spacer. When the piston is withdrawn from the damper, the seal engages the leading disk of the piston thereby sealing inhibiting air passage between the piston shaft and the inner diameter of the damper. This dampens the rate at which the shaft is pulled out. However, when the piston is inserted into the damper, the seal slides back to engage the trailing disk of the piston thereby allowing air passage through the groove and minimizing damping.
As the seal travels on the distal ends of longitudinally and radially extending planar portions from the damping position to the position with reduced or eliminated damping, frictional resistance, noise and binding are reduced.
Additionally, the cap of the damper is formed from two O-rings. A first O-ring generally engages the periphery of the damper housing and passes through two grooves within periphery of the damper housing so that portions of the O-ring form a first pair of parallel chords within the circular cross section of the damper housing. A second O-ring is engaged by two opposed hooks on the mouth of the damper housing so as to form a second pair of parallel chords within the circular cross section of the damper housing. The second pair of parallel chords is oriented ninety degrees with respect to the first pair of parallel chords. The rectangular intersection of the two pairs of parallel chords formed by the O-rings supports the piston shaft of rectangular cross section. The resulting elastic configuration of the O-rings compensates for misalignment of the damper. Additionally, this elastic configuration allows a user or installer to simply rotate the piston by 180° within the damper housing in order to convert from a left-hand part to a right-hand part, and vice versa.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4323224 (1982-04-01), Freitag et al.
patent: 4433759 (1984-02-01), Ichinose
patent: 4548389 (1985-10-01), Smith et al.
patent: 4630857 (1986-12-01), Zweiniger et al.
patent: 4669893 (1987-06-01), Chalaire et al.
patent: 4786098 (1988-11-01), Jobmann et al.
patent: 4877115 (1989-10-01), Bauer et al.
patent: 4989700 (1991-02-01), Popjoy
patent: 5655634 (1997-08-01), Grundei et al.
patent: 5697477 (1997-12-01), Hiramoto et al.
patent: 5702091 (1997-12-01), Perrin et al.
patent: 5730263 (1998-03-01), Grundei et al.
patent: 5797593 (1998-08-01), Oyaizu
patent: 5884734 (1999-03-01), Hiramoto et al.
patent: 5887857 (1999-03-01), Perrin
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Oberleitner Robert J.
Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch LLP
Sy Mariano
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