JP2003343629A - Damper device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dumper device for a western toilet seat/seat cover wherein a braking force is changed according to open angles. <P>SOLUTION: A cylindrical case 14 has a large diameter part 14a and a small diameter part 14b at an inner wall, and a bearing boss 24 having a large diameter outer surface 24 a and a small diameter outer surface 24b formed at a center. A rotor 16 has a pair of arc blades 36 and is rotatably journaled by the cylindrical case 14. In (a), the seat/seat cover is in a maximum open position, and the arc blades 36 are partly inserted between the small diameter part 14b and the large diameter outer surface 24a and held stably. When rotating in a clockwise direction CW, the braking force by grease shear resistance acting the arc blades 36 is minimized at (b). As in (c), as the arc blades 36 are fitted in between the small diameter part 14b and the large diameter outer surface 24a, the braking force is increased to the maximum at the closed position of (d). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotary damper applied to a rotary lid and a rotary door that are opened and closed by a hinge,
Specifically, the rotation speed is regulated by the shear resistance of high-viscosity grease, and particularly relates to an opening / closing control damper for a toilet seat / toilet lid of a Western-style toilet bowl.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional damper device 100 utilizing the shear resistance due to the viscosity of grease fills a case 101 with a specified amount of grease 102 and inserts a rotor 103 while removing air. , The grease 102 is attached to the inner surface of the case 101 and the outer surface of the rotor 103.
A cover 104 is attached to the rotor 103 to prevent it from coming off. Further, the rotor 103 is provided with a deformation hole 105, and is connected to a toilet seat hinge or a toilet lid hinge (not shown) through a shaft 106. The shaft 106 is formed in an oval shape, and a play 107 is provided in the rotational direction between the deformation hole 105 of the rotor 103 and the shaft 106 to provide an idle angle.

When the toilet seat / toilet lid is moved from the fully opened state to the closed direction, the shaft 106 connected to the hinge rotates in the deformation hole 105 of the rotor 103. Shaft 106 and rotor 103
Since there is play 107 in the deformation hole 105 of the rotation direction,
Only the shaft 106 runs idle without the rotor 103 rotating around the opening angle θ = 120 to 60 °. In the vicinity of the opening angle θ = 60 °, the side surface of the shaft 106 abuts against the deformed hole 105 of the rotor 103, so that the rotor 103 rotates. Rotor 10
3 Between the outer surface and the inner surface of the case 101, high-viscosity grease 10
No. 2 is applied, and the shear resistance of the grease 102 applies a braking force to slowly close the toilet seat / toilet lid. Also, when the toilet seat / toilet lid is moved from the closed state to the opening direction, the shaft 106 coupled with the hinge rotates in the deformation hole 105 of the rotor 103, idles to a specified angle, and is accompanied by shearing resistance of grease. While rotating the rotor 103, the fully open position is reached.

[0004]

Therefore, in the structure of the rotary oil damper device 100 using the conventional viscous body for cushioning, a play is provided in the rotational direction between the connecting member of the shaft 106 and the rotor deformation hole 105. Therefore, the idling angle is generated. If there is a slip angle, if the toilet seat / toilet lid is opened halfway and the hand is released, the damper function will not work effectively and it will fall, impacting the toilet bowl and making a loud discomfort. It is also possible that the toilet bowl is damaged. Further, if the idling angle is large, the angle at which the toilet seat starts to be closed varies, which causes a problem of a bad feeling in operation.

The toilet seat damper having the conventional structure is
Since it is a damper that utilizes grease shear resistance, a constant torque is always generated, and there is a problem that the braking force is too strong at the position slightly tilted from the fully opened state where the toilet seat / toilet lid is erected and it cannot be closed by its own weight. Therefore, in the standing state of the toilet seat / toilet lid, a play is provided in which the braking force does not act on the closing direction by a certain angle. Further, in the case of the dashpot type damper, the damper effect is obtained by pressurizing the oil, and it is necessary to strictly apply the structure of the oil seal portion, which is a structural disadvantage.

[0006] Practical model registration No. 2508347 proposes a combination of a damper and a torsion spring to improve the feeling according to the closing torque curve of the toilet seat / toilet lid, but the structure is complicated and the number of parts is large. However, this will increase the cost. Further, since the spring is used as the back tension, when the toilet seat is closed vigorously, the bottom of the toilet seat may hit the toilet bowl and bounce off, leaving the toilet seat slightly open.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to use a high-viscosity grease for the viscous fluid to be filled, and to vary the shearing force with a simple structure to regulate the rotational speed of the connecting member, thereby operating the connecting member. Is to provide a damper device having a good feeling.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a damper device according to the present invention comprises a cylindrical case having a cylindrical outer wall portion, and a case within the cylindrical case which is disposed in the cylindrical case. It is composed of an internal member having a wall portion and a wall portion disposed through a predetermined gap, and a viscous fluid filled in the gap, and is provided on either side of the cylindrical case and the internal member. A damper device that interlocks with the rotation of a connected connecting member and imparts a damper action to the interlocking member, wherein a gap between the case wall portion and the wall portion is the viscous portion in front of the rotating direction of the connecting member. The fluid body is movably formed, and the size of the gap is formed so as to be different in the rotation direction of the connecting member, and the resistance of the viscous fluid body is made different in the rotation direction, whereby the cylindrical case and the inner Installation member Varying the magnitude of the damping action when the relative rotation. Moreover, at least one of the toilet seat and the toilet lid as the connecting member has a rotation angle of 0 to
The damper action is given in the range of 70 °.

Further, the outer wall portion is provided with a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, and the wall portion of the inner member has an arc-shaped cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the axis. Further, the cylindrical case has an inner wall portion radially outside a wall portion of the inner member, and the inner member is arranged between the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a damper device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a first embodiment of a damper device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an assembled side view showing the damper device 10 shown in FIG. 1 in section along the axis. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2 for explaining the operation of the damper device 10.

The damper device 10 has a cylindrical case 14 filled with high-viscosity silicone grease (hereinafter abbreviated as grease) 12 as a viscous fluid, and a rotor 16 which is an internal member rotatably inserted in the cylindrical case 14. Is the main component. The cylindrical case 14 is cup-shaped with one end face closed at the bottom portion 18 and the other end face opened at the smooth annular opening 20, and the bearing boss 24 is erected from the bottom portion 18 at the central portion and the large-diameter outer surface 24a. And a small-diameter outer surface 24b.

A boundary end surface 24c which divides the large-diameter outer surface 24a and the small-diameter outer surface 24b is parallel to the axis, and the large-diameter outer surface 24a is defined within a range of a central angle of 70 ° to 90 °.
Are alternately arranged on the outer surface of the small-diameter outer surface 24b. The free end surface 24d in the axial direction of the bearing boss 24 is positioned slightly inside the inner step portion 20a of the annular opening 20. Further, a bearing hole 25 is formed in the center of the free end surface 24d of the bearing boss 24 to insert and support the inner rotor shaft 31 of the rotor 16.

Large diameter portions 14a having a large radius and small diameter portions 14b having a small radius are alternately formed on the inner surface of the cylindrical case 14. The surface of the small-diameter portion 14b faces the large-diameter outer surface 24a of the bearing boss 24, and the large-diameter portion 1 has a step 14c that extends in a plane including the boundary end surface 24c with the small-diameter outer surface 24b.
A boundary with 4a is defined. On the other hand, on the outer surface of the cylindrical case 14, a mounting seat 28 having a bolt hole 26 for fixing to the mounting target device material of the damper device 10 is projected.

As the rotor 16 constituting the internal member, O
A flange 34 engraved with an annular groove 32a into which the ring 32 is fitted, an outer rotor shaft 30 protruding from the center of the flange 34 to the outside and coupled to a connecting member such as a toilet seat / toilet lid not shown, and the flange 34. To outer rotor shaft 3
An inner rotor shaft 31 concentric with 0 and extending on the opposite side and a pair of rotor arcuate vanes 36 symmetrically arranged on both sides thereof are integrally formed.

The center of the rotor arcuate vane 36 coincides with the center of the bearing boss 24 in the center of the cylindrical case 14, and the center angle of both end surfaces 36c defining the arc of the rotor arcuate vane 36 is equal to the center angle δ of the bearing boss 24. . The thickness t of the rotor arcuate vane 36 is determined by the small diameter portion 14b of the inner surface of the cylindrical case 14.
2 and the large-diameter outer surface 24b of the bearing boss 24 are set so that they can be inserted (see FIG. 3D). Further, the inner rotor shaft 31 is fitted in the bearing hole 25 of the bearing boss 24. That is, the rotor 16 is rotatably supported by the annular opening 20 into which the flange 34 is fitted and the bearing boss 24 into which the inner rotor shaft 31 is fitted.

The cylindrical case 14 is filled with a specified amount of grease 12 that uses shear resistance as a braking force as a viscous fluid, and the rotor 16 is inserted while bleeding air to insert the rotor 16 into the inner surface of the cylindrical case and the rotor arcuate vanes 36. The grease 12 is attached to the outer surfaces 36a and 36b and the outer surface of the bearing boss 24. When the rotor 16 is to be pulled out, the viscosity of the grease 12 causes no air inflow passage in the closed cylindrical case 14, so that the pressure inside is reduced and it becomes difficult to pull out the once stored rotor 16 from the outside. . Therefore, the mounting of the cover 38 indicated by a virtual line (two-dot chain line) is optional. However, it may be mounted to ensure the effect of preventing the grease and the rotor from coming off.

If there are places where the restriction force acts in the rotation direction of the rotor 16 and places where the regulation force does not act at all,
It may be configured as follows. That is, with the same configuration as described above, the amount of grease to be filled is reduced, and high-viscosity grease having a predetermined thickness is applied to the small diameter portion of the case inner diameter and the surface of the arcuate vane of the rotor. As a result, when the rotor's arcuate vanes face the large-diameter portion of the case inner diameter, the applied grease surface does not come into contact, so that the resistance does not work and the rotor's arcuate vanes face the small-diameter portion of the case inner diameter. When I do it,
The applied greases coalesce with each other to generate shear resistance, and a braking force acts, so that a variable torque damper is obtained.

Next, the operation of the damper device 10 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The cylindrical case 12 is fixed to, for example, a toilet (not shown) by a mounting seat 28.
In the transition from (a) to (b), the external rotor shaft 30
Is rotated clockwise CW, the rotor arcuate vanes 36
The inner surface 36a faces the small-diameter outer surface 24b of the bearing boss 24, and the outer surface 36b is the large-diameter portion 14a of the inner surface of the cylindrical case 14.
To face. In this widened region, the facing intervals are set to be substantially 0.5 mm or more,
Shear resistance of grease is low and braking force is weak. Therefore, the toilet seat / toilet lid (not shown) can be rotated in the closing direction with a light force.

When the rotor shaft 30 is further rotated in the clockwise direction CW, the rotor arcuate vanes 36 are fitted into the narrow area formed by the small diameter portion 14b of the inner surface of the cylindrical case and the large diameter outer surface 24a of the bearing boss 24. Go. The distance between the inner surface 36a and the bearing boss large-diameter outer surface 24a of the rotor arc-shaped vane 36 fitted in the narrow area, and the distance between the outer surface 36b and the cylindrical case small-diameter portion 14b are 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.
Since it is set within a range not exceeding mm, the occlusal area between the cylindrical case small diameter portion 14b and the bearing boss large diameter outer surface 22 where the inner and outer surfaces 36a and 36b face each other in accordance with the rotation of the rotor arcuate vane 36 is in this region. When it spreads, the braking force due to the grease shearing resistance increases as the rotor 16 rotates (see FIGS. 3C and 3D).

The closing torque of the toilet seat / toilet lid due to gravity increases as the horizontal distance between the fulcrum and the center of gravity (the length of the arm of the rotation moment) becomes longer as it is closed, but when the damper device 10a according to the present invention is applied. Since the braking force increases as the toilet seat / toilet lid closes, the acting forces of each other cancel each other out, and the closing by the self-weight always becomes a substantially constant speed. Figure 3
(C) shows the rotor arcuate vane 36 during the movement of the toilet seat / toilet lid to the closed position, and FIG. 3 (d) shows the rotor arcuate vane 36 in the closed position. In the closed position, the bearing boss border end surface 24c, the rotor arcuate vanes 36c and the cylindrical base step 14c are coplanar.

Regarding the operation of lifting the toilet seat / toilet lid and opening the toilet, the process goes from (d) of FIG. 3 to (a), and the braking force due to the grease shearing resistance decreases in accordance with the opening angle. As a result, the feeling of discomfort is lessened due to the reduction of resistance due to gravity and the feeling. FIG. 3 (a) shows the rotor arcuate vanes 36 in the fully open toilet seat / toilet lid position, which is generally 9
Exceeds an upright position of 0 °. In FIG. 3 (a), the rotor arcuate vane 36 is partially inserted into the narrow area of the cylindrical case small-diameter portion 14b and the bearing boss cylindrical outer wall 22 to receive the braking force. When it is rotated to the fully open position shown in, it has a lock feeling and is stably held.

The second embodiment of the damper device according to the present invention has the same construction as that of the first embodiment, but the inner surface 36a of the rotor arcuate vane 36 and the bearing boss 24 in the widened region are arranged.
Between the small diameter outer surface 24b and the outer surface 36b and the cylindrical case large diameter portion 14a are 0.05 to 0.5 mm.
And the inner surface 36a of the rotor arc-shaped vane which is a narrow area.
And the large-diameter outer surface 24a of the bearing boss 24, and the space between the rotor arc-shaped vane outer surface 36b and the small-diameter portion 14b of the cylindrical case are set to very small gaps so that the grease cannot flow in due to its own viscous resistance. .

Therefore, since no grease is present in this narrow area, the braking force due to the shear resistance is not generated. For this reason, the rotor arc-shaped vanes 36 are formed in the cylindrical case large-diameter portion 14
Although the braking force due to the grease shear resistance is received in the widening region facing b, the braking force is gradually lost as the bearing boss rotates in the direction of fitting into the narrow region facing the large diameter outer surface 24b. In this way, in the second embodiment, the region where the braking force acts can be reversed from that in the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a damper device 10-3 of a third embodiment of the damper device according to the present invention, wherein members common to those of the above embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. Damper device 10-3
In this rotor, instead of the arcuate vanes 36, a rotor deforming cylinder 42 having a continuous surface is erected on the flange 34. The rotor deformation cylinder 42 includes the two arcuate vanes 36 in the first embodiment.
The thin walls 43 are smoothly connected to each other, and a smooth continuous surface having no boundary end face is formed between the thick portion 42a and the thin portion 42b of the rotor deformation cylinder 42. The cylindrical case 14-3 is the large diameter portion 14 in the above embodiment.
The smooth inner surface 15 is formed by eliminating the step that separates a from the small diameter portion 14b. Furthermore, the bearing boss 24
-3, the smooth outer surface 22 without the boundary end surface between the large diameter outer surface 24a-3 and the small diameter outer surface 24b-3 is continuously provided.

The effective distance between the thick wall portion 42a of the rotor deformation cylinder 42 and the inner surface 15 of the cylindrical case and the outer surface 22 of the bearing boss 24-3 is such that the opening angle θ = 0 ° corresponding to the closed position of the toilet seat / toilet lid. The narrow portions S are both set to be 0.05 or more and not to exceed 0.5 mm, and the opening angle θ is 90 °.
Then, the widened portions W are set to be 0.5 mm or more. Therefore, when the rotor deformation cylinder 42 rotates and the thick portion 42a is inserted into the narrow portion S, the action of the braking force due to the shear resistance of the grease 12 gradually increases, and as is clear from the figure, A small amount of grease can function as in the above embodiment.

Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, and various modifications and changes in detail can be made to the shapes and configurations of the embodiments without departing from the constituent features of the invention. It is anticipated that modifications may be made such as reconfiguring parts or replacing combinations in the examples. For example, in the present embodiment, the case and the rotor ring have a symmetrical arrangement structure of two pairs of arcs having different diameters, assuming a simple reciprocating toilet seat damper having an operation angle of 120 °. Depending on the angle,
The same effect can be expected with one pair or three pairs.

As described above, according to the damper device of the present invention, even if the hand is released while the toilet seat / toilet lid is being opened, the damper function by the grease shear resistance effectively works and the brake is immediately applied, which is excellent. Since the holding power can be exerted, the toilet seat / lid will not fall and accidents such as infants being bruised or pinched by hands will be prevented. Moreover, the damper device according to the present invention is not only for toilet seats / toilet lids, but it is desirable that the damper device is hinged like a door closer or a lid of a dustbin to operate lightly in one direction and move slowly in the opposite direction. Even when applied to a mobile body, it can exert its effect.

[0028]

As is clear from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the damper device according to the present invention is provided with a cylindrical case having a cylindrical outer wall portion, and is disposed in this cylindrical case. The cylindrical case and the internal member are composed of an internal member having a wall portion disposed inside the cylindrical case with a predetermined gap and a viscous fluid filled in the gap. A damper device that interlocks with the rotation of a coupling member coupled to either one side and imparts a damper action to this interlocking member, wherein the size of the gap between the case wall portion and the wall portion is set to Since it is formed to be different in the rotation direction, and the magnitude of the damper action when the cylindrical case and the internal member are relatively rotated by varying the shear resistance of the viscous fluid in the rotation direction, With the case wall The shear resistance is small where the gap between the two parts is large, and the shear resistance is large where the gap between the case wall and the wall part is small so that the braking force acts according to the closing torque curve due to gravity. The damper device can be provided at a low cost with a simple configuration without increasing the number of parts.

Further, since at least one of the toilet seat and the toilet lid as the connecting member provides the damper action in the range of the rotation angle of 0 to 70 °, for example, the high viscosity silicone grease as the viscous fluid is used. If you use, the damper function will not work and you will not fall abruptly even if you release your hand while opening the toilet seat. In addition, there is no feeling of discomfort when opening, and there is a feeling of being locked in the completely opened position, and the toilet seat / toilet lid can be held stably. Further, unlike the oil damper, since there is no partition in the radial direction, it can be continuously rotated in any direction, and the utilization angle range of the braking force can be arbitrarily selected.

Further, according to a second aspect of the damper device of the present invention, the outer wall portion has a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, and the wall portion of the internal member has a cross section in a direction perpendicular to the axis. Since the shape is arcuate, the amount of grease is reduced and high viscosity grease is applied to the small diameter part of the case inner diameter and the wall of the internal member so that the wall of the internal member faces the large diameter part of the case internal diameter. When the rotor's arcuate vanes face the small diameter part of the case inner diameter, the torque variable damper that works the braking force by the grease shear resistance can be realized. You can expect an effect.

According to a third aspect of the damper device of the present invention, the cylindrical case has an inner wall portion radially inside the wall portion of the inner member, and the inner member is provided. Since it is arranged between the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion, the space between the small diameter portion of the case inner diameter and the arcuate vane outer diameter is made very small, and the large diameter portion of the case inner diameter and the wall portion of the internal member face each other. In this case, the braking force works due to the shear resistance of the grease, and when the small diameter part of the case inner diameter and the wall part of the internal member face each other, the gap is very small, so that the grease can be blocked and the braking force can be weakened. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a damper device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a cross section taken along the axis of the damper device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the damper device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view of the third embodiment of the damper device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a conventional damper device,
(A) shows a sectional view perpendicular to the axis, and (b) shows a sectional view taken along the axis.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Damper device 14 cylindrical case 14a large diameter part 14b small diameter part 16 rotor 24 bearing boss 30 External rotor shaft 31 Internal rotor shaft 34 flange 36 rotor arcuate vanes

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical case having a cylindrical outer wall portion,
An internal member having a wall portion disposed in the cylindrical case and disposed with a predetermined gap from the case wall portion in the cylindrical case, and a viscous fluid filled in the gap, A damper device that interlocks with the rotation of a coupling member coupled to either one of the cylindrical case and the internal member and imparts a damper action to the interlocking member, wherein a gap between the case wall portion and the wall portion is provided. Forms the viscous fluid movably forward of the connecting member in the rotation direction, and forms the size of the gap so as to be different in the rotating direction of the connecting member. By changing the shear resistance of the cylindrical case and the inner member to change the magnitude of the damper action when relatively rotating, at least one of the toilet seat and the toilet lid as the connecting member, the rotation angle Is a range of 0 to 70 [deg.], The damper device is provided. 2. The outer wall portion includes a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion,
The damper device according to claim 1, wherein the wall portion of the inner member has a circular arc-shaped cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the axis. 3. The cylindrical case has an inner wall portion radially inside a wall portion of the inner member, and the inner member is arranged between the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion. The damper device according to claim 1 or 2.