JP7134466B2 - Hinge with rotary damper and various devices - Google Patents

Description

The present invention provides a hinge with a rotating damper, which is suitable for use in opening and closing a lid body with respect to a device body in various devices such as washing machines, dishwashers, freezers, office equipment, furniture, and toilets, and the rotation of the hinge. The present invention relates to various devices using hinges with dampers.

Conventionally, a rotary damper-equipped hinge used for opening and closing a lid of a device body in various devices such as automobile interiors, washing machines, furniture, and toilets is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 below. , a combination of rotary torque control means and fluid damper means on a rotary hinge is known. The hinge with a rotary damper of Patent Document 1 has a cylinder member attached to the device body, one end attached to the lid body, and the other end having a cam portion, and is rotatably accommodated in the cylinder member. A shaft member, a piston member having a cam follower portion driven by being pressed against the cam portion and housed in the cylinder member so as to be rotatable and axially slidable, and the piston member being pressed against the shaft member side. a first fluid chamber filled with fluid provided on the shaft member side with the piston member sandwiched in the cylinder member in a rotary hinge portion composed of an elastic member; and a shaft member with the piston member sandwiched in the cylinder member. A fluid damper means composed of a second fluid chamber filled with a fluid provided on the opposite side and a first fluid passage extending through the piston member in the axial direction is combined to open and close the lid. A hinge with a rotary damper is provided for mitigating abrupt opening and closing operations associated with the opening and closing operation of the lid body by the hinge portion by allowing the fluid to flow between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber through the first passage. ing.

JP-A-11-247522

In the hinge with a rotary damper disclosed in Patent Document 1, the damping capacity of the fluid damper means is the same between when the rotary hinge portion opens and closes the cover on the device body. However, in the case of a lid that is vertically opened and closed with respect to a device body using a rotary hinge, it is desired that the lid has a large relaxation ability during the closing operation in order to prevent the lid from falling rapidly. During the opening operation, it is desirable to mainly reduce the load of lifting the lid, and to exhibit a relatively smaller relaxation capacity than during the closing operation in order to prevent the lid from being suddenly flipped up.

Therefore, in the present invention, a difference is provided in the mitigation performance against the rotational torque of the rotary hinge between when the lid is opened and closed with respect to the device main body, and a large mitigation performance is exhibited when the lid is closed. A hinge with a rotary damper using a fluid damper means that prevents a sudden drop of the lid, exhibits a relatively small relaxation performance during the opening operation, and can open the lid with a light force, and the hinge with the rotary damper. The purpose is to provide various equipment used.

A hinge with a rotary damper according to the present invention comprises a cylinder member attached to one side of a device main body and a lid attached to the device main body, and one end of the device main body or the lid attached to the other side of the device main body. is attached and is rotatably housed in the cylinder member with sliding restriction in one direction; and a piston member provided rotatably and axially slidable together with the cylinder member in the cylinder member. , a rotational torque control means for controlling to reduce the rotational torque required for relative rotation of the cylinder member and the shaft member via the piston member; and a fluid damper for reducing the relative rotation of the cylinder member and the shaft member. The rotational torque control means comprises a cam portion provided at the end portion of the shaft member, a cam follower portion provided at the end portion of the piston member opposite to the cam portion, and a cam follower portion provided in the cylinder member. and an elastic member that biases the piston member to press the cam follower portion against the cam portion, and the fluid damper means is provided on the shaft member side in the cylinder member with the piston member interposed therebetween. a first fluid chamber filled with a fluid at the end; a second fluid chamber filled with a fluid provided at a side of the cylinder member opposite to the shaft member with the piston member sandwiched therebetween; and the piston member. and a first fluid passage formed between the outer circumference of the cylinder member and the inner circumference of the cylinder member; a second fluid passage provided axially through the central portion of the piston member; and the second passage a valve body that is provided inside and shuts off the fluid flowing through the second passage according to the opening and closing direction of the lid body , and
A sheet member is inserted into the center of the piston member main body from the side of the elastic member to form a support surface of the elastic member, and the second passage includes a central hole passing through the piston member and the sheet member. It is characterized by comprising a penetrating center hole and a gap formed between the seat member inserted into the piston member main body and the piston member main body, and the valve body being provided in the gap. .

In the second aspect of the present invention, the piston member has a radial guide groove that engages with an axial ridge formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder member to restrict the rotation of the piston member. The first passage is a gap formed between the outer circumference of the piston member and the inner circumference of the cylinder member.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the seat member has a protrusion that abuts against the valve body and forms a fluid passage between the valve body and the seat member, and the valve body is provided with the piston. By moving toward the member main body side, the second passage of the piston member main body is blocked from the second passage of the seat member, and by moving toward the seat member side, the gap formed by the projecting portion closes the piston. The second passage of the member body is communicated with the second passage of the sheet member.

In the fourth aspect of the present invention, the cylinder member engages with the shaft member in a state in which the shaft member is inserted through an opening on one end side thereof and a part of the shaft member protrudes from an opening on the other end side. and a stepped portion for restricting movement to the other end side, and the shaft member has a sealing structure for the first fluid chamber between the stepped portion and the cam portion. .

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the plug member is fixed to the opening on the one end side of the cylinder member, supports the elastic member in a compressed state, and engages the shaft member with the stepped portion. The plug member has a sealing structure for the second fluid chamber.

In the sixth aspect of the present invention, the cylinder member has a mounting plate radially protruding from the side surface thereof along the rotation axis, and the cylinder member is fixed to the lid using the mounting plate. It is characterized by

In the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is no piston shaft that restricts the inclination of the piston member, and the contact length in the axial direction between the piston member and the cylinder member is greater than the diameter of the piston member. By restricting the inclination of the piston member, substantially the entire cross section of the piston member perpendicular to the axial direction is a pressure receiving surface from the fluid.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the closed state of the lid, both the upper surface of the top of the cam portion and the upper surface of the top of the cam follower are formed flat.

Various devices of the present invention have a hinge with a rotation damper according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the cylinder member is attached to the lid, the shaft member is attached to the device body, During the process of closing the lid, the elastic member is compressed and the valve body blocks the second passage . It is characterized in that it is constructed so as to open the passage.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a difference is provided in the relaxation performance of the rotational torque generated by the rotational torque control means between when the lid is closed and when it is opened. It is possible to provide a hinge with a rotary damper that can exhibit a large relaxation performance at times, but exhibits a relatively small relaxation performance during an opening operation, thereby improving operability when opening and closing the lid. In addition, the valve body can be held movably in the axial direction with a simple structure that does not use fixing members such as screws.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the rotation of the piston member can be stopped with respect to the cylinder member with a simple structure. Even when a large amount of torque is transmitted from the shaft member to the piston member and the contact pressure between the groove and the protrusion increases, the piston member can move smoothly in the axial direction using the fluid as a lubricant.

According to claim 3 of the present invention, when the valve body moves toward the elastic member seat member, the fluid flows from the second passage to the third passage with less resistance through the gap between the valve body and the elastic member seat member. be able to.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the shaft member is inserted through the opening on one end side of the cylinder member and a part of the shaft member is protruded from the opening on the other end side, the stepped portion of the cylinder member is attached to the shaft member. Engagement positions the shaft member in a predetermined axial position.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the elastic member whose one end is supported by the plug member presses the shaft member through the piston member to engage the shaft member with the stepped portion of the cylinder member, thereby positioning the shaft member. can decide.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to equally transmit torque from the cover body to substantially the entire axial direction of the cylinder member using the mounting plate.

According to claim 7 of the present invention, since almost the entire cross-section of the piston member perpendicular to the axial direction is the pressure receiving surface from the fluid, even if the piston member has a small diameter, the piston member moves in two directions. A large damping force can be exhibited by securing the flow rate of the fluid moving between the two spaces.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, in the closed state of the lid, since the rotational torque control means does not generate rotational torque more stably, the closed state of the lid is stabilized. obtain.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, when opening the lid, the lid can be opened without feeling the original weight of the lid, and it can prevent sudden jumping, and when closing the lid, the lid can be opened. It is possible to provide various devices capable of outputting a large damping force and preventing a sudden fall of the lid.

1 shows a washing machine as an example of various equipment using a hinge with a rotation damper according to the present invention, (a) is a front view of the lid in an open state, and (b) is a front view of the lid in a closed state. be. 1. It is an enlarged view of the attachment part of the hinge with a rotation damper shown in FIG. 1, (a) is a front view of an open state of a cover, (b) is a front view of a closed state of a cover. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hinge with a rotation damper shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge with a rotation damper shown in FIG. 2; It is sectional drawing along the axis line of the hinge with a rotation damper shown in FIG. 2, Comprising: (a) is sectional drawing of whole, (b) is sectional drawing of a piston member and a seat member. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a cylinder member of the hinge with a rotary damper shown in FIG. 2, (a) is a front view, (b) is a cross-sectional view of A1-A1 of (a), and (c) is A2-A2 of (a). (d) is a cross-sectional view along A3-A3 of (a), and (e) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view along A4-A4 of (d). It is explanatory drawing of the shaft member of the hinge with a rotation damper shown in FIG. 2, (a) is a front view, (b) is a right side view, (c) is a left side view. It is explanatory drawing of the piston member of the hinge with a rotation damper shown in FIG. 2, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view. It is explanatory drawing of the sheet|seat member of the hinge with a rotation damper shown in FIG. 2, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view along the axis of (a). It is explanatory drawing of the plug member of the hinge with a rotation damper shown in FIG. 2, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view along the axis of (a). FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a first passage and a second passage viewed from the axial direction of the hinge with a rotary damper shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the opening operation of the hinge with a rotary damper shown in FIG. 2, (a) is the closed state of the lid, (b) is an intermediate state between the closed state and the opened state, and (c) is the lid. is open. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the valve body in an intermediate state during opening operation of the hinge with a rotary damper shown in FIG. 2; FIG. It is an explanatory view of the hinge with a rotary damper shown in FIG. 2 at the time of closing operation, (a) is the open state of the lid, (b) is an intermediate state between the open state and the closed state, and (c) is the lid. is closed. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the valve body in an intermediate state during the closing operation of the hinge with a rotary damper shown in FIG. 2; FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, an embodiment of a hinge with a rotation damper for a cover body used in a washing machine will be described, but the hinge with a rotation damper according to the present invention can be applied to home electric appliances other than washing machines, as well as commercial use, as described above. It can also be used in office equipment such as machines and copiers. Therefore, the equipment using the hinge with a rotation damper of the present invention is widely used as various kinds of equipment.

When the hinge with a rotary damper of the present invention is used as a hinge with a rotary damper for the original pressure plate in business equipment such as copiers, multifunction machines, printers, facsimiles, scanners, etc., the object of the invention and the abstract of the invention are described. , and in the following description and claims, the lid can be read as the document pressing plate, and the title of the invention can be read as the hinge with a rotation damper of the document pressing plate.

In addition, terms such as support plate portion, mounting portion, cylinder member, shaft member, piston member, elastic member, rotational torque control means, fluid damper means, etc. described in the specification and claims of the present application are examples thereof. It is not limited to the specific mounting plate 11e, mounting portion 12e, cylinder member 11, shaft member 12, piston member C, elastic member 15, rotational torque control means A, fluid damper means B, etc. used as It is a broader concept than the above.

As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), a washing machine 5 is taken as an example of various types of equipment. It is widely used in various devices. The lid body 2 is attached to the device body 1 so as to be vertically openable and closable using a pair of hinges 3 and 4 with rotary dampers. The operator of the washing machine 5 opens and closes the lid 2 vertically between the open state of FIG. 1A and the closed state of FIG.

A pair of hinges 3 and 4 with rotary dampers are assembled symmetrically using symmetrical parts. Therefore, in the following explanation, the hinge 3 with a rotary damper on the right side will be explained, and the explanation on the hinge 4 with a rotary damper on the left side will be omitted because it is redundant. In the present invention, the pair of left and right hinges 3 and 4 with rotary dampers controls the rotational torque associated with the opening and closing operation of the lid body 2, and buffers the opening and closing operations. Only the description of the damper hinge 3 is substituted for this.

As shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), the shaft member 12 of the hinge 3 with a rotary damper is rotatably accommodated in the cylinder member 11 while being regulated to slide in one axial direction.

The hinge 3 with a rotary damper is fixed by inserting the shaft member 12 into the deformed insertion hole 1e of the mounting portion 1a of the device main body 1, and the cylinder member 11 is fixed to the lid body 2. The lid 2 is opened and closed with respect to the device body 1 by relatively rotating the cylinder member 11 .

As shown in FIG. 3, the cylinder member 11 has a mounting plate 11e radially protruding from its side surface along the axis of rotation. The cylinder member 11 is fixed to the lid body 2 by tightening the mounting screw 11n to the female screw 2b formed in the frame 2a.

However, the cylinder member 11 is attached to either the device main body 1 or the lid 2 attached to the device main body 1, and the shaft member 12 is attached to the other side of the device main body 1 or the lid 2. One end can be attached. Therefore, as another example, the hinge 3 with a rotary damper may have the cylinder member 11 fixed to the device main body 1 side and the shaft member 12 attached to the lid body 2 side.

As shown in FIG. 4, the hinge 3 with a rotary damper is assembled by inserting parts such as the shaft member 12, the piston member C, the elastic member 15, the plug member 16, etc. from the opening 11c on the right side of the cylinder member 11 in the drawing. there is

As shown in FIG. 5A, a first fluid chamber S1 is provided on the shaft member 12 side of the cylinder member 11 with the piston member C interposed therebetween, and a second fluid chamber S2 is provided on the opposite side of the shaft member 12. ing. The first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2 are filled with the fluid F oil. A seal structure D2 for the second fluid chamber S2 is provided in the plug member 16, and a seal structure D1 for the first fluid chamber S1 is provided between the stepped portion 11k of the shaft member 12 and the cam portion 12n. The seal structures D1 and D2 seal both ends of the cylinder member 11 to confine the fluid F in the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2 within the cylinder member 11 partitioned by the piston member C. The seal structure D1 is configured by attaching an O-ring 12r to the ring groove 12m of the shaft member 12, and seals the gap between the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11 and the shaft member 12 with the O-ring 12r. The seal structure D2 is configured by attaching an O-ring 16r to the ring groove 16m of the plug member 16, and seals the gap between the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11 and the plug member 16 with the O-ring 16r.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2 are interconnected by a first passage G1 and a second passage G2. The first passage G1 is formed between the outer peripheral surface 13a of the piston member C and the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11, and the fluid F flows in both directions between the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2. It is movable. However, the second passage G2 is provided so as to pass through the center portion of the piston member C in the axial direction, and the fluid F can move from the first fluid chamber S1 to the second fluid chamber S2, but the movement in the opposite direction is possible. is regulated by the valve body 18 . The valve body 18 is provided in the second passage G2 and shuts off the fluid F flowing through the second passage G2 depending on the opening/closing direction of the lid body 2 . As the fluid F, other than liquid, air or other gas may be used. In FIG. 5(b), the gap between the outer peripheral surface 13a of the piston member C and the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11 is exaggerated and shown wider than it actually is for the convenience of illustrating the first passage G2. .

As shown in FIG. 6A, the cylinder member 11 is integrally formed by resin molding, and a mesh-like rib structure (not shown) for reinforcement is formed on the surface of the cylinder wall 11a.

As shown in FIG. 6(e), a cylindrical portion 11b is connected to one end of the cylinder wall 11a in the axial direction, and passes through an inner peripheral surface 11i having a larger inner diameter than the opening 11c on the right side of the figure. Furthermore, it is connected to an opening 11d having a large inner diameter. The inner peripheral surface 11i forms a sliding surface of the piston member C. As shown in FIG. Between the opening 11c and the opening 11d, a stepped portion 11k and a plurality of ridges 11j, 11j, . . . are formed. As shown in FIG. 5(a), the stepped portion 11k has a mounting portion 12e of the shaft member 12 inserted through the opening 11d at one end in the axial direction, and protrudes outward from the opening 11c at the other end. It regulates the movement of the shaft member 12 toward the end side. The protruding portion 11j holds the guide groove 13c of the piston member main body 13 to allow the piston member C to move in the axial direction, constrain the piston member C in the circumferential direction, and rotate together with the cylinder member 11 . The ridge portion 11 j prevents rotation of the piston member C with respect to the cylinder member 11 .

As shown in FIG. 6(a), the cylinder member 11 is connected to a radial (tangential) mounting plate 11e over substantially the entire length in the axial direction. As shown in FIGS. 6(b) to 6(d), one surface of the mounting plate 11e is reinforced in the direction of rotation by providing a large number of rib walls 11h which are triangularly filled with the outer periphery of the cylinder wall 11a. ing. As shown in FIG. 3, the other surface of the mounting plate 11e is flat for mounting the frame 2a of the lid 2 thereon.

As shown in FIG. 7(a), the shaft member 12 has a ring groove 12m formed between a large-diameter portion 12a and a large-diameter portion 12c having the same outer diameter, and a small-diameter groove 12m formed in the large-diameter portion 12a via a stepped portion 12f. 12b are connected. The mounting portion 12e connected to the small diameter portion 12b has the same outer diameter as the small diameter portion 12b, and is formed with two parallel D-cuts.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the large diameter portions 12a and 12c of the shaft member 12 are rotatably held on the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11, and the small diameter portion 12b of the shaft member 12 It is rotatably held in the opening 11c. The shaft member 12 urged in the axial direction by the elastic member 15 via the piston member C is positioned in the axial direction by engaging the stepped portion 11k with the stepped portion 12f.

As shown in FIG. 7A, a cam portion 12n is formed at the tip of the shaft member 12. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7B, the cam portion 12n includes a pair of top portions 12i with a flat top surface and a pair of bottom portions 12j with a flat bottom surface, each of which is formed by an inclined portion 12k. A pair of cam portions 12n having the same shape are arranged with a phase difference of 180 degrees in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 8A, a pair of cam follower portions 13n are arranged on the piston member main body 13 so as to correspond to the cam portion 12n. Since the contact positions of the cam portion 12n and the cam follower portion 13n are formed at two points symmetrically with respect to the central axis, the forces (radial forces) perpendicular to the axial direction generated at the respective contact points cancel each other out. Only the torque acts on the piston member main body 13. As a result, even when a large torque is transmitted between the cam portion 12n and the cam follower portion 13n, it is possible to prevent a large biased frictional force from acting between the piston member main body 13 and the cylinder member 11.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the cam portion 12n of the shaft member 12 and the cam follower portion 13n of the piston member main body 13 have a cam shape that is exclusively unilateral as the lid body 2 is opened and closed by about 90 degrees. Since the inclined portions 12k and 13k are used by rubbing against each other, the two inclined portions sandwiching the top portions 12i and 13i having flat upper surfaces are asymmetrical. However, in FIG. 5(a), in order to simplify the explanation, two inclined portions sandwiching one top portion 12i, 13i are shown symmetrically.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the piston member C includes a piston member main body 13 having a second passage G2 formed in the center thereof, and an elastic member 15 inserted into the center of the piston member main body 13 from the elastic member 15 side. and a sheet member 14 forming a support surface for the . As shown in FIG. 5B, the valve body 18 is provided in a gap E between the seat member 14 inserted into the piston member main body 13 and the piston member main body 13 .

The piston member C is accommodated in the cylinder member 11 so as to be slidable in the axial direction while being restricted in rotation. The piston member C rotates with the rotation of the cylinder member 11 with respect to the non-rotating shaft member 12, and moves in the axial direction by changing the contact positions of the cam portion 12n and the cam follower portion 13n of the shaft member 12. As the piston member C moves in the axial direction, the fluid F moves between the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2.

As shown in FIG. 8(a), the piston member main body 13 is formed in a columnar shape by resin molding, and a cam follower portion 13n is formed at one end thereof. In the cam follower portion 13n, the top portion 13i and the bottom portion 13j are smoothly connected by the inclined portion 13k, and the top surface portion of the top portion 13i and the bottom surface of the bottom portion 13j are formed flat. A pair of cam follower portions 13n having the same shape are arranged with a phase difference of 180 degrees in the circumferential direction.

The piston member main body 13 is provided with four ridges 13b at intervals of 90 degrees on the outer peripheral surface 13a opposite to the cam follower portion 13n. As shown in FIG. 8(b), the protruding portion 13b protrudes in the diameter direction from the outer peripheral surface 13a.

As shown in FIG. 8(c), an insertion hole 13d into which the cylindrical insertion portion 14b of the seat member 14 is inserted is formed in the end surface of the piston member main body 13 opposite to the cam follower portion 13n. As shown in FIG. 5(b), a conical taper 13h is provided on the entrance side of the insertion hole 13d so as to form a gap between the sheet member 14 and the columnar insertion portion 14b.

The bottom surface 13f of the insertion hole 13d is flat and has a center hole 13e formed through the piston member main body 13 in the center. Four fan-shaped protrusions 13g are formed on the bottom surface 13f of the piston member main body 13 so as to surround the bottom surface 13f of the insertion hole 13d. As shown in FIG. 11, the four protrusions 13g hold the outer circumference of the valve body 18 to position the valve body 18 in the center hole 13e, and the tip of the insertion portion 14b of the seat member 14 and the bottom surface 13f of the piston member main body 13. The outer periphery of the disc-shaped valve body 18 disposed in the gap E between and is guided to hold the valve body 18 movably in the axial direction.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the sheet member 14 is provided with a columnar insertion portion 14b following a flange portion 14a that receives the elastic member 15. As shown in FIG. By inserting the insertion portion 14b into the insertion hole 13d of the piston member body 13, the center hole 13e of the piston member body 13 and the center hole 14e of the seat member 14 communicate with each other. An end surface 14c of the insertion portion 14b of the sheet member 14 is formed with four protrusions 14d surrounding the center hole 14e.

As shown in FIG. 5(a), the piston member main body 13 and the flange portion 14a of the seat member 14 are urged by the elastic member 15 so that the tip of the insertion portion 14b and the bottom surface 13f of the piston member main body 13 are in contact with each other. A gap E is formed between which the valve body 18 is held. The valve body 18 is held in the clearance E and moves in the axial direction within the clearance E to open/close the center hole 14e.

As shown in FIG. 5(b), the protrusion 14d comes into contact with one surface of the valve body 18 arranged in the gap E between the bottom face 13f of the piston member main body 13 and separates the valve body 18 from the end face 14c. Hold in position. Therefore, the fluid F can freely flow through the gap between the valve body 18 and the end surface 14c while the valve body 18 is in contact with the protrusion 14d.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the plug member 16 is fixed to the opening 11d at one end of the cylinder member 11, supports the elastic member 15 in a compressed state, and engages the shaft member 12 with the stepped portion 11k. After the parts from the shaft member 12 to the elastic member 15 are accommodated in the cylinder member 11 through the opening 11d, the plug member 16 is inserted into the opening 11d and fixed, thereby assembling the hinge 3 with a rotary damper. In this assembled state, the elastic member 15 is sandwiched between the flange surface 14f of the sheet member 14 and the bottom surface 16b of the plug member 16 in a compressed state. The elastic member 15 urges the seat member 14 away from the plug member 16 to press the cam follower portion 13n of the piston member main body 13 against the cam portion 12n of the shaft member 12 .

As shown in FIG. 10(a), the plug member 16 has a bottomed cylindrical appearance, a ring groove 16m is formed in an outer peripheral surface 16a on the side of the bottom surface 16b, and an outer peripheral surface 16a on the opposite side of the ring groove 16m. is formed with pin holes 16f into which the pins 19 are inserted at four locations at every 90 degrees in the circumferential direction. The pin 19, which is a grooved knock pin, is press-fitted into the pin hole 16f and held to position the plug member 16 at a predetermined position in the axial direction of the cylinder member 11. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 10(b), an injection port 16e for injecting the fluid F into the second fluid chamber S2 in the cylinder member 11 is formed through the center of the plug member 16 in the axial direction. After injecting the fluid F into the cylinder member 11, the fluid F is confined within the cylinder member 11 by attaching the sealing screw 17 to the injection port 16c via the O-ring 17r.

FIG. 11 illustrates the installation state of the valve body 18 with the seat member (14) removed from the piston member C inserted in the cylinder member 11. FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, the piston member main body 13 has a radial guide groove 13c that engages with an axially continuous ridge 11j formed on the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11 toward the center. The guide groove 13c engages with the protrusion 11j to restrict the rotation of the piston member C and guide the piston member C in the axial direction . The guide groove 13c is formed between the two ridges 13b in the circumferential direction of the piston member main body 13 so as to have the same outer diameter as the outer peripheral surface 13a. The plurality of ridges 11j of the cylinder member 11 are engaged with the plurality of guide grooves 13c of the piston member body 13, respectively, and the plurality of mating grooves 11m are engaged with the plurality of ridges of the piston member body 13, respectively. ing. As a result, the cylinder member 11 engages with the piston member C and is configured to be axially slidable independently but to rotate together . That is , the cylinder member 11 rotates together with the piston member main body 13 , and the piston member main body 13 rotates the cylinder member 1 while sliding axially within the cylinder member 11 .

As shown in FIG. 5( a ), the hinge 3 with a rotary damper creates two types of rotational torque by rotating the cylinder member 11 accompanying the opening and closing operation of the lid 2 to control the opening and closing operation of the lid 2 . It has a rotating damper that Further, as shown in FIG. 1 , the washing machine 5 has a cylinder member 11 attached to the lid 2 and a shaft member 12 attached to the device body 1 . In the process of opening the lid body 2, the compression of the elastic member 15 is reduced as shown in FIG. 12 and the valve body 18 opens the second passage G2 as shown in FIG. On the other hand, in the process of closing the lid body 2, the elastic member 15 is compressed as shown in FIG. 14 and the valve body 18 blocks the second passage G2 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the rotational torque control means A includes a cam portion 12n provided at the end of the shaft member 12 and a cam follower portion provided on the side of the piston member main body 13 facing the cam portion 12n. 13n and an elastic member 15 that urges the piston member C to press the cam follower portion 13n against the cam portion 12n, and outputs rotational torque according to the relative angle between the cylinder member 11 and the shaft member 12.

As shown in FIG. 5(a), the rotational torque control means A resists the relative rotation between the shaft member 12 and the cylinder member 11 in the direction of closing the cover 2 against the bias of the elastic member 15 consisting of the compression spring. By converting the movement of the piston member C into the movement of the piston member C, the elastic member 15 is compressed and the assist force is accumulated. The rotational torque control means A converts the relative rotation between the shaft member 12 and the cylinder member 11 in the direction of opening the lid body 2 into movement of the piston member C according to the bias of the elastic member 15. Assist force is applied to the lid body 2 while reducing the compression of the elastic member 15 .

As shown in FIG. 5(a), the fluid damper means B includes a first fluid chamber S1 filled with a fluid F provided on the shaft member 12 side with the piston member C interposed therebetween in the cylinder member 11; Between the second fluid chamber S2 filled with the fluid F and the outer periphery of the piston member C and the inner periphery of the cylinder member 11, provided on the opposite side of the shaft member 12 across the piston member C in the member 11. A first passage G1 for the fluid F formed, a second passage G2 for the fluid provided axially through the central portion of the piston member C, and an opening/closing direction of the lid body 2 provided in the second passage G2. and a valve body 18 that cuts off the fluid F flowing through the second passage G2, and outputs rotational torque according to the relative speed of the cylinder member 11 and the shaft member 12. As shown in FIG.

Between the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2, as shown in FIG. A second passage G2 through which the piston member C penetrates is formed in parallel with the passage G1. The first passage may be formed by an axial groove provided in at least one of the outer peripheral surface 13a of the piston member main body 13 and the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11. It may be formed by another small-diameter through-hole that penetrates at a position away from the .

As shown in FIG. 5B, the first passage G1 is an axial gap formed between the outer peripheral surface 13a of the piston member main body 13 and the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11 holds the outer peripheral surface 13a of the piston member main body 13 slidably in the axial direction. A small gap is provided between the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11 and the outer peripheral surface 13a of the piston member main body 13, and a lubricating layer of the fluid F is formed in this gap. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 14, when a pressure difference occurs between the fluid F in the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2 as the piston member C moves in the axial direction, the pressure increases from the high pressure side to the low pressure side. The fluid F gradually leaks out of the gap between the cylinder member 11 and the piston member C to the side.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the second passage G2 includes a center hole 13e passing through the center of the piston member main body 13, a center hole 14e passing through the center of the seat member 14, and a is formed in communication with the gap E of . The seat member 14 has a center hole 14e that communicates with the center hole 13e of the piston member main body 13 via the valve body 18, and a protrusion that contacts the valve body 18 to form a gap between the valve body 18 and the seat member 14. 14d and. The valve body 18 moves toward the piston member main body 13 as shown in FIG. 15, thereby blocking the center hole 13e of the piston member main body 13 from the center hole 14e of the seat member 14, and as shown in FIG. By moving to the 14 side, the gap formed by the protrusion 14d allows the center hole 13e of the piston member main body 13 to communicate with the center hole 14e of the seat member 14. As shown in FIG.

In the hinge 3 with a rotary damper, the piston member C does not have a piston shaft that supports or guides the piston member C in the center and regulates the inclination of the piston member C, and the piston member C is larger in diameter than the piston member C. and a contact length in the axial direction of the cylinder member 11. This contact length regulates the inclination of the piston member C, and a large biased friction or catching occurs between the piston member C and the cylinder member 11. avoiding that. That is, by increasing the contact length of the piston member C in the axial direction with the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11, the inclination of the surface of the piston member C with respect to the cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylinder member 11 is suppressed. there is Therefore, the friction of the piston member C against the inner peripheral surface 11i of the cylinder member 11 is stabilized, and smooth movement of the piston member C in the axial direction is realized. Since the piston member C does not have a piston axis, substantially the entire cross section perpendicular to the axial direction is a pressure receiving surface from the fluid F. For this reason, even if the piston member C has a small diameter, it is possible to move a large amount of the fluid F along with the movement in the axial direction and apply a large damping force to the lid body 2 .

12 and 13, the operation of the hinge 3 with a rotary damper configured as described above during the opening operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 1B, in the closed state of the lid 2, the elastic member 15 is compressed and elastic energy is accumulated during the closing operation of the hinge 3 with the rotary damper. Its weight moment keeps it closed. As shown in FIG. 12(a), in the closed state of the lid 2, the flat top portion 12i of the shaft member 12 and the flat top portion 13i of the piston member main body 13 are pressed against each other to stabilize the pressure contact state. Since they are held, no rotational torque is generated between the piston member C and the shaft member 12 , and the hinge 3 with a rotary damper does not apply rotational torque (assist torque) to the lid body 2 . Therefore, even if the device body 1 is slightly vibrated or shaken, the lid body 2 will not open naturally.

When the operator puts his/her hand on the front side of the lid body 2 and lifts the lid body 2 slightly in order to shift the lid body 2 to the open state, the top portions 12i and 13i each having a flat upper surface portion are pressed against each other at first. However, the piston member main body 13 rotates relative to the non-rotating shaft member 12, and the inclined portion 12k of the shaft member 12 and the inclined portion 13k of the piston member main body 13 start pressure contact. Since rotational torque is generated in the piston member main body 13, rotational torque is generated in the cylinder member 11 engaged with the piston member main body 13 in the direction of lifting the lid 2, and the lid 2 is restored to its original position. It can be opened without feeling the weight.

When the operator lifts the lid body 2, the lid body 2 is lifted by a light force assisted by the rotational torque output by the rotational torque control means A. When the cover 2 is lifted to 60 degrees or more, the center of gravity of the cover 2 approaches the shaft member 12 and the weight moment of the cover 2 becomes smaller than the rotational torque of the rotational torque control means A. Even if the hand is released, the rotational torque of the rotational torque control means A causes the lid body 2 to rise autonomously and stop at the open position of 90 degrees. At this time, the fluid damper means B dampens the rotation of the lid 2 and prevents the lid 2 from jumping up suddenly. Also, even when the operator vigorously rotates the lid 2 upward, the speed of the lid 2 is damped by the fluid damper means B and the lid 2 is opened gently.

As shown in FIG. 12(b), in the rotational torque control means A during the opening operation, the inclined portion 12k of the shaft member 12 and the inclined portion 13k of the piston member main body 13 are pressed against each other, and the elastic member 15 is biased. The piston member C rotates while moving in the axial direction toward the non-rotating shaft member 12 and outputs rotational torque in the direction to lift the lid body 2 . After that, as shown in FIG. 12(c), when the top portion 12i of the shaft member 12 drops into the valley bottom portion 13j of the piston member main body 13, and the top portion 13i of the piston member main body 13 drops into the valley bottom portion 12j of the shaft member 12. , the rotation of the piston member C stops, and the rotation torque is no longer output.

As shown in FIG. 13, in the fluid bumper means B at the time of the opening operation, the first fluid chamber S1 moves along with the movement of the piston member main body 13 guided by the inclined portion 12k of the non-rotating shaft member 12 in the direction of the arrow R1. of fluid F flows into the second fluid chamber S2 through the second passage G2. Therefore, the pressure of the fluid F in the first fluid chamber S1 becomes higher than the pressure of the fluid F in the second fluid chamber S2 according to the viscosity resistance and the flow rate of the fluid F. The pressure difference between the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2 buffers the movement of the piston member C, which is urged by the elastic member 15 and moves in the direction of the arrow R1, thereby reducing the movement speed.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 13, the piston member C moves in the direction of arrow R1, and the fluid F in the first fluid chamber S1 flows into the center hole 13e of the piston member main body 13. As shown in FIG. A fluid F flows through the second passage G1 in the direction opposite to the arrow R1, and the flow of the fluid F moves the valve body 18 toward the seat member 14 to communicate the center hole 13e with the center hole 14e of the seat member 14. As shown in FIG. Therefore, the fluid F flows from the first fluid chamber S1 to the second fluid chamber S2 through the second passage G2, and a large pressure difference is generated between the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2 with the piston member C therebetween. does not occur. When the lid 2 is opened, the flow rate of the fluid F is ensured through the second passage G2, so the fluid damper means B dampens the rotational speed of the lid 2 in response to rapid rotation of the lid 2. However, the rotational speed of the lid body 2 is hardly buffered within the normal rotational speed range. Therefore, an operator of the washing machine 5, which is an example of various devices, does not encounter a strong relaxation force by the fluid damper means B, but receives an assisting force from the elastic member 15 and quickly lifts the lid with a light force. 2 can be moved to the open state. However, the fluid damper means B prevents the cover 2 from jumping up suddenly.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, the operation of the hinge 3 with a rotary damper during the closing operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 1(a), in the open state of the lid 2, as shown in FIG. 14(a), the top portion 12i of the non-rotating shaft member 12 falls into the bottom portion 13j of the piston member main body 13. , and the top portion 13i of the piston member main body 13 is lowered into the bottom portion 12j of the shaft member 12 and held. Therefore, even if the lid body 2 is subjected to external vibration or impact, the lid body 2 in the opened state will not naturally fall toward the closed state.

When the operator puts his/her hand on the front end of the lid 2 and pulls it down to shift the lid 2 to the closed state, the lid 2 starts to rotate forward with the shaft member 12 as a fulcrum. Then, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the inclined portion 13k of the piston member main body 13 starts to press against the inclined portion 12k of the non-rotating shaft member 12. As shown in FIG. In the rotational torque control means A during the closing operation, the inclined portion 12k of the shaft member 12 and the inclined portion 13k of the piston member main body 13 are pressed against each other to prevent the piston member C from rotating against the bias of the elastic member 15. It is rotated away from the shaft member 12 in the axial direction. The operator utilizes the gravitational moment of the lid body 2 to rotate the piston member C so as to push it up along the inclined portion 12k of the non-rotating shaft member 12, thereby compressing the elastic member 15. Stores elastic energy.

When the operator lowers the lid 2 to less than 60 degrees, the weight moment of the lid 2 becomes larger than the rotational torque of the rotational torque control means A, and the operator releases the lid 2. However, the lid body 2 automatically descends due to the weight moment and stops at the closed position. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 14(c), the flat top portion 12i of the shaft member 12 is pushed up and held on the flat top portion 13i of the piston member main body 13, thereby closing the lid body 2. The position of the piston member C is held while being positioned in the state.

As shown in FIG. 15, when closing the lid 2, the operator lowers the lid 2 toward the closed position against the large resistance of the fluid damper means B. As shown in FIG. Since the second passage G2 is blocked by the valve body 18 while the lid body 2 is being pulled down toward the closed state, the fluid damper means B exerts a large damping force. As the piston member C moves in the arrow R2 direction, the fluid F flows from the compressed second fluid chamber S2 into the second passage G2 in the direction opposite to the arrow R2. As a result, the valve body 18 closes the center hole 13e. Therefore, the fluid F that has flowed through the center hole 14e is prevented from flowing into the center hole 13e, and the pressure in the second fluid chamber S2, in which the fluid F is compressed, becomes higher than the pressure in the first fluid chamber S1. A large pressure difference is generated between the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2 with the member C therebetween. A drag force obtained by multiplying this pressure difference by the pressure receiving area of the piston member C becomes the output of the fluid damper means B and is added to the biasing force of the elastic member 15 to resist the lowering of the lid body 2 . After that, the pressure difference between the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2 is gradually released as the fluid F moves through the first passage G1, but the second passage G2 is blocked. Therefore, a large pressure difference between the first fluid chamber S1 and the second fluid chamber S2 is maintained for a longer period of time than when the lid body 2 is opened with the second passage G2 open. As a result, even if the operator of the washing machine releases the lid 2, the lid 2 is driven by the moment of its own weight and quietly sinks into the closed state.

The hinge 3 with a rotary damper according to the present embodiment is used in various devices in which a cover is attached to the device main body 1 so that it can be opened and closed in the vertical direction. Reduce the effect of B. The rotary damper hinge 3 increases the damping force of the fluid damper means B when the piston member C moves against the bias of the elastic member 15 than when it moves according to the bias of the elastic member 15 . As a result, when the lid is closed, the lid is sufficiently prevented from dropping or suddenly accelerated, and when the lid is opened, the lid is lifted while preventing the lid from jumping up. Operation can be made light and quick.

In the hinge 3 with a rotary damper according to the present embodiment, the elastic member 15, the shaft member 12, and the piston member C are arranged in series inside the cylinder member 11. It is easy to downsize the hinge 3 . Since an assist mechanism including an elastic member and a housing are not required outside the cylinder member 11, the number of parts can be reduced.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the hinge 3 with a rotation damper according to the present embodiment, a rotation torque control means A and a fluid damper means B are sealed inside a resin-molded cylinder member 11, and are immersed in oil as the fluid F. It is Therefore, even in an environment such as the washing machine 5 where there is a lot of water and the metal is likely to corrode, the normal function of the hinge 3 with the rotation damper can be maintained for a long period of time. The steel elastic member 15 immersed in oil is also less likely to rust.

As shown in FIG. 2, a washing machine 5, which is an example of various devices according to the present embodiment, has a hinge 3 with a rotary damper held at a position spaced apart from the upper surface of the device main body 1, and a conventionally known hinge with a rotary damper. There is no need to bury the mounting member in the device body for mounting. Therefore, there is no need to provide a mounting hole for the mounting member on the upper surface of the device body, and water and dust do not accumulate in the mounting hole. It is possible to provide a washing machine that has no attachment holes on the top surface of the device body and facilitates drainage and cleaning of the top surface of the device body.

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the fluid damper means makes the damping force for damping the rotational torque generated by the rotational torque control means different between when the lid is closed and when the lid is opened. It can be suitably used as a hinge with a rotary damper that can improve operability by preventing a sudden drop of the body and a sudden flip-up of the lid, and various devices using this hinge with a rotary damper. It is.

1 Apparatus main body 1a Mounting portion 1e Deformation insertion hole 2 Covers 3, 4 Hinge with rotary damper 5 Washing machine 11 Cylinder member 11a Cylinder wall 11b Cylindrical portions 11c, 11d Opening 11e Support plate portion 11f Pin hole 11g Mounting hole 11h Rib wall 11i Inner peripheral surface 11j Protruding portion 11k Stepped portion 12 Shaft members 12a, 12c Large diameter portion 12b Small diameter portion 12e Mounting portion 12f Stepped portion 12i Top portion 12j Bottom portion 12k Inclined portion 12m Ring groove 12n Cam portion 12r O-ring 13 Piston member main body 13a outer peripheral surface 13b protruding portion 13e center hole 13f bottom surface 13i top portion 13j root portion 13k inclined portion 13n cam follower portion 14 seat member 14e center hole 15 elastic member 16 plug member 16a cylindrical portion 16b spring receiving surface 16e inlet 16f pin hole 16r O-ring 17 Sealing screw 17r O-ring 18 Valve body 19 Pin A Rotational torque control means
B fluid damper means C piston members D1, D2 seal structure E valve means F fluid G1 first passage G2 second passage S1 first fluid chamber S2 second fluid chamber

Claims (9)

a cylinder member attached to one side of a device main body and a lid attached to the device main body; A shaft member that is rotatably accommodated while being regulated to slide in one direction, a piston member that is provided rotatably and axially slidable together with the cylinder member within the cylinder member, and the cylinder via the piston member rotation torque control means for controlling to reduce the rotation torque required for relative rotation of the member and the shaft member; and fluid damper means for reducing the relative rotation of the cylinder member and the shaft member,
The rotational torque control means includes a cam portion provided at the end portion of the shaft member, a cam follower portion provided at the end portion of the piston member facing the cam portion, and the piston member within the cylinder member. an elastic member that biases and presses the cam follower portion against the cam portion;
The fluid damper means includes a first fluid chamber filled with a fluid provided on the shaft member side with the piston member interposed therebetween in the cylinder member and the shaft with the piston member interposed in the cylinder member. a second fluid chamber provided on the opposite side of the member and filled with fluid; a first fluid passage formed between the outer circumference of the piston member and the inner circumference of the cylinder member; It has a second passage for fluid that is axially penetrated through the central portion, and a valve body that is provided in the second passage and shuts off the fluid flowing through the second passage according to the opening and closing direction of the lid.Along with
A sheet member is inserted into the center of the piston member main body from the side of the elastic member to form a support surface of the elastic member, and the second passage includes a central hole passing through the piston member and the sheet member. The valve body is provided in the gap formed between the seat member inserted into the piston member main body and the piston member main body. A hinge with a rotary damper, characterized in that: The piston member has a radial guide groove that engages with an axial projection formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder member to restrict the rotation of the piston member. 2. The hinge with a rotary damper according to claim 1, wherein the clearance is formed between the outer circumference of the piston member and the inner circumference of the cylinder member. The seat member has a protrusion that abuts against the valve body and forms a fluid passage between the valve body and the seat member. By blocking the second passage of the piston member body from the second passage of the seat member and moving toward the seat member, the gap formed by the protrusion cuts off the second passage of the piston member body. 2. A hinge with a rotary damper according to claim 1 , characterized in that it communicates with said second passage of said seat member. The cylinder member engages with the shaft member in a state in which the shaft member is inserted through an opening on one end side and a portion of the shaft member protrudes from an opening on the other end side, and the shaft member is extended to the other end side. 2. A rotation damper according to claim 1, further comprising a stepped portion for restricting movement, and said shaft member having a sealing structure for said first fluid chamber between said stepped portion and said cam portion. Hinge with. A plug member fixed to the opening on the one end side of the cylinder member supports the elastic member in a compressed state and engages the shaft member with the stepped portion, and the plug member has the second fluid chamber. 5. The hinge with rotary damper according to claim 4 , characterized by having a sealing structure. 2. The cylinder member has a mounting plate projecting radially from the side surface thereof along the axis of rotation, and the cylinder member is fixed to the lid using the mounting plate. A hinge with a rotary damper as described in . It does not have a piston shaft that restricts the inclination of the piston member, and has a contact length in the axial direction between the piston member and the cylinder member that is greater than the diameter of the piston member, thereby restricting the inclination of the piston member. 2. A hinge with a rotary damper according to claim 1, wherein substantially the entire cross section of said piston member perpendicular to the axial direction is a pressure receiving surface from the fluid. 2. The rotational torque control means is characterized in that, in the closed state of the lid, both the upper surface of the top of the cam portion and the upper surface of the top of the cam follower are formed flat. A hinge with a rotary damper as described in . A process in which the hinge with a rotary damper according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is provided, the cylinder member is attached to the lid, the shaft member is attached to the device body, and the lid is closed. The elastic member is compressed and the valve body blocks the second passage, and in the process of opening the lid body, the compression of the elastic member is reduced and the valve body opens the second passage. Various devices characterized by

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