Damper assembly and articulation system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a damper assembly, wherein the damper assembly comprises at least one damper piece comprising at least one damper section and an outer ring section surrounding the damper section, wherein the damper section defines a shaft receptacle, a shaft being received in the shaft receptacle in a friction fit, wherein the damper section is configured to generate a damping for a relative rotation of the shaft with respect to the damper piece when the relative rotation occurs, the outer ring section has a first fixing structure on its outer circumferential surface, the first fixing structure being configured for fixing the outer ring section on a damper-counterpiece, a connecting section is provided between the respective damper section and the outer ring section, wherein the respective damper section and the outer ring section are integrally configured by the connecting section corresponding to the damper section. The present disclosure also relates to an articulation system. By the present disclosure a separate housing can be saved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a damper assembly and a hinge system. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technologies, damping hinge systems typically consist of a damping plate and a housing, which are separate from each other. During assembly, the housing must first be inserted into a receiving hole in a fitting to secure it, and then the damping plate is pressed into the housing. This presents several problems. For platform considerations, the volume of the housing in such a damper assembly with a separate housing is at the upper limit for its shape and specifications, making volume minimization impossible. Furthermore, the damper assembly with a separate housing requires additional housing protection and support for the damping plate, increasing the number of parts. Moreover, as mentioned above, the process of pressing the damping plate into the housing in a damper assembly with a separate housing adds an extra assembly step. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a damper assembly that eliminates the need for a separate housing for supporting the damper and fixing it to the countersleeve.

[0004] Another object of this disclosure is to provide an articulation system.

[0005] A first aspect of this disclosure relates to a damper assembly, characterized in that the damper assembly comprises: at least one damping element, the damping element including at least one damping section located inside and serving a damping function, and an annular outer ring section located outside and surrounding the damping section, wherein the at least one damping section defines a shaft receiving portion; a shaft, the shaft being received in the shaft receiving portion by frictional engagement, wherein the at least one damping section is configured to dampen relative rotation of the shaft relative to the damping element; the outer ring section having a first fixing structure on its outer circumferential surface, the first fixing structure being configured to fix the outer ring section to a damping element-hand member, thereby fixing the damping element to the damping element-hand member to prevent relative movement of the damping element relative to the damping element-hand member; a connecting section provided between the respective damping section and the outer ring section, wherein the respective damping section and the outer ring section are integrally constructed by the connecting section corresponding to the damping section.

[0006] In this disclosure, by integrating the damping section and the outer ring section into a single damping element, a separate housing can be eliminated. This firstly optimizes the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for pressing damping sheets into the housing. Secondly, it reduces costs, specifically by avoiding the waste of installation space associated with a separate housing. As mentioned above, due to platform considerations, the volume of the housing in traditional solutions is the upper limit for the same external dimensions. In actual use, not all the installation space inside the housing is typically occupied; instead, only the required number of damping sheets are placed in the housing based on the frictional force generated. Furthermore, for design redundancy, additional allowance must be reserved for the installation space inside the housing. All of these factors lead to the fact that the internal space of the housing is often not fully utilized in traditional solutions, and the material corresponding to the unused internal space is wasted to some extent. In this disclosure, the outer ring section performs the function of the original housing, and this outer ring section exists alongside the damping section in the damping element; that is, the outer ring section and the damping section have a corresponding relationship, eliminating additional waste and thus saving costs compared to a separately designed housing. Furthermore, the technical solution of this disclosure also saves space. In the prior art, a separate housing must always be provided, while in this disclosure, as mentioned above, the entire damper assembly is not limited by a separate housing, and the damping elements can be set according to actual needs, thereby saving space. This space also includes the storage space during normal storage. In addition, this integrated damping element that eliminates the need for an additional housing also simplifies storage management and optimizes SKU management. Moreover, in this disclosure, the elimination of a housing also achieves a lightweight damper assembly. In this disclosure, this connecting section is also used to support the damping section on the outer ring section.

[0007] In some embodiments, a plurality of damping elements are provided, which are stacked on top of each other. The number of damping elements can vary depending on the damping effect to be applied to the shaft, thereby allowing the number of annular outer ring segments for fixation to vary with the number of damping elements. Thus, unlike the fixed-length housings of the prior art, in this disclosure, the total length of the outer ring segments of the damper assembly can vary with the number of damping elements, thereby substantially saving material and reducing costs.

[0008] In some embodiments, the damping section and the outer ring section are radially spaced apart from each other, and a hollow space is formed between the damping section and the outer ring section. This hollow space provides deformation space for the elastic deformation of the arm of the damping section, and is also configured to allow installation tools to be inserted into the hollow space during installation and / or to accommodate grease. Thus, the hollow space between the damping section and the outer ring section can be utilized in a combined manner. This hollow space can not only be used as a deformation space to provide space for the elastic deformation of the arm of the damping section, but also for inserting installation tools and / or for accommodating grease.

[0009] In some embodiments, the connection point between the corresponding damping section and the matching connecting section is located in the central region of the corresponding damping section. Thus, the connecting region can provide central support for the damping section, allowing the two laterally extending arms of the damping section to uniformly receive the shaft.

[0010] In some embodiments, a recess is locally provided in the root region of the damping section on the shaft-facing surface of the damping section. This recess is configured to adjust the elastic behavior of the damping section, thereby adjusting the damping effect of the damping section on the shaft. Thus, the elastic behavior of the damping section can be additionally adjusted by a recess located locally in the root region of the damping section. In this disclosure, the root region of the damping section refers to the root region of the two arms of the damping section.

[0011] In some embodiments, the recess is constructed in an arc shape. This allows for advantageous adjustment of the elastic behavior of the damping section while avoiding the notch effect.

[0012] In some embodiments, at least two damping sections and a corresponding number of connecting sections are provided. In the prior art, due to the limitation of the damping plates and the housing being set separately, it is not easy to set multiple damping plates circumferentially on a housing component. However, in this application, since the damping component adopts an integrated design, it is convenient to set at least two damping sections in the outer ring section, which provides the possibility for more targeted damping characteristic design.

[0013] In some implementations, the damping section and the corresponding connecting section form a damping-connecting combination section, and each damping-connecting combination section is structurally identical to the others. This allows for a more uniform damping effect applied to the shaft by the damping section. Furthermore, this arrangement facilitates the manufacture of the damping-connecting combination section.

[0014] In some embodiments, the damping-connection combination sections are arranged circumferentially such that the radially extending centerlines of the connecting sections of each damping-connection combination section are spaced apart from each other by the same circumferential angle. This allows for a very uniform damping effect applied to the shaft by the damping sections. It also enables good centering or alignment of the shaft.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first fixing structure is configured with locking teeth at least partially disposed along the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring section, the locking teeth being configured to engage with the material at the inner peripheral surface of the damping member-hand member during installation. This allows for an advantageous first fixing structure configuration.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first fixing structure is configured as a protrusion projecting outward from the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring section, the protrusion being configured to engage with a recess in the inner peripheral surface of the damping member-hand member. This allows for another advantageous configuration of the first fixing structure.

[0017] In some embodiments, a second fixing structure for fixing to the shaft-hand member is provided at a portion of the shaft outside the damping member.

[0018] In some embodiments, the second fixing structure is constructed as a flat key or a spline.

[0019] Another aspect of this disclosure relates to a hinge system, characterized in that the hinge system includes a damper assembly according to this disclosure, a shaft-to-hand member, and a damper-to-hand member, wherein the damper in the damper assembly is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the damper-to-hand member by a first fixing structure of its outer ring section, and the shaft in the damper assembly is fixed in the shaft-to-hand member by a second fixing structure of its shaft. Thus, by means of the damper assembly according to this disclosure, the shaft-to-hand member can rotate relative to the damper-to-hand member under damping.

[0020] In some embodiments, a recess is provided in the inner circumferential surface of the damping member-hand member for engaging with a first fixing structure configured as a protrusion.

[0021] The technical features mentioned above, those to be mentioned below, and those shown individually in the accompanying drawings can be combined arbitrarily, provided that the combined technical features are not contradictory. All feasible combinations of features are the technical content explicitly described herein. Any one of the multiple sub-features contained in the same statement can be applied independently, without necessarily being applied together with other sub-features. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The present disclosure will be further described below with reference to the illustrative drawings and exemplary embodiments. Wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of one embodiment of a damper assembly according to the present disclosure is shown, the damper assembly having a damping element according to a first embodiment.

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a damping element of a damper assembly according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a second embodiment of the damping element of the damper assembly according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a damping element of a damper assembly according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a damping element of a damper assembly according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0028] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a fifth embodiment of the damping element of the damper assembly according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a damping element of a damper assembly according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0030] Figure 8 A schematic exploded view of one embodiment of a hinge system with a damper assembly according to the present disclosure is shown, in which the installation tool is illustrated.

[0031] Figure 9 A schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a hinge system with a damper assembly according to the present disclosure is shown, in which the installation tool is illustrated.

[0032] Figure 10 A schematic side view of an embodiment of the articulation system according to the present disclosure is shown from the axis-hand side.

[0033] Figure 11 A schematic side view of an embodiment of the articulation system according to the present disclosure is shown from the damper-hand side.

[0034] Figure 12 A schematic side view from the damper-hand side is shown, illustrating another embodiment of the articulated system according to this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Firstly, by using Figure 1The basic construction of a damper assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described.

[0036] Figure 1 A damper assembly 100 is shown, comprising a plurality of damping elements 2, particularly stacked on top of each other. Each damping element 2 includes two inner damping sections 21 that perform damping functions, and an outer annular section 22 surrounding the two damping sections 21. These damping sections 21 define a shaft receiving portion 27 (see [link to diagram]). Figure 2 Furthermore, the damper assembly 100 also includes a shaft 1, which is received in a shaft receiving portion 27 with friction engagement, wherein the two damping sections 21 are configured to dampen relative rotation of the shaft 1 relative to the damping member 2. The outer ring section 22 has a first fixing structure 24 configured as a locking tooth on its outer circumferential surface, the first fixing structure 24 being configured to fix the outer ring section 22 to the damping member-hand member 3 (see [link to damping member]). Figure 8 The damping element 2 is then fixed to the damping element-opposite element 3 to prevent relative movement between the damping element 2 and the damping element-opposite element 3. Here, the retaining teeth are partially provided along the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring section 22 and are symmetrically arranged about the center of the outer ring section 22. These retaining teeth are configured to embed into the material at the inner peripheral surface of the damping element-opposite element 3 during installation. Furthermore, connecting sections 23 are provided between the respective damping sections 21 and the outer ring section 22, wherein the respective damping sections 21 and the outer ring section 22 are integrally constructed via the connecting sections 23 corresponding to the damping sections 21. The respective damping sections 21 are supported on the outer ring section 22 via the corresponding connecting sections 23.

[0037] exist Figure 2 The diagram shows a structural schematic of a first embodiment of the damping element 2. Figure 2 The arrangement of the first fixing structure 24, which is constructed as a locking tooth, can be clearly seen. Furthermore, from... Figure 2 As can be seen, the damping section 21 and the outer ring section 22 are radially spaced apart from each other, and a hollow space 25 is formed between the damping section 21 and the outer ring section 22. The hollow space 25 provides deformation space for the elastic deformation of the arm 28 of the damping section 21. The hollow space 25 can also be configured to allow the installation tool 5 (see [reference]) to be installed during the installation process. Figure 8 and Figure 9 It can be inserted into the hollow space 25. Alternatively or additionally, the hollow space 25 can also be used to contain grease 6 (see Figure 10 These additional features are described below. Additionally, from Figure 2As can be seen, the connection between the corresponding damping section 21 and the corresponding connecting section 23 is located in the central region of the corresponding damping section 21, so that the two protruding arms 28 of the damping section 21 are designed to be substantially symmetrical with respect to the connecting section 23. There are two damping sections 21 and two corresponding connecting sections 23. The two damping sections 21 and the corresponding two connecting sections 23 form two damping-connecting combination sections, each of which is structurally identical. These two damping-connecting combination sections are arranged circumferentially such that the radially extending centerlines of the connecting sections 23 are spaced apart by the same circumferential angle, i.e., 180 degrees. Furthermore, in the root region of the two damping sections 21, a locally formed arc-shaped recess 26 is provided on the surface of the corresponding damping section 21 facing the axis 1. This recess 26 is configured to adjust the elastic behavior of the damping section 21, thereby adjusting the damping effect of the damping section 21 on the shaft 1.

[0038] exist Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the damping member 2 is shown. The second embodiment of the damping member 2 differs from the first embodiment in that it only has one damping section 21 and a corresponding connecting section 23. Furthermore, a similar recess 26 is not provided in the root region of the damping section 21. Other aspects can be referred to in the description of the first embodiment of the damping member 2.

[0039] exist Figure 4 The diagram shows a structural schematic of a third embodiment of the damping element 2. The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodiment is that the third embodiment of the damping element 2 includes three damping sections 21 and three corresponding connecting sections 23, forming three damping-connecting combination sections. These three damping-connecting combination sections are arranged circumferentially such that the radially extending centerlines of the connecting sections 23 are spaced apart from each other by the same circumferential angle, i.e., 120 degrees. Other aspects can be referred to the description of the first embodiment of the damping element 2. (In conjunction with...) Figure 2 and Figure 4 As can be seen, in this disclosure, the number of damping-connection combination sections is variable, thereby providing a richer range of damping characteristic settings compared to setting only one damping-connection combination section.

[0040] exist Figure 5The diagram shows a structural schematic of a fourth embodiment of the damping member 2. The difference between the fourth and first embodiments of the damping member 2 is that the first fixing structure 24 in the fourth embodiment is constructed as a protrusion protruding outward from the outer circumferential surface of the outer ring section 22. Two protrusions symmetrical about the center of the outer ring section 22 are provided here. The protrusions can be configured to engage with recesses 31 in the inner circumferential surface of the damping member-hand member 3 (see [link to diagram]). Figure 12 ).

[0041] exist Figure 6 The diagram shows a structural schematic of a fifth embodiment of the damping member 2. The difference between the fifth and second embodiments of the damping member 2 is that the first fixing structure 24 is constructed as a protrusion in the fifth embodiment. For details regarding the construction of the protrusion, refer to the description of the fourth embodiment.

[0042] exist Figure 7 The diagram shows a structural schematic of a sixth embodiment of the damping member 2. The difference between the sixth and third embodiments of the damping member 2 is that the first fixing structure 24 is constructed as a protrusion in the sixth embodiment. For details regarding the construction of the protrusion, please refer to the description of the fourth embodiment.

[0043] Back Figure 1 ,from Figure 1 It can also be seen that a second fixing structure 11 for fixing to the shaft-hand member 4 is provided at a portion of the shaft 1 outside the damping member 2. This second fixing structure 11 is constructed as a flat key. In another embodiment, it is also conceivable that the second fixing structure 11 can be constructed as a spline.

[0044] Next, using Figure 8 and Figure 9 The installation of the damper assembly 100 with the damping element 2 according to the first embodiment in the corresponding pair and the resulting hinge system are described.

[0045] Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, unlike the prior art, in this disclosure, the damper assembly 100 can be directly pressed into the corresponding matching part as a whole; that is, each damper element 2 and the shaft 1 can be directly pressed into the corresponding matching part as an assembly. Specifically, the damper assembly 100 can be directly pressed into the corresponding matching part by means of an installation tool 5 configured as a riveting tool, wherein, as... Figure 9 As shown, after installation, the damping element 2 of the damper assembly 100 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the damping element-opposite element 3 by its first fixing structure 24 of the outer ring section 22, while the shaft 1 in the damper assembly 100 is fixed to the shaft-opposite element 4 by its second fixing structure 11. Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the installation tool 5 can be inserted into the hollow space 25 formed between the damping section 21 and the outer ring section 22 of the damping member 2, thereby achieving a stable pressing process. After pressing, the installation tool 5 can be removed, and grease 6 can be filled into the hollow space 25 (e.g., Figure 10 (As shown). Therefore, in this disclosure, the hollow space 25 between the damping section 21 and the outer ring section 22 can be utilized in combination. Here, after the installation tool 5 is removed, a hinged system with the damper assembly 100 according to this disclosure can be formed.

[0046] exist Figure 10 and Figure 11 The second fixing structure 11 of shaft 1 is fixed in shaft-hand member 4, and the first fixing structure 24 of outer ring section 22 of damping member 2 is fixed on the inner circumferential surface of damping member-hand member 3.

[0047] Figure 12 The installation of the damper assembly 100 with the damping element 2 according to the fourth embodiment in the corresponding counterpiece is shown. From Figure 12 As can be seen, a recessed portion 31 is provided in the inner peripheral surface of the damping member-hand member 3 for engaging with the first fixing structure 24, which is constructed as a protrusion. The damping member 2 engages with the protrusion of its outer ring section 22 in the recessed portion 31 in the inner peripheral surface of the damping member-hand member 3, thereby fixing the damping member 2 in the damping member-hand member 3.

[0048] In this disclosure, the outer ring section 22 of the damping member 2 can protect the inner damping section 21, preventing the damping section 21 from undergoing irreversible deformation, such as plastic deformation, and at the same time can protect the grease 6 in the hollow space 25 in the circumferential direction, preventing the grease 6 from being contaminated.

[0049] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the disclosure. The singular forms “a” and “the one” as used herein should include the plural forms unless the context explicitly states otherwise. It is understood that the terms “comprising” and “including,” and other similar terms, when used in the application documents, specifically describe the presence of the stated operation, element, and / or component, without excluding the presence or addition of one or more other operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The term “and / or” as used herein includes all arbitrary combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals always denote similar elements.

[0050] The thickness of the elements in the accompanying drawings may be exaggerated for clarity. It is also understood that if an element is described as being on, coupled to, or connected to another element, then the element may be directly formed on, coupled to, or connected to the other element, or there may be one or more intermediate elements between them. Conversely, if the expressions "directly on," "directly coupled to," and "directly connected to" are used herein, it indicates that there is no intermediate element. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted similarly, such as "between" and "directly between," "attached" and "directly attached," "adjacent" and "directly adjacent," etc.

[0051] Terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” “over,” “under,” etc., are used to describe the relationship of one element, layer, or region relative to another element, layer, or region, as shown in the accompanying drawings. It is understood that these terms should also encompass other orientations of the device in addition to those described in the accompanying drawings.

[0052] It is understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe different elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one element from another. Thus, a first element may be referred to as a second element without departing from the teachings of this disclosure.

[0053] It can also be considered that all the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein can be arbitrarily combined with each other. Furthermore, all individual technical features in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other, as long as the combined technical features are not contradictory. All technically feasible combinations of features are the technical content described in this application.

[0054] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely for understanding this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make modifications based on the above embodiments, and these modifications will not depart from the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A damper assembly, characterized in that, The damper assembly includes: At least one damping element (2), the damping element comprising at least one damping section (21) inside which a damping function is performed and an annular outer ring section (22) surrounding the damping section outside, wherein the at least one damping section defines a shaft receiving portion (27). Shaft (1), which is received in a shaft receiving portion with friction fit, wherein the at least one damping section is configured to dampen the relative rotation when the shaft rotates relative to the damping member; The outer ring section has a first fixing structure (24) on its outer circumferential surface, the first fixing structure being configured to fix the outer ring section to the damping member-opponent (3), thereby fixing the damping member to the damping member-opponent to prevent relative movement of the damping member relative to the damping member-opponent; A connecting section (23) is provided between the corresponding damping section and the outer ring section, wherein the corresponding damping section and the outer ring section are constructed as an integral unit through the connecting section corresponding to the damping section.

2. The damper assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple damping elements are provided, which are stacked on top of each other. The number of the multiple damping elements can be varied according to the damping effect to be applied to the shaft, so that the number of annular outer ring segments used for fixing can vary with the number of damping elements.

3. The damper assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The damping section and the outer ring section are radially spaced apart from each other, and a hollow space (25) is formed between the damping section and the outer ring section. The hollow space is used to provide deformation space for the elastic deformation of the arm (28) of the damping section, and the hollow space is also configured to allow the installation tool (5) to be inserted into the hollow space during installation and / or to accommodate grease (6).

4. The damper assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connection point between the corresponding damping section and the matching connection section is located in the central area of ​​the corresponding damping section.

5. The damper assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, A recess (26) is provided locally in the root region of the damping section on the shaft-facing surface of the damping section. The recess is configured to adjust the elastic behavior of the damping section, thereby adjusting the damping effect of the damping section on the shaft.

6. The damper assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The recessed portion has an arc-shaped structure.

7. The damper assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, It is equipped with at least two damping sections and a corresponding number of connection sections.

8. The damper assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The damping section and the corresponding connecting section form a damping-connecting combination section, and each damping-connecting combination section is structurally identical to the others.

9. The damper assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The damping-connection combination sections are arranged circumferentially such that the center lines of the connecting sections of each damping-connection combination section are spaced apart from each other by the same angle along the circumferential direction.

10. The damper assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The first fixing structure is configured with locking teeth at least partially provided along the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring section, the locking teeth being configured to embed into the material at the inner peripheral surface of the damping member-hand member during installation.

11. The damper assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The first fixing structure is constructed as a protrusion protruding outward from the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring section, the protrusion being configured to engage with a recess in the inner peripheral surface of the damping member-hand member.

12. The damper assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, A second fixing structure (11) for fixing to the shaft-hand member is provided at a portion of the shaft outside the damping member.

13. The damper assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that, The second fixed structure is constructed as a flat key or a spline.

14. A hinge system, characterized in that, The hinge system includes a damper assembly (100), a shaft-to-hand member (4), and a damper-to-hand member (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the damper in the damper assembly is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the damper-to-hand member by a first fixing structure of its outer ring section, and the shaft in the damper assembly is fixed to the shaft-to-hand member by a second fixing structure of its shaft.

15. The articulated system according to claim 14, characterized in that, The damping member-hand member has a recessed portion in its inner circumferential surface for engaging with a first fixing structure that is a protrusion.

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