Unidirectional rotary damper

Abstract

To enable a member in which a support part is formed to be common between a damper installed to a right side of a controlled object and a damper installed to a left side of the controlled object.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a unidirectional rotary damper comprising: a valve body (30) having a valve part (31) with one end being a free end, a supported part (32) extending from the other end of the valve part (31), and made entirely of a leaf spring; a top part (51) that directly supports the supported part (32); and a support part (50) having two surfaces (52, 53) located on both sides of the top part (51), where one surface (52) of the two surfaces (52, 53) is symmetrical with respect to the other surface (53) of the two surfaces (52, 53), when the valve part (31) is installed on the one surface (52) side, the one surface (52) becomes a valve seat, and when the valve part (31) is installed on the other surface (53) side, the other surface (53) becomes a valve seat.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a unidirectional rotary damper that generates a braking force when a rotor or a housing (hereinafter referred to as "rotor, etc.") rotates in one direction. This damper uses a valve to control the pressure of a viscous fluid so that when the rotor, etc. rotates in the reverse direction, no braking force is generated, or a braking force smaller than when the rotor, etc. rotates in one direction is generated. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a unidirectional rotary damper having a valve body and a support part. Referring to FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1, the valve body has a valve part with one end being a free end and a supported part extending from the other end of the valve part, and is made of a leaf spring as a whole. The support part has a top part that directly supports the supported part of the valve body, and a valve seat located to the right of the top part. In this rotary damper, the support part is formed on the rotor (more specifically, a vane that constitutes the rotor). In FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1, the valve part is located to the right of the support part. When the rotor rotates in the clockwise direction, the valve body is deformed by the pressure of the viscous fluid, and the valve part approaches the valve seat. When the pressure of the viscous fluid is removed from the valve part, the valve body returns to its original shape.

[0003] Since the braking direction of a unidirectional rotary damper is limited to one direction, the rotation direction of the rotor, etc. is opposite when the damper is installed on the right side of the controlled object and when the damper is installed on the left side of the controlled object. For example, in a unidirectional rotary damper installed on the right side of the driver's seat of a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a "right-hand damper"), the rotor rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the seat side in order to slow down the forward rotation of the seat back. On the other hand, in a unidirectional rotary damper installed on the left side of the passenger seat of a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a "left-hand damper"), the rotor rotates clockwise as viewed from the seat side in order to slow down the forward rotation of the seat back. Therefore, the position of the valve part relative to the support part is exactly opposite between a right-hand damper and a left-hand damper.

[0004] However, in conventional rotary dampers, it is not possible to attach the valve body so that the valve part is located to the left of the support part (see Fig. 3 of Patent Document 1). Therefore, in the past, it was necessary to prepare dedicated rotors for the right damper and the left damper, respectively. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4382334 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to make it possible to use a common member in which a support portion is formed between a right damper and a left damper. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a unidirectional rotary damper comprising: a valve body having a valve portion having one end being a free end and a supported portion extending from the other end of the valve portion, the entire body being made of a leaf spring; a top portion that directly supports the supported portion, and a support portion having two faces located on either side of the top portion, one of the two faces being symmetrical with respect to the other of the two faces, and when the valve portion is installed on the one face side, the one face becomes a valve seat, and when the valve portion is installed on the other face side, the other face becomes a valve seat. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the support portion has a top portion that directly supports the supported portion of the valve body, and two faces located on either side of the top portion, one of the two faces being symmetrical with respect to the other of the two faces, and when the valve portion is installed on the one face side, the one face becomes a valve seat, and when the valve portion is installed on the other face side, the other face becomes a valve seat, so that the valve body can be supported by the support portion even if the position of the valve portion is changed. Therefore, it is possible to share the material in which the support portion is formed between the right damper and the left damper. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the internal structure of a rotary damper according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the partition wall employed in the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the rotary damper according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a valve body employed in the embodiment in a closed state. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the position of the valve portion of the valve body employed in the embodiment is changed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a valve body employed in the embodiment in a closed state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. EXAMPLES

[0011] Referring to FIG. 1, a rotary damper according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 10, a rotor 20, and a valve body 30.

[0012] The housing 10 includes a cylindrical peripheral wall 11 and two partition walls 12 protruding from the peripheral wall 11. The partition wall 12 is a partition that separates two fluid chambers 40 formed inside the housing 10. With reference to Fig. 2, the partition wall 12 includes a support portion 50 and a flow path 60 that passes through the support portion 50. With reference to Fig. 3, the housing 10 further includes an upper wall 13 that closes one end of the peripheral wall 11, and a lower wall 14 that closes the other end of the peripheral wall 11.

[0013] The two fluid chambers 40 are spaces into which a liquid viscous fluid such as oil is injected. As shown in Fig. 1, the two fluid chambers 40 are formed around the shaft 21 constituting the rotor 20, and each is divided into two chambers, a first chamber 41 and a second chamber 42, by the vane 22 constituting the rotor 20.

[0014] 2 and 3, the support 50 has a top 51 and two faces 52, 53 located on either side of the top 51. As shown in FIG. 2, the top 51 is divided into two by a flow path 60. One of the two faces 52, 53, i.e., the first face 52 located on the left side of the top 51 in FIG. 2, is symmetrical with respect to the other of the two faces 52, 53, i.e., the second face 53 located on the right side of the top 51 in FIG. 2. The first face 52 and the second face 53 are each an inclined surface.

[0015] 1, the rotor 20 includes a shaft 21 and two vanes 22 protruding from the shaft 21. The shaft 21 is connected to an object that transmits rotational force to the rotor 20. However, depending on the mode of use, there may be cases where the housing 10 rotates around the rotor 20. In this case, the shaft 21 is connected to an object that prevents the rotor 20 from rotating. The two vanes 22 are each installed in a fluid chamber 40, and move within the fluid chamber 40 as the shaft 21 rotates.

[0016] 3, the valve body 30 has a valve portion 31 having one end 31a which is a free end, and a supported portion 32 extending from the other end 31b of the valve portion 31. The valve body 30 is an entire leaf spring.

[0017] When the rotor 20 rotates in the braking direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 1), the pressure of the viscous fluid acts on the valve portion 31, and the valve portion 31 is displaced from a position away from the first surface 52 to a position in close contact with the first surface 52, as shown in FIG. 4, to close the flow path 60. As a result, the viscous fluid cannot flow from the first chamber 41 to the second chamber 42 through the flow path 60, and a braking force that slows down the rotational speed of the rotor 20 is generated.

[0018] Here, the first surface 52 is a portion that receives the valve portion 31 when the valve portion 31 is in the closed position. That is, the first surface 52 functions as a valve seat in a structure in which the valve portion 31 is located on the left side of the top portion 51. In addition, since the valve body 30 is entirely a leaf spring, the valve body 30 may be configured so that the opening degree of the valve can be adjusted in response to changes in load (the magnitude of the pressure of the viscous fluid acting on the valve portion 31) by utilizing its elasticity.

[0019] When the rotor 20 rotates in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1), the valve portion 31 is located away from the first surface 52 as shown in FIG. 3, so that the viscous fluid can flow from the second chamber 42 to the first chamber 41 through the flow path 60. As a result, the resistance of the viscous fluid to the rotation of the rotor 20 is smaller than when the rotor 20 rotates in the braking direction, so that the rotor 20 can rotate without decelerating its rotational speed.

[0020] As described above, in the rotary damper according to the embodiment, the support portion 50 has two faces, i.e., a first face 52 and a second face 53, located on either side of the top portion 51 that directly supports the supported portion 32 of the valve body 30, and the first face 52 is symmetrical with respect to the second face 53. Therefore, in this rotary damper, the support portion 50 can support the valve body 30 even if the position of the valve portion 31 is changed from the left side of the top portion 51 to the right side of the top portion 51 as shown in FIG.

[0021] 6, the second surface 53 is a portion that receives the valve portion 31 when the valve portion 31 is in the closed position. That is, the second surface 53 functions as a valve seat in a structure in which the valve portion 31 is located to the right of the top portion 51.

[0022] Even in a structure in which the valve portion 31 is located on the right side of the top portion 51, the first surface 52 is symmetrical with respect to the second surface 53, so the operation of the rotary damper is the same as in a structure in which the valve portion 31 is located on the left side of the top portion 51. Therefore, the support portion 50 of the rotary damper according to the embodiment can support the valve body 30 without impairing the function of the valve body 30 even if the position of the valve portion 31 is changed. Therefore, the material in which the support portion 50 is formed can be shared between the right damper and the left damper.

[0023] In the embodiment, since the support portion 50 is formed on the housing 10, the same housing as the right damper can be used for the left damper; however, if the support portion is formed on the rotor, it will be possible to use the same rotor for the right damper and the left damper. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 10. Housing 11 Peripheral wall 12 Bulkhead 13 Upper wall 14 Lower wall 20 rotors 21 Shaft 22 Vane 30 Valve body 31 Valve section 32 Supported part 40 Fluid chamber 41 Room 1 42 Room 2 50 Support part 51 Top 52 First Side 53 Second Side 60 Flow Path

Claims

1. a valve body having a valve portion having one free end and a supported portion extending from the other end of the valve portion, the valve body being entirely made of a leaf spring; The support portion includes a top portion that directly supports the supported portion, and a support portion having two surfaces located on both sides of the top portion, one of the two surfaces is symmetrical with respect to the other of the two surfaces; When the valve portion is installed on the one surface side, the one surface serves as a valve seat, A unidirectional rotary damper, characterized in that when the valve portion is installed on the other surface side, the other surface serves as a valve seat.

2. The unidirectional rotary damper according to claim 1 , further comprising a housing or rotor on which the support is formed.

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