Delay damper device

Abstract

Provided is a delay damper device capable of temporarily holding an open state of an opening / closing body, and then automatically closing the opening / closing body. A delay damper device (1) comprises: a self-closing part (7) having a torsion spring (11) that at least exerts a closing direction force on an opening / closing body in a fully open position; and a damper part (8) that brakes rotation of the opening / closing body in the closing direction in a delay closing section from the fully open position or the vicinity of the fully open position. The delay damper device (1) automatically closes the opening / closing body in the fully open position.

Description

Delay Damper Device

[0001] The present invention relates to a delay damper device for opening and closing an opening / closing body such as a toilet seat or lid of a Western-style toilet, or a door of furniture or a building.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a manual damper device that activates a damper to prevent the toilet seat or lid from suddenly colliding with the toilet bowl when a user closes the toilet seat or lid (see Patent Document 1). There is also known an automatic opening and closing device that uses a motor to automatically open and close the toilet seat or lid (see Patent Document 2).

[0003] JP 2018-204618 A JP 2023-1525 A

[0004] However, conventional manual damper devices have the problem that users often forget to close the toilet seat or lid after lifting it to relieve themselves, leaving the next user with an unpleasant impression. Furthermore, conventional automatic opening and closing devices that use motors to automatically open and close the toilet seat or lid have the problem of being expensive and not being able to be made compact.

[0005] For this reason, there is a need for the development of a self-closing damper device that allows the toilet seat or lid to be opened manually and then automatically closes with a spring. However, a problem with self-closing damper devices is that the toilet seat or lid closes as soon as the user removes their hands from the seat or lid, leaving the user with no time to relieve themselves.

[0006] Self-closing hinge devices that automatically close doors on furniture or buildings also have similar issues, namely, not allowing users time to load or unload items from furniture, or not allowing users, such as wheelchair users, time to pass through openings in buildings.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a delay damper device that can temporarily hold an opening / closing body in an open state and then automatically close the opening / closing body.

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a delay damper device that automatically closes the opening / closing body when it is in the fully open position, and that includes a self-closing section having a torsion spring that applies a closing force to the opening / closing body when it is in at least the fully open position, and a damper section that brakes the rotation of the opening / closing body in the closing direction in a delayed closing section from the fully open position or near the fully open position.

[0009] According to the present invention, the damper unit brakes the rotation of the opening / closing body in the closing direction in the delayed closing section from the fully open position or near the fully open position, so the opening / closing body can be temporarily held open. In addition, the self-closing unit having a torsion spring can automatically close the opening / closing body in the fully open position.

[0010] 5(a) is an exploded perspective view of the delay damper device (FIG. 5(a) is an exploded perspective view seen from the self-closing portion side, and FIG. 5(b) is an exploded perspective view seen from the damper portion side). FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the damper portion of the delay damper device (FIG. 6(a) is a damper force ON state, FIG. 6(b) is a damper force OFF state, FIG. 6(c) is an enlarged view of portion A in FIG. 6(a), and FIG. 6(d) is an enlarged view of portion B in FIG. 6(b) ... diagram explaining the operation of the damper portion and the self-closing portion. FIG. 5(b) is a schematic view of a Western-style toilet to which a delay damper device of one embodiment of the present invention is applied (FIG. 1(a) shows a fully closed position of the opening / closing body, and FIG. 1(b) shows a fully open position of the opening / closing body). 14(a) is an exploded perspective view of a delay damper device according to a second embodiment of the present invention (FIG. 14(a) is an exploded perspective view as seen from the self-closing portion side, and FIG. 14(b) is an exploded perspective view as seen from the damper portion side). 14(b) is a perspective view of a top-opening furniture to which a delay damper device is applied (FIG. 15(a) shows the fully closed position of the opening / closing body, and FIG. 15(b) shows the fully open position of the opening / closing body). 15(b) is a perspective view of a side-opening furniture to which a delay damper device is applied (FIG. 16(a) shows the fully closed position of the opening / closing body, and FIG. 16(b) shows the fully open position of the opening / closing body). 16(b) is a perspective view of a side-opening furniture to which a delay damper device is applied to a slide hinge. 18(a) is an exploded perspective view of a slide hinge, and FIG. 18(b) is an enlarged view of portion A in FIG. 17. 18(a) is a perspective view of a side-opening furniture to which a delay damper device according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied. 18(a) is an enlarged view of portion A in FIG. 19, and FIG. 20(b) is an enlarged view of portion B in FIG. 19. 18(b) is a perspective view of a side-opening furniture to which a delay damper device according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied. 18(b) is an enlarged view of portion B in FIG. 19. 18(b) is a diagram for explaining the operation of the damper portion.

[0011] Hereinafter, a delay damper device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the delay damper device according to the present invention can be embodied in various forms and is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. The present embodiment is provided with the intention that those skilled in the art will be able to fully understand the invention by fully disclosing the specification. (First Embodiment)

[0012] 1(a) and 1(b), reference numeral 1 denotes the delay damper device of this embodiment, reference numeral 2 denotes a Western-style toilet bowl, and reference numeral 3 denotes a toilet seat or toilet lid. The delay damper device 1 of this embodiment is used to automatically close the toilet seat or toilet lid 3, but as will be described later, it can also be used for purposes other than toilet seats and toilet lids.

[0013] First, the operation of the delay damper device 1 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 2 , when a user using a Western-style toilet lifts the toilet seat or lid (hereinafter referred to as the opening / closing body 3) to the fully open position (e.g., 110°), the delay damper device 1 temporarily holds the opening / closing body 3 open for, e.g., 2 to 5 minutes in a delayed closing interval (e.g., 110° to 80°) from the fully open position so that the user can relieve themselves. During this delayed closing interval, the delay damper device 1 slowly closes the opening / closing body 3 over a delay time of, e.g., 2 to 5 minutes, giving the user the feeling that the opening / closing body 3 is stationary. Note that the delayed closing interval may start near the fully open position as long as the user is able to relieve themselves.

[0014] In the subsequent gravity rotation section (e.g., 80° to 0°), the delay damper device 1 automatically closes the opening / closing body 3 without the user having to close it with their own hand after relieving themselves. In this gravity rotation section, the delay damper device 1 cuts off the force of the torsion spring, and the opening / closing body 3 automatically closes due to its own gravity moment. In this gravity rotation section, the gravity moment of the opening / closing body 3 is greater than the spring torque of the torsion spring (see FIG. 8), and the opening / closing body 3 closes at a faster speed than in the delayed closing section. Near the fully closed position, like a normal manual damper device, the delay damper device 1 applies damping to prevent the opening / closing body 3 from suddenly colliding with the toilet bowl.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, the delay damper device 1 comprises a substantially cylindrical main body 4 and a shaft 5, a portion of which is rotatably inserted into a hole 4a in the main body 4. The main body 4 is non-rotatably attached to the opening / closing body 3 and rotates about the shaft 5 together with the opening / closing body 3. A protrusion 4b is formed on the outer surface of the main body 4 to prevent it from rotating on the opening / closing body 3. The shaft 5 is non-rotatably attached to a housing 2 of a Western-style toilet or the like. A flat portion 5c is formed on the shaft 5 to prevent it from rotating on the housing 2. Alternatively, the main body 4 may be non-rotatably attached to the housing 2 and the shaft 5 may be non-rotatably attached to the opening / closing body 3.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 4 , the delay damper device 1 includes a self-closing unit 7, a damper unit 8, and a damper force adjustment unit 9. The self-closing unit 7 has a torsion spring 11 that applies a force in the closing direction to the opening / closing body 3 at least in the fully open position. The damper unit 8 brakes the rotation of the opening / closing body 3 in the closing direction during the delayed closing interval from the fully open position. The damper unit 8 also applies damping when the opening / closing body 3 is near the fully closed position to prevent the opening / closing body 3 from suddenly colliding with the toilet bowl. The damper force adjustment unit 9 has an adjustment screw 12 that threads into the main body 4, and adjusts the damper force of the damper unit 8 by the amount of tightening of the adjustment screw 12. When the delay damper device 1 is shipped, the damper force of the damper unit 8 is adjusted using the adjustment screw 12 to speed up or slow down the closing speed. After adjusting the damper force, the adjustment screw 12 is fixed to the main body 4.

[0017] A damper chamber 13 (see FIG. 6(a)) is formed between the main body 4 and the shaft 5, and is filled with a fluid such as hydraulic oil that generates a damping force. One end of the torsion spring 11 is engaged with the main body 4, and the other end of the torsion spring 11 is engaged with the shaft 5. (Damper Section)

[0018] The main body 4 is generally cylindrical and has a hole 4a penetrating its center. A self-closing chamber 14 and a damper chamber 13 are formed in the main body 4 in the axial direction. The self-closing chamber 14 and the damper chamber 13 are separated by a partition wall 4c. A support hole 4d is formed in the partition wall 4c to rotatably support the end of the shaft 5. As shown in Figure 5(b), a female thread 4e is formed on the inner surface of the main body 4 on the damper chamber 13 side, into which the adjustment screw 12 threads.

[0019] 4, the shaft 5 comprises a shaft body 5a that is inserted into a hole 4a in the body 4, and a connecting portion 5b that is exposed from the body 4. The shaft 5 is rotatably supported by the body 4 as journal portions 5a1, 5a2 formed on both axial ends of the shaft body 5a are rotatably fitted into the body 4. O-rings 15, 16 that seal the fluid filled in the damper chamber 13 are attached to the journal portions 5a1, 5a2.

[0020] As shown in Figure 5(a), a pair of blades 17 are formed at an interval of 180° on the outer surface of the shaft body 5a facing the damper chamber 13. The blades 17 are formed with a V-shaped cross section and have a pair of protrusions 18a, 18b. One of the protrusions 18a has a notch 18a1 formed therein, which serves as a fluid flow path. A valve body 19 is attached to the blades 17.

[0021] 6(a), a pair of partition walls 4f are formed at an interval of 180° on the inner surface of the main body 4 facing the damper chamber 13. The pair of blades 17 and the pair of partition walls 4f divide the interior of the damper chamber 13 into four circumferential sections, forming two first chambers S1 and two second chambers S2.

[0022] 6(a) and 6(c), when the main body 4 rotates in the closing direction, the valve element 19 is pushed outward by the protrusion 18b of the blade portion 17, and the valve element 19 closes the flow path between the protrusion 18b and the main body 4, preventing the fluid in the first chamber S1 from flowing into the second chamber S2. Therefore, when the main body 4 rotates in the closing direction, the damper element 8 is turned ON, and a damping force is generated.

[0023] 6(b) and 6(d), when the main body 4 rotates in the opening direction, the valve element 19 is pushed inward by the protrusion 18a of the blade portion 17, opening the notch 18a1 formed in the protrusion 18a and allowing the fluid in the second chamber S2 to flow into the first chamber S1. Therefore, when the main body 4 rotates in the opening direction, the damper portion 8 is turned OFF and no damping force is generated. (Damper force adjustment portion)

[0024] As shown in Figure 4, bearing 20 is non-rotatably inserted into the inner surface of main body 4 and rotatably supports shaft 5. As shown in Figure 5(a), bearing 20 is annular, and a plurality of protrusions 20a for preventing rotation are formed on the outer surface of bearing 20. As shown in Figure 4, bearing 20 is movable in the axial direction so that the damping force of damper section 8 can be adjusted. In addition, bearing 20 abuts against journal section 5a2 of shaft 5, thereby preventing shaft 5 from coming out of main body 4.

[0025] The adjustment screw 12 is annular and has a male thread on its outer surface that screws into the female thread 4e of the main body 4. When the adjustment screw 12 is tightened into the main body 4, the flow rate of the orifice 21 between the partition wall 4c of the main body 4 and the blade portion 17 of the shaft 5 is adjusted, and the damping force of the damper portion 8 is adjusted (self-closing portion).

[0026] The self-closing unit 7 includes a torsion spring 11, a spring retainer 22, and a cover member 23. As shown in Fig. 5(a) , the torsion spring 11 has a coil portion 11a and a pair of end portions 11b, 11c. One end portion 11b of the torsion spring 11 is engaged with the spring retainer 22. The other end portion 11c of the torsion spring 11 is engaged with the shaft 5. The spring retainer 22 and the cover member 23 determine the twist angle in the winding direction of the torsion spring 11 and the angle range of the gravity rotation section when the opening / closing body 3 is in the fully open position.

[0027] The lid member 23 is attached non-rotatably to the inner surface of the self-closing chamber 14 of the main body 4. A plurality of protrusions 23a for preventing rotation is formed on the outer surface of the lid member 23. A plurality of grooves 14a into which the protrusions 23a fit is formed on the inner surface of the self-closing chamber 14 of the main body 4. The lid member 23 is fixed to the main body 4 by a pin 30. As shown in FIG. 5(b), the lid member 23 is formed with a fitting protrusion 25 that fits into the spring receiver 22. The fitting protrusion 25 has a shaft portion 25a and a pair of convex portions 25b that protrude outward at an interval of 180° from the shaft portion 25a.

[0028] As shown in Figure 5(a), the spring receiver 22 is substantially cylindrical with a bottom, and is rotatably fitted into the fitting protrusion 25 of the cover member 23. A pair of recesses 26 are formed on the inner surface of the spring receiver 22, spaced 180° apart (see Figure 7(a)). The protrusion 25b of the fitting protrusion 25 is movably disposed in the recesses 26. As shown in Figure 7(a), the angular range β of the recesses 26 is larger than the angular range α of the protrusion 25b, and the cover member 23 can freely rotate by an angle β-α relative to the spring receiver 22. (Movement of the damper section and self-closing section)

[0029] The following describes the operation of the damper unit 8 and the automatic closing unit 7. Figure 7(a) shows the main body 4 in the fully closed position at 0°, Figure 7(b) shows the main body 4 in the open position at 40°, Figure 7(c) shows the main body 4 in the open position at 80°, and Figure 7(d) shows the main body 4 in the fully open position at 110°.

[0030] 7(a) to 7(c), when the user rotates the main body 4 in the opening direction from the fully closed position to the 80° open position, the cover member 23 rotates freely together with the main body 4 relative to the spring receiver 22, and the torsion spring 11 does not flex. Also, at this time, the damper unit 8 is turned OFF. Therefore, the user can open the opening / closing body 3 with a light force.

[0031] 7(c) to 7(d), when the user rotates the main body 4 in the opening direction from the 80° open position to the fully open position, the wall surface of the convex portion 25b of the cover member 23 abuts against the wall surface of the concave portion 26 of the spring receiver 22, causing the cover member 23 and the spring receiver 22 to rotate in the opening direction, and the torsion spring 11 to bend in the winding direction. Therefore, in the fully open position shown in FIG. 7(d), a force in the closing direction is applied to the opening / closing body 3 by the torsion spring 11.

[0032] As shown in Figures 7(d) and 7(c), when the user releases the opening / closing body 3 in the fully open position, the spring force of the torsion spring 11 is released, causing the spring receiver 22 to rotate in the closing direction. Accordingly, the cover member 23, which is in contact with the wall surface of the recess 26 of the spring receiver 22, and the main body 4, which is fixed to the cover member 23, rotate in the closing direction together with the spring receiver 22. At this time, the damper unit 8 turns ON, and a damping force is applied. The section shown in Figures 7(d) and 7(c) corresponds to the delayed closing section shown in Figure 2. As described above, during the delayed closing section, the opening / closing body 3 slowly closes over a period of 2 to 5 minutes, giving the user the feeling that the opening / closing body 3 is stationary.

[0033] At the 80° open position shown in Figure 7(c), the spring force of the torsion spring 11 is released (deflection is zero), and the spring receiver 22 also stops rotating. From this point on, as shown in Figures 7(c) to 7(a), the cover member 23 and main body 4 continue to rotate in the closing direction due to the moment of the opening / closing body 3's own weight, and only the damper force acts. The section shown in Figures 7(c) to 7(a) corresponds to the gravity rotation section shown in Figure 2. As described above, in the gravity rotation section, like a normal manual damper device, the delay damper device 1 applies damping to prevent the opening / closing body 3 from suddenly colliding with the toilet bowl.

[0034] FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of the moments acting on the opening / closing body 3. As shown in FIG. 8, both the spring torque of the torsion spring 11 and the moment of the opening / closing body 3's own weight act on the opening / closing body 3. The spring torque in the closing direction, indicated by the dashed line in the figure, is maximum at the 110° fully open position, decreases in proportion to the angle from the fully open position to the 80° open position, and becomes zero from the 80° open position to the fully closed position. On the other hand, the moment of the self-weight, indicated by the dashed line in the figure, acts in the opening direction at the 110° fully open position, becomes zero at the 90° open position, and gradually increases from the 90° open position to the fully closed position as the opening position approaches. Ultimately, the combined moment of the spring torque and the moment of the self-weight, indicated by the solid line in the figure, is substantially constant from the 110° fully open position to the 80° open position, and gradually increases from the 80° open position to the fully closed position as the opening position approaches. (Modification of the Self-Closing Section)

[0035] 9 to 11 show modified examples of the self-closing unit 7. As shown in FIG. 9( a), the torsion spring 11 may be deflected in the rewinding direction so that an assist force in the opening direction acts on the opening / closing body 3 in the fully closed position. In this example, the angle range of the recess 26 of the spring receiver 22 is set to γ, which is narrower than the angle range β of the recess 26 shown in FIG. 7( a). In this example, as shown in FIGS. 9( b) to 9( a), the torsion spring 11 bends in the rewinding direction from the 40° open position of the main body 4 to the fully closed position. Therefore, an assist force in the opening direction by the torsion spring 11 acts on the opening / closing body 3 in the fully closed position shown in FIG. 9( a). When an assist force in the opening direction acts on the opening / closing body 3, the user can lift the opening / closing body 3 with a light force.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 10(a), the weight rotation section of the opening / closing body 3 may be eliminated, the torsion spring 11 may be deflected in the rewinding direction, and an assist force in the opening direction by the torsion spring 11 may act on the opening / closing body 3 in the fully closed position. In this example, from the fully open position shown in Fig. 10(d) to the 40° open position shown in Fig. 10(b), the torsion spring 11 bends in the rewinding direction, and a force in the closing direction by the torsion spring 11 acts on the opening / closing body 3. From the 40° open position shown in Fig. 10(b) to the fully closed position shown in Fig. 10(a), the torsion spring 11 bends in the rewinding direction, and an assist force in the opening direction by the torsion spring 11 acts on the opening / closing body 3.

[0037] As shown in Figure 11, the section of rotation of the opening / closing body 3 due to its own weight may be eliminated, and a force in the closing direction by the torsion spring 11 may always act on the opening / closing body 3. In this example, the torsion spring 11 bends in the winding direction from the fully open position shown in Figure 11(d) to the fully closed position shown in Figure 11(a), and a force in the closing direction by the torsion spring 11 always acts on the opening / closing body 3. At the fully closed position shown in Figure 11(a), the force in the closing direction by the torsion spring 11 becomes zero. (Modification of the damper section)

[0038] 12(a), (b), and (c) show modified examples of the damper unit 8. As shown in Fig. 8, the moment acting on the opening / closing body 3 increases as it approaches the fully closed position. If the damping force of the damper unit 8 is constant, the opening / closing body 3 becomes faster as it approaches the fully closed position.

[0039] In order to increase the damping force of the damper unit 8 near the fully closed position, the area of ​​the bypass flow path from the first chamber S1 to the second chamber S2 of the damper unit 8 may be changed. Fig. 12(a) shows an example in which a recess 5d is formed on the outer surface of the shaft 5 to increase the area of ​​the bypass flow path. Fig. 12(b) shows an example in which a recess 4g is formed on the inner surface of the main body 4 to increase the area of ​​the bypass flow path. Fig. 12(c) shows an example in which a groove 4h is formed on the end wall of the main body 4 to increase the area of ​​the bypass flow path.

[0040] When the opening / closing body 3, which is in the fully open position, closes to the fully closed position, the damper unit 8 turns ON, generating a damping force. However, the fluid flows from the first chamber S1 to the second chamber S2 via the bypass flow path, so the damping force is small. When the opening / closing body 3 closes further, the bypass flow path closes and the damping force increases. As a result, the opening / closing body 3 closes slowly near the closed position, giving the user a more luxurious feeling. (Effect)

[0041] The above has described the configuration and operation of the delay damper device 1 of this embodiment. The delay damper device 1 of this embodiment provides the following effects.

[0042] In the delayed closing section from the fully open position, the damper unit 8 brakes the rotation of the opening / closing body 3 in the closing direction, so the open state of the opening / closing body 3 can be temporarily maintained. In addition, the automatic closing unit 7 having the torsion spring 11 can automatically close the opening / closing body 3 in the fully open position.

[0043] When the opening / closing body 3 is closed in the fully open position, there is a gravity rotation section in which the force exerted by the torsion spring 11 on the opening / closing body 3 is cut off, so the force acting in the closing direction on the opening / closing body 3 in the fully open position can be reduced and the delay time can be extended to, for example, 2 to 5 minutes.

[0044] The damper section 8 comprises a main body 4, a shaft 5, and a fluid filled in a damper chamber 13 between the main body 4 and the shaft 5, and one end 11b of the torsion spring 11 is engaged with the main body 4 side, and the other end 11c of the torsion spring 11 is engaged with the shaft 5 side, so that the delay damper device 1 can be made compact.

[0045] Since the delay damper device 1 includes the damper force adjusting section 9 that can adjust the damper force by the amount of tightening of the adjusting screw 12, the delay time can be adjusted before shipping.

[0046] Since the torsion spring 11 can exert an assist force in the opening direction on the opening / closing body 3 in the fully closed position, the user can lift the opening / closing body 3 with a light force. (Second embodiment)

[0047] 13 and 14 show a delay damper device 31 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Like the delay damper device 1 according to the first embodiment, the delay damper device 31 according to the second embodiment also includes a self-closing section 7, a damper section 8, and a damper force adjustment section 9. The damper section 8 includes a main body 4, a shaft 5, and a fluid that fills a damper chamber 13 between the main body 4 and the shaft 5. The self-closing section 7 has a torsion spring 11. One end of the torsion spring 11 is engaged with the main body 4, and the other end of the torsion spring 11 is engaged with the shaft 5.

[0048] In the delay damper device 31 of the second embodiment, the arrangement of the damper force adjustment unit 9 differs from that of the delay damper device 1 of the first embodiment. In the delay damper device 31 of the second embodiment, the bearing 20 that rotatably supports the shaft 5 is arranged in approximately the center of the main body 4. O-rings 32, 33 that seal the fluid in the damper chamber 13 are arranged on the outer and inner surfaces of the bearing 20. The bearing 20 is movable in the axial direction so that the damping force of the damper unit 8 can be adjusted.

[0049] The adjustment screw 12 is screwed into the end of the main body 4 on the self-closing chamber side. When the adjustment screw 12 is tightened into the main body 4, the adjustment screw 12 presses the bearing 20 via the cover member 23, adjusting the flow rate of the orifice 21 between the support wall of the main body 4 and the blade portion of the shaft 5, and adjusting the damping force of the damper portion 8.

[0050] The main body 4, the shaft 5, the torsion spring 11, the spring bearing 22, and the cover member 23 are substantially the same as those of the delay damper device 1 of the first embodiment, and therefore the same reference numerals are used and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 15, the delay damper device 1 of this embodiment may be applied to a hinge 41 of furniture or machinery with a top opening lid, or may be applied to a flap door (not shown).

[0052] 16, the delay damper device 1 of this embodiment may be applied to a hinge 41 that rotates the opening / closing body 3 about a vertical axis. In this case, it is desirable that the self-closing section 7 of the delay damper device 1 always exerts a force on the opening / closing body 3 in the closing direction, and that the damper section 8 be turned off when the opening / closing body 3 is near the closed position.

[0053] As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the delay damper device 1 of this embodiment may be applied to a slide hinge 42. As shown in Figure 18(a), the slide hinge 42 is a four-joint link device, and includes a door-side member 43, a first arm 44, a second arm 45, and a housing-side member 46. These are connected by a revolving pair. The delay damper device 1 of this embodiment is incorporated into one of the joints of the slide hinge 42, and automatically closes the opening / closing body 3 when it is in the fully open position. Reference numeral 47 denotes a housing for fixing the delay damper device 1 to the door-side member 43. (Third Embodiment)

[0054] 19 and 20 show a delay damper device 51 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Like the delay damper device 1 according to the first embodiment, the delay damper device 51 according to the third embodiment also includes a self-closing unit 7 and a damper unit 8.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 19, the self-closing unit 7 has a torsion spring 52 and applies a force in the closing direction to the opening-closing body 3 when it is in the fully open position. The self-closing unit 7 includes a pair of upper and lower spring hinges 48. As shown in Fig. 20(a), the spring hinge 48 includes a first piece 48a attached to the housing 2, a second piece 48b attached to the opening-closing body 3, a shaft 48c inserted into the cylindrical portions of the first piece 48a and the second piece 48b to connect them so that they can rotate relative to each other, and a torsion spring 52 wound around the shaft 48c. One end of the torsion spring 52 engages with the first piece 48a, and the other end of the torsion spring 52 engages with the second piece 48b.

[0056] As shown in Figure 21(a), the damper section 8 is equipped with a linear damper 54, and brakes the rotation of the opening / closing body 3 in the closing direction, for example, in the section from the 90° open position in Figure 21(a) to the 30° open position in Figure 21(c), which is closed 30° from the fully open position of 120°.

[0057] The linear damper 54 includes a cylindrical cylinder 54a and a rod 54b. The cylinder 54a is filled with a fluid such as hydraulic oil. The rod 54b has a piston inside the cylinder 54a. When the rod 54b moves relative to the cylinder 54a, a damping force is generated. A return spring is disposed inside the cylinder 54a to return the rod 54b to an extended state.

[0058] The linear damper 54 is supported by a housing 51 fixed to the casing 2. A cylindrical case 55 with a bottom is slidably supported together with a rod 54b in the housing 51. As shown in Figure 20(b) , a roller 50 is rotatably supported by the opening / closing body 3 via a bracket 49.

[0059] As shown in Figure 21(a), when the opening / closing body 3 rotates in the closing direction from the 90° open position, the roller 50 pushes the rod 54b via the case 55, generating a damping force in the linear damper 54. As a result, the opening / closing body 3 closes slowly in the delay section from the 90° open position shown in Figure 21(a) to the 30° open position shown in Figure 21(c). On the other hand, no damping force is generated in the linear damper 54 from the 30° open position shown in Figure 21(c) to the fully closed position shown in Figure 21(d). The opening / closing body 3 automatically closes to the fully closed position shown in Figure 21(d) due to the spring force of the torsion spring 52 and the spring force of the return spring of the linear damper 54.

[0060] This specification is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-127799, filed on August 4, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0061] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Delay damper device 2...Housing 3...Opening / closing body 4...Main body 5...Axis 7...Self-closing portion 8...Damper portion 9...Damper force adjustment portion 11...Torsion spring 12...Adjustment screw 13...Damper chamber 22...Spring receiver 23...Cover member 31...Delay damper device 48...Spring hinge 51...Delay damper device 54...Linear damper S1...First chamber S2...Second chamber

Claims

1. A delay damper device which automatically closes an opening / closing body when it is in the fully open position, comprising: an automatic closing section having a torsion spring which applies a closing force to an opening / closing body when it is in at least the fully open position; and a damper section which brakes the rotation of the opening / closing body in the closing direction in a delayed closing section from the fully open position or near the fully open position.

2. A delay damper device as described in claim 1, characterized in that when the opening / closing body is closed in the fully open position, there is a gravity rotation section in which the force applied by the torsion spring to the opening / closing body is cut off.

3. The delay damper device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the damper section comprises a main body, a shaft at least a portion of which is inserted into a hole in the main body so as to be freely rotatable relative to the main body, and a fluid filled in a damper chamber between the main body and the shaft, one end of the torsion spring engaging with the main body side and the other end of the torsion spring engaging with the shaft side.

4. A delay damper device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a damper force adjustment section capable of adjusting the damper force by the amount of tightening of an adjustment screw.

5. A delay damper device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the opening / closing body is closed in the fully open position, the area of ​​the bypass flow path from the first chamber to the second chamber of the damper section is changed so that the damping force of the damper section changes.

6. A delay damper device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the torsion spring exerts an assisting force in the opening direction on the opening / closing body when it is in the fully closed position.

7. The delay damper device of claim 1, wherein the self-closing portion comprises a spring hinge, and the damper portion comprises a linear damper.

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