Hinge Damper Assembly With External Camming to Resist Radial Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing damper assemblies for toggle type hinges, particularly in kitchen cupboards, face issues with distortion and potential fracture under high radial forces from slammed doors, leading to jamming or failure, as the radial force component is not effectively managed within the cylinder's working range.
Innovation Solution
A damper assembly design featuring a movement converting mechanism with helical camming surfaces acting outside the piston's working stroke range, combined with a buffer zone to absorb impact forces, ensuring minimal cylinder distortion and enhanced durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the movement converting mechanism acts within the piston's working stroke range, then the damper assembly can effectively convert rotational movement into linear piston movement, but the cylinder is susceptible to distortion and fracture under high radial forces from slammed doors
Solution Approach 1:
The movement converting mechanism is relocated from acting within the piston's working stroke range to acting outside this range, specifically at the end of the cylinder. This spatial repositioning in another dimension allows the mechanism to convert rotational movement while placing the cylinder in a more favorable position to resist radial forces from slammed doors, thereby reducing distortion and fracture risk
2Reliability
If the damper assembly is designed to withstand high impact forces, then durability is improved, but the complexity of the movement converting mechanism and structural requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movement converting mechanism is extracted from the interior working space of the piston and relocated to the exterior end of the cylinder. This extraction removes the source of radial force generation from the vulnerable piston-cylinder interface, allowing the damper assembly to withstand high impact forces without requiring complex reinforcement of the internal mechanism
3Productivity
If the camming surfaces are positioned within the working stroke range, then the conversion of rotational to linear movement is efficient, but the cylinder experiences distortion under radial loading
Solution Approach 1:
The camming surfaces are repositioned from within the working stroke range to outside this range at the cylinder end. This dimensional relocation maintains the helical geometry for efficient rotational-to-linear movement conversion while placing the action point in a location where radial forces do not cause cylinder distortion, thus preserving shape stability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces the risk of cylinder distortion and jamming, allowing the damper assembly to withstand high forces from slammed doors while maintaining operational integrity, ensuring reliable door closure resistance.
Implementation Method 1
a camming surface extending helically around the outer surface of the cylinder and a complimentary camming surface provided in a grove on a bracket of the retaining means
Implementation Method 2
with a compression spring (not shown) biasing the piston rod towards its extended position
Implementation Method 3
a piston (not shown) arranged on the end of a piston rod 14 to be reciprocable within a cylinder 15 containing a damping fluid such as silicone
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A damper assembly is provided for a hinge, which comprises a damping device (10) with a piston arranged to be moveable over a working stroke within a cylinder (15) containing damping fluid. The damping device (10) is mounted on a bracket (11) and retained in position by a housing (12). A mechanism (18, 19) is provided for converting rotational movement of the hinge in at least part of one direction into actuation of the damping device (10) on its working stroke. The movement converting mechanism (18, 19) is arranged to act on the cylinder (15) at a position substantially outside the range of movement of the piston on its working stroke. The arrangement minimises the transmission of radial forces from the movement of the door to the cylinder (15).