Rotary Damper with Threaded Engagement for Bidirectional Damping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rotary dampers for toilet lids and seats often have complex structures and require additional components like springs to achieve bidirectional damping, which complicates their design and increases manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

A rotary damper with a threaded engagement between two damper elements, allowing for bidirectional axial displacement of the damping medium, eliminating the need for additional springs and simplifying the structure while maintaining robustness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additional springs are used to achieve bidirectional damping, then the damping function is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebidirectional damping functionVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the damping function for both rotation directions into a single threaded engagement mechanism between the first and second damping elements. The threaded connection allows the second damping element to be axially displaced in either direction relative to the first damping element, eliminating the need for separate springs for each direction and simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The threaded engagement between the damping elements serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides bidirectional axial displacement, maintains preloading force in both directions, and enables the damping medium to be compressed in either rotation direction. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If additional springs are used to achieve bidirectional damping, then the damping function is improved, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebidirectional damping functionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the damping function for both rotation directions into a single threaded engagement mechanism between the first and second damping elements. The threaded connection allows the second damping element to be axially displaced in either direction relative to the first damping element, eliminating the need for separate springs for each direction and simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and eliminates the unnecessary springs from the traditional bidirectional damping mechanism. By using the threaded engagement between damping elements alone, the design removes redundant components, reducing both manufacturing complexity and material costs while maintaining the essential bidirectional damping function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If a robust structure is achieved with traditional designs, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural robustnessVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the damping function for both rotation directions into a single threaded engagement mechanism between the first and second damping elements. The threaded connection allows the second damping element to be axially displaced in either direction relative to the first damping element, eliminating the need for separate springs for each direction and simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 provides a robust, structurally simple damper that effectively dampens both directions of rotation with a single threaded engagement, offering adjustable damping properties and reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.

Implementation Method 1

a viscous damping medium in the housing... viscosity-related flow resistance that generates the actual damping effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscous damping: Viscous Damping

Implementation Method 2

the second damper element is coupled to the first damper element by means of a threaded engagement and is received radially in the first damper element... a rotation of the first damping element relative to the housing leads to an axial displacement of the second damping element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew mechanism: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP4083467B1Damper for a rotary motion, in particular of a toilet lid or seat
Publication Date: 2025.07.09 GEBERIT INT AG
  • EP4083467B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4083467B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4083467B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a rotary damper, in particular for toilet lids and seats, with two damper elements, one (8) of which is radially received within the other (13) and which are coupled by a threaded engagement.