Viscous damper with integral spring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10718145-B2
Application number	US-201615378846-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2016
Priority date	Dec 14, 2016
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

A viscous damper includes a damper housing and a shaft extending through the damper housing. The shaft includes a first exposed end and a second exposed end. A gear is mated to the first exposed end of the shaft. A spring is connected to the second exposed end of the shaft. A storage bin is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A viscous damper, comprising:
a damper housing;
a split shaft extending through said damper housing, said shaft including a first end exposed on a first side of the damper housing and a second end exposed on a second opposite side of the damper housing;
a gear mated to said first end;
a spring connected to said second end, wherein said spring is concentrically received over said split shaft and has a first spring end engaged in a first receiver in said second end of said shaft; and
a mounting boss supporting said damper housing, wherein said mounting boss includes a second receiver through which said spring extends.

2. The viscous damper of claim 1 , wherein said spring is a coil spring.

3. The viscous damper of claim 1 , wherein said mounting boss include a first abutment and a second abutment and said damper housing includes a first mounting lug in engagement with said first abutment and a second mounting lug in engagement with said second abutment.

4. The viscous damper of claim 3 , wherein said mounting boss includes a spring retainer and said coil spring includes a second spring end engaged with said spring retainer.

5. The viscous damper of claim 4 , further including a damping feature in said damper housing.

6. A storage bin, comprising:
a door;
a viscous damper connected to said door, said viscous damper including (a) a damper housing, (b) a shaft extending through said damper housing, said shaft including a first end and a second end, wherein the first and second ends are exposed on opposite sides of the damper housing, (c) a gear mated to said first end and (d) a spring connected to said second end, wherein said spring is concentrically received over said shaft and has a first spring end engaged in a first receiver in said second end of said shaft; and
a mounting boss supporting said damper housing, wherein said mounting boss includes a second receiver through which said spring extends.

7. The storage bin of claim 6 , wherein said spring is a coil spring.

8. The storage bin of claim 6 , wherein said mounting boss includes a first abutment and a second abutment and said damper housing includes a first mounting lug in engagement with said first abutment and a second mounting lug in engagement with said second abutment.

9. The storage bin of claim 8 , wherein said mounting boss includes a spring retainer and said coil spring includes a second spring end engaged with said spring retainer.

10. The storage bin of claim 9 , further including a damping feature in said damper housing.

11. The storage bin of claim 10 , further including a second gear fixed to said door, said second gear being aligned with a pivot axis for said door and meshing with said gear mated to said first end of said shaft.

12. A viscous damper, comprising:
a damper housing;
a mounting boss supporting said damper housing;
a shaft extending through said damper housing, said shaft including a first end exposed on a first side of the damper housing and a second end exposed on a second side of the damper housing;
a gear mated to said first end; and
a coil spring connected to said second end, wherein said coil spring is concentrically received over said shaft and has a first spring end engaged in a first receiver in said second exposed end of said shaft, and wherein said mounting boss includes a second receiver through which said coil spring extends.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Istok Michael
• Hill Anna Miller

Classifications

• E05F3/20

  in hinges · CPC title

• E05Y2900/538

  Interior lids · CPC title

• E05Y2201/484

  Torsion springs · CPC title

• E05F3/14 Primary

  with fluid brakes of the rotary type · CPC title

• E05F1/1008

  with a coil spring parallel with the pivot axis (E05F1/1207 takes precedence) · CPC title