| Title of Invention | DAMPING ELEMENT |
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| Abstract | Disclosed is a damping element (1), especially for movable fimiture parts, comprising a linear damper which is provided with a cylinder (12) and a piston that is movable in the cylinder (12). The piston emcompasses a piston rod (15) which (15) is coupled thereto and is biased in a position that protrudes from the cylinder (12). The length of the stroke of the piston rod (15) relative to the cylinder (12) is adjustable such that the damping path can be adapted to the respective fimiture part. |
| Full Text | Dashing element The present invention relates to a damping element, in particular for movable furniture parts, having a linear damper comprising a cylinder and a piston that can move in the cylinder and to which a piston rod is coupled, the piston rod being pretensioned in a position projecting from the cylinder. From DE 202 05 07 6 a linear damper for movable furniture parts is known in which a cylinder and a piston rod that is located in the cylinder is provided. For a damping process the cylinder forms a ram into which the piston rod can be pressed against the force of a spring. A linear damper of this kind can damp the closing movement of movable furniture parts, such as cupboard doors or drawers, but it is specifically designed for a certain type of furniture in which the ram that is formed according to requirements and the cylinder form one unit. DE 2 02 00 798 discloses a damping mechanism for movable furniture parts in which a linear damper is provided with a cylinder and a piston that is pretensioned by a spring. The linear damper can be displaced in a housing via a screw, so the point of contact for damping a furniture part is adjusted. The maximum stroke of the linear damper remains constant however, a different adjusting range of the stroke only being used for damping when the linear damper is displaced. If the fitted position of the linear damper is adjusted, a short adjusting range of the linear damper can thus be used for example but there is then the problem that due to the spring and damper lower forces exist in the starting region of the damping movement and the higher forces that occur at the end of the maximum stroke due to the spring of the linear damper cannot be used. With this mode of adjustment the damping element is always used starting from the fully extended position through to a partially retracted position. The end position of the damper is only attained in the case of the maximum adjusting range. There is also the drawback that the forces that occur, in particular also the forces caused by dynamic damping, act directly on the adjusting mechanism and this can lead to premature wear with long-term use. The overall length is also high owing to the adjusting mechanism which is arranged in the direction of movement of the damper. It is therefore the object of the present invention to create a damping element which with respect to the damping forces can be adapted for different application purposes and can therefore be used for different furniture parts. A defined end position of the linear damper should always be attained in the process. It should also be possible to decouple the damping forces that occur from an adjusting mechanism. This object is achieved with a damping element having the features of claim 1. According to the invention the length of the stroke of the piston rod can be adjusted relative to the cylinder. The damping element can consequently be universally used for different 'movable furniture parts, it being possible to adjust the damping distance to the corresponding furniture part, wherein it is not the linear damper that is adjusted but the extension distance of the piston rod because lightweight furniture parts usually only require a shorter damping distance than heavier furniture parts and the type of furniture can, moreover, also be relevant to the damping distance required. In this regard one and the same damping element can be adapted for different purposes. The same pretensioning spring force in each case is effective at the end of the damping distance regardless of how long the stroke of the piston rod is adjusted relative to the cylinder. It is of course also possible to adjust the pretensioning force of the spring in order to be able make a further adjustment. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention adjusting means are provided to insert the piston rod into the cylinder against the force of a spring. The adjusting means can form a stop in order to limit the extension movement of the piston rod from the cylinder. The stroke of the piston rod may thereby be limited relative to the cylinder and the damping distance can be changed accordingly. Irrespective of how long the damping distance is, the pretensioning of the spring is also used in addition to the dynamic damping forces to avoid slamming of a movable furniture part, for example of a door. Owing to the dynamic damper the adjusting means can also be decoupled from the forces that result. The damping element preferably comprises a housing that can be mounted on a furniture part and from which a ram that is coupled to the piston rod or cylinder projects. The cylinder and the piston rod are then received in the housing so as to be protected and only the ram projects from the housing, so a movable component, such as a hinged part or a moveable furniture part, can be placed against the ram to insert it into the housing. It is of course also possible to allow a movable component to act directly on the cylinder or piston rod of the linear damper. The adjusting means can comprise an arcuate guide by means of which a limiting element for the stroke can be adjusted relative to the housing. An actuator can then continuously adjust the length of the stroke via the adjusting means^ depending on how long the damping distance should be. The adjusting means can be constructed as an adjusting disc for this purpose, on which a spiral-shaped arcuate guide is formed into which a pin of a limiting element engages. For a compact construction the limiting element can comprise a web which engages through a slot in the housing into a recess on the ram, A damping element can then be formed using only a few components. The ram can cooperate with a hinge element to which a pivotal furniture door is fixed. It is also possible to use the damping element in drawers or other moved furniture parts, The adjusting means can also be formed by a latchable slide or a latchable lever, so the damping distance can be adjusted. A stop that can be fixed in different positions can also be provided. The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter using a plurality of embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a damping element according to the invention in the fitted state, Figs. 2r 3 shows two views of the damping element of Fig. 1 in different positions, Figs. 4, 5r 6 and 7 show various views of the damping element of Fig. 1 in different positions. Fig. 8 shows an exploded view of the damping element of Fig. 1, Fig. 9 shows an exploded view of a further embodiment of a damping element, Fig. 10 shows a perspective, sectional view of a damping element according to a further embodiment. Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of a damping element, and Fig. 12 shows a force-distance graph of a damping element according to the invention. A damping element 1 is used to damp the movement of movable furniture parts and comprises a plate 2 which can be fixed by screws to a pivotal door 3. A housing 4, within which further components of the damping element 1 are arranged so as to be protected, is assembled on the plate 2. The door 3 is held on a fixed furniture body 5, on which a hinged part 6 is mounted, on which the plate 2 is pivotally held by a joint mechanism 7. A further plate 8, to which the hinged part 6 is fixed, is assembled on the furniture body 5, it being possible to adjust the position of the door 3 relative to the furniture body 5 via screws 9. At the end of the closing movement the movement of the door 3 relative to the furniture body 5 should be damped to prevent slamming of the door 3. A damping element 1 is provided with a ram 10 for this purpose, the ram abutting the hinged part 6 and it being possible for the ram 10 to be made from plastics material, metal or a different material. As shown in Fig. 2, the ram 10 projects from the housing 4 and when the door 3 is open no longer rests on the hinged part 6. The ram 10 is coupled to a cylinder 12, for example by a clamping or latching joint, which is part of a linear damper. An adjusting disc 11 is also provided in order to be able to adjust the damping distance. Fig, 3 shows the position of the door 3 at which the hinged part 6 rests on the ram 10. In this position the hinged part 6 presses against the ram 10 and moves it into the housing 4, the ram 10 acting on the cylinder 12 of the linear damper which generates dynamic and static damping forces. Fig. 4 shows the damping element 1 in detail, a piston rod 15 being provided next to the cylinder in the housing 4, it being possible for the rod to be moved into the cylinder 12, Cylinder 12 and piston rod 15 can be constructed as is described in DE 202 05 075. Other forms of linear damper may also be used, the piston rod 15 being pushed out of the cylinder 12 via a spring. To cushion the dynamic movement hydraulic or pneumatic damping elements can be used. The damping forces that occur are not introduced onto an adjusting mechanism, unlike in the prior art, but directly into the housing 4 which can be permanently assembled accordingly. The cylinder 12 and the piston rod 15 are arranged in an interior 16 of the housing 4, the spacing of the cylinder 12 from an end-face wall of the housing 4 predefining the length 1 up to which the cylinder 12 can be moved. The ram 10 can also be pushed into the housing 4 up to this length. The length 1 is also predefined by adjusting means which comprise a limiting element 13 that engages into a recess 14 on the ram 10. The ram 10, together with the cylinder 12, cannot be moved further from the housing 4 due to the spring inside the cylinder 12. The limiting element 13 is coupled to the adjusting disc 11, it being possible to limit the maximum damping distance by rotating the adjusting disc 11. Fig. 5 shows a position in which the piston rod 15 projects further from the cylinder 12 than in Fig, 4. This results in a longer damping distance L, the limiting element 13 having been moved to the right accordingly for this purpose to lengthen the damping distance. Fig. 6 shows a position in which the furniture door 3 is closed and the hinged part 6 presses against the ram 10. The cylinder 12 accordingly rests on the housing 4 and the piston rod 15 is arranged inside the cylinder. The maximum length H of the stroke that can be executed by the cylinder 12 and the ram 10 can thus be seen between the limiting element 13 and a wall of the ram 10. If the limiting element 13 were moved slightly more to the right, the stroke would increase accordingly. Fig. 7 shows a fitting situation of the damping element 1 in which the furniture door is also in the closed position and the hinged part 6 rests on the ram 10, In this case the cylinder 12 is not directly arranged on the housing 4 however, but arranged at a spacing b from the housing 4. The maximum stroke length of the damping element is thus not used and, in particular, the last part of the damping distance, in which the spring deploys its greatest force inside the cylinder, is not used. A fitting situation of this kind can be expedient in particular for more lightweight furniture parts in which the maximum resilience is not necessarily required to decelerate the movement. A maximum stroke H also results between limiting element 13 and a wall of the ram 10 in this fitting situation. Fig. 8 shows in detail the damping element according to the invention in an exploded view. The housing 4 comprises a cylindrical recess for the cylinder 12 and the projecting piston rod 15. An adjusting disc 11, in which a spiral-shaped arcuate guide 17 is recessed, is provided below the housing 4, The adjusting disc 11 can be rotated about a shaft which engages into an opening 18 on the adjusting disc 11. The limiting element 13 is formed by a U-shaped clip 20, at the ends of the legs of which upwardly projecting webs 21 are formed. These webs 21 penetrate slots 22 in the housing 4 and are then guided into the receivers 14 on the ram 10. A pin 19 is also formed on the U-shaped clip 20 [on] the side facing the adjusting disc 11 and engages into the spiral-shaped arcuate guide 17. By rotating the adjusting disc 11 the position of the limiting element 13 can be adjusted in the direction of the stroke of the cylinder 12. It is thus possible to reduce the extension distance of the piston rod 15 while the maximum retracted position is defined by the abutment of the cylinder 12 on the housing 4, Figs, 9 to 11 show modified embodiments of a damping element. The same components are provided with the same reference numerals in these cases. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 9 a lever 13' is provided as the limiting element and is pivotally mounted on the housing, the lever 13' being rotatably arranged about a pin 30. The lever 13' comprises a handle portion 33 which proj ects from the housing and can be pivoted. A curved slot 31 into which a pin of the lever 13' engages is also recessed from the housing, the pin also being inserted in a recess 14' on the ram 10. The pin thus forms a type of stop in order to be able to adjust the maximum extension movement of the damping element. Latching elements are also provided on the lever 13' and cooperate with corresponding receivers 34 on the housing, so the lever 13' can latch in different positions. In the embodiment of a damping element shown in Fig, 10 a limiting element 13' is provided that is constructed as a movable slide. The slide can be moved within a recess 14' ' of the ram 10, the slide 13' ' being outwardly pretensioned by a spring, A shoulder-like projection 4 0 is pushed into latching teeth 41 thereby, so the slide 13' can be pressed downwards and is then moved into the desired position. It then engages and can limit the maximum stroke of a cylinder 12 of a linear damper. Fig. 11 shows a further embodiment of a damping elemeHt in which the stroke is limited by a stop 13"' on which a pin 52 is formed that can be inserted in adjacent openings 50, 51 and is then fixed there. The pin 52 also engages into a recess lA'' on the ram 10, so the stop 13"' limits the maximum stroke movement of a cylinder 12 and the ram 10, Fig. 12 shows a force-distance graph of the damping element according to the invention. The force due to the spring increases within the linear damper as the distance increases, so at the end there is a higher force than at the start of the damping movement. The limiting device 13, 13' , 13' ', 13' ' can adjust the maximum stroke H of the ram 10 and cylinder 12, i.e. the spacing between points X2 and X3. A further possible stroke v between points xi and X2 is not then used in the damping element 1. In the closed position of the door the resilience has a maximum value at position X3 however, and this is independent of the length of the stroke. If desired the damping element can of course also be displaced such that only the portion with a lower resilience is used for the damping movement, as is shown in Fig. 7. Both the resilience and the damping distance can be optimally adjusted to the corresponding furniture part using the damping element according to the invention. The ram 10 can also be replaced and longer and shorter rams can be used to satisfy a modified fitting situation. In the illustrated embodiments the piston rod 15 in each case rests on the housing 4. It is of course also possible to arrange the cylinder 12 on the housing and to couple the piston rod to the ram 10. With an appropriate' construction the ram can also be directly formed by the cylinder 12 or the piston rod 15, in order to require the fewest possible components for the damping element. In the illustrated embodiment the damping element is used on a hinge element, the damping element having been fastened to the door. It is of course also possible to assemble the damping element on the furniture body. The damping element can also be used in other pieces of furniture, for example in drawer guides, and other furniture fittings. Different mechanisms for adjusting the maximum stroke are also disclosed. Other mechanisms can also be used here to limit the maximum stroke without departing from the fundamental idea of the invention. The cylinder 12 can also be directly moved against a movable furniture part, for example if the ram 10 is to be omitted. In the illustrated embodiments the damping element is integrated in the furniture fitting,- i.e. is assembled on the furniture together with the furniture fitting. It is of course also possible to assemble the damping element separately from the furniture fitting and to therefore retrofit existing furniture. The damping element can also be detachably connected to a furniture fitting in order to be assembled as required, it being possible to use known latching or clamping elements, screw connections or other mechanisms for connection. Amended claims (received at the International Office on 20 November 2006) 1. Damping element (1), in particular for movable furniture parts, having a housing (4) that can be mounted on a furniture part, a linear damper comprising a cylinder {12) and a piston that can move in the cylinder (12) and to which a piston rod (15) is coupled, and a ram (10) which projects from the housing (4) and is coupled to the piston rod (15) or the cylinder (12) , the piston rod (15) of the linear damper being pretensioned in a position projecting from the cylinder (12), characterised in that adjusting means (11, 13, 14; 13'; 13'; 13'') are provided which form a stop to limit the extension movement of the ram (10), and therewith the piston rod (15), from the cylinder (12), it being possible to adjust the length of the stroke of the piston rod (15) relative to the cylinder (12), 2. Damping element according to claim 1, characterised in that the piston rod (15) can be inserted into the cylinder (12) against the force of a spring via the adjusting means (11, 13, 14; 13'; 13"; 13"'). 3. Damping element according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the adjusting means comprise an arcuate guide (17) by means of which a limiting element (13) for the strolce can be adjusted relative to the housing (4). 4. Damping element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the adjusting means comprise an actuator (11) for continuous adjustment of the length of the stroke. 5. Damping element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the adjusting means comprise an adjusting disc (11) in which a spiral-shaped arcuate guide (17) is formed and into which a pin (19) of a limiting element (13) engages. 6. Damping element according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the .limiting element" (13) comprises a web (21) which engages through a slot (22) in the housing (4) into a recess (14) on the ram (10), 7. Damping element according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the ram (10) cooperates with a hinge element to which a pivotal furniture door (3) is fixed. 8. Damping element according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the adjusting means are formed by a latchable slide (13') of a latchable lever (13'). 9. Damping element according to any one of claims 1 to 1, characterised in that the adjusting means is formed by a stop (13'') that can be fixed in different positions. |
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| Patent Number | 271741 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Indian Patent Application Number | 355/CHENP/2008 | ||||||||||||||||||
| PG Journal Number | 10/2016 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 04-Mar-2016 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Grant Date | 02-Mar-2016 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of Filing | 22-Jan-2008 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Name of Patentee | Hettich-ONI GmbH & Co. KG | ||||||||||||||||||
| Applicant Address | INDUSTRIESTRASSE ,11-13, 32602 VLOTHO, GERMANY | ||||||||||||||||||
Inventors:
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| PCT International Classification Number | E05F 5/10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| PCT International Application Number | PCT/EP06/64058 | ||||||||||||||||||
| PCT International Filing date | 2006-07-10 | ||||||||||||||||||
PCT Conventions:
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