An exemplary closure assembly includes a rail assembly and a door assembly movably mounted to the rail assembly. The door assembly includes a rotary damper having a pinion, and the rail assembly includes a rack member operable to engage the pinion. As the door moves from first position to a second position, the rack member engages the pinion, thereby causing the pinion to rotate in a first rotational direction. The rotary damper resists rotation of the pinion in the first direction, thereby slowing movement of the door toward the second position. The rotary damper may be a one-way damper that does not resist rotation of the pinion in a second rotational direction such that the rotary damper does not resist movement of the door from the second position toward the first position.

A counterbalance mechanism for coupling with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the closure panel, the counterbalance mechanism including: a housing coupled at one end to one of the closure panel and a body of a vehicle by a first connector and at another end by a second connector to the other of the body and the closure panel, the housing containing an extension member and a spring positioned along a longitudinal axis, the spring positioned adjacent to the first connector; the first connector having a body with a connection portion coupled by a connection to an end of the housing positioned at the one end; and a spring retention mechanism for inhibiting extension of the spring out of the one end of the housing, the spring retention mechanism including: a spring retainer positioned between the spring and the end; and a retainer pin positioned between the spring retainer and the end; wherein upon decoupling of the connection portion with the end, the retainer pin inhibits movement of the spring and the spring retainer towards the one end along the longitudinal axis.

Systems and devices to control rotational and/or arcuate motion are provided herein. In some examples, a hinge system is configured to replace a conventional door hinge and to control motion of the door. In some examples, a hinge system is configured to replace a conventional door hinge and to control motion of the door by employing a shear thickening fluid. In some examples, a door closure system is configured to replace a conventional door hinge and to control motion of the door by employing two opposing springs.

Systems and devices to control rotational and/or arcuate motion are provided herein. In some examples, a hinge system is configured to replace a conventional door hinge and to control motion of the door. In some examples, a hinge system is configured to replace a conventional door hinge and to control motion of the door by employing a shear thickening fluid. In some examples, a door closure system is configured to replace a conventional door hinge and to control motion of the door by employing two opposing springs.

Systems and devices to control rotational and/or arcuate motion are provided herein. In some examples, a hinge system is configured to replace a conventional door hinge and to control motion of the door. In some examples, a hinge system is configured to replace a conventional door hinge and to control motion of the door by employing a shear thickening fluid. In some examples, a door closure system is configured to replace a conventional door hinge and to control motion of the door by employing two opposing springs.

This invention discloses a door opener, comprising a shell consisting of an upper cover plate (1) and a lower cover plate (2). The key is that a pushing device for pushing the door to rotate is provided in the shell. An end of a driving device, which has one or more springs, can drive, via a rotating member (3), the pushing device to rotate. A locking/releasing device, which cooperates with the driving device, is provided at the other end of the driving device. The structure of this invention is unique. It allows the door to be conveniently opened and will not cause any possible harm to the users.

A hinged device with dampening of the opening (A) and/or closing (C) end strokes of a door of an appliance includes a first element (3) to be fixed to a body and a second element (5) to be fixed to the door of the appliance and hinged by a hinge pin (7) so that the door rotates along the opening (A) and closing (C) end strokes and an intermediate (I) stroke around the hinge pin (7). The device includes a cradle (11) sliding into the first element (3) and a connecting rod (13) connected to the cradle (11) and to the second element (5) for translation, following the door rotation, of the cradle (11) that slidably houses a damper (21) of variable length and provided with sliding members (25, 27) sliding into first slots (31) of the cradle (11) and into second slots (33) of the first element (3).

A hinge having a hinge cup, an articulation mechanism and a hinge arm, wherein the hinge cup is connected to the hinge arm in a pivotable manner via the articulation mechanism. The articulation mechanism includes first and second articulated levers attached to the hinge cup and to the hinge arm. The first articulated lever has a first end connected to the hinge cup in a pivotable manner via a first bearing element and has a second end connected to the hinge arm in a pivotable manner via a second bearing element. The second articulated lever has a first end connected to the hinge cup in a pivotable manner via a fourth bearing element and has a second element connected to the hinge arm in a pivotable manner via a third bearing element.

An appliance includes a hinge module between a main body and a pull-down door. The hinge module includes a housing, a rotational axis member disposed in the housing serving as a center of rotation between the pull-down door and the main body, an inner link housing movably disposed in the housing that moves with the opening of the pull-down door in a direction of the rotational axis member, and a damper installed in the inner link housing, the damper including a piston and a cylinder and providing damping force according to a relative movement of the piston and the cylinder. Any one of the piston and the cylinder of the damper moves with the inner link housing and the other of the piston and the cylinder of the damper moves by a predetermined distance as the inner link housing moves and then is interfered by the housing so as not to move further, and the piston and the cylinder of the damper starts damping, wherein the predetermined distance corresponds to an opening angle of the pull-down door in which the damping is started.

A damper for fittings for furniture or household appliances has a housing in which a piston connected to a piston rod is guided in a linearly displaceable manner, the piston dividing an interior space in the housing into two chambers, wherein at least one flow channel is formed on or in the piston, which flow channel connects the two chambers to one another, wherein a throttle element is provided, which, in a damping position, keeps the cross-section of the at least one flow channel small when the piston moves in a first direction in order to generate high damping forces, and when the piston moves in the second direction opposite to the first direction, increases the cross-section of the at least one flow channel for reducing the damping forces by a movement of the throttle element.