ROTATION DAMPER

Abstract

A rotation damper for damping movement of a component includes a transmission element couplable to the component such that the transmission element is rotated during movement of the component, and including a rotatingly mounted rotor and also braking device which brakes a rotational movement of the rotor. A coupler couples the transmission element and the rotor for conjoint rotation in a first direction of rotation and decouples the same in a second, opposite direction of rotation. The coupler includes a support element on with an engagement element that is pivotable between an engagement position and a release position. The engagement element has at least one coupling portion, and the transmission element has at least one coupling portion which is in engagement with the at least one coupling portion of the engagement element. The coupling portions are formed in a complementary manner with respect to each other.

Claims

1. A rotation damper for damping the movement of a component, comprising a transmission element which is couplable to the component in such a manner that said transmission element is rotated during a movement of the component, and comprising a rotatingly mounted rotor and also braking means which brake a rotational movement of the rotor, furthermore comprising coupling means which couple the transmission element and the rotor for conjoint rotation in a first direction of rotation of the transmission element and decouple same in a second, opposite direction of rotation, wherein the coupling means comprise a support element on which at least one engagement element is mounted so as to be pivotable between an engagement position, in which the at least one engagement element is in engagement with an engagement structure of the rotor, the engagement structure being arranged radially on the outer side with respect to the at least one engagement element, and a release position, in which the at least one engagement element is not in engagement with the engagement structure of the rotor, wherein the at least one engagement element has at least one coupling portion, and wherein the transmission element has at least one coupling portion which is in engagement with the at least one coupling portion of the engagement element, wherein the coupling portions of the transmission element and of the at least one engagement element are formed in a complementary manner with respect to each other.

2. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one coupling portion of the at least one engagement element is at least one circular coupling projection, and wherein the at least one coupling portion of the transmission element is at least one circular coupling receptacle which is complementary to the at least one circular coupling projection.

3. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one engagement element has at least one clamping arm, the free end of which is in engagement with at least one clamping projection of the rotor in the engagement position.

4. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one engagement element is in engagement in a force-fitting manner with the engagement structure of the rotor in the engagement position.

5. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least three engagement elements are provided, and wherein the transmission element has at least three coupling portions.

6. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transmission element has a transmission portion on the circumference of which the at least three coupling portions are formed, wherein the at least three engagement elements with their coupling portions are arranged distributed uniformly over the circumference of the transmission portion.

7. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the braking means comprise a housing which is filled with a viscous liquid and in which the rotor is rotatably arranged.

8. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support element which pivotably supports the at least one engagement element is a support disk which is rotatable relative to the rotor.

9. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one rotary shaft for the rotatable mounting of the at least one engagement element is integrally formed on the support disk.

10. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one engagement element has a basic portion composed of a first material and an engagement portion which is in engagement with the engagement structure of the rotor in the engagement position and is composed of a second material which is softer than the first material.

11. A system comprising a rotation damper as claimed in claim 1 and a component which is coupled to the transmission element and which is mounted movably in a vehicle.

12. A rotation damper for damping movement of a component, comprising: a transmission element couplable to the component such that said transmission element is rotated during a movement of the component; a rotatingly mounted rotor mounted for a rotational movement within a housing that includes a viscous fluid for braking the rotational movement; a coupling element coupling the transmission element and the rotor for conjoint rotation in a first direction of rotation of the transmission element and decoupling the transmission element and the rotor in a second, opposite direction of rotation, wherein the coupling element includes a support element on which an engagement element is mounted so as to be pivotable between an engagement position, in which the engagement element is in engagement with an engagement structure of the rotor, the engagement structure being arranged radially outward of the engagement element, and a release position, in which the engagement element is not in engagement with the engagement structure of the rotor, wherein the engagement element has a coupling portion, and wherein the transmission element has a coupling portion in engagement with the coupling portion of the engagement element, wherein the coupling portion of the transmission element and the coupling portion of the engagement element are formed in a complementary manner with respect to each other.

13. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 12, wherein the coupling portion of the engagement element includes a circular coupling projection, and wherein the coupling portion of the transmission element includes a circular coupling receptacle which is complementary to the circular coupling projection.

14. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 13, wherein the engagement element has at least one clamping arm with a free end that is in engagement with a clamping projection of the rotor when the engagement element is in the engagement position.

15. The rotation damper as claimed in claim 14, wherein the engagement element is in engagement in a force-fitting manner with the engagement structure of the rotor when the engagement element is in the engagement position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to figures, in which, schematically:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a rotation damper according to the invention in a perspective exploded illustration,

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a partial top view of the rotation damper shown in FIG. 1 in the mounted state and in a first operating state, and

[0025] FIG. 3 shows the illustration from FIG. 2 in a second operating state.

[0026] Unless stated otherwise, the same reference signs in the figures denote identical objects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The rotation damper according to the invention that is shown in FIG. 1 has a housing 10 in which a rotor 12 is rotatably arranged. The housing 10 is filled with a viscous liquid, for example a silicone or oil, and therefore a rotational movement of the rotor 12 in the housing 10 leads to a braking action. An inner surface of the rotor 12 has an engagement structure 14 in the form of a plurality of clamping projections forming a toothing. Furthermore, the rotation damper comprises a support disk 16 which is rotatable in relation to the rotor 12 and on the upper side of which three rotary shafts 18 in the example shown are integrally formed. The rotary shafts 18 serve for the pivotable mounting of in each case one of three engagement elements 20. For this purpose, the engagement elements 20 each have a cylindrical receptacle 22 with which they are pushed onto the rotary shafts 18. The engagement elements 20 furthermore each have a clamping arm 24 and a circular coupling projection 26. The circular coupling projections 26 extend in the same manner as the engagement elements 20 with their clamping arms 24 overall in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the rotation damper, and therefore the circular coupling projections 26 each form the shape of a circular cylinder.

[0028] The rotation damper according to the invention furthermore comprises a transmission element 28 which has a head portion 30 with which said transmission element is couplable to a component to be damped in such a manner that the transmission element 28 is rotated during a movement of the component, for example a pivoting movement of the component, about its longitudinal axis which here also corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the housing 10 of the rotation damper. The head portion is not illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 for illustrative reasons. A transmission portion 32 of the transmission element 28 that, in the example shown, has three circular coupling receptacles 34 distributed uniformly over its circumference extends from the head portion 30. The coupling receptacles 34 form C-shaped circular receptacles for the coupling projections 26. The circular coupling receptacles 34 are each formed in a complementary manner to the coupling projections 26 of the engagement elements 20. In particular, the radius of the circular coupling receptacles 34 is substantially identical to the radius of the circular coupling projections 26. In the mounted state, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coupling projections 26 are thereby accommodated in the coupling receptacles 34 in a substantially play-free manner.

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates the release position of the engagement elements 20. Said release position is taken up when the transmission element 28 is rotated (by the movement of the component), in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2, as illustrated by the arrow 36. On account of the engagement of the coupling projections 26 in the coupling receptacles 34 and the explained pivotable mounting of the engagement elements 20 on the support disk 16, said rotational movement leads to simultaneous rotation of the support disk 16 with the transmission element 28 and to pivoting of the engagement elements 20 in a direction of rotation opposed to the direction of rotation of the transmission element 28 and of the support disk 16, i.e. counterclockwise in FIG. 2, into the release position which is shown in FIG. 2 and in which the clamping arms 24 each strike against a stop surface 38 of the transmission portion 32 of the transmission element 28. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the clamping arms 24 here are pivoted into a radially inner position in which they are not in engagement with the engagement structure 14 of the rotor 12. The rotational movement of the transmission element 28 and of the support disk 16 is therefore not transmitted to the rotor 12. A rotation in freewheeling form without a braking action of the rotor 12 and therefore damping of the component movement is accordingly possible.

[0030] If the transmission element 28 is now rotated in the opposed direction of rotation, for example starting from the release position shown in FIG. 2, i.e. counterclockwise in FIG. 3, as illustrated by the arrow 40, on account of the rolling of the coupling projections 26 in the coupling receptacles 34 a pivoting movement of the engagement elements 20 in the opposed direction of rotation, i.e. in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3, immediately occurs, with the clamping arms 24 of the engagement elements 20 coming into force-fitting engagement with the engagement structure 14, in particular in each case with a clamping projection of the engagement structure 14. In said engagement position, a rotational movement of the transmission element 28 in the direction of rotation 40 is then transferred into a corresponding rotational movement of the rotor 12 in the stationary housing 10, in particular in the viscous liquid located therein. By this means, a braking action and therefore damping of the component movement occurs. If, starting from FIG. 3, the transmission element 28 is rotated back again in the direction indicated in FIG. 2 by the arrow 36, a correspondingly oppositely directed pivoting movement of the engagement elements 20 immediately occurs in turn until the release position shown in FIG. 2 is reached.

[0031] By means of the complementary design of the coupling projections 26 and of the coupling receptacles 34, the coupling projections 26 are accommodated in the coupling receptacles 34 in a manner substantially free from play. A production of noise is thereby likewise minimized as is a required torque in the freewheeling form. Complicated guide measures for the engagement elements 20 can likewise be omitted. As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coupling of the coupling projections 26 and of the coupling receptacles 34 acts similarly to a planetary gear, by means of which the rotational movement of the transmission element 28 is transferred into a corresponding pivoting movement of the engagement elements 20 in the opposed direction.

[0032] It should also be pointed out that in particular the clamping arms 24, on their outer surfaces coming into engagement with the engagement structure 14 in the engagement position shown in FIG. 3, can have a layer composed of a softer material than the rest of the material of the engagement elements 20. By this means, a further reduction in noise can be achieved.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0033] 10 Housing [0034] 12 Rotor [0035] 14 Engagement structure [0036] 16 Support disk [0037] 18 Rotary shaft [0038] 20 Engagement element [0039] 22 Cylindrical receptacle [0040] 24 Clamping arm [0041] 26 Coupling projection [0042] 28 Transmission element [0043] 30 Head portion [0044] 32 Transmission portion [0045] 34 Coupling receptacles [0046] 36 Arrow [0047] 38 Stop surface [0048] 40 Arrow