US 12,480,559 B2
Rotary damper
Paul Brewer, Bristol (GB); Reg Raval, Yatton (GB); and Suat Bekircan, North East Somerset (GB)
Assigned to CLAVERHAM LIMITED, Solihull (GB)
Filed by Claverham Limited, Solihull (GB)
Filed on Nov. 11, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/679,535.
Claims priority of application No. 18214226 (EP), filed on Dec. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0200231 A1, Jun. 25, 2020
Int. Cl. F16F 9/14 (2006.01); B64C 27/00 (2006.01); F16F 9/32 (2006.01); F16F 9/38 (2006.01); F16F 9/43 (2006.01); F16F 9/58 (2006.01)
CPC F16F 9/145 (2013.01) [B64C 27/001 (2013.01); F16F 9/3207 (2013.01); F16F 9/38 (2013.01); F16F 9/437 (2013.01); F16F 9/58 (2013.01); B64C 2027/003 (2013.01); F16F 2222/12 (2013.01); F16F 2224/02 (2013.01); F16F 2224/0208 (2013.01); F16F 2224/0291 (2013.01); F16F 2226/048 (2013.01); F16F 2230/06 (2013.01); F16F 2232/02 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotary damper comprising:
a housing;
a fixed structure connected to the housing;
a rotor configured to rotate about an axis (R-R) relative to the fixed structure and including a projection that extends outwardly therefrom;
two opposing bellows each extending between and attached to both the rotor and the fixed structure, wherein the bellows each define a chamber for holding hydraulic fluid and are configured to expand and contract as the rotor rotates;
a damping orifice extending through the projection of the rotor such that fluid on one side of the projection can pass through the projection to another side of the projection as the projection rotates due to rotation of the rotor,
wherein the bellows are sealingly engaged around the damping orifice and the damping orifice permits fluid communication between the chambers defined by the bellows;
wherein the two opposing bellows are only in fluid communication with each other via the damping orifice and any fluid passing through the damping orifice is confined to the two opposing bellows;
wherein the damping orifice comprises:
a first opening at a first side of the rotor or the fixed structure;
a second opening at a second opposing side of the rotor or the fixed structure; and
a restriction between the first and second openings configured to restrict hydraulic fluid flow therethrough in order to damp the rotation of the rotor; and
wherein the housing surrounds the rotor and the bellows, wherein the housing comprises: first and second stop members circumferentially-spaced from each other relative to the axis (R-R) of rotation of the rotor;
wherein the rotor comprises a third stop member, wherein the third stop member is configured to engage the first or second stop member in order to limit the rotation of the rotor.