Patent ID: 6695103
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: E05F,E05Y,F03G,F16F,H04M

Abstract:
A spring module comprising:a housing comprising a cylindrical sidewall, a first cap plate having an opening in the middle, a second cap plate, a partition between the first cap plate and the second cap plate, the partition having an opening in the middle, wherein the first cap plate, the sidewall, and the partition shape a first chamber, and the second cap plate, the sidewall, and the partition shape a second chamber, a spring shaft located in the first chamber, the first end of the spring shaft extending through the opening in the first cap plate and the second end of the spring shaft extending through the opening in the partition into the second chamber, a spring located in the first chamber, one end of the spring being fixed to the spring shaft and the other end of the spring being fixed in the cylindrical sidewall, wherein the spring is tightened by the application of an external rotating force to the first end of the spring shaft, a damping element comprising a damping plate and a damping shaft extending from the damping plate, the damping element located in the second chamber being filled with a viscous liquid, clutch means for connecting the damping element to the spring shaft when the tightened spring is released and for loosening the damping element from the spring shaft when the spring is tightened, the clutch means comprising a first toothed circular surface arranged at the head of the spring shaft located in the second chamber, a second toothed circular surface arranged at the head of the damping shaft, and a spring element between the damping plate and the second cap plate for pressing the second toothed circular surface against the first toothed circular surface, the spring element comprising at least one temperature dependent spring.