Patent Abstract:
An opening and closing member with a rotary damper for use in a western style stool or piano and the like which facilitates easy control of the rotary damper and easy assembly. Hinge members corresponding to an opening and closing member side are adjacently disposed at the same side of respective hinge members on a side of a proper member. The rotary damper having a particular directivity is disposed between hinge members facing each other. The opening and closing member is swivellably journalled on the proper member about an axis of rotation of the rotary dampers, and the damping power of the rotary damper is applied to the swiveling motion as the opening and closing member swivels with the rotary damper on its axis.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an opening and closing mechanism with a damper for use in a western style stool or piano. 
         [0002]    Heretofore, as shown in  FIG. 5 , in the western style stool, a pair of hinge elements  4 ,  6  is provided at the side of the stool proper member  2 , and a pair of hinge members  10 ,  12  is provided at the side of an opening and closing member  8  of a lavatory seat or lavatory lid. Hinge member  10  is disposed at the right side of hinge element  4  of the stool proper member  2 . Hinge member  12  is disposed at the left side of hinge element  6 . Hinge element  4  and hinge member  10 , and hinge element  6  and hinge member  12  are connected by rotary dampers  14  and  16 , respectively. The damping power of rotary members  14 ,  16  has a direction property of asymmetry type which was disclosed in the official gazette of Japanese Patent Kokai H-10-20167 70. 
         [0003]    In  FIG. 5 , a mounting member  14   b  with rotation skid face is formed on a cylindrical housing  14   a  of rotary damper  14 . Mounting member  14   b  is tied to a mounting portion  4   a  with rotation skid face that is formed on the side of hinge element  4 . A mounting member  14   d  with rotation skid face is formed on an axial portion of a rotary member  14   c  which projects from housing  14   a , and mounting member  14   d  is tied to mounting portion  10   a  with rotation skid face formed on the side of hinge member  10 . 
         [0004]    A relationship between rotary damper  16 , hinge element  6 , and hinge member  12  resembles the mounting structure mentioned above. Rotary dampers  14  and  16  are disposed on an identical axis and are disposed on the left and right sides, respectively, of the opening and closing mechanism shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0005]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , a construction is illustrated wherein hinge members  10  and  12  are disposed at different sides of hinge elements  4  and  6 , respectively. Hinge element  4  and hinge member  10 , and hinge element  6  and hinge member  12  are of a bilateral symmetry. However, rotary damper  14  disposed between hinge element  4  and hinge member  10  and rotary damper  16  disposed between hinge element  6  and hinge member  12 , end up with a relationship whose relative rotating direction against the housing of the rotary member is reversed. 
         [0006]    Namely, in  FIG. 5 , when the cover portion (illustration is omitted) of opening and closing member  8  is swiveled about rotary dampers  14  and  16  to a standing up position from the cover closed position where it extends perpendicular to the page, rotary member  14   c  rotates in a clockwise direction relative to housing  14   a , and rotary member  16   c  rotates in a counterclockwise direction relative to housing  16   a.    
         [0007]    Accordingly, when a rotary damper whose damping power is of asymmetric type is used, two kinds of rotary damper are required, one whose damping direction is for clockwise rotation and another whose damping direction is for counterclockwise rotation. For this reason, control of component parts becomes complicated, and moreover, mass production cannot be expected. Furthermore, in the case of mounting the rotary damper, when two rotary dampers of different types are erroneously installed in each other&#39;s proper locations, the proper rotation cannot be transmitted to the rotary damper and the desired damping characteristic cannot be obtained. 
         [0008]    An object of the present invention is to solve the foregoing problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In one aspect of the invention, at least two hinge elements are provided at the side of a proper member and are separated by a predetermined interval. At least two hinge members are provided on an opening and closing member side and correspond to each of the hinge elements. Each of the hinge members is disposed in opposition to the same side of the respective hinge element. A mounting member for a rotary damper is provided at each hinge member. The rotary damper has asymmetric damping power, mounting members at both ends, and is disposed between the hinge elements of the proper member and the hinge members of the opening and closing member which are disposed in opposition. The mounting member at one side of the rotary damper is tied to the mounting portion provided at a hinge element of the proper member, and the mounting member of the other side of the rotary damper is tied to the mounting portion provided on a hinge member of the opening and closing member. In the foregoing construction, the opening and closing member is swivelly journalled at the proper member with the axis of rotary damper  30  as a rotation center, and the damping power of the rotary damper is applied to the swiveling motion of the opening and closing member with the rotary damper as the pivot. 
         [0010]    Furthermore, the present invention is constructed such that the rotary damper is composed of a cylindrical housing and a rotary member rotatably housed in the housing that rotates relative to the housing. A mounting member of the rotary damper is formed at an end portion of the housing, and another mounting member of the rotary damper is formed at another end portion of the housing. The shape of the mounting member at one end of the rotary damper and of the mounting member at the other end is symmetric. 
         [0011]    The present invention is constructed such that during operation each of a plurality of dampers rotates in the same direction regardless of orientation. It should be appreciated that using one kind of rotary damper is sufficient for achieving the objects of the invention, and that using one kind of rotary damper facilitates easier control of component parts and facilitates mass production of the opening and closing mechanism. 
         [0012]    Furthermore, during assembly, there is no apprehension of making a mistake with respect to the mounting positions of the right and left rotary dampers, and as a result, the assembly process can be efficiently carried out. 
         [0013]    Moreover, during assembly, workers may disregard the fitting directions of the rotary dampers which facilitates efficient assembly of the opening and closing mechanism. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  2 C are a plan view, a left end view and a right end view, respectively, of an explanatory drawing of an appearance of the rotary damper. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 3A-3D  are sectional views illustrating the operation of the rotary damper. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a conventional opening and closing mechanism. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The present invention will be described in detail by referring to the attached drawings. In  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  18  denotes a proper member composed of proper members such as a western style stool or piano and a variety of storage boxes with a lid or cover. Hinge elements  22 ,  24  consist of projecting members. The hinge elements  22  and  24  are provided on proper member  18  at locations corresponding to attachment locations of an opening and closing member  20 . Opening and closing member  20  may be, for example, a stool seat or a stool lid of proper member  18  or a lid of a piano. The attachment locations are spaced at a predetermined interval. 
         [0020]    In the exemplary embodiment, two hinge elements  22  and  24  are provided. However, it should be appreciated that more than two hinge elements may be provided in other embodiments. Hinge members  26  and  28  are formed on opening and closing member  20 , are separated by a predetermined interval, and are in correspondence to hinge elements  22  and  24  of the proper member  18 . The hinge members  26  and  28  of opening and closing member  20  are disposed adjacent to the left sides S 1  and S 2  of hinge elements  22  and  24 , respectively. It should be understood that in other embodiments, hinge members  26  and  28  of opening and closing member  20  may be arranged adjacent to the right sides of hinge elements  22  and  24 , respectively. 
         [0021]    Housing storing portions  34  and  36 , and  38  and  40 , store a cylindrical housing  30   a  of a rotary damper  30 . Housing storing portions  34  and  36  are bored in hinge element  22  and hinge member  26 , respectively. Likewise, housing storing portions  38  and  40  are bored in hinge element  24  and hinge member  28 , respectively. Housing storing portions  34  and  36  are adjacent and opposed to each other about an identical axis. Similarly, housing storing portions  38  and  40  are adjacent and opposed to each other about the identical axis. 
         [0022]    Furthermore, damper mounting portions  22   a  and  26   a  have mutually identical shapes with rotation skid faces, and are bored in housing storage portions  34  and  36 , respectively. Likewise, damper mounting portions  24   a  and  28   a  have mutually identical shapes with rotation skid faces, and are bored in housing storage portions  38  and  40 , respectively. Damper mounting portions  22   a  and  26   a , and  24   a  and  28   a , are bored to align on the identical axis. Damper mounting portions  22   a  and  24   a  open to sides S 1  and S 2 , respectively, of hinge elements  22  and  24 . Damper mounting portions  26   a  and  28   a  open to sides S 3  and S 4 , respectively, of hinge members  26  and  28 . Rotary damper  30  is mounted from these open sides. Each rotary damper  30  is composed of a housing  30   a  of a cylindrical type that is filled with oil, and a rotary member  30   b  that fits rotatably in housing  30   a . In the exemplary embodiment, rotary damper  30  is an asymmetrical type rotary damper that outputs different damping characteristics determined by the rotating direction of a structure illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The asymmetrical type rotary damper has damping power that works on the load by a relative rotating direction of rotary member  30   b  against housing  30   a . The asymmetrical type rotary damper  30  has torque working on rotary housing  30   a  that changes sequentially from a first low torque to a second low torque, from the second low torque to a first high torque, and then from the first high torque to a second high torque as shown in  FIGS. 3(A) ,  3 (B),  3 (C) and  3 (D), respectively. Rotary member  30   b  makes a relative rotation from an initial position shown in  FIG. 3A  clockwise against housing  30   a.    
         [0023]    When rotary member  30   b  rotates relative to rotary housing  30   a  counterclockwise against housing  30   a  from the second high torque shown in  FIG. 3D , the torque working on rotary member  30   b  sequentially changes from the second high torque shown in  FIG. 3D , to the first high torque shown in  FIG. 3C , to the second low torque shown in  FIG. 3B , and to the first low torque shown in  FIG. 3A . The internal structure of the asymmetric type rotary damper  30  as shown in  FIG. 3  is disclosed in the official gazette of Japanese patent laid open publication (TOKKAI) 2001-349364, and is hitherto open to the public, and moreover, the present invention is not particularly limited to the rotary damper housing of the internal structure shown in  FIG. 3  so that its detailed description is omitted. 
         [0024]    In the exemplary embodiment, each rotary damper  30  includes mounting members  30   c  and  30   e  that are axially positioned at the left and right sides, respectively, of housing  30   a , as shown in  FIG. 2A . Thus configured, housing  30   a  and mounting members  30   c  and  30   e  form a bilaterally symmetric rotary damper  30 . Mounting members  30   c  and  30   e  are identically shaped, include an axial skid face “a”, and rotate on the identical axis of housing  30   a . It should be appreciated that each housing  30   a  includes a viscous fluid for producing a damping effect and includes a cap  30   d.    
         [0025]    Each housing  30   a  is rotatably fitted and disposed in housing storing portions  34  and  36 , and  38  and  40 . Specifically, mounting members  30   c  and  30   e  are fitted, disposed on, and tied to corresponding mounting portions  26   a  and  22   a , and  28   a  and  24   a , respectively. A stopper  42  is positioned on proper member  18  proximate a left side of hinge member  28  to prevent opening and closing member  20  from moving left towards hinge element  22 . 
         [0026]    In the foregoing construction, when the lid portion (illustration omitted) of opening and closing member  20  is swiveled to open from a closed position where it is oriented perpendicular to the page of  FIG. 1 , it rotates counterclockwise about hinge elements  22  and  24  as viewed from the arrow mark direction A of  FIG. 1 . At this time, housing  30   a  of rotary damper  30  on the left side rotates counterclockwise relative to left side rotary member  30   b . Similarly, housing  30   a  of rotary damper  30  on the right side rotates counterclockwise relative to right side rotary member  30   b . As a result, the rotating directions of rotary dampers  30  of the right and left sides is identical. 
         [0027]    For this reason, the same kind of asymmetric type rotary damper  30  can be used for the right and left side hinge members  26  and  28 , respectively. Rotary dampers  30  are mounted on the right and left sides of  FIG. 1 , respectively. Rotary dampers  30  are mounted in hinge elements  22  and  24  such that each mounting member  30   e  is oriented on the right side of each damper  30  and is positioned within one of mounting portions  22   a  and  24   a . Similarly, each mounting member  30   c  is oriented on the left side of each damper  30  and is positioned within one of mounting portions  26   a  and  28   a . However, it should be appreciated that dampers  30  may be oriented differently by rotating them through one-hundred-eighty degrees such that mounting members  30   c  and  30   e  face in opposite directions. That is, mounting members  30   c  and  30   e  face in left and right directions of  FIG. 1 , respectively. Thus, the orientation of dampers  30  is optional. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  shows an alternative embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism. Specifically, the opening and closing mechanism includes left and right side rotary dampers  30  mounted such that the left side rotary damper  30  is oriented to have mounting members  30   c  face left and mounting member  30   e  face right, and such that the right side rotary damper  30  is rotated one-hundred-eighty degrees such that mounting member  30   c  faces right and mounting member  30   e  faces left. In this alternative embodiment, when opening and closing member  20  is swiveled open from the closed position, rotary member  30   b  of right side rotary damper  30  rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the arrow mark direction A. Moreover, housing  30   a  of the right side rotary damper  30  rotates counterclockwise relative to rotary member  30   b , and as a result, the left and right side rotary dampers  30  rotate in identical directions. Consequently, during assembly, workers have the option of installing or mounting right and left side rotary dampers  30  in more than one orientation between hinge element  22  and hinge member  26 , and between hinge element  24  and hinge member  28 , respectively. The asymmetric type rotary dampers  30  to be used in this invention are such as the rotary damper disclosed in the Japanese official gazette of publicly known TOKKAI H-282039 or other types such as the rotary dampers of a structure with different torque characteristics depending on the rotating direction. 
         [0029]    It should be appreciated that although the exemplary embodiments describe rotary dampers  30  as having bilateral symmetry, in other embodiments, rotary dampers  30  are not limited to the embodiment of a bilateral symmetry. In another alternative embodiment, mounting members  30   c  and  30   e  are of different shape, mounting portions  26   a  and  28   a  are formed so as to be suitable for the shape of mounting member  30   c , and mounting portions  22   a  and  24   a  are formed so as to be suitable for the shape of mounting member  30   e.    
         [0030]    In yet another alternative embodiment, mounting members  30   c  and  30   e  are formed in a different shape, mounting portions  22   a  and  24   a  are formed in a different shape, and mounting portions  26   a  and  28   a  may be formed in a structure suitable to the shape of the mounting member  30   e . Furthermore, mounting member  30   c  may be shaped to a shape suitable for any of the mounting portions  22   a ,  24   a ,  26   a ,  28   a . If mounting member  30   e  has a shape suitable for any of mounting portions  22   a ,  24   a ,  26   a ,  28   a , the same operation and effect identical with the case of using rotary damper  30  wherein mounting member  30   c  and mounting member  30   e , shown in  FIG. 2  are identical, can be obtained, although mounting member  30   c  and mounting member  30   e  are not necessarily of identical shape. Furthermore, in this case, mounting member  30   c  and mounting member  30   e  of mutually different shapes may be made suitable for any of mounting portions  22   a ,  24   a ,  26   a    28   a  with the use of adapters and the like. 
       CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0031]    This application is a divisional of Application No. 11/237,914, filed Sep. 29, 2005.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4