Abstract:
A rotary damper includes an operating part mounted in an interior in a vehicle in such a manner that the operating part can be introduced or withdrawn, an operating part case that guides a path of the operating part, a pinion gear mounted to one side of the operating part and a guide rail rotatably mounted to the operating part case such that the pinion gear can be engaged with the guide rail. Further, a separation preventing protrusion is provided at a portion of the guide rail, where the pinion gear starts to move in a curvilinear form, the separation preventing protrusion configured to support an outside surface of the pinion gear.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a damper for controlling the operating speed of an operating part, such as a power outlet or an ash tray, of a vehicle, and, more particularly, to a rotary damper that is capable of uniformly controlling the operating speed of an operating part having a complex track. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
     FIG. 1  is a view illustrating the construction of a conventional damper having a linear track. 
   When the track of the damper is linear, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the damper is constructed in a structure in which a pinion gear  12  is mounted to an operating part, and a guide rail  14  is mounted to an operating part case such that the pinion gear  12  can be engaged with the guide rail  14 . The interior of the pinion gear  12  is filled with a fluid for uniformly reduce the rotating speed of the pinion gear  12 . Consequently, the moving speed of the operating part is controlled using the rotating resistance of the pinion gear  12 . 
     FIG. 2  is a view illustrating the construction of another conventional damper having a complex track. 
   When the track of the damper is complex, i.e., a moving path  2  of an operating part includes a rectilinear path and a curvilinear path, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the damper is constructed in a structure in which a pinion gear  22  is mounted to the operating part, and a guide rail  24 , with which the pinion gear  22  is engaged, is arranged along the moving path  2  of the operating part. 
   However, it is very difficult to uniformly maintain a damping force in a section  5  where the rectilinear path and the curvilinear path are connected with each other. As a result, the operating efficiency and the sensitivity of the operating part are deteriorated. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary damper that is capable of uniformly applying a damping force to an operating part having a complex track, thereby improving the operating efficiency and the sensitivity of the operating part. 
   In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a rotary damper including an operating part mounted in the interior in a vehicle in such a manner that the operating part can be introduced or withdrawn, an operating part case for guiding a path of the operating part, a pinion gear mounted to one side of the operating part, and a guide rail rotatably mounted to the operating part case such that the pinion gear can be engaged with the guide rail. 
   Preferably, the operating part is provided with a guide protrusion for guiding the guide rail such that the guide rail cannot be separated from the pinion gear. More preferably, the damper further includes an elastic member for providing an elastic force in the direction in which the guide rail is brought into tight contact with the pinion gear. 
   Preferably, the guide rail is provided with a frictional protrusion protruding toward the operating part case. Also preferably, the guide rail is provided with a separation preventing protrusion for supporting the outside surface of the pinion gear. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating the construction of a conventional damper having a linear track; 
       FIG. 2  is a view illustrating the construction of another conventional damper having a complex track; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating an operating part, to which a rotary damper according to the present invention will be applied; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating an operating part case in which the operating part shown in  FIG. 3  is operably mounted; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating an operating part, to which a rotary damper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is mounted; and 
       FIG. 6  is a side view illustrating the operation of the rotary damper according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Now, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   It should be noted that the thicknesses of lines and the sizes of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for simplicity and clarity of description. Also, it should be noted that the following terms are the ones defined in consideration of the functional characteristics of the present invention, and therefore, the meanings of the following terms may be changed according to an intension of a user or an operator or according to custom. Consequently, the definition of the following terms must be given based on the description made throughout the specification. 
     FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating an operating part  100 , to which a rotary damper according to the present invention will be applied, and  FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating an operating part case  200  in which the operating part  100  shown in  FIG. 3  is operably mounted. 
   The operating part  100 , for example, a power outlet, is constructed in a structure in which the operating part  100  is introduced into and withdrawn from the operating part case  200 . Also, the operating part  100  has a complex track  3 , along which the operating part  100  is linearly moved forward and is then rotated downward for a user&#39;s convenience. 
   Specifically, protrusions  102  and  104  are formed at opposite sides of the operating part  100 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , and guide grooves  210  are formed at opposite sides of the operating part case  200  such that the protrusions  102  and  104  can be guided along the corresponding guide grooves  210 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   The front protrusions  102  are moved along a track indicated by A in the guide grooves  210  (i.e., the first branch of the continuous groove), and the rear protrusions  104  are moved along a track indicated by B in the guide grooves  210 . The operating part  100  is pushed forward by a spring (not shown) mounted at the rear of the operating part  100 . When the front protrusions  102  of the operating part  100  are brought into contact with the front ends  212  of the guide grooves  210  of the operating part case  200 , the rear protrusions  104  of the operating part  100  are raised along side grooves  214  (i.e., the second branch of the continuous groove) of the operating part case  200 , which are connected with the guide grooves  210 . 
   Consequently, the operating part  100  is moved forward and is then rotated downward. 
   If the conventional damper as shown in  FIG. 2  is used in the case that the operating part  100  has the above-described complex track, however, it is not possible to uniformly control the operating speed of the operating part at the time when after the operating part  100  is linearly moved and then enters the rotating section. 
     FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating an operating part, to which a rotary damper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is mounted. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the rotary damper according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a pinion gear  110  mounted to the operating part  100  and a guide rail  150  rotatably mounted to the operating part case  200  such that the pinion gear  110  can be engaged with the guide rail  150 . 
   The guide rail  150  is provided at one end thereof with a rotary shaft hole  152 , through which a rotary shaft  220  formed at the operating part case  200  (see  FIG. 4 ) is rotatably inserted. At the guide rail  150  is mounted an elastic member  160 . The elastic member  160  provides an elastic force in the direction in which the guide rail  150  is brought into tight contact with the pinion gear  110  (in the clockwise direction on the drawing). 
   At one side of the operating part  100  is formed a guide protrusion  115  for supporting one end of the guide rail  150  such that the guide rail  150  cannot be separated from the pinion gear  110 . Although the guide rail  150  is brought into tight contact with the pinion gear  110  due to the elastic force of the elastic member  160 , the guide protrusion  115  is preferably provided at one side of the operating part  110  so as to more securely constrain the guide rail  150 . 
   Also, the guide rail  150  is provided with a frictional protrusion  154  for uniformly maintaining the distance between the guide rail  150  and the operating part case  200  and reducing a frictional force. The frictional protrusion  154  is formed at one side of the guide rail  150 . By the provision of the frictional protrusion  154 , the contact area between the guide rail  150  and the operating part case  200  is reduced, and therefore, a frictional force is reduced. Consequently, the guide rail  150  is smoothly moved. 
   Furthermore, the guide rail  150  is provided at a section where the pinion gear starts to move in a curvilinear form with a separation preventing protrusion  156 . The separation preventing protrusion  156  serves to prevent the pinion gear  110  from being separated from the guide rail  150  at the position where the pinion gear  110  pushes the guide rail  150  upward. Specifically, the separation preventing protrusion  156  supports the outside surface of the pinion gear  110 . 
     FIG. 6  is a side view illustrating the operation of the rotary damper according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   The drawing shows positions of the respective components depending upon the movement of the operating part. When the operating part is withdrawn from the operating part case, the operating part is linearly moved and is then rotated. The rotation of the operating part is performed about front protrusions  102 . 
   When the operating part is linearly moved, the pinion gear  1109  is linearly moved along the guide rail  150  to a position indicated by  110 - 1 . At this time, the front protrusions  102  are moved to a position indicated by  102 - 1 , and the rear protrusions  104  are moved to a position indicated by  104 - 1 . Until then, the guide rail  150  is not rotated. 
   As the front protrusions  102  are brought into contact with the front ends of the guide grooves  210 , the rear protrusions  104  are moved from the position indicated by the  104 - 1  to a position indicated by  104 - 2  along the side grooves  214  while the front protrusions  102  are being maintained at the position indicated by  102 - 1 . At this time, the pinion gear  110  pushes the guide rail upward to a position indicated by  150 - 1  while the pinion gear  110  is engaged with the guide rail  150 . 
   Consequently, the pinion gear  110  is uniformly engaged with the guide rail  150  throughout the moving section, whereby it is possible to uniformly apply the damping force to the operating part, and therefore, it is possible to uniformly control the operating speed of the operating part. 
   As apparent from the above description, the rotary damper according to the present invention is constructed in a structure to uniformly maintain the moving speed of the operating part that is operated in a complex operation mode, and therefore, the operating efficiency and the sensitivity of the operating part are improved. 
   Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.