Patent ID: 7257862

Claim:
A decelerating device for damping relative rotation between first and second relatively rotating members, said device comprising a bushing engageable with the first member and having first and second opposite ends; and a pin engageable with the second member and rotatably supported by said bushing, said pin having first and second opposite end portions, the first end portion being housed inside and coaxially and rotatably supported by said bushing, the second end portion projecting axially in cantilever fashion from the second end of the bushing; and at least one deformable annular element for frictionally dampening relative rotation between said pin and said bushing, said annular element being pressed between the first end portion of said pin and an internal wall of the bushing; wherein said annular element includes an inner circumferential annular face in contact with the first end portion; an outer circumferential annular face in contact with the internal wall of the bushing; opposite end faces connected by said inner and outer circumferential annular faces; and an annular recess in each of said inner face, outer face and end faces; said annular recesses dividing a cross section of said annular element into a central portion and four radial projections, wherein, when said deformable annular element is in a undeformed state, a width of each of said projections gradually increases radially outwardly from a connection of said projection with said central portion; wherein a space between the internal wall of said bushing and said second end portion of said pin is free of liquid lubricants; and wherein said deformable annular element is housed and radially compressed between said internal side wall of the bushing and the first end portion of said pin, without being axially compressed.