Arcuately oscillating damper

Claim 2

A damper comprising, in combination, a body, a chamber within the body, a vane member extending within the chamber from one end thereof and a pivot connection being provided between the body and the vane member in the region of said end of the chamber and defining a pivot axis projecting transversely to the direction of extension of said vane member for constraining relative movement between the vane member and the body to oscillation about said axis, the chamber being of tapered form such that its crosssectional area reduces with increasing distance from said pivot connection, and a flexible seal additionally being provided between the vane member and the body forming an enclosing boundary for the chamber in the region of said pivot connection.

Claim 3

A damper according to claim 1 wherein an element of said vane member within the chamber, by the movement of which element relative to the chamber a damping force is generated, is also of tapered form such that its cross-sectional area reduces with increasing distance from said pivot connection.

Claim 4

A damper according to claim 1 wherein the flexible seal engages the vane member in the region of said pivot connection.

Claim 5

A damper according to claim 1 wherein a peripheral region of the seal engages the body, a sealing face surrounding the vane member being provided on the body for said engagement, said sealing face being disposed on the one side of the pivot connection and on the opposite side of said connection the chamber having said reducing cross-section, the sealing face enclosing an area substantially greater than the maximum cross-section of the tapered form of the chamber on said opposite side of the pivot connection.

Claim 6

A damper according to claim 1 wherein an end step is provided on the body in a region of engagement with the flexible seal, a peripheral portion of the seal at said region extending away from the pivot connection and beyond said end step, and mounting means being provided on the body in the region of said end step whereby attachment of the damper to a surface by said mounting means compresses said peripheral portion of the seal into sealing engagement with said surface.

Claim 7

A damper according to claim 1 wherein a peripherally outer rim of the flexible seal has a radially outer surface seating against the body, a radially inwardly directed surface being provided on said rim and a rigid member bearing on said surface to urge the rim into sealing engagement with the body.

Claim 8

A damper according to claim 6 wherein said rigid member is disposed on the opposite side of the pivot connection to that on which the chamber has said reducing cross-section and provides a boundary limiting outwards deflection of the seal.

Claim 9

A damper according to claim 1 further comprising a filling aperture in the body and extending axially of the tapered form of the chamber.

Claim 10

A damper comprising, in combination, a body, a tapered chamber within the body, a vAne member comprising a vane element and a mounting element, the vane element extending within the chamber from one end thereof and having a width similar to that of adjacent side regions of the chamber whereby there is a small clearance between the vane element and said chamber side regions, a pivot connection being provided between the body and the vane member defining a fixed predetermined pivot axis projecting in the direction of said vane width for relative oscillatory movement between the vane member and body, the vane member mounting element extending externally of the body away from said pivot connection, respective portions of the body and the vane member adjacent said pivot connection being disposed close to each other to obstruct a flow of damping fluid in the chamber past said portions, a flexible seal being disposed between the body and the vane member outwardly of said body and vane member portions to close an end of the chamber at that region of the body from which the mounting element extends, said seal engaging the vane member adjacent said pivot axis and being deformable by said relative oscillatory movement between the body and the vane member.

Claim 11

A damper comprising, in combination, a body, a tapered chamber within the body, a vAne member comprising a vane element and a mounting element, the vane element extending within the chamber from one end thereof and having a width similar to that of adjacent side regions of the chamber whereby there is a small clearance between the vane element and said chamber side regions, a pivot connection being provided between the body and the vane member defining a fixed predetermined pivot axis projecting in the direction of said vane width for relative oscillatory movement between the vane member and body, the vane member mounting element extending externally of the body away from said pivot connection, respective portions of the body and the vane member adjacent said pivot connection being disposed close to each other to obstruct a flow of damping fluid in the chamber past said portions, a flexible seal being disposed between the body and the vane member outwardly of said body and vane member portions to close an end of the chamber at that region of the body from which the mounting element extends, said seal engaging the vane member adjacent said pivot axis and being deformable by said relative oscillatory movement between the body and the vane member.

Claim 12

A damper comprising, in combination, a body, a chamber within the body, a vane member comprising a vane element and a mounting element, the vane element extending within the chamber from one end thereof and a pivot connection being provided between the body and the vane member in the region of said end defining a fixed, predetermined pivot axis substantially in the plane of the vane element and projecting transversely to the direction of extension of the vane element for relative oscillatory movement between the body and the vane member, the chamber being of tapered form such that its cross-sectional area reduces with increasing distance from said pivot connection, the vane member mounting element projecting externally from the body away from said pivot connection and a flexible seal extending between the body and the vane member to close said one end of the chamber, a sealing face surrounding the vane member being provided on the body to engage said seal and said sealing face enclosing an area substantially greater than the maximum cross-section of the tapered form of the chamber transverse to the direction of extension of the vane element.

Claim 13

A damper comprising, in combination, a body, a chamber within the body, a vane member comprising a vane element and a mounting element, the vane element extending within the chamber from one end thereof and a pivot connection being provided between the body and the vane member in the region of said end defining a fixed, predetermined pivot axis substantially in the plane of the vane element and projecting transversely to the direction of extension of the vane element for relative oscillatory movement between the body and the vane member, the chamber being of tapered form such that its cross-sectional area reduces with increasing distance from said pivot connection, the vane member mounting element projecting externally from the body away from said pivot connection and a flexible seal extending between the body and the vane member to close said one end of the chamber, a sealing face surrounding the vane member being provided on the body to engage said seal and said sealing face enclosing an area substantially greater than the maximum cross-section of the tapered form of the chamber transverse to the direction of extension of the vane element.