EP1582479A1

EP1582479A1 - Damping device for container lids

Info

Publication number: EP1582479A1
Application number: EP05380055A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jose Antonio De La Serna Jimenez
Original assignee: Contenur SL
Current assignee: Contenur SL
Priority date: 2004-03-30
Filing date: 2005-03-28
Publication date: 2005-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-28
Also published as: EP1582479B1; ES1057127Y; ES1057127U

Abstract

As indicated in the heading, the present invention has the object of a damping device, especially conceived for refuse container lids, specifically for large containers provided with two lids (1,1') for access therein, of independent use by the users. These lids incorporate a flattened v-shaped groove (6), which can receive therein a gas cylinder (4), so that the cylinder is coupled to said lid by simply introducing the corresponding end of the former in the slot of the latter, in the absence of a pin or trunnion axis for the cylinder.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a damping device, which has been especially conceived for refuse container lids, specifically for large containers provided with two lids to access therein, which are independently used by the user.
The object of the invention is to achieve considerable simplification of said device, which facilitates the assembly thereof, as well as greater stability for the lids when closed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In containers such as the aforementioned, the use of damping means is known which prevent the abrupt impact of their lids when they are dropped from the open position, by hitting against the body opening.
To do this, one or more gas cylinders are used, variable in number depending on the characteristics of the cylinders and on the container dimensions, which are established between both lids.
More specifically, one of the ends of the gas spring is articulately joined to one of the lids, whilst the other end does so to the second lid, so that it is necessary to establish two forks, one on each lid, and implant and fix transversal pins in said forks as trunnion axes for the ends of the gas spring, which considerably complicate the assembly thereof.
Furthermore, a residual tension is always maintained in said gas springs, which at times hinders the complete closing of the lids, there always being a tension tending to open them, so that when faced with certain environmental agents, specifically the presence of wind, the lids tend to open due to the combined action of said wind and the tendency of the gas cylinders to open.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The damping device proposed by the invention, resolves the aforementioned problem in a fully satisfactory way.
To do this, more specifically and in accordance with one of the characteristics, based on the use of classic gas cylinders, said cylinders are articulately joined to just one of the lids, whilst, on the other, a flattened v-shaped slot, with rounded vertex, is established, on whose vertex, the head or end corresponding to the gas cylinder, also rounded, is intended to rest, so that the assembly will be considerably simplified, since it is sufficient to insert the end corresponding to the gas cylinder inside said slot, in the absence of hinge pins.
In accordance with one of the characteristics of the invention, the articulated joint of the other end of the gas cylinder to the second lid, is not made directly thereon, as is conventional, but with the collaboration of an intermediate cam, which is whereon said hinge pin is established, with the special characteristic that said cam tilts between two extreme points, which generates a dead point in the tilting movement of either of the lids, proximate to the closed position, so that either of said lids tends, due to the effect of the gas cylinder, towards the open position above said dead point, meaning that the gas cylinder acts as a brake in the lid lowering manoeuvre, whilst below said dead point, and due to the cam tilting effect, said gas cylinder acts in the opposite direction, i.e. tending towards the closed position of the lid and, in consequence, maintaining this properly stabilized in the closed position.
Said cam has an orifice to be articulately fastened with the aid of the corresponding pin, to one of the container lids, and with an appropriate configuration to have its limit in two extreme points on the trunnion axis associated to said lid, as well as having a forked area whereby the end corresponding to the gas cylinder is articulately joined.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description being provided and with the aim of helping towards a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached, being an integral part of said description, wherein the following is represented with an illustrative, non-limiting character.

Figure 1.: It shows partial, side elevation sectioned detail of both lids of a container, provided with a damping device which forms the object of the invention, one of said appearing in the open position.
Figure 2.: It shows a detail similar to the previous figure, but, wherein both lids are in closed position.
Figure 3.: It shows, finally, a perspective detail of the cam which participates in said damping device.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In light of said figures, it can be observed how the damping device proposed by the invention is applicable to containers provided with a pair of lids (1-1'), mounted articulately on a common axis (2), each one of said lids having extensions (3), alternate with those of the other, which surround said axis (3), to be able to rotate thereon.
As is also conventional, and to dampen the tilting movement when the lids (1-1') are closed, it has been envisaged that they are connected by one or more gas cylinders (4).
So, now in accordance with the invention, the cylinder or each gas cylinder (4) is finished at one of its ends in a rounded head (5) which is housed in a flattened v-shaped slot (6), operatively established on one of the lids (1) and of a depth so that it largely houses therein the body of the cylinder body (4), the rod thereof (4') emerging to the exterior therefrom.
With an appropriate width for said v-slot (6), the gas cylinder (4) is immobilized transversally and permanently tends to rest on the rounded vertex of said slot (6) due to the effect of its own tension, whatever position is adopted by the corresponding lid (1).
The gas spring (4) incorporates, on the free end of its rod (4'), a perforated head (7) wherein a pin (8) is loosely established, which is articulated to the gas cylinder (4) with a cam (9), of a triangular-like contour, with rounded vertices, provided for said purpose, and beside one of said vertices, with a groove (10) which gives it a forked structure, with orifices (11) on its side portions to couple the pin (8) and with its side (12) opposite said curved-concave fork (10), further incorporating a second orifice (13) whereby the cam (9) is hinged to the extension (3) of the other lid (1'), an orifice (13) wherein the corresponding pin (14) articulately joined to said extension (3) is housed.
The special arrangement of the hole (13) determines, as is observed in figures 1 and 2, that said curved-concave edge (12) of the cam, is considerably distanced from the axis (2), determining two stable extreme points for the cam (9), one of opening, wherein the vertex (15) rests on the axis (2), as shown in figure 1, and another of closed position, wherein the other vertex (16) is that which rests on said axis (2), corresponding to the closed situation as, in turn, is shown in figure 2.
Between both cam (9) limit positions, an intermediate dead point is established, proximate to the closed position of the lid, so that, from the limit position shown in figure 1, when the lid lowers, the gas cylinder (4) progressively contracts until reaching said intermediate dead point, the moment when the cam (9) tilts on its axis (14) passing to the position shown in figure 2, wherein an abrupt, upwards movement of the head (7) which finishes the rod (4') of the gas cylinder, the trunnion axis (8) of this end of the cylinder being positioned above the imaginary joint line between its other end (5) and the cam trunnion axis (14), meaning that said gas cylinder tends, from said dead point, to displace the lid (1) towards the closed position and, in consequence, to maintain said closed position stable both for said lid (1) and for the complementary lid (1').
In this way, we achieve, in accordance with the object of the invention, not only greater ease of assembly of the damping device, but also, performing its basic damping effect, that said device tends to stabilize the container lids in the closed position, avoiding the accidental opening thereof due to the wind or other similar cause.

Claims

Damping device for container lids, specifically for containers provided with two lids hinged on a common axis or, in some cases, on two axes, and of independent action, between which is established at least one gas cylinder which tends to brake the downwards movement of any of said lids, characterized in that one of said lids incorporates a flattened v-shaped slot, which can receive therein the body of the gas cylinder, the slot with its rounded vertex in correspondence with the also rounded edge of said cylinder body, so that said cylinder is coupled to said lid by simply introducing the end corresponding to the former in the slot of the latter, in the absence of a pin or trunnion axis for the cylinder.
Damping device for container lids, according to claim 1, characterized in that the other end of the gas cylinder is articulately joined to a cam, hinged to the classic extension of the second lid that surrounds the trunnion axis, or two trunnion axes, of both lids, said cam being able to adopt two limit positions determining an intermediate dead point for the gas cylinder, that corresponding to the maximum tension, dead point close to the lid closed position, so that, above said dead point the gas cylinder tends to brake the manoeuvre of the lid closure, whilst under said dead point, said cylinder tends towards the lid closed position, being stabilized in the closure limit position.
Damping device for container lids, according to claim 2, characterized in that said cam adopts a triangular-like shape, has a forked shape on one of its vertices for the articulated joint of the gas cylinder, incorporates its trunnion axis on the extension of the second lid substantially distanced from the other vertex, and, between this second vertex and the third, a curved-concave edge is established, the tilt limits for the cam defining the vertices which frames this curved edge, which act in one direction or the other on the trunnion axis of both lids.