Abstract: The door handle assembly includes a door handle which pivots about a pivot axis. A molded-in gear rack is formed on the door handle. The gears of the molded-in gear rack mesh with gears of a rotational damper so that the door handle pivots in concert with the rotation of the gears of the rotational damper. Furthermore, the rotational damper is generally cylindrical and further includes two pairs of radially outwardly extending wings. The rotational damper passes through an aperture in a damper support plate and the first pair of radially outwardly extending wings engage a first side of the damper support plate and engage or abut detent elements. The second pair of radially outwardly extending wings engage a second side of the damper support plate and limit the insertion of the damper through the damper support plate.

Abstract: The damper includes a cylindrical housing with a cylindrical passageway formed therewithin. A piston traverses the cylindrical passageway. A strand element is integrally molded with the piston on a first end and integrally molded with an attachment element on a second end. The portion of the cylindrical passageway through which the piston traverses when the damper is in its retracted position has a reduced diameter.

Abstract: The damper includes a piston assembly which travels within a cylindrical damper housing between an extended position and a retracted position. A transverse channel is formed proximate to the open end of the damper housing. A latching diamond travels within the transverse channel. The piston assembly includes a piston shaft with a camming wall sub-assembly formed thereon which engages the latching diamond so that the piston assembly is latched in a “push-push” configuration in the extended position. In this latched configuration, the latching diamond is detent engaged by a concave detent apex formed on an island which includes a longitudinally chamfered portion. Additionally, the flexibility of the island in which the concave detent apex is formed may be increased by transverse passageways or “cored-out” areas in the piston shaft immediately adjacent to the island.

Abstract: The damper includes a cylindrical housing with a cylindrical passageway formed therewithin. A piston traverses the cylindrical passageway. A monofilament element is integral with the piston on a first end and includes a plurality of molded annular rings on a second end. The molded annular rings serve as a male element for engaging a female clamping element with internal serrations. This allows for the female clamping element to be positioned along an adjustable distance with respect to the male element. The portion of the cylindrical passageway through which the piston traverses when the damper is in its retracted position has a reduced diameter.

Abstract: The air damper includes a housing with cylindrical walls and a piston assembly reciprocating therein. The piston assembly includes an interior surface against which a seal abuts. The interior surface is textured in a grained pattern so that interstices are formed between the seal and the interior surface thereby forming an effective air passageway for damping. A cylindrical spacer spaces the interior surface from a retainer and the seal is engaged around the cylindrical spacer and between the retainer and the interior surface. An alternative embodiment inserts textile material through a damping orifice in order to vary the rate of damping.

Abstract: The one-way hinge damper includes a cylindrical housing into a rotor is rotatably inserted. A gap is formed between the rotor and the cylindrical housing which is filled with silicone or a similar viscous fluid for damping the rotation of the rotor. The damping can be increased by forming longitudinal grooves or similar discontinuities in the interior surface of the cylindrical housing and longitudinal passageways on the exterior surface of the rotor. A clutch, to which the output shaft is attached, is biased against an end of the rotor by a wave spring. Both the clutch and the end of the rotor include complementary rotationally alternating ramped surfaces and flat (or longitudinally level) surfaces. Radially extending walls are formed between the higher end of the ramped surfaces and the adjacent flat surface.

Abstract: A one-way damping system is provided for dampening the movement of a closure member when the closure member is moved in a first direction toward its opened position such that the closure member is opened at a controlled rate of speed, and for permitting the closure member to be moved in a second direction toward its closed position such that the closure member is able to be closed at an undampened or unrestricted rate of speed. The closure member includes a gear rack integrally molded therewith, and a rotary damper gear is movable into engagement with and out of engagement from the gear rack in order to provide the dampened and undampened movement modes. An idler gear or a pair of control arms are operatively associated with the rotary damper gear so as to ensure proper engagement and disengagement of the rotary damper gear with respect to the gear rack.

Abstract: A gear damper includes anti-ratcheting means for preventing disengagement between a gear of the damper and a mating gear rack when a sliding or rotating tray is moved or rotated in and out of a stationary housing. The gear damper further includes mounting means so as to permit the gear damper to move floatingly in a direction perpendicular to the gear rack as a toothed wheel gear follows the gear rack. As a result, the distance between the toothed gear of the damper and the gear rack is held substantially constant so as to eliminate ratcheting and gear skipping.

Abstract: A pivoting gear damper for use with a rotary damper includes a toothed gear rack movable between a first position and a second position corresponding to movements in first and second directions. A pivotal bracket is provided for rotation between first and second positions corresponding to movements of the gear rack in the first and second directions. The rotary damper has a toothed driven gear disposed on the pivotal bracket. One-way dampening means is disposed on the pivotal bracket for causing the toothed gear rack to be in meshed engagement with the toothed driven gear to produce a dampening force when the gear rack is moved in the first direction and for causing the toothed gear rack to be disengaged from the toothed driven gear to allow unrestricted motion when the gear rack is moved in the second direction. The one-way dampening means is comprised of a guide pin and a cam member.

Abstract: A latch mechanism of the push-push type comprises a latching member and a latch track member which are adapted to be respectively snap-fittingly mounted upon a closure member and a closure housing such that the latch mechanism constitutes an independent or separate latching entity or unit which may be readily incorporated within or mounted upon any closure assembly such as, for example, a cup holder, an ashtray, or a glove compartment door assembly within an automotive vehicle.

Abstract: A gear damper includes anti-ratcheting means for preventing disengagement between a gear of the damper and a mating gear rack when a sliding or rotating tray is moved or rotated in and out of a stationary housing. The gear damper further includes mounting means so as to permit the gear damper to move floatingly in a direction perpendicular to the gear rack as a toothed wheel gear follows the gear rack. As a result, the distance between the toothed gear of the damper and the gear rack is held substantially constant so as to eliminate ratcheting and gear skipping.

Abstract: A latch mechanism is disclosed for use with an air damper assembly. The air damper assembly is used for controlling the dampening rate of an openable object and includes a piston head having a molded channel therein and a lip seal member disposed around the connecting member of the piston head to form a continuous seal therebetween. The piston head is formed of a pair of axially spaced-apart first and second circular plate members which are connected by the connecting member. The second circular plate member is formed of a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the first circular plate member so as to allow the outer peripheral portion of the lip seal member to collapse and become disengaged from the inner peripheral sidewall of the housing member. The latch mechanism latches the piston at its retracted position within its cylinder or housing.

Abstract: An air damper assembly for controlling the dampening rate of an openable object includes a piston head having a molded channel therein and a lip seal member disposed around the connecting member of the piston head to form a continuous seal therebetween. The piston head is formed of a pair of axially spaced-apart first and second circular plate members which are connected by the connecting member. The second circular plate member is formed of a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the first circular plate member so as to allow the outer peripheral portion of the lip seal member to collapse and become disengaged from the inner peripheral sidewall of the housing member.

Abstract: A spring loaded latch assembly including a first stationary member for securement to a desired stationary surface, and a second movable member wherein the assembly provides for controlled reciprocating movement between the two members from a first closed position to a second open position upon pushing engagement by a user. The first stationary member includes a housing, a spring member secured within a portion of the housing by a retaining member and a latch arm connected thereto. The second movable member includes an engagement member in operable communication with the spring member to provide a spring force between the two members and a latch track member for cooperative engagement with the latch arm of the first member. The assembly also includes a release member that enables disengagement of the latch arm from the latch track without causing damage to the first or second members.

Abstract: A damper assembly includes anti-rattle tracking devices or components for preventing rattling and play when a sliding tray is moved into and out from a stationary housing by a damper device. The damper device further includes a fail-safe locking device so as to maintain the assembly of the locking device for the sliding tray regardless of either a pushing or pulling motion.

Abstract: An adjustable high torque damper device is provided which can be easily and rapidly adjusted so as to produce variable amounts of torque over a predetermined range. The damper device includes a plurality of co-mating concentric rings formed on a stator housing and a rotor. As a cap is screwed into or out of the housing, the distances between the rotor concentric rings and the stator concentric rings are selectively and gradually increased and decreased to thereby decrease or increase the amount of torque.

Abstract: A snap-in headlamp adjustment assembly for positioning a vehicle headlamp mounted upon a movable mounting bracket relative to a fixed vehicle frame includes a snap-in adjuster nut being formed of a head portion, a body portion, and a flange portion. The head portion includes a plurality of resilient arms which are interlockingly engagable with an interior retaining surface of the fixed vehicle frame to secure the adjuster nut against axial movement relative to an opening in the vehicle frame. A pair of projections are formed on the flange portion and are engagable with corresponding grooves disposed adjacent the opening on an exterior surface of the vehicle frame to secure the adjuster nut against rotation relative to the opening on the vehicle frame.

Abstract: An air damper utilizing only recirculating internal air for dampening in one direction of movement an openable object includes inner and outer cylinder members, primary and secondary shafts, first and second controllable orifice structures, primary and secondary end caps, and primary and secondary compression springs. The first controllable orifice structure restrains the flow of air from a first shaft chamber to the first head chamber to pass only through a first orifice in accordance with the movement of the primary shaft in a first axial direction. The second controllable orifice structure restrains the flow of air from a second shaft chamber to a second head chamber to pass only through a second orifice in accordance with the movement of the secondary shaft in the first axial direction.