Braking apparatus for closure members

Abstract

A braking apparatus has a main body for connection to one of a frame and a closure member mounted on the frame to undergo linear reciprocating movement between open and closed positions of the closure member. A tubular shaft is mounted in a main body for undergoing rotation. A resistance member is rotatably mounted on the tubular shaft and is disposed in an interior space of the main body containing a braking fluid. A spiral rod for connection to the other of the frame and the closure member is screw-threadably engaged with the tubular shaft so that the tubular shaft undergoes rotation when the spiral rod and the tubular shaft are relatively moved in an axial direction of the spiral rod. When the closure member undergoes linear reciprocating movement, the main body or spiral rod relatively moves in the axial direction of the spiral rod, the tubular shaft and the resistance member undergo rotational movement, and the resistance member receives a resistance of the braking fluid so that the tubular shaft rotates under a braking force of the braking fluid and reduces a movement speed of the closure member.

1 . A braking apparatus for a closure member, the braking apparatus comprising: 
 a main body for connection to one of a frame and a closure member mounted on the frame to undergo linear reciprocating movement between open and closed positions of the closure member, the main body having an interior space containing a braking fluid;    a hollow shaft mounted in the main body for undergoing rotation;    a resistance member disposed in the interior space of the main body containing the braking fluid and mounted on an outer periphery of the hollow shaft for rotation therewith; and    a spiral rod for connection to the other of the frame and the closure member, the spiral rod being screw-threadably engaged with an inner surface of the hollow shaft so that the hollow shaft undergoes rotation when the spiral rod and the hollow shaft are relatively moved in an axial direction of the spiral rod;    wherein when the closure member undergoes linear reciprocating movement between the open and closed positions, the main body or spiral rod relatively moves in the axial direction of the spiral rod, the hollow shaft undergoes rotational movement together with the resistance member, and the resistance member receives a resistance of the braking fluid so that the hollow shaft rotates under a braking force of the braking fluid and reduces a movement speed of the closure member.    
   
   
       2 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  wherein the resistance member is mounted on the outer periphery of the hollow shaft via a one-way clutch.  
   
   
       3 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  wherein the resistance member is integrally connected to the outer periphery of the hollow shaft.  
   
   
       4 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  wherein the spiral rod has a screw-threaded portion formed on an outer surface of the spiral rod and having a constant pitch.  
   
   
       5 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 4;  wherein the screw-threaded portion of the spiral rod comprises a twisted flat bar.  
   
   
       6 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  wherein the spiral rod has a screw-threaded portion formed on an outer surface of the spiral rod and having an irregular pitch.  
   
   
       7 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 6;  wherein the screw-threaded portion of the spiral rod comprises a twisted flat bar.  
   
   
       8 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  wherein the spiral rod has a screw-threaded portion comprising a twisted flat bar.  
   
   
       9 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  wherein the spiral rod has a hollow structure.  
   
   
       10 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  wherein the main body comprises adjusting means for adjusting the braking force of the braking fluid.  
   
   
       11 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  further comprising a biasing member disposed between the main body and the spiral rod for biasing the main body or the spiral rod towards a preselected position thereof.  
   
   
       12 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  wherein the spiral rod is mounted for undergoing rotational movement; and further comprising a holding member for integral connection to the closure member or the frame, and a clutch disposed between the spiral rod and the holding member for controlling rotation of the spiral rod between a rotating state and a non-rotating state.  
   
   
       13 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 12;  wherein the clutch comprises a dog clutch having a first clutch member integrally connected to the holding member and a second clutch member integrally connected to the spiral rod for engagement with the first clutch member so that the spiral rod is placed in a non-rotating state.  
   
   
       14 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 1;  wherein the closure member comprises a door or a window and the frame comprises a door frame or a window frame, respectively.  
   
   
       15 . A braking apparatus for a closure member, the braking apparatus comprising: 
 a main body for connection to one of a frame and a closure member mounted on the frame to undergo linear reciprocating movement between open and closed positions of the closure member;    a tubular shaft mounted in the main body for undergoing rotation;    a resistance member mounted on an outer periphery of the tubular shaft for rotation therewith;    a spiral rod for connection to the other of the frame and the closure member;    connecting means for connecting the spiral rod to the tubular shaft so that when the closure member undergoes linear reciprocating movement between the open and closed positions, the spiral rod and the tubular shaft are relatively moved in an axial direction of the spiral rod and the tubular shaft and the resistance member undergo rotational movement; and    retarding means for retarding the rotational movement of the resistance member so that the hollow shaft rotates under a braking force and reduces the movement speed of the closure member.    
   
   
       16 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 15;  wherein the resistance member is mounted on the outer periphery of the hollow shaft via a one-way clutch.  
   
   
       17 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 15;  wherein the resistance member is integrally connected to the outer periphery of the hollow shaft.  
   
   
       18 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 15;  wherein the connecting means comprises a first screw-threaded portion of the spiral rod and a second screw-threaded portion of the tubular shaft threadably engaged with the first screw-threaded portion.  
   
   
       19 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 18;  wherein the screw-threaded portion of the spiral rod has a constant pitch.  
   
   
       20 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 18;  wherein the screw-threaded portion of the spiral rod has an irregular pitch.  
   
   
       21 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 18;  wherein the screw-threaded portion of the spiral rod comprises a twisted flat bar.  
   
   
       22 . A braking apparatus according to  claim 15;  wherein the resistance member is disposed in an interior space of the main body; and wherein the retarding means comprises a braking fluid disposed in the interior space of the main body.