The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1999
Steven L. Bivens, Kankakee, IL (US);
Calvin Derr, Chicago, IL (US);
Joseph Wach, Ingleside, IL (US);
Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US);
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. While the open latched configuration is normally released by incrementally extending and then releasing the piston assembly, it is possible that a user will attempt to release the open latched configuration by urging the piston assembly toward the retracted position. In this case, the island flexes and the latch diamond travels over a longitudinally chamfered portion of the concave detent apex free of damage to the island, the latch diamond, and other portions of the damper.