The invention relates to a device for absorbing a shock when a movable component, for instance a pi otable panel such as a door, a hatch or a swivel window, or a slidable element such as a sliding window or a drawer, is closed against a fixed component such as a frame edge, and/or for preventing rattling that results from play between this closed fixed component and this movable component, which device comprises:

a housing with a cavity, which housing is intended for fitting accommodation in a hole arranged for this purpose in the fixed or the movable component, which housing has close to a first end zone an opening connecting to the cavity;

a stop element which is slidable in lengthwise direction in this cavity and has a free end which is intended for pressure force-transferring co-action with the other component; and spring means which press this stop element outward.

Such a device is known for instance from EP 1 555 371. The device of EP 1555371 comprises a housing with a cavity in which is arranged a stop element slidable in lengthwise direction. The free, pressed-outward end position of the stop element is determined by co-acting stop members, comprising protrusions arranged on the stop element and stop surfaces arranged on the housing. The wall of the cavity is provided with grooves in which the protrusions extend and in which the protrusions can be displaced freely such that the stop element is displaceable in the housing between the free, pressed-outward end position and a pressed-in position.

A drawback of the known device is that due to rotation of the spring means the stop element can rotate to some extent in the housing. The protrusions can hereby move out on the grooves, whereby the stop element can become jammed in the housing. The stop element is then no longer slidable and loses its shock and rattle-damping effect. The invention has for its object to solve this problem. The invention has the particular object of providing a device of the type stated in the preamble which absorbs shocks efficiently and/or prevents rattling efficiently and/or can be manufactured simply and/or inexpensively.

For this purpose the device according to the invention of the type stated in the preamble is distinguished from the known device in that the spring means are fixedly connected on one side to the housing and are fixedly connected on the other side to the stop element such that during operation the stop element is displaceable between a free, pressed-outward end position, which is determined by the length of the spring means in their non-tensioned position, and a pressed-in position.

An advantage of such spring means connected fixedly to the housing and the stop element and determining the free, pressed-outward end position of the stop element is that the co-acting stop members of the known device are hereby unnecessary. Because the co-acting stop members are not necessary according to the invention, it is possible to avoid the stop element becoming jammed in the housing. A device without co-acting stop members can also be manufactured simply and/or inexpensively, whereby the device according to the invention is highly advantageous from a production engineering viewpoint.

In an embodiment of the device according to the invention the length of the spring means in their non-tensioned position is less than a combined length of the cavity and the stop element such that the stop element is held at least partially in the cavity .

In another embodiment of the device according to the invention the stop element comprises a cavity in which the spring means at least partially extend.

Such a cavity in the stop element provides space for the spring means in simple manner when the stop element is pressed into the housing. In another embodiment of the device according to the invention the cavity of the housing and/or the cavity of the stop element are cylindrical, wherein the spring means comprise a compression spring which can be fixedly connected to a base of the housing and an end wall of the stop element.

In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention the base of the housing and the end wall of the stop element each comprise a recess with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the spring such that the spring is clamped fixedly at both its end zones in the recesses.

Such a housing and/or stop element can be formed easily by for instance injection moulding of an appropriate material. Assembly can take place in simple manner with such a device by arranging the compression spring in the cavities of the housing and the stop element and subsequently pressing the housing and stop element toward each other. The spring is pressed here into the recesses of respectively the stop element and the housing and thereby clamped fixedly in the recesses. A practically unbreakable connection between the housing and the stop element is effected in simple manner by pressing the spring into both recesses .

The device is preferably embodied such that the housing has on its outer surface at least one widened portion, for instance a peripheral flanged edge, close to the opening, whereby the housing fits into the hole only up to this widened portion.

This embodiment has the advantage that the drilled hole can in principle have a random length, provided it is at least as great as the length of the housing, since said laterally protruding part determines the distance over which the housing can be inserted into the drilled hole. The protruding part remains outside the drilled hole and determines the longitudinal position of the housing in this drilled hole. It should be understood that the protruding part is subject to a determined play of forces when the panel is closed, and that the mechanical properties of the connection between the housing and the protruding part must therefore be able to withstand these forces. It will be apparent that for instance a peripheral flanged edge can be very advantageous since the forces in question are then distributed over the greatest possible area, whereby the mechanical material load is as low as possible. Conversely, it is also the objective to give the flanged edge a small thickness in axial direction so as to ensure that a panel can close as tightly as possible against the frame.

An excellent fixation of the housing in the hole can be achieved with an embodiment wherein the outer peripheral surface of the housing has a form widening toward the front side of the housing such that the housing can be received clampingly in the hole.

Alternatively or additionally, for a good fixation of the housing in the hole, the outer surface of the housing is provided with at least one protrusion which inclines upward from the outer surface in the direction of the opening, is a chosen distance from the widened portion and which, after the housing has been inserted into the hole up to the widened portion, blocks return displacement of the housing.

The free end of the stop element is preferably provided with a layer of flexible, resiliently compressible material.

Such a layer can absorb a shock during closing of the movable component and can efficiently prevent rattling.

The invention further relates to an assembly of a fixed component, such as a frame edge, and a movable component, for instance a pivotable panel such as a door, a hatch or a swivel window, or a slidable element such as a sliding window or a drawer, wherein there is arranged in the fixed component or the movable component a device as described above for absorbing a shock when the movable component is closed against the fixed component and/or for preventing rattling that results from play between this closed fixed component and this movable component, which device comprises: a housing with a cavity, which housing is accommodated fittingly in a hole arranged for this purpose in the fixed or the movable component, which housing has close to a first end zone an opening connecting to the cavity;

a stop element which is slidable in lengthwise direction in this cavity and has a free end which is intended for pressure force-transferring co-action with the other component; and spring means which press this stop element outward;

wherein the spring means are fixedly connected on one side to the housing and are fixedly connected on the other side to the stop element such that during operation the stop element is displaceable between a free, pressed-outward end position, which is determined by the length of the spring means in their non-tensioned position, and a pressed-in position.

The movable component is preferably connected movably to a side of the fixed component, and wherein an opposite side of the fixed component is provided with the hole in which the housing of the device is accommodated fittingly such that the device extends substantially perpendicularly relative to the surface of the movable component which closes against the fixed component when the movable component is situated in a closed position.

Rattling is effectively prevented when the device is arranged in the fixed component at this location and extends perpendicularly relative to the surface of the movable component which closes against the fixed component when the movable component is situated in a closed position.

The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the figures shown in the drawing, in which

figure 1 is a perspective view of a shock and rattle damper according to the invention;

figure 2 shows a cross-section of the shock and rattle damper of figure 1;

figure 3 is a perspective view of the shock and rattle damper of figure 1 in mounted position; and figures 4A, B show a cross-section of the shock and rattle damper of figure 1 in the mounted, pressed-outward position (A) and pressed-in position (B) .

Figures 1 and 2 show a shock and rattle damper 1 comprising a cylindrical housing 2 with a cavity 3 in which a cylindrical stop element 4 with a cavity 5 is arranged slidably in longitudinal direction. A spring 6 extends between an end wall 7 of stop element 4 and a base 8 of housing 2 and presses stop element 4 outward relative to housing 2. End wall 7 of stop element 4 is provided for this purpose with a recess 9. Base 8 of housing 2 is provided for this purpose with a recess 10. The diameters of recesses 9, 10 are smaller than the diameter of spring 6 such that spring 6 is clamped fixedly at both its end zones in recesses 9,10. The diameters of recesses 9,10 are preferably about 10% smaller than the diameter of spring 6. Close to both its end zones spring 6 is arranged with preferably three windings in recesses 9,10. A fixed connection is in this way achieved in simple manner between spring 6 and housing 2 and stop element 4. The free, pressed-outward end position of stop element 4 as shown in figures 1 and 2 is determined by the length of spring 6 in its non-tensioned position. Figure 2 also shows that the length of spring 6 in its non-tensioned position is smaller than the combined length of housing 2 and stop element 4 such that stop element 4 is held in cavity 3 of housing 2. The combined length of housing 2 and stop element 4 is defined here as the distance between the bottom surface 12 of recess 10 of housing 2 and end surface 13 of recess 9 of stop element 4 when stop element 4 extends in line with housing 2.

Figure 3 shows a shock and rattle damper 1 in mounted situation in a frame 20. As shown in figures 4A,B, a drilled hole 21 is arranged in frame 20. Housing 2 of shock and rattle damper 1 of figure 1 is arranged fitting into hole 21. Hole 21 in frame 20 is arranged in a side of the frame, this side being located opposite the side of frame 20 on which door 22 is hingedly suspended. As shown in figures 4A,B, shock and rattle damper 1 extends perpendicularly relative to surface 23 of the door 22 which closes against frame 20, at least in closed position of door 22.

As shown in figures 4A,B, housing 2 comprises close to its open end zone a flange 11 such that housing 2 fits no further into hole 21 than up to this flange 11. In this way the length of hole 21 is at least less relevant, since flange 11 defines the position of housing 2 in hole 21. It is noted that it will be apparent that the length of hole 21 must be greater than the length of housing 2 as measured between its rear surface 14 and rear surface 15 of flange 11. It is also noted that any widening of the edge of housing 2 close to its open end zone may be suitable instead of a flange 11.

In figure 4B the shock and rattle damper 1 is shown arranged in a frame 20 in pressed-in position. As door 22 closes, through contact between a free end surface 16 of stop element 4 and door 22 in the final part of the displacement the kinetic energy thereof is at least partially converted into potential energy in spring 6, whereby the shock during closure is prevented, or at least substantially reduced. After closing of door 22 the shock and rattle damper 1 further prevents rattling resulting from play in the lock. When door 22 is opened, spring 6 will urge stop element 4 to its free, pressed-outward end position such that shock and rattle damper 1 is ready to absorb another shock when the door 22 is closed once again. It is noted that in the shock and rattle damper 1 as shown in figure 4B no space remains between the windings of spring 6 in the pressed-in position. Additional space can optionally be provided between the windings, or fewer windings can be present such that stop element 4 can be pressed further in. It is further noted that the spring 6 shown in figure 4B comprises more windings than spring 6 shown in figure 4A. It will be apparent that the number of windings will normally be the same for a pressed-in or non-tensioned compression spring. Housing 2 and stop element 2 can be manufactured by injection moulding from an appropriate plastic. Owing to their simple form housing 2 and stop element 4 can be manufactured in simple and inexpensive manner.

Assembly of shock and rattle damper 1 can take place in simple manner by arranging spring 6 in cavities 3,5 of housing 2 and stop element 4 and subsequently pressing housing 2 and stop element 4 toward each other. Spring 6 is pressed here into recesses 9,10 of respectively stop element 4 and housing 2 and is thereby clamped fixedly in recesses 9,10. An unbreakable connection between housing 2 and stop element 4 is effected in simple manner by pressing spring 6 into both recesses 9,10.

It is noted that the invention is not limited to the above discussed exemplary embodiments but also extends to other variants within the scope of the appended claims. It will thus be apparent that the unbreakable connection between spring 6 and housing 2 and stop element 4 can be made in any desired manner, for instance but not only by adhering spring 6 to both components or a click or snap connection.