IP Library Granted Patent US 12713542
Granted Patent B2
US 12713542 · App. 17/524,795 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Damper, electronic controller, and method for coupling damper

Inventors: Shingo Tada (Kariya-city, JP); Minoru Hozuka (Kariya-city, JP); Takahiro Kurioka (Kariya-city, JP); Kazunori Yoshida (Kariya-city, JP); Ryoichi Shinoda (Kariya-city, JP)
Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
H05K5/0217F16F1/028F16F15/06F16F2224/0208F16F2224/0258F16F2226/042F16F2230/0005F16F2230/02F16F2234/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12713542
App. No.
17/524,795
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A damper is disposed in a holding hole that passes through, in a passing-through direction, a supported member that is supported by a supporting member. The damper includes a tubular body defining therein a through hole extending in the passing-through direction. The tubular body is elastically deformable between a first form and a second form. The tubular body in the first form has an outer shape that is smaller than the holding hole. The tubular body in the second form has an outer shape that is equal to or greater than the holding hole.

Claims (65)

1 . An electronic controller comprising:

a damper;

a supporting member; and

a supported member, wherein

the damper is disposed in a holding hole that passes through, in a passing-through direction, the supported member, the damper comprising

a tubular body defining therein a through hole that extends in the passing-through direction, wherein

the tubular body is elastically deformable between a first form and a second form due to elastic force of the tubular body,

the tubular body has a first outer diameter in the first form and a second outer diameter in the second form,

the first outer diameter is less than an inner diameter of the holding hole, and the second outer diameter is larger than the inner diameter of the holding hole,

the tubular body in the first form has an outer shape that is smaller than the holding hole,

the tubular body in the second form has an outer shape that is greater than the outer shape in the first form and is in contact with the holding hole,

the tubular body has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end in the passing-through direction,

the tubular body defines a gap extending between the first end and the second end, and

the gap is larger in the second form than in the first form,

wherein the supporting member includes a base positioning portion and a distance adjusting portion that protrudes from an end surface of the base positioning portion,

wherein the base positioning portion and the distance adjusting portion are housed in the through hole,

the tubular body in the second form is disposed in the holding hole and presses an inner surface of the holding hole, and

the supported member is supported by the supporting member through the damper.

2 . The electronic controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the gap is filled with an adhesive when the tubular body is in the first form, and

the adhesive is to be melted by heat.

3 . The electronic controller according to claim 1 further comprising

an adjusting member disposed in a space surrounded by the tubular body and configured to adjust a height of the tubular body, and

the height of the tubular body is a length between a first end and a second end of the tubular body.

4 . The electronic controller according to claim 1 further comprising

a protrusion protruding from an outer circumferential surface of the tubular body.

5 . The electronic controller according to claim 4 , wherein

the tubular body has a first end and a second end,

the protrusion includes:

a first protrusion disposed closer to the first end than to the second end and protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the tubular body; and

a second protrusion disposed closer to the second end than to the first end and protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the tubular body, the first protrusion and the second protrusion being located between the first end and the second end, and

a distance between the first protrusion and the second protrusion is equal to or greater than a thickness of the supported member.

6 . The electronic controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the tubular body is formed by weaving metal wires such that spaces are defined in the tubular body.

7 . The electronic controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the tubular body is composed mainly of a shape memory alloy.

8 . The electronic controller according to claim 2 , wherein

the gap in the second form is not entirely filled with the adhesive.

9 . The electronic controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the tubular body consists of woven metal wires such that spaces are defined in the tubular body.

10 . The electronic controller according to claim 6 , wherein

the tubular body includes a protecting member soaked into the spaces of the tubular body.

11 . The electronic controller according to claim 10 , wherein

the protecting member is formed of an organic substance having viscoelasticity.

12 . The electronic controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the tubular body consists of a shape memory alloy.

13 . The electronic controller according to claim 4 , wherein

the protrusion radially protrudes only from a part of the first end of the tubular body.

14 . The electronic controller according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a cover having a cover protrusion and a cover positioning portion that protrudes from an end surface of the cover protrusion,

the cover protrusion presses the damper against the supporting member, and

the cover positioning portion is housed in the through hole.

15 . The electronic controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the tubular body has an elliptical shape in the first form, and has a shape closer to a true circle than to the elliptical shape in the second form.

16 . A method for coupling the damper of the electronic controller according to claim 2 to the supported member, the method comprising:

inserting the tubular body in the first form into the holding hole; and then

melting the adhesive with heat to deform the tubular body from the first form to the second form, whereby the tubular body is pressed against an inner surface of the holding hole by restoring force.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein

the tubular body consists of woven metal wires such that spaces are defined in the tubular body,

the tubular body includes a protecting member soaked into the spaces of the tubular body, and

the method further comprising

adjusting a compressibility of the damper to a desired value by adjusting a viscosity of the protecting member with ultraviolet rays.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

mounting the supported member on the base having the base positioning portion such that the base positioning portion is housed in the through hole, the base positioning portion protruding from the base in a thickness direction of the base; and

fixing a cover having a cover protrusion to the base such that the cover protrusion presses the damper against the base, the cover protrusion protruding from the cover in a thickness direction of the cover, whereby the damper is pressed between the cover protrusion and the base.