Vibration suppression device for structure

Abstract

To provide a vibration suppression device for a structure that can secure sufficient installation space for other equipment and suppress rotational deformation of beams by reducing the space occupied by studs within the structure.SOLUTION: The present invention is a vibration suppression device for a structure that is installed within a structural plane SP including upper and lower beams BU, BL of a structure S and suppresses vibrations, and includes an upper stud 2 installed on the upper beam BU and extending downward, a lower stud 3 installed on the lower beam BL at a position whose center in the right-left direction is offset from that of the upper stud 2 and extending upward, a first bracket 4 hanging down from the upper stud 2, a second bracket 5 rising from the lower stud 3 and facing the first bracket 4 in the right-left direction, and a damper 7 installed horizontally between the first bracket 4 and the second bracket 5 that operates as the upper and lower beams BU, BL are displaced in the right-left direction relative to each other, thereby damping vibrations of the structure S.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vibration suppression device for a structure that uses a damper to suppress vibrations in architectural or civil engineering structures. [Background technology]

[0002] Commonly known methods for installing dampers to suppress vibration within the structural plane of a structure include those using V-braces, diagonal braces, and partition studs. Among these, a vibration suppression device using partition studs is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1. This vibration suppression device is installed within the structural plane of a structure, including the left and right columns and the top and bottom beams, and includes an upper partition stud, a lower partition stud, first and second connecting members, and a damper. The upper and lower partition studs have the same width (left-right length) and are located at the same left-right positions on the upper and lower beams, extending downward and upward, respectively, and facing each other. The first connecting member hangs down from one left-right end of the upper partition stud, the second connecting member rises from the opposite end of the lower partition stud, and the damper is installed horizontally between the first and second connecting members.

[0003] In this vibration suppression device, when relative displacement (inter-layer displacement) occurs between the upper and lower beams during an earthquake, etc., this relative displacement is transmitted to the damper via the upper and lower partitions and the first and second connecting members, causing the damper to activate and exert its damping effect, thereby suppressing the vibration of the structure. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-221970 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the conventional vibration suppression device described above, upper and lower studs of the same width extend upward and downward from the same positions on the upper and lower beams, respectively, a first connecting member hangs down from one lateral end of the upper stud, a second connecting member rises from the opposite end of the lower stud, and a damper is installed horizontally between the first and second connecting members. In this configuration, the widths of the upper and lower studs are equal to or greater than the sum of the length of the damper and the widths of the first and second connecting members. If the damper is long, it will occupy most of the space within the structural plane. As a result, the installation space for other equipment, such as equipment piping, is restricted.

[0006] In addition, since the bending moment caused by the damper reaction force acts on the beam via the first or second connecting member, there is also the problem of increased rotational deformation of the beam and stress on the legs of the studs.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a vibration suppression device for a structure that can reduce the space occupied by studs within the structural surface, thereby ensuring sufficient space for installing other equipment. Another aim is to provide a vibration suppression device for a structure that can suppress rotational deformation of beams. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve this object, the invention of claim 1 is a vibration suppression device for a structure that is installed within a structural plane including upper and lower beams of the structure and suppresses vibrations, characterized in that it comprises an upper stud that is installed on the upper beam and extends downward, a lower stud that is installed on the lower beam at a position whose center in the left-right direction is offset from that of the upper stud and extends upward, a first bracket that hangs down from the upper stud, a second bracket that rises from the lower stud and faces the first bracket in the left-right direction, and a damper that is installed horizontally between the first bracket and the second bracket and operates as the upper and lower beams displace relative to each other in the left-right direction, thereby attenuating the vibration of the structure.

[0009] In this vibration suppression device for a structure, upper and lower studs are installed on the upper and lower beams that make up the structural face, respectively, and extend upward and downward, with a damper installed horizontally between a first bracket hanging down from the upper stud and a second bracket rising from the lower stud. When vibration energy is input into the structure during an earthquake or other event, causing relative displacement between the upper and lower beams, this relative displacement is transmitted to the damper via the upper and lower studs and the first and second brackets, and the damper operates to attenuate the vibration of the structure.

[0010] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the centers of the upper and lower partition studs in the left-right direction are offset from each other, and the damper is disposed between the first bracket hanging down from the upper partition stud and the second bracket rising up from the lower partition stud. This arrangement, unlike the conventional vibration suppression device described above, makes it possible to make the width of each of the upper and lower partition studs smaller than the length of the damper. As a result, even if the damper is long, the space occupied by the upper and lower partition studs within the structural surface can be reduced, thereby ensuring sufficient installation space for other equipment, such as allowing for ample installation of equipment piping.

[0011] The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the vibration suppression device for a structure described in claim 1, the vibration suppression device is installed within the structural surfaces of the upper and lower floors adjacent to the middle beam of the structure, and the lower partition stud of the upper floor and the upper partition stud of the lower floor are connected to the middle beam at positions offset to the left and right.

[0012] With this configuration, the lower stud of the upper floor and the upper stud of the lower floor are connected to the middle beam between them at positions offset to the left and right. As a result, the rigid zone length of the middle beam at this connection point is longer than when the upper and lower studs are connected concentrically, and the couple acting on the rigid end of the middle beam is reduced, thereby suppressing rotational deformation of the beam.

[0013] The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in the vibration suppression device for a structure described in claim 1, it further comprises a fixing member for fixing the damper to the first and second brackets to form a damper unit in which the first and second brackets can be connected to the upper partition and the lower partition, respectively.

[0014] According to this configuration, a damper unit is formed in advance by fastening the damper and the first and second brackets with fastening members, integrating these components. The damper unit is then inserted into the relatively wide space between the upper and lower partition studs, and the first and second brackets are connected to the upper and lower partition studs, respectively. Installation of the damper is then completed by removing the fastening members from the damper unit. This makes installation of the damper easier than inserting and installing the damper in the relatively narrow space between the first and second brackets that are already connected to the upper and lower partition studs.

[0015] The invention of claim 4 is characterized in that, in the vibration suppression device for a structure described in any one of claims 1 to 3, it further comprises a first stopper protruding downward from either the first bracket or the upper partition, and a second stopper protruding upward from either the second bracket or the lower partition and facing the first stopper with a predetermined gap in an out-of-plane direction perpendicular to the structural surface.

[0016] With this configuration, when the structure deforms in the out-of-plane direction, the first stopper provided on the first bracket or upper stud and the second stopper provided on the second bracket or lower stud come into contact with each other, preventing further out-of-plane deformation in the damper. This suppresses out-of-plane deformation of the structure and prevents the damper from undergoing excessive out-of-plane deformation, ensuring normal damper operation.

[0017] The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that, in the vibration suppression device for a structure described in claim 4, it further comprises a damping element provided between the first stopper and the second stopper, which provides a damping effect against the relative movement between the first stopper and the second stopper in the axial direction of the damper.

[0018] With this configuration, the damping element provided between the first and second stoppers provides a damping effect against the relative movement of the two stoppers in the axial direction of the damper. As a result, by increasing the initial damping coefficient and increasing the damper reaction force, it is possible to effectively damp and suppress low-frequency vibrations, particularly those caused by earthquakes and wind, especially for dampers with a relatively small initial damping coefficient, such as eddy current dampers.

[0019] The invention of claim 6 is characterized in that, in the vibration suppression device for a structure described in any one of claims 1 to 3, it further comprises a third stopper provided on the damper and protruding downward, and a fourth stopper protruding upward from one of the second bracket and the lower partition and facing the third stopper with a predetermined gap in an out-of-plane direction perpendicular to the structural surface.

[0020] With this configuration, when the structure deforms in the out-of-plane direction, the third stopper on the damper and the fourth stopper on the second bracket or lower stud come into contact with each other, preventing the damper from moving in the out-of-plane direction. This suppresses out-of-plane deformation of the structure and ensures normal operation of the damper.

[0021] The invention of claim 7 is characterized in that, in the vibration suppression device for a structure described in claim 6, it further comprises a damping element provided between the third stopper and the fourth stopper, which provides a damping effect against the relative movement between the third stopper and the fourth stopper in the axial direction of the damper.

[0022] With this configuration, the damping element provided between the third and fourth stoppers provides a damping effect against the relative movement of the two stoppers in the axial direction of the damper. As a result, by increasing the initial damping coefficient and increasing the damper reaction force, it is possible to effectively damp and suppress low-frequency vibrations of a structure caused by earthquakes or wind, particularly for dampers with a relatively small initial damping coefficient such as eddy current dampers. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1A is a front view of a vibration suppression device for a structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with some components omitted, and FIG. 1B is a right side view thereof. [Figure 2] 1A is a partially cutaway longitudinal sectional view of an eddy current damper used as a damper in an embodiment, FIG. 1B is a performance curve diagram, and FIG. 1C is an analytical model. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a front view of a vibration suppression device for a structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram showing forces and moments acting on upper and lower studs and intermediate beams when inter-story displacement occurs in the structure in the vibration suppression device of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are a front view and a right side view, respectively, of a device for suppressing vibration of a structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and a front view of a damper unit. [Figure 6] 10A is a front view of a vibration suppression device for a structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, with some components omitted, and FIG. 10B is a right side view thereof. [Figure 7] 10A is a front view of a vibration suppression device for a structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, with some components omitted, FIG. 10B is a right side view, FIG. 10C is a performance curve diagram, and FIG. 10D is an analytical model. [Figure 8] 8A to 8C are side views showing three embodiments of the damping element in the vibration suppression device of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are a front view and a right side view, respectively, of a device for suppressing vibration of a structure according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, with some components omitted. [Figure 10]This figure shows an example in which the arrangement of the upper and lower studs relative to the beams is different from that of the second embodiment, and is also a diagram showing the forces and moments acting on the upper and lower studs and intermediate beams when inter-story displacement occurs in the structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a vibration suppression device 1 for a structure according to a first embodiment. This vibration suppression device 1 is installed within a vertical structural plane SP formed by upper and lower beams B (BU, BL) and left and right columns C (CL, CR) (see Fig. 3). The vibration suppression device 1 includes an upper stud 2 attached to the upper beam BU and extending downward, a lower stud 3 attached to the lower beam BL and extending upward, a first bracket 4 hanging down from the upper stud 2, a second bracket 5 rising from the lower stud 3, and a damper 7 installed between the first and second brackets 4, 5.

[0025] The upper and lower partition studs 2, 3 and the first and second brackets 4, 5 are each formed, for example, by assembling multiple steel plates into one unit. The center line ZR of the upper partition 2 (an axis that passes through the center of the upper partition 2 in the left-right direction and extends vertically) is offset by a distance ΔL to one side (the right side in Figure 1) from the center line Z of the structural face SP, while the center line ZL of the lower partition 3 is offset by the same distance ΔL to the opposite side (the left side in Figure 1) from the center line Z of the structural face SP. The upper partition 2 and the lower partition 3 are thus arranged with a left-right offset, and face each other vertically with a gap between them. Furthermore, the widths (left-right lengths) W of the upper partition 2 and the lower partition 3 are equal to each other and are smaller than the length of the damper 7.

[0026] The first bracket 4 is made up of a rectangular connecting plate 4a, a mounting plate 4b, and two triangular reinforcing plates 4c assembled together at right angles to each other. The connecting plate 4a is fixed to the upper stud 2, contacting the underside of the upper stud 2 from the center to one end (the right end in Figure 1(a)). The mounting plate 4b hangs down from the outer end of the connecting plate 4a (the right end in Figure 1(a)). The two reinforcing plates 4c, 4c hang down from the front and rear ends of the connecting plate 4a (the left and right ends in Figure 1(b)).

[0027] In Fig. 1(a), the front reinforcing plate portion 4c of the first bracket 4 and the later-described front reinforcing plate portion 5c of the second bracket 5 are omitted from the view point of making it easier to see the damper 7. This also applies to Figs. 6(a), 7(a), and 9(a), which are similar to Fig. 1(a) and will be described later.

[0028] The second bracket 5 is configured similarly to the first bracket 4, and is comprised of a rectangular connecting plate 5a and mounting plate 5b and two triangular reinforcing plate 5c assembled together at right angles to each other. The connecting plate 5a is fixed to the lower partition 3, contacting the upper surface of the lower partition 3 from the center to one end (the left end in Figure 1(a)). The mounting plate 5b rises from one end (the left end in Figure 1(a)) of the connecting plate 5a and faces horizontally opposite the mounting plate 4b of the first bracket 4 at a specified distance. The two reinforcing plate 5c, 5c rise from the front and rear ends (the left and right ends in Figure 1(b)) of the connecting plate 5a.

[0029] The damper 7 is provided horizontally between these mounting plate portions 4b, 5b (XD in FIG. 1 is the axis of the damper 7). In this embodiment, the damper 7 is configured as an eddy current damper as shown in FIG. 2(a), and includes a ball screw 11, a magnet holding member 12, a conductive member 13, and a plurality of permanent magnets 14. The magnet holding member 12 and the conductive member 13 are each formed in a cylindrical shape and are arranged coaxially on the outside of the ball screw 11.

[0030] The ball screw 11 has a screw shaft 15 and a nut 16 that is screwed onto the screw shaft 15 via a number of balls (not shown). The screw shaft 15 extends on both sides of the nut 16, protrudes from the magnet holding member 12 on the right side of FIG. 2(a), and is rotatably connected to a first mounting fixture 17 via a clevis 17a.

[0031] The magnet holding member 12 is made of a ferromagnetic material (e.g., steel). The magnet holding member 12 is basically cylindrical and is arranged coaxially on the outside of the screw shaft 15. It has a large-diameter magnet mounting portion 12a in the center and first and second small-diameter supported portions 12b, 12c on either side of it. The first and second supported portions 12b, 12c are rotatably fitted to the screw shaft 15. The first supported portion 12b is fixed to a flange portion of the nut 16. Meanwhile, the second supported portion 12c is provided integrally with the magnet mounting portion 12a. With the above configuration, the nut 16 and the magnet holding member 12 are integrally connected to each other.

[0032] The conductive member 13 is made of a conductive material (e.g., steel). The conductive member 13 is basically cylindrical and is arranged coaxially outside the magnet holding member 12. It has a large-diameter main body 13a in the center and a first support portion 13b and a second support portion 13c on either side of the main body 13a, each having a small diameter. The conductive member 13 is rotatably connected to the second mounting fixture 18 via the second support portion 13c and a clevis 18a. The magnet holding member 12 is supported by the conductive member 13 at the first and second supported portions 12b, 12c via a radial bearing 20 and a thrust bearing 21 so as to be rotatable but immovable in the axial direction.

[0033] The permanent magnets 14 are, for example, neodymium magnets, and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the magnet mounting portion 12a of the magnet holding member 12, facing the inner peripheral surface of the conductive member 13 with a gap between them. The permanent magnets 14 are arranged in the radial direction of the magnet holding member 12, and the polarities of each pair of adjacent permanent magnets 14, 14 are set to be different from each other.

[0034] The eddy current damper 7 configured as described above is installed horizontally between the mounting plate portions 4b, 5b of the first and second brackets 4, 5 via the first and second mounting fixtures 17, 18. In FIG. 1(a), the damper 7 is installed so that the axes of the clevises 17a, 18a extend horizontally, but they may also be installed so that they extend vertically. When a horizontal relative displacement (inter-story displacement) occurs between the lower beam BL and the upper beam BU of the structure S during an earthquake or other event, the relative displacement is transmitted to the damper 7 via the upper and lower studs 2, 3 and the first and second brackets 4, 5. In the damper 7, the linear motion of the screw shaft 15 relative to the conductive member 13 is converted into the rotational motion of the nut 16, and the magnet holding member 12, which is integrated with the nut 16, rotates within the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 14.

[0035] As a result, eddy currents (induced currents) are generated on the inner peripheral surface of the conductive member 13, and at the same time, Lorentz force is generated due to the interaction between the eddy currents and the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 14. The Lorentz force then acts on the magnet holding member 12 as a resistance force (braking force) in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation, thereby producing a damping effect and suppressing vibration of the structure S.

[0036] If we model the eddy current damper 7 based on the above configuration and operation, as shown in Figure 2(c), we get a model in which a "damping element" with a damping coefficient = cd, consisting of eddy current resistance due to permanent magnets 14 etc., and an "inertial connection element" with an inertial mass = md, consisting of rotating nut 16 and magnet holding member 12, are connected in series with a "spring element" with a spring constant = kd, consisting of device rigidity.

[0037] Furthermore, the damping characteristics of the damper 7 are primarily due to eddy current resistance, and therefore, as shown in Fig. 2(b), the damping force F changes nonlinearly according to the speed V of the vibration input to the damper 7. Here, the performance curve of the damper 7 is modeled as a trilinear type in which the slope of the damping force F with respect to the speed V changes in three stages, and the damping coefficient (initial damping coefficient) when the speed V is small is relatively small.

[0038] As described above, according to this embodiment, the center lines ZR, ZL of the upper stud 2 and the lower stud 3 are offset from each other, and the damper 7 is disposed between the first bracket 4 hanging down from the upper stud 2 and the second bracket 5 rising up from the lower stud 3. Unlike conventional vibration suppression devices, this arrangement makes it possible to make the width W of each of the upper stud 2 and the lower stud 3 smaller than the length of the damper 7, as shown in FIG. 1 . As a result, even if the length of the damper 7 is large, by reducing the space occupied by the upper and lower studs 2, 3 within the structural face SP, sufficient installation space can be secured for other equipment, allowing, for example, equipment piping P to be installed with ample space.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a vibration suppression device 31 for a structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As is clear from a comparison with FIG. 1 , the vibration suppression device 31 is the same as the vibration suppression device 1 of the first embodiment, installed on adjacent upper and lower floors of a structure S, respectively. Specifically, upper and lower partition studs 2, 3, first and second brackets 4, 5, and dampers 7, each of which has the same configuration as the vibration suppression device 1, are provided on the upper and lower floors, respectively. The center lines ZR of the upper partition studs 2 on the upper and lower floors are offset a predetermined distance to one side from the center line Z of the structural face SP, and the center lines ZL of the lower partition studs 3 on the upper and lower floors are offset the same distance to the opposite side from the center line Z of the structural face SP. Furthermore, the height h from the axis XB of the middle beam B (hereinafter referred to as the "middle beam BM") to the axis XD of the damper 7 on the upper floor and the height h from the axis XD of the damper 7 on the lower floor are set to the same value. Hereinafter, this h value will be referred to as the "damper height."

[0040] As described above, in the vibration suppression device 31 of this embodiment, the lower stud 3 of the upper floor and the upper stud 2 of the lower floor are connected to the intermediate beam BM at positions offset from each other in the left-right direction. Therefore, the rigid zone length of the intermediate beam BM at this connection point is longer than when the upper stud and the lower stud are connected concentrically to the intermediate beam. As a result, the couple acting on the rigid zone end of the intermediate beam BM due to the damper forces of the upper and lower floors is reduced, thereby suppressing rotational deformation of the intermediate beam BM.

[0041] Figure 4 shows the forces and moments acting on the damper 7, the upper and lower studs 2 and 3, and the intermediate beam BM in the vibration suppression device 31 when the structure S vibrates (sways) horizontally in the first mode in response to input such as earthquake motion, causing story displacement on the upper and lower floors. The figure also shows a state in which the upper and lower floors have been displaced to the left (x1 and x2, respectively). In this case, on the upper floor, the damper 7 is compressed between the upper stud 2 and the lower stud 3, and as a reaction force, a damper force FUr acts on the upper stud 2, and a damper force FFl acts on the lower stud 3. Therefore, a moment MU (= FFl·h), expressed as the product of the damper force FU1 on the lower stud 3 and the damper height h, acts on the intermediate beam BM via the lower stud 3.

[0042] As above, on the lower floor, the damper 7 is compressed between the upper stud 2 and the lower stud 3, and as a reaction force, damper force FLr acts on the upper stud 2, and damper force FLi acts on the lower stud 3. For this reason, a moment ML (= FLr·h), expressed as the product of the damper force FLr on the upper stud 2 and the damper height h, acts on the intermediate beam BM via the upper stud 2.

[0043] On the other hand, in the vibration suppression device 31, the lower stud 3 of the upper floor and the upper stud 2 of the lower floor are connected at positions offset from the left and right of the intermediate beam BM, so the rigid zone length of the intermediate beam BM at this connected portion is longer by that amount. As a result, even if a damper force acts on the intermediate beam BM from the upper and lower floors as described above, the couple acting on the rigid zone end of the intermediate beam BM is reduced, thereby suppressing rotational deformation of the intermediate beam BM.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a vibration suppression device 51 for a structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this vibration suppression device 51, a damper 7 and first and second brackets 4 and 5 are first assembled together as a damper unit, which is then attached between an upper partition 2 and a lower partition 3. As shown in FIG. 5(c), a damper unit 52 includes a damper 7, first and second brackets 4 and 5, and two fixing members 53. The fixing member 53 is formed, for example, from a C-channel steel member having a web 53a and two flanges 53b extending perpendicularly from both ends of the web 53a. A plurality of bolt holes 54 are formed at each end of the web 53a.

[0045] When assembling the damper unit 52, first, the first and second brackets 4, 5 are connected to both ends of the damper 7, respectively, to form a connected body. Next, with a fixing member 53 pressed against one side of this connected body, bolts are passed through the multiple bolt holes 54 on one end and screwed into the reinforcing plate portion 4c of the first bracket 4, thereby fixing the fixing member 53 to the connected body. Next, in the same manner, another fixing member 53 is fixed to the other side of the connected body, thereby completing the assembly of the damper unit 52.

[0046] Furthermore, when using the damper unit 52 to attach the damper 7 to the upper and lower partition studs 2, 3, first, as shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), the entire damper unit 52 is inserted into the space between the upper partition 2 and the lower partition 3. Next, the connecting plate portion 4a of the first bracket 4 is connected to the underside of the upper partition 2, and the connecting plate portion 5a of the second bracket 5 is connected to the top surface of the lower partition 3. Finally, although not shown, the fixing member 53 is removed from the connecting body to complete the installation of the damper 7.

[0047] As described above, according to this embodiment, the damper 7 and the first and second brackets 4, 5 are fixed with the fixing members 53, thereby forming in advance the damper unit 52, in which these components 4, 5, 7, and 53 are integrated. The damper unit 52 is then inserted into the relatively wide space between the upper and lower partition studs, and the first and second brackets are connected to the upper and lower partition studs 2 and 3, respectively. After that, the fixing members 53 are removed from the damper unit 52, thereby completing the installation of the damper 7. This makes installation of the damper 7 easier than when the damper 7 is inserted and installed in the relatively narrow space between the first and second brackets 4, 5 that are already connected to the upper and lower partition studs 2 and 3.

[0048] Fig. 6 shows a vibration suppression device 61 for a structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This vibration suppression device 61 is configured by adding stoppers for suppressing out-of-plane deformation of the structure S to the vibration suppression device 1 of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1. These stoppers 62, 63 are each made up of a pair of front and rear steel plates or the like.

[0049] The first stoppers 62, 62 are integrally formed by welding or the like on the front and rear ends of the underside of the first bracket 4, protruding downward and extending axially from the center of the damper 7 to near the end on the first bracket 4 side. The second stoppers 63, 63 are formed on the upper surface of the lower partition 3 inside the first stoppers 62, 62, protruding upward and extending axially from the center of the lower partition 3 to near the end on the first bracket 4 side, facing the first stopper 62 with a specified gap in the front-to-rear direction.

[0050] With the above configuration, according to this embodiment, when the structure S deforms in an out-of-plane direction perpendicular to the structural face SP, one of the first stoppers 62 provided on the first bracket 4 and the second stopper 63 provided on the lower stud 3 opposite the first stopper 62 come into contact with each other, thereby preventing further out-of-plane deformation in the damper portion. This suppresses out-of-plane deformation of the structure S and prevents the damper 7 from undergoing excessive deformation in the out-of-plane direction, thereby ensuring normal operation of the damper 7.

[0051] Furthermore, although not shown, the tip portions of the first stopper 62 and the second stopper 63 may be made hook-shaped so as to be able to interlock with each other in the vertical direction, thereby suppressing deformation of the structure S in the vertical direction as well.

[0052] 7 shows a vibration suppression device 71 for a structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. This vibration suppression device 71 is obtained by adding a damping element 72 to the vibration suppression device 61 of the fourth embodiment described above to provide a damping effect. As described above, the eddy current damper used as the damper 7 in this embodiment has a damping characteristic that depends on velocity and has a relatively small initial damping coefficient, and this is to compensate for this. As shown in FIG. 7(b), the damping element 72 is disposed between the first stopper 62 and the second stopper 63, and is composed of, for example, a friction element, a viscoelastic element, or a magnetic element.

[0053] According to this configuration, when the first and second stoppers 62, 63 move relative to each other in the axial direction of the damper 7, a damping effect is exerted by the resistance of the damping element 72 against shear deformation of both stoppers 62, 63. As a result, by apparently increasing the initial damping coefficient of the vibration suppression device 71 and increasing the damper reaction force, it is possible to effectively damp and suppress low-frequency vibrations, particularly those caused by earthquakes and wind.

[0054] Based on the above configuration and operation, when the vibration suppression device 71 of this embodiment is modeled using friction elements as the damping elements 72, the result is a model in which a "friction element" with a friction force = Fa is connected in parallel to the entire model of the damper 7 in Fig. 2(c), as shown in Fig. 7(d). Furthermore, because the friction force Fa due to the friction element has characteristics that are independent of the speed V, the performance curve of the vibration suppression device 71 is a model in which a constant friction force Fa is added to the trilinear damping force of the damper 7 in Fig. 2(b), as shown in Fig. 7(c).

[0055] FIG. 8 shows three embodiments of the damping element 72 of the vibration suppression device 71. In the embodiment (a), a friction material 73 (friction element) is disposed as a damping element between the first stopper 62 and the second stopper 63. The friction material 73 is fastened with an appropriate strength by a fastening bolt 74 that passes through both stoppers 62, 63. The friction material 73 is made of, for example, fluororesin. The second stopper 63 has an elongated hole 75 that extends horizontally in the axial direction of the damper 7 (the depth direction of the paper in FIG. 8(a)), and the fastening bolt 74 is passed through this elongated hole 75. Therefore, the first and second stoppers 62, 63 can move relatively along the elongated hole 75 within a stroke ST range on both sides from a neutral position C.

[0056] With the above-described configuration, in this embodiment, the first and second stoppers 62, 63 are able to suppress out-of-plane deformation, and as the two stoppers 62, 63 move relative to each other in the axial direction of the damper 7, a damping function is achieved by the frictional resistance force of the friction material 73.

[0057] In the embodiment shown in Figure 8(b), a pair of arms 78, 78 are attached to the front and rear of the lower end of the first stopper 62 by tightening bolts 74 via elastic material 77, and extend downward. Meanwhile, the second stopper 63 is fixed to the lower stud 3 by bolts 80, extends upward, and has viscoelastic material 79 (viscoelastic element) attached to both the front and rear of the second stopper 63 as a damping element. The viscoelastic material 79 is made of, for example, an isobutylene-based material. Furthermore, arms 78 extend outward from the viscoelastic material 79, and are tightened with an appropriate strength by the tightening bolts 74 via the arms 78.

[0058] With the above configuration, in this embodiment, the first and second stoppers 62, 63 are able to suppress out-of-plane deformation, and as the two stoppers 62, 63 move relative to each other in the axial direction of the damper 7, a damping function is achieved through the viscoelasticity of the viscoelastic material 79.

[0059] 8(c) is an embodiment in which a permanent magnet 82 (magnetic element) is disposed as a damping element between the first stopper 62 and the second stopper 63. The permanent magnets 82 are, for example, neodymium magnets, and are provided on the opposing inner surfaces of the first and second stoppers 62, 63, respectively, and are arranged so that their magnetic poles are opposite in the opposing directions. L-shaped covers 83 for preventing magnetic leakage are fixed to the lower end of the first stopper 62 and the upper end of the second stopper 63 with bolts 80, and the permanent magnets 82 are covered by the covers 83, 83.

[0060] Further, the first and second stoppers 62, 63 each have an elongated hole 84 formed therein, which extends horizontally in the axial direction of the damper 7 (the depth direction of the paper in FIG. 8(c)). Then, the fastening bolts 74 are passed through these elongated holes 84 and screwed into the cover 83 and tightened with an appropriate amount of force. With this configuration, the first and second stoppers 62, 63 are connected to each other and can move relatively in the axial direction of the damper 7 along the elongated holes 84 within a predetermined stroke range.

[0061] With the above-described configuration, in this embodiment, the first and second stoppers 62, 63 are connected to each other via the bolts 74, 80 and the cover 83, thereby achieving a function of suppressing out-of-plane deformation. In addition, as the two stoppers 62, 63 move relative to each other in the axial direction of the damper 7, resistance due to the attractive force acting between the permanent magnets 82, 82 provides a damping function.

[0062] Although not shown, instead of the configuration of the permanent magnet 82 described above, for example, a plurality of permanent magnets may be provided along the axial direction of the damper 7 on one of the opposing surfaces of the first and second stoppers 62, 63, and arranged so that adjacent permanent magnets have different magnetic poles, and the other opposing surface may be made of a conductive material such as copper plating, thereby obtaining resistance due to the Lorentz force caused by the interaction between the magnetic field of the permanent magnets and eddy currents.

[0063] 9 shows a vibration suppression device 91 for a structure according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. While the fourth and fifth embodiments described above provide a downwardly protruding first stopper 62 on the first bracket 4 or the upper stud 4, the vibration suppression device 71 differs in that a downwardly protruding third stopper 92 is provided on the damper 7. More specifically, a short cylindrical band material 94 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the conductive member 13 of the damper 7, and a third stopper 92 is integrally provided at the lowest position of the band material 94 and protrudes downward. The third stopper 92 is plate-shaped and extends in the axial direction of the damper 7.

[0064] On the other hand, the fourth stoppers 93 are plate-shaped and, like the second stoppers 63 in the fourth and fifth embodiments, are provided on the upper surface of the second stopper lower stud 3 and protrude upward. The fourth stoppers 93 are provided on both the front and rear sides of the first stopper 92, extend in the axial direction of the damper 7 from the center of the lower stud 3 to near the end on the first bracket 4 side, and face the third stoppers 92 with a predetermined gap in the front-to-rear direction. As in the fifth embodiment, damping elements 72 are provided between the third stoppers 92 and each fourth stopper 93.

[0065] With the above configuration, this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the fifth embodiment. That is, when the structure S deforms in an out-of-plane direction perpendicular to the structural plane SP, the third stopper 92 and one of the fourth stoppers 93 come into contact with each other, thereby preventing further out-of-plane deformation in the damper portion. As a result, as in the fifth embodiment, it is possible to suppress out-of-plane deformation of the structure S and ensure normal operation of the damper 7. Furthermore, since there is only one third stopper 92 protruding downward, which is fewer than the first stopper 62 of the fifth embodiment, the stopper configuration can be simplified accordingly.

[0066] Furthermore, the damping element 72 provided between the third and fourth stoppers 92, 93 exerts a damping effect by resisting shear deformation of both stoppers 92, 93. This makes it possible to effectively damp and suppress low-frequency vibrations, particularly those caused by earthquakes and wind, by apparently increasing the initial damping coefficient of the vibration suppression device 91.

[0067] Figure 10 shows an example in which the arrangement of the upper studs 2 and lower studs 3 relative to the beam B differs from that of the third embodiment. As mentioned above, in the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 etc., the upper studs 2 are arranged around a center line ZR that is shifted to one side (the right side in Figure 1) from the center line Z of the structural face SP, and the lower studs 3 are arranged around a center line ZL that is shifted to the other side (the left side in Figure 1) from the center line Z. This arrangement of studs is the same between the upper and lower floors and, although not shown, is common to all floors.

[0068] In contrast, in the example shown in Figure 10, on the upper floor, the upper studs 2 are arranged around a center line ZR that is shifted to one side (the right side in the figure) from the center line Z of the structural face SP, and the lower studs 3 are arranged around the center line Z (hereinafter referred to as "stud arrangement 1"). In contrast, on the lower floor, the upper studs 2 are arranged in the same position as the lower studs 3 on the upper floor, around the center line Z of the structural face SP, and the lower studs 3 are arranged around a center line ZL that is shifted to the other side (the left side in the figure) from the center line Z (hereinafter referred to as "stud arrangement 2"). Although not shown, such stud arrangements 1 and stud arrangements 2 are set alternately for multiple floors of the structure S.

[0069] As described above, in the example of Figure 10, as in the first embodiment, the center lines ZR, ZL of the upper partition 2 and the lower partition 3 are offset from each other on the same floor, so even if the length of the damper 7 is large, the width of the upper partition 2 and the lower partition 3 can be reduced, thereby reducing the space occupied by the upper and lower partitions 2, 3 within the structural face SP, and thereby making it possible to secure sufficient installation space for other equipment.

[0070] Furthermore, in the intermediate beam BM of Figure 10, the lower stud 3 on the upper floor and the upper stud 2 on the lower floor are connected in the same position, so the rigid zone length at the connection point is not long, and therefore the advantage of suppressing rotational deformation cannot be obtained. In contrast, in the upper beam BU and lower beam BL of Figure 10, the lower stud 3 on the upper floor and the upper stud 2 on the lower floor are connected in positions that are offset from each other in the left-right direction, so the rigid zone length at this connection point is long. As a result, as in the first embodiment, the couple acting on the beam B is reduced, and rotational deformation of the beam B can be suppressed.

[0071] The present invention is not limited to the described embodiments and can be embodied in various forms. For example, in the fourth and fifth embodiments (FIGS. 6 and 7), the first stopper 62 is provided on the first bracket 4, and the second stopper 63 is provided on the lower stud 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The first stopper 62 may be provided on the upper stud 2, or the second stopper 63 may be provided on the second bracket 5, as long as the relationship in which the first stopper 62 and the second stopper 63 abut upon out-of-plane deformation of the structure S is satisfied. Similarly, the fourth stopper 93 in the sixth embodiment (FIG. 9) may be provided on the second bracket 5 instead of the lower stud 3. Furthermore, in the embodiments, a clevis is used as a joint for rotatably attaching the damper 7 to the first and second brackets 4 and 5, but a universal joint may also be used.

[0072] Furthermore, in the embodiment, an eddy current damper is used as the damper 7, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to any type of damper that operates in response to the relative displacement of upper and lower beams to damp vibrations of a structure. In particular, when using a damper with a relatively small initial damping coefficient such as an eddy current damper, by using a damping element in combination as in the fifth embodiment, the initial damping coefficient can be increased and the damper reaction force can be made larger, thereby obtaining the advantage of effectively suppressing low-frequency vibrations caused by earthquakes and wind.

[0073] In addition, the detailed configurations other than those shown in the embodiments can be changed as appropriate within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1. Vibration suppression device according to the first embodiment 2 Upper studs 3 Lower stud 4 First Bracket 5 Second bracket 7 Damper 31 Vibration suppression device according to the second embodiment 51 Vibration suppression device according to the third embodiment 52 Damper unit 53 Fixing member 61 Vibration suppression device according to the fourth embodiment 62 First stopper 63 Second stopper 71 Vibration suppression device according to the fifth embodiment 72 Damping Elements 73 Friction material (damping element) 79 Viscoelastic material (damping element) 82 Permanent magnet (damping element) 91 Vibration suppression device according to the sixth embodiment 92 Third stopper 93 4th stopper S structure SP structure BU upper beam (beam) BL Lower beam (beam) BM Intermediate beam (beam)

Claims

1. A vibration suppression device for a structure that is installed within a structural plane including upper and lower beams of a structure and suppresses vibrations, an upper stud installed on the upper beam and extending downward; a lower stud that is installed on the lower beam at a position whose center in the left-right direction is offset from that of the upper stud and extends upward; a first bracket depending from the upper stud; a second bracket rising from the lower stud and facing the first bracket in the left-right direction; a damper that is horizontally provided between the first bracket and the second bracket, that operates in response to relative displacement of the upper and lower beams in the left-right direction, and that damps vibration of the structure; A vibration suppression device for a structure, comprising:

2. The vibration suppression device is provided within the structural surfaces of the upper floor and the lower floor adjacent to the upper and lower sides of the intermediate beam of the structure, 2. The vibration suppression device for a structure according to claim 1, wherein the lower stud of the upper floor and the upper stud of the lower floor are connected to the intermediate beam at positions offset in the left-right direction.

3. 2. The vibration suppression device for a structure according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing member for fixing the damper to the first and second brackets to form a damper unit that can connect the first and second brackets to the upper stud and the lower stud.

4. a first stopper protruding downward from one of the first bracket and the upper stud; a second stopper that protrudes upward from one of the second bracket and the lower stud and faces the first stopper with a predetermined gap in an out-of-plane direction perpendicular to the structural surface; The vibration suppression device for a structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:

5. 5. A vibration suppression device for a structure as described in claim 4, further comprising a damping element provided between the first stopper and the second stopper, which provides a damping effect against the relative movement between the first stopper and the second stopper in the axial direction of the damper.

6. a third stopper provided on the damper and protruding downward; a fourth stopper that protrudes upward from one of the second bracket and the lower stud and faces the third stopper with a predetermined gap in an out-of-plane direction perpendicular to the structural face; The vibration suppression device for a structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:

7. 7. A vibration suppression device for a structure as described in claim 6, further comprising a damping element provided between the third stopper and the fourth stopper, which provides a damping effect against the relative movement between the third stopper and the fourth stopper in the axial direction of the damper.

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