Magnetic eddy current damper with multiple damping modes

Abstract

A magnetic eddy current damper with multiple damping modes includes a piston assembly, an outer tube assembly, and a control circuit. The piston assembly includes a connecting rod, a magnet unit, and an inner tube layer. The magnet unit is disposed within the inner tube layer, and the connecting rod drives the magnet unit to move in a first direction or a second direction. The outer tube assembly includes a coil and an outer tube layer. The coil is wound around an outer surface of the inner tube layer, and the outer tube layer covers the coil. The control circuit is coupled to the coil and configured to adjust an active electrically controlled damping of the coil. By combining multiple mechanisms of passive eddy current damping of the inner tube layer, active electrically controlled damping of the coil, and pneumatic damping, the foundation support force can be maintained even in the power-off state to ensure safe use.

Claims

1. A magnetic eddy current damper with multiple damping modes, comprising: a piston assembly including a connecting rod, a magnet unit, and an inner tube layer, the magnet unit being disposed within the inner tube layer, the connecting rod driving the magnet unit to move in a first direction or a second direction, wherein a sealed space of the inner tube layer provides pneumatic damping to the magnet unit; an outer tube assembly including a coil and an outer tube layer, the coil being wound around an outer surface of the inner tube layer, the outer tube layer covering the coil; and a control circuit coupled to the coil, the control circuit being configured to adjust an active electrically controlled damping provided by the coil to the magnet unit.

2. The eddy current damper with multiple damping modes as described in claim 1, wherein the piston assembly includes a base, an end cap and a spring, the base being disposed on a first side of the inner tube layer, the end cap being disposed on a second side of the inner tube layer, the spring being disposed between the base and the magnet unit, and the connecting rod being movably mounted on the end cap.

3. The magnetic eddy current damper with multiple damping modes as described in claim 2, wherein the piston assembly further includes a movable base and a movable top seat, the movable base and the movable top seat are installed in the inner tube layer, and the connecting rod is fixed on the movable base and the movable top seat, and the magnet unit is disposed between the movable base and the movable top seat.

4. The magnetic eddy current damper with multiple damping modes as described in claim 3, wherein the piston assembly further includes a seal that is arranged around the periphery of the movable base.

5. The magnetic eddy current damper with multiple damping modes as described in claim 4, wherein the magnet unit comprises at least one pair of magnets and a plurality of iron plates, each pair of magnets being arranged in a repulsive polarity arrangement, and the plurality of iron plates being disposed between and opposite to the at least one pair of magnets.

6. The magnetic eddy current damper with multiple damping modes as described in claim 5, wherein the magnet unit comprises multiple pairs of magnets configured to form a hollow cylinder or square column.

7. The magnetic eddy current damper with multiple damping modes as described in claim 1, wherein the outer tube layer comprises multiple layers of silicon steel sheets.

8. The magnetic eddy current damper with multiple damping modes as described in claim 1, wherein the inner tube layer comprises a copper tube.

9. The eddy current damper with multiple damping modes as described in claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a controller, a first damping adjustment unit and a second damping adjustment unit, the controller being coupled to the first damping adjustment unit and the second damping adjustment unit, the first damping adjustment unit and the second damping adjustment unit being respectively coupled to a first end and a second end of the coil, the controller being configured to output a first signal to the first damping adjustment unit to adjust the active electronically controlled damping to correspond to the movement of the magnet unit in the first direction, and the controller being configured to output a second signal to the second damping adjustment unit to adjust the active electronically controlled damping to correspond to the movement of the magnet unit in the second direction.

10. The eddy current damper with multiple damping modes as described in claim 9, wherein the first damping adjustment unit includes a first transistor and a first protection diode coupled to a first end of the coil, the second damping adjustment unit includes a second transistor and a second protection diode coupled to a second end of the coil, the first transistor being configured to receive the first signal to turn on the first transistor, causing an induced current in the coil to return from the first end of the coil through the first transistor and the second transistor to the second end of the coil, and the second transistor being configured to receive the second signal to turn on the second transistor, causing another induced current in the coil to return from the second end of the coil through the second transistor and the first transistor to the first end of the coil.

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