Active Inertial Damper Filter Design for Resonance Suppression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing inertial dampers are complex and difficult to adapt to different vibration scenarios, requiring high control forces and often causing stress on the frame structure.

Innovation Solution

An active inertial damper system with a support frame, inertial mass, spring means, and force actuator, controlled by a filter that adjusts driving force based on measured vibrations, featuring anti-resonance dips and resonance peaks to suppress vibrations across various frequencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a conventional single reactive mass absorber is used, then the device is simple to construct, but it requires high control force and produces high stress on the frame structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconstruction simplicityVSAvoidcontrol force required
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dual reactive mass absorber where two reaction mass elements move dynamically in opposite directions. This dynamic configuration allows the system to achieve the same vibration attenuation with reduced control force compared to a single mass absorber, resolving the contradiction between construction simplicity and force requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of mass distribution by using two reaction mass elements instead of one. By distributing the reactive mass across two elements that move in opposition, the system reduces the peak control force required while maintaining vibration suppression effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Force

If a dual reactive mass absorber is used, then the control force required is reduced, but the device becomes complicated and difficult to adapt to different situations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol force requiredVSAvoidadaptability to different situations
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates a filter into the controller that can be configured with different resonance frequencies and anti-resonance dips. This allows the dual reactive mass absorber to adapt to different vibration scenarios and frequency ranges, making the system universal and versatile while maintaining reduced control force requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses a filter-based controller that provides feedback control by adjusting the driving force based on the measured vibrations and the filter's frequency characteristics. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to different situations while maintaining efficient operation with reduced control force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the resonance frequency of the mass-spring system is tuned to a specific frequency, then vibrations at that frequency are effectively damped, but the device is less effective at other frequencies and requires precise tuning

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping effectiveness at resonant frequencyVSAvoideffectiveness across different frequencies
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a filter with adjustable resonance frequencies and anti-resonance dips that can be dynamically configured. This allows the system to maintain effective damping across multiple frequencies by adjusting the filter parameters, rather than being limited to a single fixed resonant frequency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The filtering function is segmented into multiple resonance peaks and anti-resonance dips that can be independently configured. This segmentation allows the system to target multiple vibration frequencies simultaneously, improving adaptability while maintaining reliability at each targeted frequency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Strength

If a mass-spring system with high resonance frequency is used, then the spring can be stiffer and more robust, but the range of frequencies at which the device can dampen vibrations is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespring robustnessVSAvoidfrequency range for damping
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent decouples the spring stiffness parameter from the operational frequency range by using a filter-based control system. The filter can be configured with resonance frequencies and anti-resonance dips independent of the mass-spring system's natural resonance, allowing the spring to be optimized for robustness while the filter extends the effective damping range to lower frequencies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively dampens vibrations with reduced dependence on specific resonant frequencies, allowing adaptability to diverse situations and minimizing stress on the spring system, enhancing robustness and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

An inertial mass is supported by the support frame via spring means to form a mass-spring system having a certain resonance frequency

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

An inertial mass is supported by the support frame via spring means to form a mass-spring system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInertia: Inertia

Data Source

PatentEP3420245B1Active inertial damper system and method
Publication Date: 2025.07.16 MECAL INTPROP & STANDARDS BV
  • EP3420245B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3420245B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3420245B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

An active inertial damper system (100) and method for damping vibrations (V1,V2) in a structure (11). An inertial mass (2) is supported by a support frame (1) via spring means (3) to form a mass-spring system (2,3) having a resonance frequency (fn). A controller (6) is configured to control a force actuator (4) to adapt the driving force (Fd) as a function of measured vibrations (V1,V2). The controller (6) comprises a filter (H) determining a magnitude (M) of the driving force (Fd) as a function of frequency (f) for the measured vibrations (V1,V2) in the structure (11). The filter (H) is configured to provide an anti-resonance dip in the magnitude (M) of the driving force (Fd) at the resonance frequency (fn) of the mass-spring system (2,3) to suppress resonant behaviour of the mass-spring system (2,3) itself.