Linear Actuator Buffer Element for Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Linear actuators in driving and flight simulators often suffer from structural damage and risk of injury due to uncontrolled movements, where the piston impacts the housing or actuator rod, leading to emergencies and operational failures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating plastically deformable buffer elements on the housing head and actuator rod to absorb kinetic energy during impacts, converting it into deformation work and preventing damage to structural components, allowing for safe deceleration and immediate replacement of the buffer elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the piston or actuator rod impacts the housing head during uncontrolled movement, then the structural integrity of critical components is compromised, but the reliability of operation and safety of people are deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by installing buffer elements at strategic locations within the actuator housing. These buffers are positioned in advance to cushion the impact between the piston/actuator rod and the housing head, preventing direct contact and potential damage to critical structural components during uncontrolled movement or emergency situations.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer elements serve as an intermediary component between the moving piston/actuator rod and the stationary housing head. This intermediary absorbs and dissipates the impact energy, protecting the critical structural parts from direct impact forces while maintaining the overall integrity of the actuator system.
2Strength
If buffer elements are added to absorb impact energy, then the protection of structural parts is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing buffer elements only at specific critical locations where impact protection is most needed, rather than throughout the entire actuator. This localized approach provides effective structural protection at the housing head interface while minimizing the overall addition of components and maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
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 buffer elements effectively reduce the risk of structural damage and injury by creating a controlled crash zone, enabling the actuator to function post-incident without critical part damage and allowing for optimized force and deceleration settings through material selection and design.
Implementation Method 1
can be deformed in the case of an impact of the piston, kinetic energy being converted into deformation work
Implementation Method 2
and, if the buffer element also rebounds somewhat, possibly also potential energy
Data Source
AI summary
A linear actuator provided for moving a load includes an actuator housing having a tube and a housing bottom at one end of the tube and a housing head at another end of the tube. The linear actuator further includes a piston guided longitudinally in the actuator housing, and an actuator rod assembled with the piston and configured to protrude out of the actuator housing in a manner which is guided in the housing head. The linear actuator is configured such that reliability of operation is increased and damage of structural parts is largely avoided. The linear actuator achieves these results by virtue of the fact that there is at least one plastically deformable buffer element which can be supported on the housing head and can be deformed in the case of an impact of the piston. The buffer element is configured to convert kinetic energy into deformation work.