Air Spring Bearing With Throttle Damping for Vibratory Machines

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vibrating machines experience high deflections and dynamic loads during start-up and shut-down due to insufficient damping in their bearing systems, particularly when using steel or conventional air springs, which are inefficient and wear-prone, and two-mass systems are costly and complex.

Innovation Solution

A bearing device with an air spring connected to a compressed air reservoir through a throttle, which provides frequency-dependent dynamic stiffness and damping, decoupling automatically at resonance frequencies to minimize vibration peaks and dynamic loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If conventional air springs or steel springs are used in the bearing device, then the structure is simple, but the damping is insufficient leading to high deflections during start-up and run-down

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebearing device structureVSAvoiddamping performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines an air spring with a compressed air reservoir and throttle valve to create a composite bearing device that integrates both support function and damping function in a single system, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and damping performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses pneumatic elements (air spring, compressed air reservoir, and throttle valve) to provide frequency-dependent damping, achieving effective vibration control during start-up and run-down while maintaining structural simplicity through pneumatic components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Reliability

If fluid dampers are used to increase damping, then damping effect is improved, but the service life is reduced due to wear under ambient conditions of vibrating machines

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping effectVSAvoidservice life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces fluid dampers with a pneumatic damping system using compressed air reservoir and throttle valve, eliminating wear-prone mechanical components while maintaining effective damping performance throughout the service life

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses wear-free pneumatic components instead of wear-prone fluid dampers, creating a bearing device that maintains its damping performance throughout the entire operational life without degradation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the natural frequency of the bearing system is kept low for vibration isolation, then isolation performance is improved, but the deflection during start-up and run-down increases due to resonance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration isolationVSAvoiddeflection
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a dynamic damping system where the compressed air reservoir and throttle valve provide frequency-dependent damping that automatically adapts to different operating conditions, providing low damping during steady operation and high damping during transient start-up and run-down phases

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the throttle valve to control the flow of compressed air, dynamically changing the damping parameter of the bearing device based on the operating frequency, thereby reducing deflection during resonance while maintaining low natural frequency for vibration isolation

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 solution significantly reduces vibration amplitudes and dynamic loads during start-up and shut-down, achieving damping levels up to 20% and maintaining efficient operation without energy waste, with a simple and cost-effective design.

Implementation Method 1

at least one compressed air reservoir (11) fluidly connected to the air spring (10) per bearing point

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 2

a throttle (13) connected between the air spring (10) and the compressed air reservoir (11)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow restriction: Pressure Drop

Implementation Method 3

the natural frequency of the bearing system is selected to be as low as possible and below the operating frequency of the vibrating first machine part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 4

Both damping measures are insufficient for effective damping and avoiding the high deflections of the oscillating first machine part when the oscillating machine starts up and runs down

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3717794B2Vibratory machine and method for operating a vibratory machine
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 SPALECK GMBH & CO KGAA
  • EP3717794B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3717794B2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3717794B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a bearing device (1) for a vibratory machine (2), wherein the bearing device (1) is resiliently arranged between a first machine part (21), which vibrates during operation of the vibratory machine (2), and a second machine part (22) connected to an installation surface of the vibratory machine (2), and wherein the bearing device (1) has at least one air spring (10) per bearing point. The bearing device (1) according to the invention is characterized in that it furthermore has at least one compressed air reservoir (11), which is fluidically connected to the air spring (10), and in that a restrictor (13) is connected between the air spring (10) and the compressed air reservoir (11). In addition, the invention relates to a vibratory machine (2) having a bearing device (1), and to a method for operating a vibratory machine (2).