Anti-Vibration Joint With Spherical Axial Stop Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing anti-vibration joints with axial limitation face challenges in maintaining consistent contact and uniform deformation during angular displacements, leading to excessive stress and reduced joint life.

Innovation Solution

An anti-vibration joint design featuring an inner and outer reinforcement with an elastomer body allowing axial, radial, and angular movement, where axial movement is limited by abutment surfaces and members integral to both frames, ensuring constant contact and uniform deformation, thus independent of angular displacements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the anti-vibration joint allows angular displacements between inner and outer frames, then the joint's adaptability and movement freedom are improved, but the contact consistency and deformation uniformity deteriorate, leading to excessive stress concentration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveangular displacement capabilityVSAvoidcontact consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The abutment surfaces are designed with spherical curvature centered on the rotation point. This spherical geometry ensures that during angular displacements, the contact point between abutment surfaces and members moves along the spherical surface, maintaining constant contact and uniform deformation distribution throughout the elastomer body, thereby preventing stress concentration while allowing full angular movement freedom

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If the abutment surfaces are designed to maintain constant contact during angular movement, then the joint's reliability and stress distribution are improved, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestress distribution uniformityVSAvoidabutment surface geometry
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spherical geometry of abutment surfaces provides a mathematically simple yet mechanically effective solution. The spherical shape naturally accommodates rotational movements while maintaining constant contact, achieving uniform stress distribution without requiring complex mechanisms or multiple components. The simplicity of spherical geometry makes it easy to manufacture and integrate into the existing joint structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the elastomer body allows radial and angular movements, then the joint's adaptability is improved, but the axial limitation mechanism becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemovement freedomVSAvoidabutment member configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The abutment members are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they limit axial movements through abutment contact, accommodate radial displacements through their mounting configuration, and maintain contact consistency during angular rotations through their spherical surface geometry. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each movement constraint, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining adaptability

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

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 design ensures consistent contact and uniform deformation, enhancing the joint's operational life by preventing excessive stress on any single part during angular movements.

Implementation Method 1

an elastomer body, connecting the inner frame and outer frame, in which the elastomer body allowing a certain axial movement of the inner reinforcement relative to the outer reinforcement along the first axis, a certain radial movement of the inner reinforcement relative to the outer reinforcement perpendicular to the first axis and a some travel angular of the inner frame with respect to the outer frame

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the axial movement is limited in a first direction by abutment between a first abutment surface and a first elastomeric abutment member, one integral with the inner frame and the other with the outer frame

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical contact: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP3865728A1Anti-vibration joint with axial limitation
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 HUTCHINSON SA
  • EP3865728A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3865728A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3865728A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An anti-vibration joint (1) with axial thrust comprises an inner frame (3) extending longitudinally along a first axis (X1), an outer frame (2) with an annular shape surrounding the inner frame, and an elastomer body (4) connecting the inner and outer frames. The elastomer body allows a certain degree of axial movement of the inner frame (3) relative to the outer frame along the first axis, radially, and angularly in rotation about a point (O) located on the first axis. The axial movement is limited by a stop between a first thrust surface (6a) integral with the inner frame and a first elastomer thrust member (4a) integral with the outer frame. The first thrust surface (6a) has a general shape that is either cylindrical or spherical, centered on the point (O).