Cable Vibration Damper with Intermediate Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vibration damping devices for long cable structures, such as bridge stay cables, face challenges with significant cable travel requiring long-stroke shock absorbers and large support dimensions, which conflict with limited space on bridge decks, affecting pedestrian and vehicle clearance.
Innovation Solution
A damping device with telescopically movable first and second elements, where the first damper is inclined and attached to the support at a location away from the distal end, reducing the support's dimensions by making the damper length a less critical factor, and incorporating additional dampers that extend vertically to minimize lateral space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If long-stroke shock absorbers are used to accommodate significant cable movement, then vibration damping effectiveness is improved, but support dimensions and width increase, conflicting with limited bridge deck space
Solution Approach 1:
The shock absorber is attached to the support at an intermediate location along its length rather than at the distal end, effectively moving the attachment point from one dimension (end-to-end) to another dimension (along the length). This dimensional shift allows the support width to be reduced while maintaining the shock absorber's functional length for effective vibration damping.
2Length of moving object
If the fixing is attached at the distal end of the first element, then the damper can accommodate maximum cable travel, but the support structure becomes substantially larger
Solution Approach 1:
The shock absorber's attachment function is segmented from its damping function. The fixing is attached at an intermediate location along the first element's length, separating the attachment point from the distal end. This segmentation allows the damper to maintain its full stroke length for accommodating cable travel while the support structure only needs to accommodate the attachment point, reducing overall support volume.
3Area of stationary object
If the first damper is attached at a location away from the distal end, then support dimensions are reduced, but the damper's ability to accommodate cable movement may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The solution resolves this contradiction by utilizing the longitudinal dimension of the shock absorber body. The fixing is attached at an intermediate location along the length of the first element, allowing the shock absorber to extend beyond the attachment point toward the distal end. This maintains the effective damping length while minimizing the support area required at the attachment location.
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 effectively reduces the support's size, particularly its width, allowing for efficient vibration damping without hindering bridge traffic or pedestrian passage, while maintaining effective damping performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first damper for damping cable vibrations
Implementation Method 2
the first damper comprising a first element and a second element telescopically movable relative to each other
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A device for damping vibrations of a cable (8). The device comprises: - a support (14), - at least one first damper (16) for damping the vibrations of the cable (8), the first damper (16) comprising a first element (32) and a second element (34) that can be moved telescopically relative to each other, the second element (34) being intended to be attached to the cable (8), the first element (32) having a distal end and a proximal end relative to the cable (8), and - an attachment arranged on the support to attach the first damper (16) to the support (14), the attachment being attached to the first damper (16) at a location along the first damper located apart from the distal end of the first element (32) in the direction of the proximal end.