Conical Rubber Isolator for Heavy Load Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vibration isolators for heavy commercial vehicles are inefficient in absorbing heavy loads and providing directional stiffness, often requiring multiple components, leading to increased complexity, cost, and lack of overload protection, which results in discomfort and potential damage from vibrations.
Innovation Solution
A compact, integrated isolator design featuring a conical elastic element and an overload element, made of rubber, with asymmetrical radial planes and varying thicknesses and cone angles, allowing for differential stiffness and load distribution between the two elements, minimizing load stress on joints and enabling efficient vibration damping and overload protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a conventional non-conical isolator with uniform radial width is used, then the fabrication is simple, but it cannot absorb heavy loads and exhibits same stiffness in all radial directions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the isolator with a conical elastic element that has different radial widths in different directions. The elastic element features a first radial width in a first radial direction and a second radial width in a second radial direction, creating directionally dependent stiffness characteristics that enable heavy load absorption while maintaining directional control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by varying the thickness and radial width of the elastic element at different locations. The conical shape creates local variations in material distribution, with thicker sections providing higher stiffness in specific directions and thinner sections allowing greater compliance in other directions, optimizing both load absorption and directional stiffness
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate rubber elements are combined to achieve different stiffness in various directions, then the desired stiffness properties are achieved, but the device complexity and fabrication cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functional requirements into a single integrated conical elastic element. Instead of using separate rubber elements for different directional stiffness requirements, the invention combines all directional compliance and stiffness functions into one conical structure with varying radial widths, reducing component count while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The conical elastic element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides directional stiffness control, absorbs heavy loads, limits axial and radial motions through its geometric constraints, and eliminates the need for separate stopper elements. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while achieving the desired versatility
3Force
If the isolator is designed to absorb heavy loads with high stiffness, then load capacity increases, but vibration isolating capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a non-linear stiffness characteristic through the conical geometry. The isolator exhibits different stiffness levels depending on the direction and magnitude of applied loads. Under normal vibration conditions, the isolator maintains high compliance for vibration isolation, while under heavy static loads, the conical structure engages to provide the necessary load-bearing stiffness
4Reliability
If the isolator lacks overload protection, then the structure remains simple, but vehicle parts and components may be damaged from excessive vibrations and motions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by designing the conical elastic element with built-in geometric constraints that naturally limit excessive axial and radial motions. The conical geometry acts as a pre-designed protection mechanism that engages before damage can occur, cushioning against overload conditions without requiring additional protective components
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 provides a cost-effective, maintenance-free isolator that effectively reduces vibrations and absorbs heavy loads, minimizing wear and discomfort while allowing for easy installation in existing vehicles, with improved load distribution and overload protection.
Implementation Method 1
a conical elastic element...allowing for differential stiffness and load distribution between the two elements, minimizing load stress on joints and enabling efficient vibration damping
Implementation Method 2
made of rubber, with asymmetrical radial planes and varying thicknesses and cone angles, allowing for differential stiffness and load distribution
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns an isolator (2), preferably intended for damping/reducing vibrations in a vehicle such as a goods vehicle during its use/forward travel and intended to absorb loads from, for example, a drivetrain, which isolator comprises an overload element (14) and a damping body (10). The invention is realized in that the isolator (2) primarily consists of two parts, a bottom part (5) and an insertion part (8), wherein the insertion part (8) is limitedly movable in relation to the bottom part (5) against the action of the damping body (10), and in that the bottom part (5) is arranged so as to be mounted on a solid frame part (1) or the like, and in that the insertion part (8) is arranged so as to be mounted on/connected to a vibration-generating object, and that both the overload element (14) and the damping body (10) are arranged at the bottom part (5), and that the overload element (14) is arranged at the edge section (13) of the bottom part (5) in such a way that it constitutes a limiting stop for the motions of the insertion part (8) in its radial and/or axial direction.