Floating Inertia Ring Elastomeric Damper for Multi-Directional Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crankshaft dampers fail to effectively dampen vibrations in all directions, particularly orbital motions, and have inadequate response times and material durability due to the use of natural rubber, which degrades under high stress and environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A damping system featuring an elastomeric ring with holes and an inertia ring that encapsulates and secures the elastomeric ring, allowing it to float within a housing, providing damping in all directions through a damped mass-spring system, using polyurethane material for improved durability and replaceability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If natural rubber is used as the damping material, then the damper can be manufactured with simple materials and processes, but the rubber degrades under high stress and environmental conditions leading to reduced life expectancy and performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from natural rubber to synthetic rubber compounds with superior durability, heat resistance, and ozone resistance while maintaining the same basic damper structure and manufacturing process, thus improving reliability without sacrificing ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite rubber materials combining synthetic rubber base polymers with specific additives and fillers to create a material that resists degradation from heat, ozone, and mechanical stress, replacing the single-material natural rubber approach
2Device complexity
If rubber material is used in shear capacity to dampen torsional motion, then the damper structure is simple, but the damper cannot adequately dampen fore and aft or orbital motions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional shear damping to three-dimensional volumetric damping by using an expandable rubber ball that can deform in multiple directions, enabling the damper to handle torsional, fore-aft, and orbital motions simultaneously without increasing structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic expandable rubber ball that can change its volume and shape in response to vibrations from different directions, allowing the damper to adaptively respond to multi-directional vibrations rather than being limited to fixed shear motion
3Device complexity
If conventional bonded rubber dampers are used, then the assembly is simple, but the response lag for dampening vibrations is inadequate especially in high performance applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the natural resonant frequency of the expandable rubber ball to optimize vibration damping response, allowing the ball to naturally oscillate and counteract incoming vibrations at high frequencies without requiring complex active control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and mechanical properties of the rubber material by using expandable synthetic rubber with specific durometer and elasticity parameters that enable faster response times while maintaining simple assembly procedures
4Stability of the object's composition
If the elastomeric ring is bonded between metal portions, then the structure is stable, but the elastomeric material cannot be replaced without replacing all metal parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the damper into separable components: a reusable metal housing and a replaceable elastomeric ring, allowing the elastomeric material to be independently replaced without discarding the metal structure, thus improving ease of repair while maintaining structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the elastomeric ring as a separate serviceable component that can be removed and replaced independently from the metal housing, enabling maintenance and repair without replacing the entire damper assembly
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 system effectively dampens torsional, radial, longitudinal, and orbital vibrations with improved response times and longer material life, allowing for easy replacement of the elastomeric material without replacing the entire damper.
Implementation Method 1
an elastomeric ring having a plurality of holes therethrough
Implementation Method 2
The system effectively dampens torsional, radial, longitudinal, and orbital vibrations with improved response times
Implementation Method 3
an inertia ring having two portions such that the portions encapsulate the elastomeric ring
Data Source
AI summary
A damper for shafts includes an elastomeric ring having a plurality of holes therethrough and an inertia ring having two portions such that the portions encapsulate the elastomeric ring and secure the elastomeric ring in a position. The inertia ring includes openings corresponding to the plurality of holes in the elastomeric ring. A first housing portion configured to receive first fasteners through a first set of openings in the elastomeric ring and the inertia ring to secure the first housing portion to a second housing portion. The first and second housing portions form a surface to receive an inner portion of the elastomeric ring such that the inertia ring floats on the elastomeric ring without the inertia ring contacting the first and second housing portions.