Lead-Lag Damper With Floating Annular Rings for Pressure Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shock absorbers or dampers, used in various industries, are prone to failure due to varying and repeated forces, leading to unexpected failures and potential leakage issues in pressurized gas systems.
Innovation Solution
A lead-lag damper design featuring one or two annular rings acting as floating orifices and a secondary spring mechanism, with elastomer bearings and a plunger-spring system, which tracks shaft misalignment and controls fluidic communication between chambers to maintain stable performance and prevent dynamic pressure changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional shock absorbers are subjected to varying and repeated forces, then they can absorb shock impulses, but they are prone to failure at unexpected times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a floating annular ring that can dynamically adjust its position along the spacer tube to track misalignment. This dynamic adaptation allows the damper to maintain optimal fluidic communication control under varying and repeated forces, preventing failure and extending service life while absorbing shock impulses
2Stability of the object's composition
If a floating annular ring is added to control fluidic communication, then stability is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The floating annular ring is designed to automatically track misalignment of the spacer tube without external control mechanisms. The ring self-adjusts its position based on the misalignment, maintaining stable fluidic communication control while avoiding additional complex control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The floating annular ring serves multiple functions: it controls fluidic communication between outer tube chambers, tracks misalignment of the spacer tube, and maintains coaxial alignment. This multi-functionality enhances stability without requiring separate components for each function
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 lead-lag damper enhances stability and reduces wear by maintaining coaxial alignment, preventing dynamic pressure changes, and alleviating leakage issues in pressurized systems, thereby improving the reliability and performance of shock absorption.
Implementation Method 1
one or more substantially annular elastomer bearings inside the outer tube
Implementation Method 2
the second and third fluid chambers may be configured in fluidic communication with one another and with the first fluid chamber
Implementation Method 3
a plunger-spring system inside the inner tube to provide volume compensation fluid exchange
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies are generally described for lead-lag dampers. An example lead-lag may include a single- or two-stage floating annular ring, elastomer bearings, a tension stop, a compression stop, and a plunger/spring volume compensator. The floating annular ring(s) form orifice(s) in conjunction with the remaining damper components may provide stable performance by tracking with any center shaft misalignment during operation. The lead-lag damper may also include a secondary spring system allowing or disallowing fluid flow between chambers based on slow or sudden movement of the shaft.