Fluid Damper Reservoir Piston Layout for Compact Gas-Spring Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing damping systems are large, heavy, and costly due to their size and material requirements.
Innovation Solution
A damping system comprising a fluid damper with a damping volume filled with liquid and a fluid reservoir with a reservoir piston dividing the reservoir into a damping chamber and a recoil chamber filled with gas, where the reservoir piston moves to adjust the volumes and pressures, allowing for a compact, lightweight, and cost-effective design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional damping systems use large mechanical components to achieve effective damping, then damping performance is maintained, but the system size, mass, and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by using a gas-filled chamber (recoil chamber) to provide the damping force instead of traditional mechanical springs or dampers. The compressible gas acts as a pneumatic spring, providing both suspension and damping functions through gas compression and expansion, thereby reducing system mass while maintaining damping performance
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid reservoir serves multiple functions: it acts as both the damping element and the suspension spring through the gas spring mechanism. The reservoir piston divides the reservoir into a damping chamber and a recoil chamber, allowing the same component to provide both damping control and elastic recoil, eliminating the need for separate mechanical spring components
2Reliability
If traditional damping systems use large mechanical components to achieve effective damping, then damping performance is maintained, but the system volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas spring mechanism utilizes the compressibility of gas to provide suspension and damping functions within a compact volume. The gas-filled recoil chamber allows for elastic energy storage and release without requiring large mechanical spring coils or complex mechanisms, significantly reducing the system volume while maintaining effective damping performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the damping chamber and recoil chamber into a single fluid reservoir, combining the damping function and the spring function in one integrated component. This merging eliminates the need for separate mechanical spring assemblies and reduces the overall system volume
3Reliability
If traditional damping systems use complex mechanical structures to achieve effective damping, then damping performance is maintained, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Replacing complex mechanical damping structures with a pneumatic gas spring mechanism simplifies the overall system design. The gas-filled chamber provides both spring and damping functions through fluid dynamics rather than complex mechanical linkages, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid reservoir performs multiple functions (damping chamber and recoil chamber) in a single component, reducing the total number of parts that need to be manufactured, assembled, and sealed. This multi-functionality simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces assembly costs
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 achieves a compact, lightweight, and cost-effective design while maintaining effective damping performance by utilizing a gas spring mechanism and pressure transmission through the reservoir piston, reducing the need for large mechanical components.
Implementation Method 1
If the recoil chamber is filled with a compressible recoil fluid, the recoil fluid is compressed when the reservoir piston moves in the compression direction. Consequently, the pressure of the compressed recoil fluid forces the reservoir piston in the dilatation direction
Implementation Method 2
the pressure of the compressed recoil fluid forces the reservoir piston in the dilatation direction pushing the damping fluid from the damping chamber of the fluid reservoir into the damping volume of the at least one fluid damper
Implementation Method 3
Therefore, the fluid reservoir acts as a gas spring in series with the at least one fluid damper
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a damping system (100) comprising at least one fluid damper (110) comprising a damping volume containing a damping fluid, and a fluid reservoir (120) comprising a reservoir piston (122) partitioning an inner volume of the fluid reservoir (120) into a damping chamber (123) containing the damping fluid and a recoil chamber (124) containing a recoil fluid. The damping volume of the at least one fluid damper (110) is connected to the damping chamber (123) of the fluid reservoir (120) in a fluid-conducting manner. The reservoir piston (122) is movable in a compression direction (CD) increasing a volume of the damping chamber (123) and decreasing a volume of the recoil chamber (124). The reservoir piston (122) is movable in a dilatation direction (DD) decreasing the volume of the damping chamber (123) and increasing the volume of the recoil chamber (124). The reservoir piston (122) comprises a damping chamber surface (128) facing the damping chamber (123) and a recoil chamber surface (129) facing the recoil chamber (124). A surface area of the damping chamber surface (128) is smaller than a surface area of the recoil chamber surface (129).