Linear Friction Vibration Damper for Consistent Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic vibration dampers and absorbers have non-linear damping responses that are sensitive to temperature, loading, and vibration frequency and amplitude, making their design complex and prone to failure in safety-critical applications due to fluid loss.
Innovation Solution
A vibration damper and/or absorber comprising a first member with a bearing region and a friction contact region, and a second member with a body mounted on the bearing region for axial displacement, featuring resilient members that project and engage the friction contact region to oppose relative axial displacement through frictional contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydraulic dampers/absorbers are used to minimise vibration transmission, then damping effect is achieved, but the damping response becomes non-linear and sensitive to temperature, loading, and vibration frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hydraulic damping system with a friction-based mechanical system. The friction member contacts the friction surface to provide damping force through friction, eliminating the need for hydraulic fluid and seals. This substitution provides linear and consistent damping characteristics that are not sensitive to temperature or loading conditions, directly resolving the technical contradiction between damping consistency and design complexity.
2Reliability
If hydraulic fluid is used in dampers, then damping function is provided, but fluid loss can have catastrophic results in safety-critical applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the hydraulic fluid from the damping system, replacing it with a solid friction member. By eliminating the fluid component entirely, the system no longer suffers from fluid leakage issues that could lead to catastrophic failure in safety-critical applications. The damping function is maintained through friction contact between solid surfaces.
3Device complexity
If friction contact is used to oppose relative axial displacement, then linear damping response is achieved, but friction surfaces require hardening and polishing for long service life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the friction surfaces by applying hardening and polishing treatments. These parameter changes increase the surface hardness and smoothness, thereby extending the service life of the friction surfaces while maintaining the linear damping response characteristics provided by the friction contact mechanism.
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 linear and consistent damping/absorbing effect, reducing the complexity of design and minimizing the risk of fluid loss, thereby enhancing the reliability and safety of vibration mitigation in various applications.
Implementation Method 1
relative axial displacement between the first and second members is opposed by frictional contact between the contact face and the friction contact region
Implementation Method 2
a resilient member which projects from the body and which has a contact face which resiliently engages the friction contact region
Data Source
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Figure 8
AI summary
A linear vibration damper and/or absorber includes a centre shaft (12) having bearing regions (18) and friction contact regions (20), and a housing (2) including finger assemblies (22) which are mounted with a small radial clearance for accurate location on the bearing regions (18) for axial displacement with respect to the centre shaft (12) along a central axis (X), the finger assemblies (22) each including resilient fingers (38) which extend axially from respective body sections (26) and have contact faces (40) which resiliently engage, i.e. are pressed by the resilience of the fingers (40) into contact with, friction surfaces (20) of the contact regions of the centre shaft (12), whereby relative linear displacement between the centre shaft (12) and the housing (2) is opposed by frictional contact between the friction surfaces (20) and the contact faces (40).