Fuel Distributor Retainer Damping Element
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing holders for fastening fuel distributors in internal combustion engines face issues with material fatigue due to uneven loading and high peak loads, leading to inadequate vibration damping and noise reduction over the engine's service life.
Innovation Solution
A damping element with a rigid inner and outer metallic layer and a viscoelastic damping layer in between, designed to dissipate vibration energy through shear stress, reducing material stress and ensuring consistent damping performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If damping rings made of elastomer are used in existing holders, then vibration damping is provided, but the material becomes fatigued over service life due to heavy stress and peak loads
Solution Approach 1:
The damping element uses a composite structure with a viscoelastic damping layer sandwiched between two rigid metallic layers. This composite design allows the viscoelastic material to dissipate vibrations while the rigid metallic layers bear the mechanical loads and protect the damping material from fatigue, resolving the contradiction between providing vibration damping and preventing material fatigue.
Solution Approach 2:
Different layers of the damping element have different material properties optimized for specific functions: the rigid metallic layers provide structural strength and load-bearing capacity, while the viscoelastic damping layer provides vibration dissipation. This local differentiation of material qualities allows each layer to perform its specialized function without suffering from the limitations of the other.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the damping layer is made entirely of viscoelastic material, then vibration energy can be dissipated, but the material cross-section is small and stress concentration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure distributes mechanical stresses across the rigid metallic layers while the viscoelastic damping layer focuses on energy dissipation through shear deformation. The rigid layers have larger cross-sections that bear the primary mechanical loads, preventing stress concentration in the viscoelastic material.
3Strength
If the fuel distributor is rigidly seated on the add-on structure, then functional strength requirements are met, but vibration-related damping and noise reduction are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The damping element creates a semi-rigid connection that maintains structural strength through the rigid metallic layers while allowing vibration damping through the viscoelastic layer. This composite connection provides both the strength required for functional requirements and the vibration damping capability needed to reduce noise and vibrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element changes the mechanical parameters of the connection by introducing a viscoelastic layer that provides both stiffness for strength requirements and damping characteristics for vibration reduction. This parameter modification allows the connection to simultaneously meet strength and damping requirements.
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 improved vibration damping and noise reduction, maintaining the fuel distributor's rigid position while preventing material fatigue, thus effectively reducing structure-borne noise and vibration loads on components.
Implementation Method 1
a viscoelastic damping layer (38) arranged between the inner layer (36) and the outer layer (37)
Implementation Method 2
designed to dissipate vibration energy through shear stress
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A holder used for mounting at least one component on an add-on structure, e.g., an internal combustion engine, includes: a base element able to be connected to a component; a fixation element, which extends through the through bore of the base element and a damping element disposed in the through bore, in order to mount the base element on the add-on structure; a fixation sleeve; and a damping element surrounding an outer side of the fixation sleeve and form-fittingly connected to the fixation sleeve on at least one side along the longitudinal axis, and on at least one side the damping element is form-fittingly connected to the base element along the longitudinal axis.