Gas Spring Captive Seal Secondary Chamber Impact Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas springs face issues with high initial force transmission, leading to mechanical fatigue and noise, especially in press tools, and vibration-induced misalignment of workpieces in production lines, due to sudden stopping and high impact forces.
Innovation Solution
A gas spring design incorporating a secondary chamber with a captive seal that separates and recombines with the primary chamber, providing a compressive force to reduce initial impact and assist in retraction, along with a one-way valve for pressure equalization, and customizable secondary compression components to manage assistive force and noise reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a conventional gas spring with a single chamber is used, then the structure is simple, but the initial impact force is high causing mechanical fatigue and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The gas spring chamber is segmented into a primary chamber and a secondary chamber that are fluidly connected. The secondary chamber has a smaller volume and is positioned to provide assisted start and rebound cushioning functions, separating the high-impact phase from the main compression phase to reduce peak forces and noise
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a secondary chamber is added to reduce impact force, then the harmful factors are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary chamber is merged with the primary chamber through fluid communication, allowing the two chambers to work together as an integrated system. The piston assembly serves both chambers simultaneously, and the chambers communicate through the piston structure, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the benefits of dual-chamber operation
3Force
If the secondary chamber volume is increased to provide more assistive force, then the assisted start effect is improved, but the rebound cushioning effect decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The volume of the secondary chamber is optimized to a specific range that balances assistive force generation with rebound cushioning capability. The chamber volume is sized to provide sufficient pressure build-up for assisted start while maintaining adequate compressibility for cushioning the rebound impact, achieving a optimal parameter configuration
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 design reduces initial force requirements, minimizes mechanical wear, decreases operational noise, and prevents misalignment of workpieces, enhancing the operational efficiency and longevity of machinery while maintaining effective sealing to prevent gas leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a primary chamber and a secondary chamber which are fluidly connected and each defined by the piston assembly and the housing
Implementation Method 2
a seal which seals the primary chamber from the secondary chamber
Implementation Method 3
a captive seal comprising a compressible seal member held captive in the axial direction of piston reciprocation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A gas spring comprising: a housing; and a piston assembly that can reciprocate within the housing; wherein a gas chamber is formed within the housing; wherein at a certain range of positions, the piston assembly separates the gas chamber into a primary chamber and a secondary chamber by a seal; and wherein the seal is a captive seal. The use of a captive seal to seal the primary chamber form the secondary chamber provides a much improved seal that lasts longer. A simple O- ring mounted in a groove suffers from the repeated engagements and disengagements that occur as the piston reciprocates between extended and retracted positions. During such reciprocations, the primary and secondary chambers are repeatedly sealed from one another and fluidly joined again. In the case of a simple O-ring, these repeated engagements and disengagements wear the O-ring rapidly as well as having a tendency to tear the seal from its seat, thus breaking the seal and further damaging the O-ring.