Temperature-Compensating Gas Strut With Radial Equalizing Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas struts exhibit temperature-dependent spring force, leading to inefficiencies and increased motor power requirements due to the need for overcompensation at low temperatures, resulting in larger, heavier, and more expensive motor systems, as well as reduced ease of operation at higher temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A gas strut design incorporating an equalizing medium that expands with temperature, an outer working space connected to the inner space via radial openings, and a restoring medium to counteract pressure changes, maintaining a consistent length and reducing temperature-dependent spring force without lengthening the strut.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gas strut is configured to provide sufficient spring force at low temperatures, then the tailgate can be kept open reliably, but the motor power required increases and the motor becomes larger and heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an equalizing medium that changes its volume in response to temperature changes. At low temperatures, the equalizing medium contracts, reducing the available volume for the working gas and thereby maintaining sufficient spring force. At medium temperatures, the equalizing medium expands, increasing the volume and reducing the spring force to match normal operating conditions. This dynamic parameter adjustment eliminates the need for overcompensation and reduces motor power requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The equalizing medium acts as an intermediary between the temperature changes and the working gas volume. It mediates the temperature-dependent spring force by expanding or contracting to adjust the volume available to the working gas, thereby compensating for temperature effects without requiring a larger motor.
2Reliability
If the gas strut is configured to provide sufficient spring force at low temperatures, then the tailgate can be kept open reliably, but the motor size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The equalizing medium dynamically adjusts the volume available to the working gas based on temperature. By contracting at low temperatures and expanding at medium temperatures, it modulates the spring force to match actual operating conditions, allowing for a more compact motor design.
3Reliability
If a larger motor power is used to compensate for low temperature spring force, then the tailgate can be kept open reliably, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The equalizing medium adjusts the working gas volume based on temperature, reducing the spring force at medium temperatures where it is normally operated. This eliminates the need for excessive motor power and reduces energy consumption during normal operation.
4Reliability
If the gas strut is configured for high spring force, then low temperature operation is reliable, but the ease of operation at medium and higher temperatures is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The equalizing medium contracts at low temperatures to maintain sufficient spring force for reliable operation, and expands at medium and higher temperatures to reduce the spring force, making manual operation easier and more comfortable.
5Reliability
If temperature compensation is achieved by lengthening the working space, then the spring force temperature dependence is compensated, but the overall length of the gas strut is considerably lengthened
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of compensating for temperature effects by lengthening the working space in the axial direction, the patent uses an equalizing medium that expands and contracts radially. This radial expansion and contraction adjusts the volume available to the working gas without increasing the overall length of the gas strut, maintaining compact dimensions while achieving temperature compensation.
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 effectively compensates for temperature-dependent pressure changes, reducing the overall length of the gas strut and enabling more versatile applications while minimizing motor power consumption and operational complexity.
Implementation Method 1
an equalizing medium which expands upon an increase in temperature, arranged in an equalizing space radially to the stroke axis between the working cylinder and the equalizing cylinder
Implementation Method 2
The equalizing medium therefore reduces the temperature dependence of the gas strut spring force by adapting the volume available to the working medium dependent on temperature
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a gas strut, including: an outer working space arranged radially to the stroke axis between the working cylinder and the equalizing cylinder, the outer working space being connected to the inner working space in a gas-conducting manner; an equalizing piston enclosing the working cylinder radially to the stroke axis, the equalizing piston) being mounted displaceably along the stroke axis, delimiting the outer working space on one side transversely to the stroke axis and being subjected to a pressure of the working medium and a pressure of the equalizing medium so as to increase the volume of the outer working space; and a restoring medium arranged in a restoring space radially to the stroke axis between the working cylinder and the equalizing cylinder, the equalizing piston being subjected to a pressure of the restoring medium so as to decrease the volume of the outer working space.