Protective Grille Rib Tuning for Blower Noise Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hand-held blower and suction devices experience high noise levels during operation due to resonance vibrations caused by air flowing through grid-like guards, which are annoying for operators.

Innovation Solution

A protective device with ribs and disruptive bodies that form oscillation systems with different natural frequencies, reducing resonance vibrations and noise emissions by shifting natural frequencies outside the excitation range, and featuring a connection point that is rotationally movable but not translationally oscillable, with disruptive bodies of varying masses and positions to influence vibration systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If protective grilles are provided on the work equipment, then operator safety is improved, but noise emissions increase due to resonance vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperator safetyVSAvoidnoise emissions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies mechanical vibration principles by introducing disruptive elements that create controlled vibrations to counteract the resonant vibrations of the protective grille. These disruptive elements are designed to vibrate at frequencies that interfere with and reduce the resonant vibrations caused by airflow through the grille, thereby lowering noise emissions while maintaining the protective function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #18Mechanical vibration

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameters of the protective grille by adding disruptive elements with specific masses and dimensions. These elements alter the natural frequencies and vibration characteristics of the grille structure, shifting the resonant frequencies away from the excitation frequencies caused by airflow, thus reducing noise emissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-generated harmful factors

If disruptive elements are added to rib sections, then noise emissions are reduced by shifting natural frequencies, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise emissionsVSAvoidprotective device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the protective device into modular rib sections, each potentially equipped with its own disruptive elements. This segmentation allows for independent optimization of each rib section and facilitates easier manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance, thereby managing device complexity while achieving noise reduction across the entire protective grille.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by placing disruptive elements selectively on specific rib sections rather than uniformly across the entire protective grille. This localized approach allows for targeted noise reduction at critical resonant areas while minimizing the overall addition of complexity to the protective device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Significantly reduces noise emissions by altering the natural frequencies of the rib sections, preventing resonance and thus minimizing disturbing vibrations.

Implementation Method 1

When air flows through the grille, it is externally excited and begins to vibrate. If the excitation frequency caused by the airflow corresponds to a natural frequency of the excited grille structure, resonance occurs.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

The rib section has a natural frequency on its own. The rib section and the disruptive element form an oscillating system with a system natural frequency. The system natural frequency and the natural frequency of the rib section are different.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNatural frequency: Harmonic Oscillator

Implementation Method 3

The connection point forms an attachment point for the adjacent rib sections, which is fixed translationally. Thus, the connection point is not capable of translational movement.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFixed constraint:

Data Source

PatentEP4042861B1Protection device for a suction or blowing channel of a working device and working device with a protective device
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO KG
  • EP4042861B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4042861B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4042861B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a protective device (10) for an intake or blowing channel of a work device. The protective device (10) comprises at least one rib (11) with a longitudinal direction (12). The at least one rib (11) has at least one rib section (13, 14), wherein the rib section (13, 14) extends along the longitudinal direction (12) of the rib (11) from a first end (18) to a second end (19) and has a natural frequency on its own. A disruptive element (20) that is translationally oscillatable with the rib section (13, 14) is arranged on the rib section (13, 14) between the first end (18) and the second end (19). The rib section (13, 14) and the disturbance body (20) form a vibration system (21) with a system natural frequency, wherein the system natural frequency and the natural frequency of the rib section (13, 14) are different.