Handle With Elastic Body And Reinforcing Element For Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handles on mobility aids and bicycles fail to adequately dampen non-axial radial forces, leading to vibrations and user fatigue, especially on uneven surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A handle design featuring an elongate elastic body made of plastic with integrated metal reinforcement elements, allowing adjustable flexural rigidity to effectively absorb and distribute forces, with the option to modify the reinforcement elements or the elastic body's length to adapt to different users and applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a handle is made from a purely elastic damping material to absorb radial forces, then vibration damping improves, but structural strength and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The handle combines an elastic damping material (such as rubber or polymer) with a reinforcing element (such as metal fibers, mesh, or structural core) to create a composite structure. This composite material provides both vibration damping from the elastic component and structural strength from the reinforcing element, resolving the contradiction between softness and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle structure incorporates different material properties in different regions: the outer elastic material provides damping where contact occurs, while the embedded reinforcing elements provide strength where structural integrity is needed. This local differentiation of material properties allows simultaneous optimization of both damping and strength.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the elastic body is made more flexible to improve comfort, then vibration damping improves, but attachment security to tubes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure allows the elastic material to provide flexibility and comfort while the reinforcing element maintains structural integrity for secure attachment. The reinforcing element acts as an anchor that prevents the elastic body from deforming excessively or detaching, even when the elastic material itself remains soft and flexible.
3Ease of manufacture
If the handle structure is simplified to reduce complexity, then manufacturing ease improves, but adaptability to different users deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The handle design allows adjustment of parameters such as the amount of reinforcing element, the type of elastic material, or the configuration of the composite structure to adapt to different user needs and applications, while maintaining a relatively simple overall manufacturing process for each configured version.
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 handle significantly reduces vibrations and user fatigue by providing customizable damping, allowing the same device to be adapted for various users and applications, enhancing comfort and usability.
Implementation Method 1
an elongated body made of a plastic, especially an elastomer... the body has an overall axial length that allows for its secure attachment in and/or to the two tubes and also provides sufficient flexibility to dampen the transmitted forces
Implementation Method 2
a reinforcing element made of a second material with a second bending stiffness is provided, the first bending stiffness being lower than the second
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a handle (1) comprising a first tube (2) on which a handle (6) is arranged and a second tube (2') axially spaced from the first tube (2), further comprising an elastic body (3) made of a first material with a first bending stiffness and at least one reinforcing element (4) made of a second material with a second bending stiffness, wherein the first bending ability is less than the second bending stiffness, wherein the elastic body (3) has two opposing fastening ends (5) which are each arranged on a tube (2, 2'), wherein the elastic body (3) has a bending-effective axial length (7) between the two fastening ends (5).