Hydraulic Damper With Pivot Plug Elements for Fast Return
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic dampers are ineffective in dissipating multiple actions close together, such as those caused by waves, as they require equal time for forward and backward strokes, leading to reduced damping effectiveness and inability to maintain horizontal or inclined positions.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic damper design featuring permanent holes and pivotally connected plug elements that change configuration to allow fluid leakage only through holes during forward strokes and freely through apertures during backward strokes, enabling faster return and improved damping efficiency, along with an adjustable spring and magnetic elements for enhanced functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fixed passages or valve elements are used to control fluid leakage, then damping force is controlled, but the piston takes equal time for forward and back strokes, reducing effectiveness for temporally close actions
Solution Approach 1:
The valve element is designed to move dynamically between closed and open positions based on piston movement direction. During forward stroke, the valve closes to restrict flow through small passages for damping. During back stroke, the valve opens to allow free flow through large passages, enabling rapid return. This dynamic configuration resolves the contradiction by adapting flow resistance to the operational phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid passage is segmented into two distinct paths: a first passage with small cross-sectional area for restricted flow during damping phase, and a second passage with large cross-sectional area for free flow during return phase. The valve element selectively opens/closes these segments based on operational requirements, allowing different flow characteristics for forward and back strokes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If valve elements are used to control fluid leakage, then damping force is adjusted, but the damper cannot maintain horizontal or inclined positions due to inability of valve element to return spontaneously
Solution Approach 1:
A return spring is introduced to counterbalance the weight of the valve element. The spring is pre-loaded to provide a restoring force that automatically returns the valve to its closed position when the piston reaches the end of its forward stroke, regardless of the damper's orientation. This eliminates the reliability issue of valve element return in horizontal or inclined positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve element is designed to return to its starting position automatically through the combined action of spring force and gravitational components, without requiring external control systems or additional actuators. The system self-regulates valve position based on piston movement and orientation, maintaining functionality across all operational positions.
3Force
If small diameter holes are used for fluid leakage, then damping force is increased, but the piston return time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two flow regimes: during forward stroke, fluid flows through small passages to generate high damping force; during back stroke, the valve opens to allow fluid to flow through large passages, enabling high return speed. This temporal separation of flow characteristics resolves the contradiction between force generation and return speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid passage system is divided into a first passage with small cross-sectional area for high-resistance flow (damping phase) and a second passage with large cross-sectional area for low-resistance flow (return phase). The valve element controls which passage is active, allowing the system to optimize for either force or speed depending on the operational phase.
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 damper effectively damps actions caused by waves by allowing quick return to the starting position, maintaining effectiveness for temporally close actions and operating in various positions, while also enabling energy recovery through a generator unit.
Implementation Method 1
a cylinder-piston mechanism capable of damping the movement transferred to it by means of viscous friction. The viscous force with which the dissipator reacts to the action is proportional to the speed and has an opposite direction to the input force.
Implementation Method 2
Such device is often used in combination with an elastic element, in particular a spring.
Implementation Method 3
a magnetic element arranged on said bottom wall opposite to said plug elements, in such a way that when said piston is located substantially at said first dead point, said magnetic element generates an attraction on said piston and on said plug elements
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic damper (100) comprises a cylinder (10) with a bottom wall (11), a head wall (12) and side walls (13) that define a damping chamber (15) containing a damping fluid (17); in the damping chamber (15) a piston (20) slides with a first face (20a) and a second face (20b) opposite to each other. In particular, the piston (20) defines a first chamber (21) and a second chamber (22) separate from each other and is integral to a shaft (25) with an external connection end (36). The piston (20) is suitable for carrying out a forward stroke (A), between a first dead point (BDP), towards a second dead point (TDP) and a back stroke (B) between the second dead point (TDP) and the first dead point (BDP). In particular, the piston (20) comprises a plurality of permanent holes (33) suitable for permanently connecting the first chamber (21) and second chamber (22) and a plurality of apertures (26) associated each to a plurality of plug elements (37) pivotally connected by connection means (40), on a face of the piston (20) at the apertures (26). The plug elements (37) are suitable to pass spontaneously from a closed configuration (C), in which they close the apertures (26) and allow the leakage of the damping fluid (17) through the plurality of permanent holes (33), in order to damp the movement of the piston (20), to an open configuration (D), in which they open the apertures (26) and allow the free passage of the damping fluid (17) between the first (21) and second chamber (22) allowing a substantial passage of the damping fluid (17) between the first (21) and second chamber (22), in order to reduce the time that takes the piston (20) in the return stroke to return to the starting position BDP.