Hydromount Armature Volume Control for Compact Actuator Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic mounts require significant vertical space for actuators and seals, leading to increased weight, complexity, and poor high-frequency bearing behavior due to additional mass and potential leaks from sealing issues.
Innovation Solution
A compact hydraulic mount design featuring a deformable suspension spring, a working chamber filled with liquid, a compensation chamber with an elastically deformable wall, and an electromagnetic linear actuator with a stator and armature, where the armature deflects to change the volume of the working chamber and pressure, eliminating the need for a separate actuator tappet and membrane, and using liquid as a lubricant for the sliding bearing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a separate actuator tappet and membrane are used in conventional hydraulic mounts, then the actuator can control the working chamber volume, but additional vertical space and weight are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the actuator armature directly with the control membrane function by making the armature itself deformable and fluid-tight. The armature replaces both the separate tappet and membrane components, integrating multiple functions into a single element that directly forms part of the working chamber wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The armature serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the electromagnetic actuator component, forms the deformable wall of the working chamber, provides the fluid-tight seal, and enables volume control. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional sealing points are introduced between the actuator and control membrane, then controllability is achieved, but reliability decreases due to potential leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the separate control membrane and its associated sealing points. By making the armature itself fluid-tight and deformable, the design removes the interface between actuator and membrane that would require sealing, thereby eliminating the reliability issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The armature is designed to be inherently fluid-tight through its construction (e.g., using soft-magnetic material with integrated sealing properties), eliminating the need for additional sealing mechanisms. The component serves its own sealing function without requiring separate sealing elements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a linearly acting electromagnetic actuator with separate components is used, then the working chamber volume can be changed, but the additional mass deteriorates high-frequency bearing behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the actuator mass with the functional mass of the working chamber wall by making the armature itself form part of the chamber. This integration eliminates the additional mass of separate tappets, pistons, and membranes, reducing the overall moving mass while maintaining volume control capability.
4Volume of moving object
If a compact actuator design is implemented, then vertical space is reduced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex mechanical transmission elements (tappets, pistons, separate membranes, and their associated seals and connections) from the actuator system. By using the armature directly as the control element, the design simplifies the structure while achieving compact dimensions.
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 achieves a weight-saving and compact actuator with improved high-frequency behavior, reduced friction, and increased service life by eliminating the need for seals and simplifying the structure, while maintaining effective vibration damping.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic acting linear actuator with a stator and an armature. The armature extends in a deflection direction from a first armature end face to an opposite, second armature end face, the armature being mounted on the stator by means of a plain bearing such that the armature can be deflected in electromagnetic interaction with the stator in the deflection direction
Implementation Method 2
The slide bearing is supplied as lubricating liquid by the liquid from the working chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a hydromount (2), comprising: a deformable bearing spring (4), a working chamber (6) which is enclosed partially by the bearing spring (4) and is filled with a liquid, an equalization chamber (8), a throttle channel (10) which extends from the working chamber (6) to the equalization chamber (8) for the exchange of liquid, and an electromagnetically acting linear actuator (12) with a stator (14) and an armature (16), wherein the armature (16) can be deflected in a deflecting direction in electromagnetic interaction with the stator (14), wherein a first actuator side (26) which comprises at least the first armature end face (20) forms a part of a chamber wall (28) for delimiting the working chamber (6), such that the first armature end face (20) is in direct contact with the liquid from the working chamber (6), the hydromount (2) has an overflow duct (30) which is filled with liquid, one end of the overflow duct (30) is delimited by a second actuator side (34) arranged opposite the first actuator side (26) and comprising at least the second armature end face (22), such that the second armature end face (22) is in direct contact with the liquid of the overflow duct (30), and the overflow duct (30) extends from the associated end to the equalization chamber (8) for the exchange of fluid. The invention also relates to an engine (46) with a hydromount (2) and to a motor vehicle (48) having a hydromount (2).