Mechanical Coupling with Adjustable Stiffness for Stable Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical coupling systems with dominant damping properties face challenges in maintaining constant damping behavior across a wide frequency range, especially at high frequencies, and are often complex and costly due to fluid-based systems, which also suffer from increased dynamic rigidity and sealing issues.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical coupling system with variably adjustable stiffness, where a damping element with constant properties is coupled in series with adjustable stiffness elements, allowing the damping behavior to be adjusted solely by varying the stiffness, eliminating the need for fluid-based systems and maintaining frequency-independent damping characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluid-based damping systems are used to achieve dominant damping properties, then damping performance is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to sealing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces fluid-based damping systems with a purely mechanical coupling system consisting of elastic elements and friction elements. This substitution eliminates the need for fluid seals and complex hydraulic/pneumatic components while maintaining dominant damping properties through mechanical friction and elastic deformation mechanisms.
2Reliability
If fluid-based damping systems are used to achieve dominant damping properties, then damping performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive fluid-based damping systems with simpler mechanical elements (elastic elements and friction elements) that are easier and cheaper to manufacture. The mechanical coupling system eliminates costly sealing components and fluid handling infrastructure while achieving the required damping performance through fundamental mechanical principles.
3Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable stiffness elements are added to vary damping properties, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements variable damping properties through adjustable stiffness elements that can be modified to change the coupling characteristics. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the damping behavior to be adapted to different operating conditions while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure compared to fluid-based systems.
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 system achieves a variably adjustable damping behavior that remains constant over a large frequency range, reducing complexity and cost while avoiding sealing issues, and allows independent adjustment of stiffness and loss angle, effectively replicating elastomeric damping characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
the resulting damping effect is based on different physical mechanisms, such as friction between surfaces, within a fluid, or within elastomeric materials
Implementation Method 2
the bearing has damping properties that slow the body's movement by a force directed opposite to its direction of movement. This force depends on the relative speed of motion of the two bodies mechanically coupled via the bearing and can extract energy from the two-body system moving relative to each other, thereby dissipating energy.
Implementation Method 3
Stiffness causes a restoring force that depends on the elastic properties of the mechanical coupling when subjected to an external force.
Data Source
Figure 1a~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a device and a method for influencing a dynamic property of at least one movably mounted body of two bodies mechanically coupled at least via a variably adjustable stiffness along a first force path. The invention is characterized in that a damping element (7') with constant damping properties is directly or indirectly coupled in series to the variably adjustable stiffness (9') along the first force path (K1), both bodies (1, 2) are directly or indirectly mechanically coupled via a second force path (K2) running parallel to the first force path (K1), along which at least one adjustable stiffness (9") is incorporated, and in that the damping property of damping element (7') and the adjustable stiffnesses (9', 9") are designed and coordinated with one another in such a way that a damping property assigned to the device for mechanical coupling can be varied exclusively by the adjustable stiffnesses (9', 9").