Magnetorheological Rod Guide Assembly with Porous Filter Plug
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional magnetorheological (MR) rod guide assemblies are costly and complex, requiring expensive machining of porous materials and complicated seal retention systems, which increase production costs and design complexity.
Innovation Solution
A nonporous MR rod guide assembly with a monolithic housing, annular seals, a non-annular porous filter plug, and a split bearing, where the second seal is self-retained and the impact is managed by a simple metallic piston-impact plate, reducing material costs and design complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a porous rod guide is used to filter particles, then filtration function is achieved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase due to expensive machining of porous material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the rod guide assembly into two separate functional components: a non-porous rod guide structure and a porous filter element. The filter is positioned within the rod guide housing, allowing filtration without requiring the entire rod guide to be made of expensive porous material. This segmentation enables cost-effective manufacturing while maintaining particle filtration capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the filtration function from the rod guide structure itself and places it in a separate porous filter element. This allows the rod guide to be manufactured from conventional, low-cost materials while the filtration function is provided by a dedicated porous component, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
2Reliability
If a conventional seal retention system is used, then sealing function is achieved, but device complexity increases due to multiple retainers and retainment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the seal retention function into the rod guide housing structure itself. The housing includes integrated features such as grooves, lips, or interference-fit structures that automatically retain the seals, eliminating the need for separate seal retainers or additional retention mechanisms. This reduces the number of parts while maintaining reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The rod guide housing is designed with self-retaining features that automatically secure the seals during assembly and operation. The housing structure itself provides the retention mechanism through features like snap-fit grooves, elastic lips, or interference fits, allowing the system to self-assemble without additional retention components.
3Reliability
If a complex bumper design is used to retain buffer seal and allow flow, then sealing and flow functions are achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the rod guide housing to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, guides the rod, retains seals, and allows fluid flow. By integrating these functions into a single multi-functional component rather than using separate bumper and flow control elements, the design complexity is reduced while maintaining all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the bumper function and flow control function into the rod guide housing structure. The housing includes flow passages and seal retention features integrated directly into the body, eliminating the need for a separate complex bumper assembly with holes and retention features.
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 solution allows for a more affordable and compact MR rod guide assembly with reduced manufacturing costs and simplified design, while maintaining effective sealing and fluid filtration, enhancing the overall efficiency of the MR damper system.
Implementation Method 1
The annular rod guide is a porous, powdered-metal rod guide which acts as a filter to filter out (e.g., iron) particles in the MR fluid to allow clear fluid to lubricate the MR piston rod as it slides into the bearing
Implementation Method 2
allow clear fluid to lubricate the MR piston rod as it slides into the bearing
Data Source
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AI summary
A magnetorheological (MR) rod guide assembly (10) includes a nonporous MR-rod-guide-assembly housing (12), annular first and second seals (14 and 16), and a non-annular, porous filter plug (18). The housing (12) has a through bore (22). The first and second seals (14 and 16) are positioned in the through bore (22), are adapted to sealingly contact an MR piston rod, and are longitudinally spaced apart defining an inter-seal portion (26) of the through bore (22). The filter plug (18) is positioned in the housing (12), has a longitudinal first end (28) in fluid communication with the through bore (22) longitudinally outside the inter-seal bore portion (26), and has a longitudinal second end (32) in fluid communication with the through bore (22) longitudinally within the inter-seal bore portion (26).