Partition Wall Vibration Isolation Using Segmented Membrane

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hydraulic mounts for gearboxes and engines face challenges in achieving optimal vibration isolation at low cost while maintaining precise manufacturing tolerances for dynamic stiffness and loss angle, especially when using plastic nozzle discs, due to the complexity of membrane sealing and play tolerances.

Innovation Solution

The membrane is divided into clamped and decoupled areas on the nozzle discs, with circular sectors and indentations allowing for adjustable clearance, enabling high manufacturing tolerances while maintaining functional tolerances, and allowing nozzle discs to be made of plastic.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the membrane is decoupled with play between nozzle discs to isolate high-frequency vibrations, then vibration isolation performance is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to tight tolerance dependencies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration isolation performanceVSAvoidmembrane play tolerance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The membrane is divided into two functional zones: a clamped edge region that provides sealing and structural stability, and a decoupled central region with play that provides vibration isolation. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between vibration isolation and manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the membrane have different boundary conditions: the edge region is clamped to membrane discs for sealing, while the central region is decoupled with play for vibration isolation. This local differentiation of quality allows the system to achieve both tight sealing and high vibration isolation performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the membrane is firmly clamped between nozzle discs to ensure sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but vibration isolation performance deteriorates due to reduced membrane mobility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidvibration isolation performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The membrane is segmented into a clamped edge zone for sealing reliability and a decoupled central zone for vibration isolation. The clamped edge region ensures reliable sealing between chambers, while the decoupled central region maintains membrane mobility for high-frequency vibration isolation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The membrane has different boundary conditions in different regions: clamped at the edges for sealing and decoupled in the center for vibration isolation. This local quality differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of sealing reliability and vibration isolation performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If high manufacturing accuracy is required to achieve tight tolerances, then functional values are maintained, but production costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional tolerance maintenanceVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the membrane into clamped and decoupled regions, the system can use standard manufacturing tolerances for the clamped edge region while allowing larger tolerances in the decoupled central region, significantly reducing overall manufacturing cost while maintaining functional performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The design applies different quality requirements to different regions: tight tolerances are only needed at the clamped edge regions for sealing, while the decoupled central region can accommodate larger tolerances, reducing overall manufacturing precision requirements and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Ease of manufacture

If the nozzle discs are made of plastic to reduce cost, then material cost is reduced, but achieving required tolerances becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial costVSAvoidtolerance achievement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The membrane partition is segmented into clamped edge regions where plastic material can provide adequate sealing with standard tolerances, and decoupled central regions where larger tolerances are acceptable for vibration isolation function, making plastic material viable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions have different tolerance requirements: the clamped edge regions need only standard tolerances achievable with plastic, while the decoupled central region benefits from larger tolerances, making plastic nozzle discs economically viable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

This design achieves effective vibration isolation with reduced manufacturing costs and increased tolerance ranges for dynamic stiffness and loss angle, suitable for various applications and conventional hydraulic bearings.

Implementation Method 1

The membrane absorbs the low-amplitude vibrations that are introduced in such a way that the damping channel is not effective at these amplitudes and frequencies

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration absorption: Vibration

Implementation Method 2

Large amplitude, low frequency vibrations are damped by the duct

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic damping: Damping

Implementation Method 3

a flexible, elastic membrane inserted between them

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2388495B1Partition wall for a hydraulic support
Publication Date: 2018.12.19 VIBRACOUSTIC GMBH
  • EP2388495B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2388495B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2388495B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The wall (2) has two rigid upper and lower nozzle disks (9, 10), and two elastic membranes (14) clamped between the nozzle disks in predetermined areas. A damping channel (11) hydraulically connects a working chamber (6) and a balancing chamber (7) with one another, where the membranes are arranged in areas that are arranged adjacent to the predetermined areas with axial play. The areas are formed as circular sectors. The damping channel is arranged at an outer edge of the wall, and the nozzle disks are formed in ring-shape, where one of the nozzle disks is made of plastic.