Pneumatic Spring Throttle Ring Damping Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic springs face challenges with large size, complexity, difficult manufacture, and insufficient reliability, particularly in achieving controlled damping and speed of counter-motion, while also being inefficient and unreliable.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic spring design featuring a hollow working cylinder with a sealed piston rod and a cylindrical gear pivot that includes a throttle ring and axial stops to control medium flow, allowing for quick movement in one direction with low resistance and slow movement in the opposite direction, with adjustable damping and counter-motion speed using simple means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If valves are used to throttle the working medium flowing between the working space and outer storage space, then damping of countermotion is achieved, but the device becomes large, complex, and difficult to manufacture with insufficient reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the damping function from complex valve mechanisms and implements it through a simple throttle opening formed by the interaction between the throttle ring and working cylinder wall. This eliminates the need for separate damping valves, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter control approach from fixed valve openings to variable throttle openings that change with piston position. The throttle opening size is automatically adjusted as the piston moves, providing position-dependent damping without complex control mechanisms.
2Reliability
If complex damping mechanisms are used, then controlled damping is achieved, but manufacturing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The throttle opening parameters change automatically with piston position, providing controlled damping that adapts to different operating conditions. This position-dependent parameter change achieves sophisticated damping control through simple geometric relationships rather than complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The throttle ring and working cylinder geometry automatically provide the required damping control without external actuation or complex control systems. The system self-regulates the throttle opening based on piston position, eliminating the need for additional control mechanisms.
3Productivity
If the piston moves quickly in one direction, then efficiency is improved, but resistance in the opposite direction must be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The throttle opening is dynamically adjusted based on piston position, allowing the system to provide low resistance during outward movement (high efficiency) and controlled resistance during inward movement (damping). This dynamic adaptation optimizes performance across different operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exhibits periodic behavior where the throttle opening varies with piston position, creating alternating phases of low resistance (outward stroke) and controlled resistance (inward stroke). This periodic variation in resistance profile enables efficient operation while maintaining damping control.
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 enables high-efficiency and reliable operation, allowing for controlled damping and speed adjustment, suitable for various applications, and can be manufactured in both small and large sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a throttle ring seated on the gear pivot or on the piston rod for movement between a first position to close the work medium flow between the working space and outer storage space and a second position to release the working medium flow
Implementation Method 2
the working space being closed with the bottom of the working cylinder first end or with a piston connected with the second free end of the piston rod and interconnected through interconnection holes of the working cylinder with the outer storage space for a work medium
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A pneumatic spring consists of a hollow working cylinder (1) with a first end (2) being adapted for fixing to one suspended object and with a second end (12) being closed, a sealed piston rod (60) going through this second end (12), one free end of the sealed piston rod (60) going out of the working cylinder (1) is adapted for fixing to a second suspended object and the second free end interfering into a working space (10) of the working cylinder (1), wherein the working space (10) being closed with the bottom (3) of the working cylinder (1) first end (2) or with a piston (61) connected with the second free end of the piston rod (60) and interconnected through interconnection holes (35) of the working cylinder (1) with an outer storage space (33) of a work medium, wherein according to the invention a cylindrical gear pivot (20) is seated coaxially with the piston rod (60) in the second end (12) of the working cylinder (1), the end of the gear pivot (20) going out of the working cylinder (1) is fitted with actuating means for rotating and/or axially moving the gear pivot (20), and the other end of the gear pivot (20) interfering into the working space (10) is fitted with axial stops (42a, 42b, 42c, 42d) to define the axial movement of a throttle ring (43, 43a, 43b) seated on the gear pivot (20, 20a) or on the piston rod (60) for movement between a first position to close the work medium flow between the working space (10) and outer storage space (33) and a second position to release the working medium flow between the working space (10) and outer storage space (33). To advantage, the throttle ring (43a, 43b) can be seated to slide on the end of the gear pivot (20a), one end of said gear pivot (20a) extending into the working space (10), said throttle ring (43a, 43b) being seated between the axial stops (42c, 42d) and having a tapered outer perimeter or face which, when in a position closing the working medium flow, bears upon the inner shoulder (4a, 4b) of the working cylinder (1), said inner shoulder (4a, 4b) being arranged between the piston (61) or the bottom (3) and interconnection holes (35), and wherein the end of the gear pivot (20a) that extends out of the working cylinder (1) is provided with actuating means to axially move the gear pivot (20a).