Preloaded Coupling Design for Dynamic Load and Fatigue Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for mitigating fatigue and dynamic amplification of loads in objects, such as drive units and solar collectors, are inadequate, leading to increased maintenance costs, potential hazards, and reduced lifespan due to high cyclic and impulse loads, especially under dynamic coupling conditions.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a load mitigation system that incorporates pre-loading mechanisms with detent release and spring-damper systems, providing tunable damping and high stiffness to absorb and reduce dynamic loads, thereby minimizing fatigue and peak loads, and integrating damping coefficients to prevent load amplification at resonant frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If design/safety margins are increased to handle dynamic loads, then reliability is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating energy absorption mechanisms (such as elastomeric materials, springs, or dampers) into the coupling system that are pre-configured to absorb and dissipate dynamic loads before they can cause damage to the drive unit. This allows the system to maintain lower design margins while still achieving high reliability, as the cushioning elements handle the extreme load conditions.
2Reliability
If design/safety margins are increased to handle dynamic loads, then reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system incorporates pre-configured energy absorption mechanisms that handle dynamic loads, allowing the main drive unit components to be designed for lower, more economical load conditions while maintaining high reliability through the protective cushioning elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs sacrificial or replaceable coupling elements (such as elastomeric inserts or friction elements) that are designed to be simpler and less expensive than the main drive unit components. These elements can be replaced if worn or damaged, providing an economical failure mode that protects more expensive components.
3Reliability
If shear pins are used to protect against excessive loads, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases due to downtime for replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system incorporates self-adjusting or self-lubricating mechanisms that reduce maintenance requirements. For example, elastomeric materials provide continuous damping without wear, and friction-based elements can be designed to maintain optimal friction characteristics over time, reducing the frequency and duration of maintenance interventions.
4Reliability
If a broken shear pin results in a free-wheeling shaft, then reliability is maintained through load protection, but safety worsens due to hazards to equipment and personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates controlled slip mechanisms or friction-based coupling elements that provide gradual load relief rather than sudden failure. These intermediary elements maintain a degree of control even under excessive loads, preventing the dangerous free-wheeling condition while still protecting the drive unit through load limiting.
5Reliability
If slip clutch is used to allow shaft rotation under excessive loads, then reliability is improved through load protection, but precision is lost due to loss of position information
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system employs dynamically adjustable friction or elastomeric elements that can modulate their coupling characteristics in response to load conditions. This allows the system to maintain precise positioning under normal operating conditions while automatically accommodating excessive loads through controlled deformation or slip, then returning to the original position.
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 load mitigation system effectively reduces fatigue cycles and dynamic amplification, increasing the lifespan and safety of drive units while reducing costs by allowing for lower peak design loads and mitigating extreme load conditions, thus enhancing structural integrity and operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
spring-damper systems, providing tunable damping and high stiffness to absorb and reduce dynamic loads
Implementation Method 2
integrating damping coefficients to prevent load amplification at resonant frequencies
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling system can include an energy transfer device and a load mitigation system. The energy transfer device can include a shaft, gear, chain or piston-cylinder arrangement to transfer the energy from a power supply to an object to be moved. The load mitigation system can be used to limit or prevent the transfer of forces from the object to the drive unit as a result of external loads being applied to the object. The load mitigation system can be pre-loaded such that external loads on the object having an excessive impulsive or resonant cyclic force greater than the pre-load force on the load mitigation system are reduced and only partially transferred to the energy transfer device and power supply. The load mitigation system can dampen both resonant loads and impulsive impact loads occurring at the object thereby preventing damage and extending life.