Heterogeneous Ribbed Geometry for Elastic Shock Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing corrugated structures used for stiffness and damping control often deform or break under shock or heavy impact, limiting their repeated use and practicality in applications requiring broad shock and vibration absorption without permanent deformation.
Innovation Solution
A ribbed structure with a set of ribs that deform elastically, featuring a network of trusses and beams with varying material properties along its length, allowing for staged deformation and improved strain dispersion, thereby enhancing shock absorption and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If corrugated structures are used for damping vibrations and reducing material fatigue, then structural integrity is improved, but the structures deform or break under shock or heavy sudden impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating heterogeneous ribbed structures where different sections have varying material properties (wavelength, amplitude, wave shape, material thickness) to optimize performance for different shock conditions. This allows the structure to have regions with different stiffness and damping characteristics, enabling it to handle a broader range of impacts without permanent deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by systematically varying the geometric parameters (wavelength, amplitude, wave shape) and material properties of the ribbed structure. These parameter variations enable the structure to exhibit different stress behaviors across multiple deformation stages, allowing it to absorb shocks of varying magnitudes while maintaining elastic deformation and repeated use capability.
2Ease of manufacture
If homogeneous ribbed structures are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but shock absorption capability across different shock magnitudes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ribbed structure into multiple sections with different local properties (heterogeneous wave shapes, varying wavelengths, different amplitudes) to enhance adaptability for absorbing shocks of different magnitudes. This localized variation in properties allows the structure to respond differently to various shock conditions while still being manufacturable as an integrated component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the ribbed structure into multiple functional sections, each with optimized properties for specific shock conditions. This segmentation allows the overall structure to handle a broader range of shock magnitudes by distributing the shock absorption function across multiple specialized zones, thereby improving versatility without significantly complicating manufacturing.
3Force
If corrugated structures deform plastically under load, then immediate shock absorption occurs, but fatigue damage accumulates and lifespan is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the ribbed structure with predetermined geometric configurations and material properties that enable it to absorb shocks through elastic deformation before plastic deformation occurs. The structure is pre-engineered with optimal wavelength, amplitude, and wave shape parameters that allow it to cushion shocks repeatedly within its elastic limit, preventing fatigue damage accumulation and extending lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific geometric parameters (wavelength, amplitude, wave shape) and material properties to ensure the ribbed structure remains within the elastic deformation range during shock events. By carefully selecting and varying these parameters, the structure achieves effective shock absorption while avoiding the plastic deformation that leads to fatigue damage and reduced lifespan.
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 ribbed structure effectively absorbs a broader range of shocks and vibrations, minimizing material fatigue and extending the lifespan of materials used in applications such as roofing and flooring by distributing strain more evenly and preventing plastic deformation.
Implementation Method 1
a ribbed structure having a set of ribs, configured to deform elastically under shock
Implementation Method 2
Corrugated structures can improve structural integrity when incorporated into the object they are reinforcing without adding significant mass to the object
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein relate generally to apparatus with ribbed structures or geometries for stiffness and damping control, and methods of producing the same. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a ribbed structure having a set of ribs, configured to deform elastically under shock. In some embodiments, the set of ribs can have a sinusoidal wave shape. In some embodiments, the set of ribs can have a heterogeneous wave shape. In some embodiments, the set of ribs can have material properties that change along the length of the ribbed structure, such as wavelength, amplitude, wave shape, and material thickness.