Rotary Actuator Vibration Isolation with Exoskeleton
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vibration isolation systems in vehicles, such as those in semi-trailer trucks, often fail to adequately isolate occupants from road-induced disturbances due to harsher suspension systems, leading to inadequate comfort and potential long-term exposure to vibrations.
Innovation Solution
An active vibration isolation system employing a rotary actuator with direct drive mechanisms and a separate exoskeleton structure to minimize backlash and friction, allowing for controlled forces to be applied between the vehicle base and the suspended platform, thereby isolating the occupant from vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rotary actuator with direct drive mechanisms is used, then vibration isolation performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the vibration isolation function into separate components: the rotary actuator generates controlled forces, while a separate exoskeleton structure provides mechanical support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, improving vibration isolation performance without requiring the entire system to be overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The exoskeleton acts as an intermediary structure between the rotary actuator and the payload. It transmits the controlled forces from the actuator to the payload while providing structural support, thereby improving vibration isolation performance without directly increasing the complexity of the actuator itself.
2Reliability
If controlled forces are applied directly to the platform, then vibration isolation performance is improved, but friction and backlash in the direct drive mechanism increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the harmful effects of friction and backlash from the direct drive mechanism by using a separate exoskeleton structure to provide mechanical support. The rotary actuator focuses solely on generating controlled forces, while the exoskeleton handles the mechanical transmission, thereby reducing friction and backlash in the force generation path.
Solution Approach 2:
The exoskeleton serves as an intermediary that separates the force generation function from the mechanical transmission function. This intermediary structure reduces the direct impact of friction and backlash on the controlled forces applied to the payload, improving vibration isolation performance.
3Reliability
If a separate exoskeleton structure is used, then backlash and friction are minimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the mechanical support function from the force generation function by introducing a separate exoskeleton structure. This segmentation allows the exoskeleton to be optimized for minimizing backlash and friction, while the rotary actuator is optimized for generating controlled forces, improving reliability without requiring either component to be overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The exoskeleton structure serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support, transmits controlled forces, and minimizes backlash and friction. By making the exoskeleton multi-functional, the system improves reliability without requiring additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
An active vibration isolation system for isolating a suspended platform (302) from vibration input to the vibration isolation system base (301) includes a vibration isolation system interposed between said platform and said base (301), the system comprising: a rotary actuator (300) with a first rotor (303) and a second rotor (304); a first drive link (330) with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first drive link is rotatably attached to the first rotor, and the second end of the first drive link ist rotatably attached to the platform (302); and a second drive link (331) with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second drive link is rotatably attached to the second rotor, and the second end of the second drive link ist rotatably attached to the base (301).