Rotary Damper Channel Layout for Differential Damping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotary dampers used in vehicles and industrial machines are large, complex, and heavy due to their structure, which complicates their functionality and efficiency in kinetic energy damping.
Innovation Solution
A rotary damper design featuring a housing with fixed and movable vanes that create multiple chambers with varying volumes, utilizing specific communication channels to manage fluid flow and pressure differences, allowing for miniaturization, simplification, and weight reduction while maintaining differential damping forces between rotation directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two damping force generating elements are used to make damping force different between forward and reverse rotation, then differential damping function is achieved, but device structure becomes large, complicated and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple damping force generating elements into a single element with asymmetric geometry. The rotor includes one damping force generating element having a first portion and a second portion with different damping characteristics, eliminating the need for separate elements for forward and reverse rotation damping.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping force generating element employs asymmetric design where the first portion (for forward rotation) and second portion (for reverse rotation) have different geometries. This asymmetry allows different damping forces in opposite rotation directions while using a single integrated element rather than multiple symmetric elements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If two damping force generating elements are used to make damping force different between forward and reverse rotation, then differential damping function is achieved, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple damping functions into a single damping force generating element, reducing the total material required and thus decreasing device weight while maintaining differential damping capability between forward and reverse rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric design of the damping force generating element allows different damping characteristics in opposite rotation directions without requiring additional mass or multiple elements, achieving weight reduction while preserving adaptability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If two damping force generating elements are used to make damping force different between forward and reverse rotation, then differential damping function is achieved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple damping functions into a single damping force generating element, reducing the overall volume occupied by damping components while maintaining the ability to provide different damping forces for forward and reverse rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric geometry of the damping force generating element enables differential damping in opposite rotation directions within a compact single-element structure, avoiding the space required for multiple separate elements.
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 achieves a miniaturized, simplified, and lightweight rotary damper with adjustable damping forces by managing fluid flow and pressure through strategically placed communication channels, enhancing the device's efficiency and performance.
Implementation Method 1
a rotary damper including: a housing (101) having a cylindrical inner chamber (103) containing a fluid (123) in a liquid-tight manner
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Provided is a rotary damper which can miniaturize, simplify, and reduce weight of a device structure thereof. In a rotary damper 100, an inner chamber 103 of a housing 101 is divided into four individual chambers by fixed vanes 104a, 104b and movable vanes 118a, 118b included in a rotor 111. A shaft body 112 of the rotor 111 is formed with a first two-way communication channel 115 communicating a first individual chamber R1 to a third individual chamber R3 and a first one-way communication channel 116 allowing a fluid 123 to flow only from a second individual chamber R2 side to a fourth individual chamber R4 side. The movable vane 118a is provided with a second two-way communication channel 121 allowing the fluid 123 to flow from the second individual chamber R2 side to the first individual chamber R1 side, and allowing the fluid 123 to flow in a restricted manner in a reverse direction. The movable vane 118b is provided with a second one-way communication channel 122 allowing the fluid 123 to flow in a restricted manner only from the fourth individual chamber R4 side to the third individual chamber R3 side.