Low Frequency Torsional Vibration Damper Mechanical Interlocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low frequency torsional vibration dampers require costly mold bonding processes and use adhesives or fluids in assembly, leading to increased costs and potential performance issues.
Innovation Solution
A torsional vibration damper design featuring an annular inertia member with recesses for elastomeric O-rings and a hub with permanently deformed tabs that operatively couple without adhesives or fasteners, allowing for assembly without mold bonding or fluids, and finite element modeling demonstrating decoupled vibration modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If mold bonding process is used to bond elastomeric material to metals, then the damper achieves structural integrity, but the manufacturing cost significantly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical bonding system (mold bonding with adhesives) with a mechanical interlocking system. The elastomeric material is formed with protrusions that fit into recesses in the metallic hub, creating a mechanical connection that eliminates the need for adhesives and the complex mold bonding process, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper is divided into distinct modular components: a metallic hub with recesses and an elastomeric member with corresponding protrusions. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using simpler, less expensive processes, and then assembled through mechanical interlocking rather than requiring expensive mold bonding of a fully integrated structure.
2Strength
If mold bonding process is used to assemble components, then the damper achieves structural integrity, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex chemical bonding process (mold bonding involving surface preparation, priming, adhesive application, and curing) with a simple mechanical interlocking assembly. The elastomeric member's protrusions naturally engage with the hub's recesses during assembly, eliminating multiple process steps and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric member is designed with self-aligning protrusions that automatically engage with the hub's recesses during assembly. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex positioning fixtures, adhesive application equipment, and curing processes, significantly simplifying the manufacturing process while ensuring proper structural integration.
3Strength
If adhesives or fluids are used in assembly process, then the components are bonded together, but potential performance issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces adhesive-based bonding with a mechanical interlocking system where elastomeric protrusions fit into metallic hub recesses. This mechanical connection eliminates concerns about adhesive degradation, contamination, or improper curing that could compromise performance reliability, while maintaining strong component bonding through the elastomeric material's inherent flexibility and damping properties.
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 solution reduces manufacturing costs, enhances robustness, and achieves effective decoupling of vibration modes by at least 20 Hz, eliminating the need for adhesives and fluids in assembly.
Implementation Method 1
an elastomeric O-ring seated in each annular recess, and a hub defining an annular receptacle with opposing sidewalls that each comprise a plurality of spaced apart tabs permanently deformed against the plurality of elastomeric O-rings, thereby operatively coupling the hub to the inertia member for rotation together
Implementation Method 2
A torsional vibration damper, generally designated by reference number 100 in FIG. 2, that includes a hub 102 mountable on a shaft to attenuate torsional vibrations
Data Source
AI summary
A low frequency torsional vibration damper has an annular inertia member defining an annular recess for receiving an elastomeric O-ring in a radial outer surface or a radial inner surface thereof and defining opposing annular recesses for receiving elastomeric O-rings, one each, in the top and bottom surfaces thereof, an elastomeric O-ring seated in each annular recess, and a hub defining an annular receptacle with opposing sidewalls that each comprise a plurality of spaced apart tabs permanently deformed against the plurality of elastomeric O-rings, thereby operatively coupling the hub to the inertia member for rotation together. When the inertia member defines the outer diameter of the torsional vibration damper, the hub is mountable on a shaft, and when the inertia member defines the inner diameter of the torsional vibration damper, the hub is mountable inside a shaft.