Rotary-to-Linear Transmission Damping Device for Force Surge Mitigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Sudden forces in transmissions with rotary drive and linearly movable driven elements often lead to premature wear and damage, resulting in efficiency loss and failure, particularly in screw drives where jerky forces are not adequately damped.

Innovation Solution

A transmission with a damping device integrally connected to the output member, featuring a threaded spindle and spindle nut, utilizing hollow-cylindrical stop elements and vulcanized damping elements made from nitrile butadiene rubber or polyurethane, which are connected to the spindle nut and stop elements to mitigate force surges indirectly, thereby reducing mechanical load and preventing damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a damping device is integrated into the transmission structure, then the reliability and durability of the transmission are improved by dampening force surges, but the device complexity increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission durabilityVSAvoidtransmission structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The damping device is integrally connected to the output member (spindle nut), merging the damping function with the existing transmission component. This integration approach reduces the number of separate parts while maintaining the dampening function, thus improving reliability without excessively increasing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The damping element acts as an intermediary between the stop element and the spindle nut, indirectly transmitting and dampening force surges. This mediator approach allows the damping function to be inserted into the existing structure without requiring complete redesign of the transmission system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the stop element protrudes beyond the spindle nut in both directions, then the damping effectiveness is improved by ensuring force surges act indirectly on the spindle nut, but the length of the transmission components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping effectivenessVSAvoidstop element length
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The stop element is designed to protrude beyond the spindle nut in both directions of linear movement, providing beforehand cushioning for force surges that may occur during operation. This ensures that damping protection is already in place before impact forces occur, improving reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The damping element is designed as a hollow-cylindrical structure with flexible material properties, allowing it to deform and absorb energy from force surges. This flexible design provides effective damping while maintaining a compact form factor

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Loss of energy

If the damping element is made from vulcanized rubber or polyurethane, then the energy absorption capability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase due to material curing processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy absorptionVSAvoidmaterial bonding
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The damping element uses vulcanized rubber or polyurethane materials that combine elastic properties for energy absorption with good bonding characteristics. These composite material properties enable effective damping while maintaining manufacturability through standard vulcanization or curing processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The material properties of the damping element are optimized through controlling the vulcanization or curing process parameters. By adjusting temperature, time, and pressure during material processing, the desired balance between energy absorption capability and manufacturing precision is achieved

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 damping device effectively reduces wear and damage by converting energy from force surges into deformation or thermal energy, extending the transmission's lifespan and maintaining efficiency by minimizing the impact of sudden forces on the output member.

Implementation Method 1

The damping elements are preferably each designed as a vulcanized layer, in particular an electrically insulating layer. These vulcanizing layers are preferably formed from nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) or polyurethane.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscoelastic damping: Viscoelasticity

Implementation Method 2

The damping device effectively reduces wear and damage by converting energy from force surges into deformation or thermal energy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHysteresis damping: Hysteresis

Implementation Method 3

The spring device is designed, for example, as a buffer device--also referred to there as a ring buffer bearing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3129679B1Mechanism for converting a rotary motion into a linear motion
Publication Date: 2019.04.17 SIEMENS MOBILITY GMBH
  • EP3129679B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3129679B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3129679B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a mechanism (1; 101; 201) for converting a rotary movement (2; 102; 202) into a linear movement (3; 103; 203) with a rotationally driven drive member (4; 104; 204), with a linearly moved output member (5; 105; 205) and with a damping device (6; 106; 206), by means of which the output member is held in a sprung manner in both directions of the linear movement thereof. In order to simply and therefore inexpensively damp energy which is introduced into the mechanism (1; 101; 201) by way of a force (F) which acts on the output side, the damping device (6; 106; 206) is connected in an integrally joined manner to the output member (5; 105; 205).