Tunable Vibration Damper With Segmented Viscoelastic Stack
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing payload/damper systems struggle to effectively isolate vibrations from sources with low-frequency peaks, requiring expensive and large vibration dampers that are not capable of sufficient horizontal vibration isolation.
Innovation Solution
A tunable vibration damper system using a viscoelastic damper stack with alternating column and disk sections, allowing for independent adjustment of vertical and horizontal stiffness to match the specific frequency requirements of the payload/damper system, thereby optimizing damping characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional passive vibration isolation mounts are used to isolate payloads from low-frequency vibrations (30 Hz or lower), then vertical vibration isolation may be achieved, but the system requires expensive and large dampers that cannot sufficiently isolate horizontal vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The damper stack is designed with alternating column and disk sections where each section can have different stiffness characteristics. The column sections primarily provide vertical stiffness while the disk sections contribute to horizontal stiffness, allowing independent optimization of vertical and horizontal vibration isolation properties within the same damper structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper utilizes a composite structure combining viscoelastic material with a segmented geometry of column and disk sections. This composite design allows the damper to exhibit different damping characteristics in different directions, providing both vertical and horizontal vibration isolation capabilities that traditional homogeneous dampers cannot achieve.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the natural frequency of the payload/damper system is reduced below 30 Hz to isolate aerial equipment from vibrations, then vibration isolation performance improves, but the vibration dampers become quite expensive and rather large
Solution Approach 1:
The damper stack is segmented into multiple alternating column and disk sections, each contributing differently to the overall stiffness characteristics. This segmentation allows the damper to achieve the required low natural frequency for vibration isolation while maintaining a compact size, as each segment can be optimized independently rather than requiring a single large homogeneous structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The stiffness-related parameters of the damper stack can be adjusted by modifying the geometry and material properties of the column and disk sections. This allows tuning of the natural frequency to achieve optimal vibration isolation performance at lower frequencies without proportionally increasing the damper size, as the parameter adjustments can be made within the existing structural framework.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the natural frequency of the payload/damper system is reduced below 30 Hz to isolate aerial equipment from vibrations, then vibration isolation performance improves, but the cost of vibration dampers increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented design with alternating column and disk sections allows for modular manufacturing and assembly. This segmentation enables the use of standard fabrication processes for each section type and simplifies quality control, reducing the overall manufacturing cost compared to producing a single large custom damper structure, while still achieving the required low natural frequency for vibration isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The ability to adjust stiffness-related parameters through geometric modifications of the column and disk sections allows for optimization of the damper design within standard material and manufacturing constraints. This parameter tuning enables achieving low-frequency vibration isolation performance without requiring expensive specialized materials or complex manufacturing processes.
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 system achieves efficient isolation of low-frequency vibrations, reducing damage to sensitive equipment and improving image quality in aerial photography by tailoring the natural frequency of the payload/damper system to match the vibration source, while being cost-effective and compact.
Implementation Method 1
The damper stack may be formed from a viscoelastic material and may have a vertical stiffness and a horizontal stiffness
Implementation Method 2
The damper stack may be formed from a viscoelastic material
Implementation Method 3
The damper stack may have a vertical stiffness and a horizontal stiffness
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a tunable vibration damper may include a housing and a damper stack disposed within the housing. The damper stack may be formed from a viscoelastic material and may have a vertical stiffness and a horizontal stiffness. The damper stack may also include a plurality of column sections and a plurality of disk sections, with each pair of adjacent column sections being separated by one of the disk sections. The disk sections may extend radially outwardly relative to the column sections. In addition, at least one of the vertical stiffness or the horizontal stiffness may be tunable by adjusting a stiffness-related parameter of the damper stack.