Viscous Fluid Governor for Wear-Free Speed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing governors, such as those using solid friction, air friction, and eddy currents, face issues like wear, noise, and space inefficiency, while escapement type governors suffer from ticking sounds and high costs, making them unsuitable for portable devices and precise applications.
Innovation Solution
A governor utilizing centrifugal force and fluid viscosity resistance, with a rotor and wings that move radially due to centrifugal force, creating a viscous load that maintains constant speed through a controlled gap and wing movement, eliminating the need for electronic control and reducing wear and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If brake-type governors using solid friction are used, then speed control is achieved, but wear particles and noise are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces solid friction-based mechanical braking with fluid viscosity-based damping. The governor uses a rotor with blades rotating in a viscous fluid medium, where speed control is achieved through fluid dynamic resistance rather than solid contact friction, eliminating wear particles and reducing noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a fluid-based governor mechanism where a rotor with blades rotates within a viscous fluid (such as oil or air). The fluid viscosity creates drag on the blades, providing speed-dependent damping force without solid contact, thus avoiding wear and noise while maintaining effective speed control.
2Measurement precision
If electronically controlled governors are used, then precise speed control is achieved, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid viscosity governor is a passive, self-regulating system where the viscous drag force automatically increases with rotational speed, providing inherent speed control without requiring external sensors, control circuits, or power sources. The system self-adjusts based on the fluid's viscosity properties and rotor blade configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The governor achieves precise speed control by carefully selecting and adjusting physical parameters such as fluid viscosity, rotor blade area, blade shape, and gap dimensions between the rotor and housing. These parameter changes allow tuning of the governor's speed control characteristics without adding complex electronic components.
3Speed
If mechanical governors with friction members are used, then speed regulation is achieved, but service life is reduced due to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates solid friction contact by substituting it with fluid viscosity-based resistance. The rotor blades move through a viscous fluid medium, creating drag force proportional to speed without physical contact between moving parts, thereby eliminating wear and extending service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The viscous fluid acts as an intermediary between the rotating rotor and the stationary housing, transferring momentum and providing damping force without direct solid contact. This fluid intermediary prevents wear between mechanical components while maintaining effective speed regulation.
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 allows for a compact, low-cost, and durable governor that maintains constant speed without wear particles or noise, suitable for portable devices and applications requiring precise timing, like music boxes and mechanical timepieces.
Implementation Method 1
A governor utilizing centrifugal force and fluid viscosity resistance, with a rotor and wings that move radially due to centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
A governor utilizing centrifugal force and fluid viscosity resistance, with a rotor and wings that move radially due to centrifugal force, creating a viscous load that maintains constant speed
Data Source
AI summary
It is intended to provide a governor that is small, does not produce wear particles or noise, is low cost, is not affected by differences in attitude, is not affected by magnetism, and has outstanding durability. The governor has a rotor that rotates using energy supplied from an energy storage means through a power transfer means, a wing having wing surfaces perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotor, and disposed movably to an outside circumference side radially to the rotor by means of centrifugal force produced by rotor rotation, a zigzag spring disposed between the rotor and wing for pulling the wing to the inside circumference side radially to the rotor, and an opposing member disposed to the outside circumference of the rotor and having an opposing surface located opposite and separated a predetermined gap from the wing surface when the wing moves to the outside circumference side radially to the rotor.