Vibration absorber using shape memory material
US6290037A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 21, 1999 |
| Grant date | Sep 18, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 21, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16F2224/0258
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The present invention relates to a vibration absorber in which an absorber end mass is coupled to a primary mass by means of a cantilevered beam, wherein at least a portion of the beam comprises a shape memory alloy (SMA). Preferably, the end mass is coupled to the primary mass with several discrete SMA wires which may be individually heated. When each of the SMA wires is heated above a predetermined temperature, the SMA material undergoes a phase change which results in a change in the stiffness of the SMA wire. Heating of the various wires in various combinations allows the operational frequency of the absorber to be actively tuned. The frequency of the absorber may therefore be tuned to closely match the current vibrational frequency of the primary mass, thereby allowing the absorber to be adaptively tuned to the frequency of the primary mass in a simple and straightforward manner.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.