Land vehicles – Skates – Runner type
Patent
1997-02-07
2000-08-15
Camby, Richard M.
Land vehicles
Skates
Runner type
280610, A63C 507
Patent
active
061024260
ABSTRACT:
A sports implement includes an electroactive element such as a piezoceramic sheet attached to the implement and a shunt circuit attached to the electroactive element to counteract strain or alter stiffness of the implement to affect its performance. In a ski, one shunt circuit is neither a linear nor a highly tuned shunt, but is a low Q resonant inductive shunt tuned to a performance band of the ski to enhance dissipation of energy from of the electroactive element. The performance band includes at least one structural mode of the ski and a neighborhood of that mode. The neighborhood may include variations in the frequency of a first or higher free structural resonance which arise from production variations or size variations of the ski or its components. The neighborhood may also be selected to cover the range of frequencies that mode takes when driven by actual disturbances in use, such as the vibrations excited when skiing at a particular range of speeds, or with a particular set of conditions or combination of conditions of temperature, speed, snow and terrain. In other embodiments, the tuned band shunt control may be switched to remove a resonance, adapt performance to different situations, or enhance handling or comfort of the implement. Other embodiments include striking implements intended to hit a ball or object in play, such as golf clubs and tennis racquets, wherein the strain elements may alter the performance, feel or comfort of the implement.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4565940 (1986-01-01), Hubbard, Jr.
patent: 4849668 (1989-07-01), Crawley et al.
patent: 5315203 (1994-05-01), Bicos
patent: 5390949 (1995-02-01), Naganathan et al.
patent: 5499836 (1996-03-01), Juhasz
patent: 5775715 (1998-07-01), Vandergrist
patent: 5857694 (1999-01-01), Lazarus
Ashley, S., "Smart Skis and Other Adaptive Structures", Mechanical Engineering, vol. 117, No. 11, pp. 76-81 (1995).
Lynh, T., "Piezoelectric Damper Hones Ski performance", Design News, (Feb. 5, 1996).
Jacques Robert N.
Lazarus Kenneth B.
Moore Jeffrey W.
Russo Farla M.
Spangler Ronald
Active Control Experts, Inc.
Camby Richard M.
LandOfFree
Adaptive sports implement with tuned damping does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Adaptive sports implement with tuned damping, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Adaptive sports implement with tuned damping will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1998864