Spring devices – Resilient shock or vibration absorber – Including energy absorbing means or feature
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-07
2003-02-25
Lavinder, Jack (Department: 3613)
Spring devices
Resilient shock or vibration absorber
Including energy absorbing means or feature
C267S140150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06523816
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to methods of reducing vibration, to active hydraulic anti-vibration mounts and to vehicles including such mounts, these mounts being intended particularly for mounting motor vehicle engines and producing counter-vibrations aiming to neutralize the effects of the vibration of these engines.
More particularly, the invention concerns a method of damping vibration between two rigid elements by interposing between these elements an active hydraulic anti-vibration mount comprising:
first and second rigid support elements integral respectively with the two rigid elements to be connected,
an elastomer body connecting the two support elements and partially delimiting a working chamber filled with a certain volume of liquid,
a flexible wall partially delimiting a compensation chamber filled with liquid, which chamber is linked to the working chamber by a throttled passage also filled with liquid,
a rigid partition integral with the second support element and interposed between the working chamber and the compensation chamber, this rigid partition including a first regulating nozzle,
an exciting device which closes (directly or not) the first regulating nozzle of the rigid partition, this exciting device having a first face communicating with the liquid contained in the working chamber and a second face isolated from said working chamber, said exciting device being so mounted as to be movable perpendicularly to the rigid partition,
a method by which the exciting device is caused to vibrate, creating variations in the volume of the working chamber with a first amplitude &Dgr;V in order to generate counter-vibrations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This known method has the disadvantage that when the exciting device is so activated as to be blocked in a position against a stop, which generally happens while the vehicle is moving, vibrations of relatively high frequency and relatively low amplitude (for example, vibrations with a frequency greater than 20 Hz and an amplitude less than 1 mm) are largely transmitted between the first and second support elements of the anti-vibration mount.
Indeed, the throttled passage connecting the working chamber to the compensation chamber is so dimensioned as to damp the effect of vibration movements of relatively low-frequency (for example, below 20 Hz) and of relatively large amplitude (for example, above 1 mm), but it behaves to a considerable extent as a closed conduit with regard to high-frequency vibrations.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to mitigate this disadvantage.
To this end, in the method of the type according to the invention, an anti-vibration mount is used in which the rigid partition is traversed by a second regulating nozzle which is closed by a valve device freely movable perpendicularly to the rigid partition, this valve device having a first face in contact with the liquid contained in the working chamber and a second face isolated from the working chamber, the movements of said valve device being limited by first and second stop devices so as to permit variations in the volume of the working chamber limited to a second amplitude &dgr;v such that the relationship &dgr;v/&Dgr;V is less than 20% at least while the exciting device is being vibrated.
As a result of these arrangements a decoupling is achieved by which the dynamic stiffness of the anti-vibration mount at high frequencies is reduced when the exciting device is not activated, especially while the vehicle is moving. This decoupling is achieved without impairing the generation of counter-vibrations in the working chamber by the exciting device, since the amplitude of the variations in the volume of the working chamber due to the valve is much less than the amplitude of the variations in volume due to the exciting device when said exciting device is displaced in alternating motions to generate counter-vibrations (generally when the vehicle engine is idling).
In preferred modes of realizing the method according to the invention one and/or the other of the following arrangements can additionally be used if appropriate:
the exciting device is movable at least between a rest position and a blocked position, the second amplitude &dgr;v having a first value while the exciting device is in a first range of positions relatively distant from its blocked position and a second value when the exciting device is in its blocked position, the first value being lower than the second value:
the first value equals 0;
the second amplitude &dgr;v is constant (in other words, the valve device oscillates between two fixed stops).
In addition, the invention also has the objective of providing an active hydraulic anti-vibration mount for implementing a method as defined above, this mount being intended to be interposed between two rigid elements, and comprising:
first and second rigid support elements intended to be integrated respectively with the two rigid elements to be connected,
an elastomer body connecting the two support elements and partially delimiting a working chamber filled with liquid,
a flexible wall partially delimiting a compensation chamber filled with liquid, which chamber is linked to the working chamber by a throttled passage also filled with liquid,
a rigid partition integral with the second support element and interposed between the working chamber and the compensation chamber, this rigid partition including a first regulating nozzle,
an exciting device which closes the first regulating nozzle of the rigid partition, this exciting device having a first face communicating with the liquid contained in the working chamber and a second face isolated from said working chamber, said exciting device being so mounted as to be movable perpendicularly to the rigid partition at least between a rest position and a blocked position,
and a control link able to link the exciting device to a control device in order to control the movements of the exciting device,
characterized in that the rigid partition is penetrated by a second regulating nozzle which is closed by a valve device movable perpendicularly to the rigid partition, this valve device having a first face in contact with the liquid contained in the working chamber and a second face isolated from the working chamber, the movements of said valve device being limited by first and second stop devices,
in that the second stop device is itself movable perpendicularly to the rigid partition between, firstly, a rest position where said second stop device rests against the valve device in order to lock this valve device against the first stop device, and, secondly, an active position where said second stop device is further away from the first stop device and allows the valve device a certain amount of free play,
in that the second stop device is elastically loaded towards its rest position, and in that the second stop device is linked to the exciting device by means of a mechanical link with lost motion which is able to:
permit said second stop device to remain in its rest position while the exciting device is in a first range of positions relatively distant from its stop position,
displace said second stop device towards its active position when the exciting device is in a second range of positions close to its blocked position,
and maintain the second stop device in its active position when the exciting device is in its blocked position.
In preferred embodiments of the anti-vibration mount according to the invention one and or another of the following arrangements can also be used if appropriate:
the second face of the exciting device communicates with a sealed pneumatic chamber which includes a connection able to be connected to an external pneumatic source;
the exciting device is a flexible membrane linked in a sealed manner to a housing and delimiting with it said pneumatic chamber;
the housing of the pneumatic chamber is contained in the compensation chamber;
the flexible membrane is made of elastomer and includes a peripheral bead
Durand Sylvain
Gastineau Jean-Luc
Gennesseaux Andre
Hutchinson
Lavinder Jack
Siconolfi Robert A.
LandOfFree
Method of damping vibration, active hydraulic anti-vibration... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method of damping vibration, active hydraulic anti-vibration..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method of damping vibration, active hydraulic anti-vibration... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3164642