Tunable vibration absorption device

• US 20060175169A1
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM Assembly Automation Limited (ASMPT Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ASM Assembly Automation Limited (ASMPT Ltd.)
• Inventors: Liu, Chou Kee Peter, Choy, Ping Kong Joseph, Chan-Wong, Lai Wa Helen, Or, Siu Wing
• Granted Patent: US 7,410,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 188/379
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/1005 characterised by active control of the mass
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/104 the inertia member being resiliently mounted F16F7/1022 takes precedence

Abstract

A tunable vibration absorption device is provided that is suitable for active or semi-active vibration absorption or damping of vibrations in vibrating structures. It comprises a stack including a force actuator mechanism for generating an axial actuation force and a force sensor mechanism which is responsive to an external force acting on the stack to generate a force signal. A controller unit is electrically connected to the force sensor mechanism for receiving the force signal generated by the force sensor mechanism, and it is also electrically connected to the force actuator mechanism for adjusting the axial actuation force generated by the force actuator mechanism in response to the received force signal generated by the force sensor mechanism.

Claims

1. A tunable vibration absorption device comprising:

a stack including a force actuator mechanism for generating an axial actuation force and a force sensor mechanism which is responsive to an external force acting on the stack to generate a force signal; and

a controller unit electrically connected to the force sensor mechanism for receiving the force signal generated by the force sensor mechanism, wherein the controller unit is also electrically connected to the force actuator mechanism for adjusting the axial actuation force generated by the force actuator mechanism in response to the received force signal generated by the force sensor mechanism.

2. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 1, further comprising rigid supports for supporting the stack, wherein the rigid supports include mounting means for mounting the tunable vibration absorption device to a structure to be damped.

3. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 1, further comprising resilient links coupled to axial ends of the stack for connecting the stack to a structure to be damped, wherein the resilient links are relatively sensitive in the transverse direction to the axial actuation force generated by the force actuator mechanism but relatively insensitive in directions parallel to the axial actuation force.

4. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 3, wherein the resilient links comprise flexible transverse beams.

5. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 1, wherein the force actuator mechanism comprises a magnetostrictive material.

6. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 5, wherein the magnetostrictive material is selected from the group consisting of:

terbium-dysprosium-iron alloy, gallium-iron alloy and samarium-dysprosium-iron alloy.

7. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 5, wherein the magnetostrictive material comprises an internal magnetization direction that is oriented along an axial direction of the stack.

8. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 5, further comprising a coil surrounding the magnetostrictive material for generating a magnetic field to magnetically drive the material.

9. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 1, wherein the force actuator mechanism comprises a piezoelectric material having its internal polarization direction orientated along an axial direction of the stack.

10. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 9, wherein the piezoelectric material is selected from the group consisting of:

lead zirconate titanate, barium titanate, lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate and lead zirconate niobate-lead titanate.

11. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 1, wherein the force sensor mechanism comprises a piezoelectric-based force sensor.

12. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 11, wherein the piezoelectric-based force sensor is made from a material is selected from the group consisting of:

lead zirconate titanate, barium titanate, lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate and lead zirconate niobate-lead titanate.

13. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 11, wherein the piezoelectric-based sensor comprises an internal polarization direction that is orientated along an axial direction of the stack.

14. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 1, wherein the force sensor mechanism comprises a first force sensor and a second force sensor positioned on opposite sides of the force actuator mechanism.

15. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 1, including an insulation layer between the force sensor mechanism and the force actuator mechanism.

16. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 15, wherein the insulation layer comprises a polymeric material.

17. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 1, further comprising a magnetic material positioned between the force actuator mechanism and force sensor mechanism for producing a magnetic bias field.

18. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 17, wherein the magnetic material is selected from the group consisting of:

monolithic sintered neodymium, polymer-bonded neodymium and samarium cobalt.

19. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 1, including a compression assembly for compressing the stack and providing a preload force to the force sensor mechanism.

20. The tunable vibration absorption device according to claim 19, wherein the force actuator mechanism and force sensor mechanism have holes therethrough, and the compression assembly comprises a bolt that extends through the holes of the force actuator mechanism and force sensor mechanism and a nut to secure the force actuator mechanism and force sensor mechanism to the bolt.