Vibration damper device

• US 6,916,017 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hutchinson (Welltower, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hutchinson (Welltower, Inc.)
• Inventors: Noe, Mathieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Matthew C.
• Application Number:
  US10/332,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 267/158, 267/161, 267/162, 267/136, 188/267
• US Class Current: 267/161
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/326 with a spiral-like appearance
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/1011 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/104 the inertia member being resiliently mounted F16F7/1022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/116 on metal springs
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/0356 moving along a straight path

Abstract

The invention relates to a damper device for damping vibration, the device comprising an energy converter device mounted on a baseplate for fixing to a structure, the energy converter device presenting a moving portion suspended by at least one spring. The moving portion presents at least one flat centering spring extending between an inside region having a first diameter and an outside region having a second diameter, said centering spring presenting at least two cutouts, each being in the form of a branch having at least one segment turning its concave side towards the outside of the spring.

Claims

1. A damper device for damping vibrations, the device comprising an energy converter device mounted on a baseplate for fixing to a structure, the energy converter device presenting a non-moving portion comprised of a coil, a rod and of said baseplate, and a moving portion that is moveable in a longitudinal direction and presents two pole pieces and a magnet and is suspended by at least one return spring, wherein the moving portion presents, on opposite longitudinal ends, flat centering springs extending between an inside region that has a first diameter and that is fixed to the non-moving portion and an outside region that has a second diameter and that is fixed to a respective longitudinal end of the moving portion, said centering spring presenting at least two cutouts, each being in the form of a branch having at least one segment turning its concave side towards the outside of the spring.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least one cutout is spiral-shaped, at least in part.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein at least one segment is a portion of a parabolic spiral.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least one cutout presents an outer segment that is straight.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein each cutout makes 1 to 1.5 turns around the perimeter of the centering spring.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the centering spring has three cutouts.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the centering spring has four cutouts.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein each cutout extends over substantially one turn of the periphery of the centering spring.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the centering spring is constituted by a stack of individual flat springs.

10. A device according to claim 7, wherein the stack of flat springs constitutes a laminated structure.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the outside region of at least one of the centering springs is fixed to a longitudinal end of a housing of the moving portion.