Asymmetric folded spring flexure suspension system for reciprocating devices
First Claim
1. A suspension flexure assembly constituting an essential component of a reciprocative linear device including a mounting base made and arranged for operational attachment to an external host object;
- the device including a mass portion, forming a mass mechanical node of the device, and being required to reciprocate along a stroke axis defining a linear travel path, comprising;
a flexure suspension assembly constituting a compliant link coupling the mounting base to the mass portion for purposes of vibration control deployment, said flexure suspension assembly comprising an assembly of flexure strips connected between the mounting base and the mass portion, said flexure suspension assembly being located offset radially and located within a single quadrant from the stroke axis and thus asymmetric relative to the mass portion, said suspension assembly being made and arranged to enable reciprocating travel of the mass portion restricted to a linear path collinear with the stroke axis, and to a travel range of predetermined stroke length while holding the mass portion oriented collinear with the stroke axis, and to apply a restoring force with a designated spring constant acting bidirectionally about a neutral location of the mass portion, centered within the travel range, at which the mass portion is made to rest in absence of applied driving force.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An asymmetric folded spring flexure suspension system can enable an ultra-compact linear reciprocative device wherein a reciprocative mass suspended from a base by a single folded flexure assembly extends in a single generally radial direction perpendicular to the intended travel path. The folded flexure assembly can be configured as three side-by-side stacks of flexure strips of spring material, tied together at a “yoke-idler” end; at the opposite “working” end, a central stack of nominal width is tied to the mass, and, flanking the central stack, a pair of half-width stacks are tied to opposite sides of the base. In an embodiment for active vibration control, a cylindrical enclosure, of magnetically-permeable material and attached to the working end of the flexure assembly, contains a driver system including an internally-mounted pair of permanent magnets that provide a magnetic flux gap and also constitute the main portion of the mass. Also within the enclosure, but supported from the base by rods extending up through clearance holes in the bottom cover/pole plate of the enclosure, is a single bobbin-mounted coil which, being located in the magnetic flux gap, drives reciprocation of the armature/mass enclosure in response to alternating electrical current applied to the coil.
19 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A suspension flexure assembly constituting an essential component of a reciprocative linear device including a mounting base made and arranged for operational attachment to an external host object;
- the device including a mass portion, forming a mass mechanical node of the device, and being required to reciprocate along a stroke axis defining a linear travel path, comprising;
a flexure suspension assembly constituting a compliant link coupling the mounting base to the mass portion for purposes of vibration control deployment, said flexure suspension assembly comprising an assembly of flexure strips connected between the mounting base and the mass portion, said flexure suspension assembly being located offset radially and located within a single quadrant from the stroke axis and thus asymmetric relative to the mass portion, said suspension assembly being made and arranged to enable reciprocating travel of the mass portion restricted to a linear path collinear with the stroke axis, and to a travel range of predetermined stroke length while holding the mass portion oriented collinear with the stroke axis, and to apply a restoring force with a designated spring constant acting bidirectionally about a neutral location of the mass portion, centered within the travel range, at which the mass portion is made to rest in absence of applied driving force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- the device including a mass portion, forming a mass mechanical node of the device, and being required to reciprocate along a stroke axis defining a linear travel path, comprising;
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12. A reciprocative linear actuator for active vibration control of an external host object, comprising:
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a base portion, forming a base mechanical node of said linear actuator, including a mounting base, made and arranged for operational attachment to the host object being subjected to vibration control from deployment of said actuator; a mass portion, forming a mass mechanical node of said linear actuator, located in a region offset from the base portion; a hollow enclosure, made from magnetically-permeable metal, containing an electromagnetic driver system implemented with two permanent magnets attached to said enclosure as part of an armature/mass node, and containing a coil wound on a bobbin which is attached to the base portion by coil support means, as part of a stator/base node, the coil being traversed by magnetic flux from the magnets so as to operate in a voice coil mode to drive the armature/mass portion relative to the stator/base portion; and a flexure portion, including at least one compliant link coupling said base portion to said mass portion for purposes of active vibration control deployment, said flexure portion comprising at least one assembly of flexure strips, connected between the base portion and the mass portion, made and arranged to restrict reciprocating travel of the mass portion to a linear path, and to a travel range of predetermined stroke length along a designated stroke axis stroke axis while holding said mass portion and said hollow enclosure uniformly oriented relative to the stroke axis, and to apply a restoring force with a designated spring constant acting bidirectionally about a neutral location of said mass portion, centered within the travel range, at which the mass portion is made to rest in absence of applied driving force, said flexure portion being disposed asymmetrically relative to the mass portion, extending therefrom and contained within a semi-circular region about the stroke axis. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification