Method and device for eliminating vibrations of a mechanical structure

• US 8,150,053 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V., Technische Uneversitat Darmstadt, Technische Universitã¤T Darmstadt
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V., Technische Universitã¤T Darmstadt
• Inventors: Hanselka, Holger, Melz, Tobias, Mayer, Dirk, Klein, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): San Martin, Edgardo
• Application Number:
  US11/914,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20090127975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,153 Days
• Field of Search: 381/71.1, 381/71.2, 310/319, 310/317, 310/318, 267/140.15, 267/140.11
• US Class Current: 381/71.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/005 using electro- or magnetostrictive actuation means generating of mechanical vibrations operating with electrostriction B06B1/06, with magnetostriction B06B1/08; vehicle suspension arrangements characterised by use of piezoelectric elements B60G17/01941; piezoelectric, electrostrictive and magnetostrictive devices per se H10N30/00

Abstract

The invention is a device and a method for eliminating vibrations of a mechanical structure with at least one electromechanical converter material that is actively connected to the mechanical structure and connected to an electrical circuit with at least one electrical impedance. The electrical circuit is connected to an interface, via which the at least one electrical impedance can be variably adjusted by wireless or wired communications with a control unit that is separated from the electrical circuit in which the electrical impedance features at least one variable ohmic resistor, inductive resistor or capacitor.

Claims

1. A device for removing vibration from a mechanical structure comprising:

at least one electromechanical converter material actively connected to the mechanical structure and connected to an electrical circuit including at least one electrical impedance connected to a control;

the electrical impedance including at least one variable ohmic resistor and at least one variable inductive resistor; and

wireless or wired communications coupling the electrical circuit to the control for providing communications transmitted from the control to the at least one electrical impedance to adjust the impedance to remove vibration from the mechanical structure.

9. A device according to claim 1 wherein:

the wireless communications comprise radio or infrared transmission.

12. A device in accordance with claim 1 comprising:

an interface coupled to the electrical circuit and to the control including a plug and socket into which a connecting line to the control is insertable.

15. A device in accordance with claim 1 comprising:

an interface coupled to the electrical circuit and to the control comprising a transmission and reception unit; and

wherein

the control comprises a transmission and reception unit.

18. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the electromechanical connector material comprises at least one of a piezoceramic, an electrostrictive ceramic or a magnetostrictive alloy.

21. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the electromechanical converter material comprises fiber, wire, a patch, foil, a stack of converter material or composites of converter material.

24. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the electromechanical converter material is applied to the mechanical structure or integrated therein.

28. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein:

the radio transmissions use the Bluetooth protocol or a local area network.

2. A device for removing vibration from a mechanical structure comprising:

at least one electromechanical converter material actively connected to the mechanical structure and connected to an electrical circuit including at least one electrical impedance connected to an interface and a control;

the electrical impedance including at least one variable ohmic resistor and at least one variable capacitor; and

wireless or wired communications coupling the electrical circuit to the control for providing communications transmitted from the control to the at least one electrical impedance to adjust the impedance to remove vibration from the mechanical structure.

10. A device according to claim 2 wherein:

the wireless communications comprise radio or infrared transmission.

13. A device in accordance with claim 2 comprising:

an interface coupled to the electrical circuit and to the control including a plug and socket into which a connecting line to the control is insertable.

16. A device in accordance with claim 2 comprising:

an interface comprising a transmission and reception unit coupled to the electrical circuit and to the control; and

wherein

the control comprises a transmission and reception unit.

19. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein:

the electromechanical connector material comprises at least one of a piezoceramic, an electrostrictive ceramic or a magnetostrictive alloy.

22. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein:

the electromechanical converter material comprises fiber, wire, a patch, foil, a stack of converter material or composites of converter material.

25. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein:

the electromechanical converter material is applied to the mechanical structure or integrated therein.

3. A device for removing vibration from a mechanical structure comprising:

at least one electromechanical converter material actively connected to the mechanical structure and connected to an electrical circuit including at least one electrical impedance connected to a control;

the electrical impedance including at least one variable ohmic resistor, at least one variable inductive resistor and at least one variable capacitor; and

wireless or wired communications coupling the electrical circuit to the control for providing communications transmitted from the control to the at least one electrical impedance to adjust the impedance to remove vibration from the mechanical structure.

11. A device according to claim 3 wherein:

the wireless communications comprise radio or infrared transmission.

14. A device in accordance with claim 3 comprising:

an interface coupled to the electrical circuit and to the control including a plug and socket into which a connecting line to the control is insertable.

17. A device in accordance with claim 3 comprising:

an interface comprising a transmission and reception unit coupled to the electrical circuit and to the control; and

wherein

the control comprises a transmission and reception unit.

20. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein:

the electromechanical connector material comprises at least one of a piezoceramic, an electrostrictive ceramic or a magnetostrictive alloy.

23. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein:

the electromechanical converter material comprises fiber, wire, a patch, foil, a stack of converter material or composites of converter material.

26. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein:

the electromechanical converter material is applied to the mechanical structure or integrated therein.

4. A method for removing vibration for a mechanical structure having at least one of adjustable stiffness, mass inertia and damping behaviors with a device including at least one electromechanical converter material actively connected to the mechanical structure and connected to an electrical circuit including at least one electrical impedance connected to a control, the electrical impedance including at least one variable ohmic resistor and at least one of a variable inductive resistor, and a variable capacitor and wireless or wired communications coupling the electrical circuit to the control for providing communications transmitted from the control to the at least one electrical impedance to adjust the impedance comprising:

removing electrical energy generated by deformation of the electromechanical converter material in a controlled fashion by adjusting a value of at least one of the variable ohmic resistor and a value of at least one of variable inductive resistor and the variable capacitor.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 comprising:

using the device for developing the mechanical structure.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein:

the developing the mechanical structure utilizes optimized vibration specifications.

7. A method in accordance with claim 4 comprising:

using the device for maintaining the mechanical structure.

8. A method in accordance with claim 4 comprising:

using the device to check the vibration behavior of the mechanical structure and to provide a correction to the vibration behavior of the mechanical structure.

27. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein:

the wireless communications are radio or infrared transmissions.