An articulating joint for a wind turbine having a tower defining a shaft and a deck provided in the shaft includes a bracket extending from a first end having a fixed connection with the deck to a second end including an opening. A fastener includes a head pivotably connected to the tower and a shaft extending through the opening. A washer connected to the bracket is aligned with the opening for receiving the shaft such that the fastener is pivotable with the washer relative to the opening to allow for relative movement between the tower and the deck.

A building earthquake resistance structure includes an integrally connected roof support frame, used for supporting a roof of a building independently from walls of the building; a plurality of support columns, fixedly connected to the roof support frame; an annular trench, arranged in the ground around the building; an annular damping came, arranged within the annular trench, lower ends of the support columns being fixedly connected to the annular damping frame; a plurality of dampers, arranged between a bottom portion of the annular trench and the annular damping frame. An earthquake resistance method for the building earthquake resistance structure prevents damage caused by the roof collapsing during an earthquake by supporting the roof of the existing building in the ground via the support columns. The building earthquake resistance structure is easy to construct and suitable for transforming traditional old buildings.

A building earthquake resistance structure includes an integrally connected roof support frame, used for supporting a roof of a building independently from walls of the building; a plurality of support columns, fixedly connected to the roof support frame; an annular trench, arranged in the ground around the building; an annular damping frame, arranged within the annular trench, lower ends of the support columns being fixedly connected to the annular damping frame; a plurality of dampers, arranged between a bottom portion of the annular trench and the annular damping frame. An earthquake resistance method for the building earthquake resistance structure prevents damage caused by the roof collapsing during an earthquake by supporting the roof of the existing building in the ground via the support columns. The building earthquake resistance structure is easy to construct and suitable for transforming traditional old buildings.

The present invention relates to a seismic isolation device, including: a sliding platform (100) having a sliding surface (120) of a downwardly concave spherical shape formed on an upper surface thereof; and a sliding body (200) placed on the sliding surface (120) being capable of sliding on the sliding surface (120) by means of a sliding means, wherein the sliding body (200) slides on the sliding surface (120) in a situation where an earthquake occurs to effectively absorb vibrations applied to a structure, such that the structure can be safely protected.

The dynamic vibration damping system for a building, comprises damping units inserted in housings located in the building façades, or slabs, or partition walls. The damping units comprise a swinging mass (2) sliding horizontally in opposite directions on a swinging plane parallel to the façade or to the slab or to the partition wall when the building vibrates, horizontal springs (3) to absorb the energy generated by the movements of the swinging mass (2), and dampers (4) to damp movements of the swinging mass (2).

A self-centring and energy dissipating seismic isolation device of the elastomeric frictional-type for structures and industrial equipment comprises: first and second metal plates respectively joined, one to the structure or equipment and the other to its foundations, the first metal plate being fixed thereto and the second metal plate being rotatably joined thereto by a column; at least one elastomeric ring between the plates; and a central restrictive bar orthogonally joined to the first plate and extending through the elastomeric ring and through a central through-hole in the second plate, a nut being screwed to the free end of the bar and having a spherical curved-convex bottom in sliding contact and corresponding with a spherical curved-concave inner surface part of the central through-hole. An isolation system can comprise several of these devices and columns or just one pair of devices at the ends of a central column in combination with sliding support pillars.

A panel assembly for a building includes a panel configured to extend between a first surface and a second surface. The panel is movable along a predetermined path relative to the first surface and the second surface. A first pin and a second pin are coupled to the panel. A first bottom face plate is positioned on a first side and defines a first slot. A second bottom face plate is positioned on a second side and defines a second slot. A first top face plate is positioned on the first side and defines a third slot. A second top face plate is positioned on the second side and defines a fourth slot. The first pin is movable in the first slot and the second slot, and the second pin is movable in the third slot and the fourth slot for guiding movement of the panel along the predetermined path.

A novel power generation type electromagnetic damping tuned mass damper comprises a connecting plate, a supporting guide rail fixed to the connecting plate, an mass block, a mounting assembly fixed to the mass block and a power generation type electromagnetic damping mechanism mounted on the mounting assembly. The power generation type electromagnetic damping mechanism comprises a power generation type electromagnetic damping assembly mounted on the mounting assembly, a roller rotatably mounted on the mounting assembly, a driving wheel mounted on the roller, a driven wheel mounted at an output end of the power generation type electromagnetic damping assembly and a conveyor belt sleeved on the driving wheel and the driven wheel; the roller is mounted on the supporting guide rail in a rolling manner, and the rotating centers of the roller and the driving wheel are the same and the roller and the driving wheel rotate synchronously.

An inertial mass amplification type tuned mass damper is disclosed. The inertial mass amplification type tuned mass damper comprises a hollow box, an H-shaped mass block, gears a, gears b, a rectangular frame, a steel ring, viscous dampers, a steel sheet, springs, rotating shafts and balls. In the present invention, an inertial damping force is amplified by adjusting the radius ratio of the gears a and the gears b; and damping parameters can be conveniently changed by adjusting the mass of the mass block, the spring stiffness and the like. The present invention has the advantages that the design mass is small, which can avoid the adverse effects of excessive additional gravity on the structure and improve the performance of the structure. The present invention has reasonable design and small occupied space, can save more use area for buildings and can greatly improve the utilization efficiency of the buildings.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for energy absorption and vibrational dampening in a horizontal plane. According to a first preferred embodiment, the present invention discloses an apparatus for damping vibration of a pole which includes a housing with a horizontal floor having an inward curved surface for achieving vibration attenuation at a middle portion thereof to form an enclosed chamber. According to a further aspect of the first embodiment, at least one damping weight is preferably disposed in the inward curved surface and is preferably substantially spherical in shape. According to a further preferred embodiment, at least one dampening weight of the present may preferably include a hollow, inner cavity. According to further aspects of the present invention, the dampening weight preferably may further include a granular material located within the inner cavity.