These teachings relate to a device that includes a base having an axis that is centered and perpendicular relative to the base and two or more arms each connected to the base at a base hinge The base hinge rotates the two or more arms away from the axis, and one or more expandable bands are connected with distal ends of the two or more arms. The one or more expandable bands absorb energy from rotating of the two or more arms. The device absorbs energy when an external force is applied along the axis of the base.

There is provided a dual rack and pinion rotational inerter system for damping movement of a flight control surface of an aircraft having a support structure. The system has a flexible holding structure disposed between the flight control surface and the support structure. The system has a dual rack and pinion assembly held by the flexible holding structure. The system has a first terminal and a second terminal, coupled to the dual rack and pinion assembly. The first terminal is coupled to the flight control surface. The system has a pair of inertia wheels coupled to the flexible holding structure. The system has an axle element inserted through the inertia wheels, the flexible holding structure, and the dual rack and pinion assembly, such that when the flight control surface rotates, the dual rack and pinion rotational inerter system translates and rotates, and movement of the flight control surface is dampened.

The invention provides a cushioning mechanism comprising a base, an equal-width cam mechanism, a limiting bracket, a ball screw, two groups of energy dissipaters and energy dissipater fixing bases, wherein the equal-width cam mechanism, the limiting bracket, the ball screw, the two groups of energy dissipaters and the energy dissipater fixing bases are mounted on the base. The equal-width cam mechanism comprises a quadrilateral frame and a cam mounted in the quadrilateral frame. The cam is connected with a nut of the ball screw. The two groups of energy dissipaters are mounted on the energy dissipater fixing bases on the two sides of the equal-width cam mechanism separately. The ends, away from the energy dissipater fixing bases, of the two groups of energy dissipaters are connected with the two sides of the quadrilateral frame separately. The invention is low in manufacturing cost and good in buffering and limiting effect.

An energy-absorbing assembly includes an outer assembly with an outer hollow cylindrical member, and an inner assembly with an inner hollow cylindrical member having an end disposed in the outer member. The inner and outer assemblies are axially movably engaged with each other and define first and second cavities separated by a membrane: a first cavity inside the outer hollow cylindrical member and a second cavity inside the inner hollow cylindrical member. An adjustable-size orifice is disposed between the first and second cavities, and is configured to reduce diameter in response to a stroke motion of the energy-absorbing assembly.

A method for operating a rotation damper for a motor vehicle which has an electric generator with a stator and a rotor includes detecting with a direction of rotation detection module a change of a direction of rotation of the rotor relative to the stator between a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation which is opposite to the first direction of rotation; generating with the direction of rotation detection module a signal indicative of an actual direction of rotation of the rotor relative to the stator; and as a function of the signal conducting an electrical current converted by the electric generator to a first electrical load having a first resistance value when the rotor rotates in the first direction of rotation, or to a second load having a second resistance value when the rotor rotates in the second direction of rotation.

An apparatus for damping an actuator includes an inerter. The inerter includes a first terminal and a second terminal movable relative to one another and configured to be mutually exclusively coupled to a support structure and a movable device actuated by an actuator. The inerter further includes a threaded shaft coupled to and movable along the inerter axis with one of the first terminal and the second terminal. The inerter additionally includes a flywheel rotatable in proportion to movement of the threaded shaft in response to axial acceleration of the first terminal relative to the second terminal during actuation of the movable device by the actuator. The inerter reduces actuator-load-oscillatory amplitude at resonance of the actuator and movable device relative to the actuator-load-oscillatory amplitude that would otherwise occur using the same actuator without an inerter.

A vertical seismic isolation device includes: a fixed frame; a movable frame arranged on the fixed frame; a support guide mechanism which allows only vertical movement of the movable frame; and a restoration member which maintains a constant distance between the movable frame and the fixed frame. The support guide mechanism includes: a track rail provided on the fixed frame; a moving block assembled to the track rail through rolling elements; a support leg, which has one end coupled to the moving block and another end coupled to the movable frame, and converts vertical movement of the movable frame into a motion of the moving block; and an auxiliary leg, which is half as long as the support leg, and has one end coupled to the support leg at an intermediate position in a longitudinal direction of the support leg and another end coupled to the fixed frame.

To provide a rotary inertia mass damper, which is capable of reducing an axial reaction force that is generated due to vibration having an excessive acceleration to the extent possible when the vibration is input, and of preventing breakage of the damper itself or a construction, provided is a rotary inertia mass damper, including: a first coupling portion, which is fixed to a first structure; a second coupling portion, which is coupled to a second structure; a screw shaft, which has one axial end connected to the first coupling portion and retained so as to be non-rotatable; a fixed barrel, which has a hollow portion for receiving the screw shaft, and is connected to the second coupling portion; and a rotary body, which is retained so as to be freely rotatable relative to the fixed barrel, is threadedly engaged with the screw shaft, and is configured to reciprocally rotate in accordance with advancing and retreating movement of the screw shaft relative to the fixed barrel. A torque limiting member is provided between an axial end of the screw shaft and the first coupling portion, and is configured to, when a rotational torque that exceeds a predetermined value is applied to the screw shaft, allow rotation of the screw shaft relative to the first coupling portion to reduce a rotation angle of the rotary body.

There is provided a dual rack and pinion rotational inerter system for damping movement of a flight control surface of an aircraft. The system has a flexible holding structure disposed between the flight control surface and a support structure of the aircraft. The system has a dual rack and pinion assembly held by and between the flexible holding structure. The dual rack and pinion assembly has a first rack, a second rack, and a pinion engaged to and between the racks. The system has a first terminal coupled to the first rack and coupled to the flight control surface, via a pivot element, and a second terminal coupled to the second rack, and coupled to the support structure. The system has a pair of inertia wheels adjacent the flexible holding structure. The system has an axle element inserted through the inertial wheels, the flexible holding structure, and the pinion.

An electromagnetic suspension device includes: an electromagnetic actuator which is disposed side by side with a spring member provided between a body and a wheel of a vehicle and which produces a driving force for damping operation and extending and contracting operation; an information acquisition unit which acquires the stroke position of the electromagnetic actuator; and an ECU which sets a target damping force and a target stretching force and controls a driving force of the electromagnetic actuator by using a target driving force based on the set target damping force and target stretching force. When the stroke position acquired by the information acquisition unit is in an end region close to a stroke end, the ECU corrects the target driving force such that the stroke position shifts from the end region toward a neutral region.