There is provided a translational inerter assembly for damping movement of a flight control surface of an aircraft. The assembly has a press fit element fixedly disposed within a first end of the flight control surface and rotatably movable with the flight control surface. The assembly further has an inertia element coupled to and installed in the press fit element. The assembly further has a torsion bar having a torsion bar first end coupled to and installed in the inertia element, and having a torsion bar second end fixedly attached to a support structure of the aircraft. Rotation of the flight control surface causes translational movement of the inertia element, via the press fit element, along a hinge axis of the flight control surface and along the torsion bar, resulting in the translational inerter assembly damping movement of the flight control surface.

A device for damping the movement of a movably mounted component includes a first, mechanically acting braking device with at least one friction pair, wherein, in order to generate a braking force, a driven friction surface can be rotated about an axis of the first braking device relative to a secured friction surface resting thereon, and a second braking device which is coupled to the first braking device, wherein the friction surfaces of the friction pair, or of at least one of the friction pairs, are pressed against each other in response to a braking force exerted by the second braking device. The second braking device has at least one driven damper surface that can be rotated about an axis of the second braking device and cooperates with at least one secured damper surface to enclose at least one gap in which a viscous damping medium is present that causes a braking force of the second braking device when the at least one driven damper surface is rotated with respect to the at least one secured damper surface.

A device for damping the movement of a movably mounted component includes a first, mechanically acting braking device with at least one friction pair, wherein, in order to generate a braking force, a driven friction surface can be rotated about an axis of the first braking device relative to a secured friction surface resting thereon, and a second braking device which is coupled to the first braking device, wherein the friction surfaces of the friction pair, or of at least one of the friction pairs, are pressed against each other in response to a braking force exerted by the second braking device. The second braking device has at least one driven damper surface that can be rotated about an axis of the second braking device and cooperates with at least one secured damper surface to enclose at least one gap in which a viscous damping medium is present that causes a braking force of the second braking device when the at least one driven damper surface is rotated with respect to the at least one secured damper surface.

Devices, systems, and methods for damping vibration of a structural component or power-transmission shafts are disclosed. Damping devices, systems, and methods utilize a lightweight damping device, which is targeted at reducing the resonant amplitude of the first several beaming modes and/or torsional modes of bending a structural component comprising a hollow shaft or strut. The damping device includes a stiff concentric tube with damping elements disposed at each end. The device is inserted within the original structural component or shaft and attached thereto. When the primary shaft undergoes bending due to modal characteristics, the damping elements react to dissipate energy, which effectively reduces the resonant amplitude.

Devices, systems, and methods for damping vibration of a structural component or power-transmission shafts are disclosed. Damping devices, systems, and methods utilize a lightweight damping device, which is targeted at reducing the resonant amplitude of the first several beaming modes and/or torsional modes of bending a structural component comprising a hollow shaft or strut. The damping device includes a stiff concentric tube with damping elements disposed at each end. The device is inserted within the original structural component or shaft and attached thereto. When the primary shaft undergoes bending due to modal characteristics, the damping elements react to dissipate energy, which effectively reduces the resonant amplitude.

Implementation of high performance controllable damping devices can ameliorate cost-effectiveness of structural systems for mitigation of natural hazards relative to structures such as building, wind turbines, and off-shore structures. However, the applications of these damping systems are limited due to a lack of 1) mechanical robustness; 2) electrical reliability; and 3) large resisting force capability. To broaden the implementation of modern damping systems, a semi-active damping device is proposed. The device, in one form termed Banded Rotary Friction Device (BRFD), has enhanced applicability compared to other proposed damping systems due to its cost-effectiveness, high damping performance, mechanical robustness, and technological simplicity. Its mechanical principle is based on a band brake, which results in a high amplification of the input force while enabling a variable control force.

A locking device for an adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle may include an actuating shaft that is mounted such that it can be rotated about a rotational axis, that is connected to an operative element of a clamping device, and that is coupled to a rotor of a rotational damper. The rotor may be mounted rotatably in a housing and may be capable of being driven rotationally about a rotor axis by the actuating shaft. A rotational movement of the rotor may be damped in at least one rotational direction. The rotor may have at least one blade that projects radially with regard to the rotor axis and that has a contact face that makes frictional contact with a contact track on an inner face of the housing. Such a locking device has an improved rotational damper, is less complicated to manufacture, and has high acceptance in automotive engineering.

Rotary damper (15), comprising a casing (17), an intermediate element (31) mounted on the casing (17), a braking fluid provided between the casing (17) and the intermediate element (31) so as to brake the movement of the intermediate element (31) relative to the casing (17), a rotor (50) mounted on the intermediate element (31) rotably about an axis of rotation (x), and a unidirectional coupling arranged between the intermediate element (31) and the rotor (50). The unidirectional coupling comprises at least one radial block (60) arranged between a radially outer surface (52) of the rotor (50) and a radially inner surface (34) of the intermediate element (31), and at least one actuating lobe (55) formed on the rotor (50) and projecting radially from the radially outer surface (52) thereof, the radial bock (60) comprising a wedge part (61) designed to be engaged by the actuating lobe (55) of the rotor (50) during rotation in the first direction of rotation (A) so as to push the radial block (60) in the centrifugal direction and lock it between the rotor (50)

The invention provides an adjustable stiffness assembly for use in conjunction with a fixed stiffness element to elastically connect a structure to a mass. The assembly includes a structure mount, a mass mount, and a rotatable stiffness element. The rotatable stiffness element rotatably engages with the structure mount and the mass mount, and has a minimum stiffness value with respect to forces in a direction a maximum stiffness value with respect to forces in another direction The fixed stiffness element and the adjustable stiffness assembly together provide a complete stiffness assembly having a total stiffness value with respect to force in the global direction for elastically connecting the mass and the structure. The first rotatable stiffness element is rotatable relative to the structure mount and the first mass mount to vary the total stiffness value of the complete stiffness assembly with respect to force in the global direction.

The invention provides an adjustable stiffness assembly for use in conjunction with a fixed stiffness element to elastically connect a structure to a mass. The assembly includes a structure mount, a mass mount, and a rotatable stiffness element. The rotatable stiffness element rotatably engages with the structure mount and the mass mount, and has a minimum stiffness value with respect to forces in a direction a maximum stiffness value with respect to forces in another direction The fixed stiffness element and the adjustable stiffness assembly together provide a complete stiffness assembly having a total stiffness value with respect to force in the global direction for elastically connecting the mass and the structure. The first rotatable stiffness element is rotatable relative to the structure mount and the first mass mount to vary the total stiffness value of the complete stiffness assembly with respect to force in the global direction.