An additively manufactured cushion includes an array of interconnected surface lattice unit cells. The surface lattice unit cells are comprised of a unit cell surface portion configured as a Schoen F-RD minimal surface unit cell, and the unit cell surface portion is comprised of a rigid, flexible, or elastic polymer. In some embodiments, the surface lattice unit cells have an average width of from 1 to 100 millimeters and an average volume fraction of from 5 or 10 percent to 50 or 60 percent.

A variable stiffness spring assembly includes first and second members made of a first material and separated by a gap along at least a portion of their lengths, and one or more layers made of a second material disposed in the gap. The variable stiffness spring assembly can be incorporated into or take the form of a limb support assembly, such as a prosthetic foot. The second material disposed between the first and second members is rate-sensitive or speed-dependent, such that the material exhibits different properties when the user of the prosthetic foot is walking at high or fast walking speeds compared to low or slow walking speeds. The prosthetic foot can exhibit high damping and energy absorption, and therefore stability, at slow speeds, and high energy return at faster speeds.

A magnetic fluid damper includes a housing defining a cavity; a plurality of mass blocks located in the cavity and spaced from each other in a first direction; at least one energy dissipating assembly, in which the plurality of mass blocks and the at least one energy dissipating assembly are arranged alternately along the first direction in the cavity, in which each energy dissipating assembly includes a first permanent magnet and a first porous medium member, pores of each first porous medium member being filled with first magnetic fluid; and a plurality of reset parts cooperating with the plurality of mass blocks in one-to-one correspondence to apply restoring forces in a second direction to the mass blocks, in which restoring forces received by two mass blocks adjacent in the first direction are not equal.

A crash box may include one or more layers arranged to absorb crash energy. In some embodiments, the crash box includes a first layer having an outer skin defining a periphery of the first layer and at least one of: 1) a rib and web structure, and 2) an array of tubes disposed within the outer skin for absorbing crash energy, and a second layer adjacent to the first layer, the second layer having an outer skin defining a periphery of the second layer and at least one of: 1) a rib and web structure, and 2) an array of tubes disposed within the outer skin for absorbing crash energy.

The present invention aims to provide a coating material which has high mechanical stability and is capable of providing a coat which has excellent appearance and exhibits excellent damping properties in a wide temperature range. The present invention relates to a damping-imparting agent including a compound having a sulfosuccinic acid (salt) structure. The present invention also relates to a resin composition for damping materials, including an emulsion prepared by polymerizing a monomer component, the composition further including a component having a sulfosuccinic acid (salt) structure.

A vibration-resistant lateral rearview mirror system (100) having a base bracket (101) for mounting the lateral rearview mirror system to a vehicle, a mirror assembly (103) having a reflective element, a support on the base bracket for mounting the mirror assembly to the base bracket, and an elastomeric vibration dampener positioned in the mirror assembly in a compressed state is described. The vibration dampener (105) applies a biased force against the mirror assembly and absorbs vibrational energy between the mirror assembly and the base bracket.

The invention relates to a method for producing a viscoelastic damping body (1, 20, 30), comprising at least one spring element (4) and at least one damping element coupled thereto, wherein the method is characterized in that the damping element and optionally also the spring element (4) are produced by means of a 3-D printing method. The invention further relates to a viscoelastic damping body (1, 20, 30) that is or can be produced according to such a method and to a volume body comprising or consisting of a plurality of such damping bodies (1, 20, 30).

The present invention relates to a composite element, especially for a damping element, comprising a) at least one metallic body having a surface; b) a coating comprising an epoxy resin on at least part of the surface of the metallic body; c) a plastics body comprising at least one polyurethane, which at least partly surrounds the metallic body of (a) and in the region of the surround is at least partly in direct contact with the coating of (b), wherein the composite element between the surface of the metallic body (a) and the coating (b) has a conversion layer (d) which comprises at least one compound selected from the group of zirconium(IV) oxide, zinc(II) phosphate, and chromate. The invention further relates to a damping element comprising the composite element and at least one further body which is at least partly in direct contact with the composite element, preferably with the plastics body of (c). The invention additionally relates to production processes for composite element and damping element, to the composite and damping elements, respectively, that are produced or producible by these processes, and the use of these composite and damping elements, respectively.

The invention relates primarily to an armrest with an arm support (11) pivotable about an axis (a) between an upper end position and a lower end position, with a locking mechanism (13) movable between a locked position and a released position, comprising first detent (14) on the arm support (11) and second detent (15) on a structure (12) with fixed position, wherein the first detent (14) and the second detent (15) are engaged when the locking mechanism (13) is in a locked position and are disengaged when the locking mechanism is in a released position. The special feature thereof consists in that at least a partial range of the movement of the locking mechanism (13) in at least one direction between the released position and the locked position takes place in damped manner by a damping element (26).

A force damper arranged to progressively arrest a first force imparted by an object moving in a first direction is disclosed. The force damper includes a housing enclosure having a first housing end and a second housing end. The first housing end includes a first connection point, and the second housing end includes an opening. A driving member is disposed within the housing enclosure and includes a first shaft end, a second shaft end, and a shaft therebetween. The first shaft end includes a stop and the second shaft end includes a second connection point. A compressible member is disposed within the housing enclosure between the stop and the opening. The compressible member is formed from a material that at least partially undergoes plastic deformation when the first force is arrested and imparts a second force on the stop toward first housing end.