After the mass-spring principle operating vibration absorber

Abstract

A vibration damper (1) operating in accordance with the mass-spring principle, which is provided for fitting on an injection line pipe, includes a main body (2) which comprises an elastomeric vibration-damping material and has an inside hollow space (3) which passes therethrough in the longitudinal direction and which in the fitted condition surrounds the injection line pipe, the longitudinal axis (4) of the inside hollow space (3) coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the pipe, and is characterized in that it has a mass distribution eccentric with respect to its longitudinal axis (4) and can be non-rotatably fitted on the injection line pipe.

Claims

1. A vibration damper configured to operate in accordance with the mass-spring principle includes a main body which consists of an elastomeric vibration-damping material, has an inside hollow space which passes therethrough in a longitudinal direction, has a slot extending along a surface line over the entire axial length of the main body, and can be spread open along said surface line to be non-rotatably fitted on an injection line pipe such that said main body surrounds the injection line pipe and that the longitudinal axis of the inside hollow space coincides with the longitudinal axis of the injection line pipe, and is characterised in that on the outside of said main body on a side which with respect to said longitudinal axis of the inside hollow space is opposite to said surface line along which said slot extends exactly two eccentricity portions of a same shape are provided, each of them having an eccentricity axis which extends with respect to the longitudinal axis of the inside hollow space of said main body in a radial direction through the center of mass of the respective eccentricity portion, in that said eccentricity axes includes with respect to each other an angle which is greater than 0 and less than 180, whereby a mass distribution eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the inside hollow space of said main body is imparted in the vibration damper, and in a final assembled configuration, the vibration damper is in contact exclusively with the injection line pipe.

2. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that the inside hollow space extending through the main body is of a circular-cylindrical cross-section, the diameter of which is matched to the outside diameter of the injection line pipe for an engagement which is non-rotatable in the fitted condition.

3. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 2 characterised in that the inside hollow space extending through the main body has a roughened wall.

4. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that the inside hollow space extending through the main body is of a circular-cylindrical cross-section whose diameter is larger than the outside diameter of the injection line pipe on which the vibration damper is to be fitted and that an inside wall of the main body has a radially inwardly projecting tooth arrangement whose radial extent is such that in the fitted condition with its inwardly disposed ends it is in non-rotatable engagement with an outside wall of the injection line pipe.

5. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 4 characterised in that the angle included by the two eccentricity axes is 90.

6. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 4 characterised in that the main body is of an approximately square outside cross-section and that each of the two eccentricity portions includes a leg which extends along one of the longitudinal edges of the main body and which is integrally connected thereto and which is symmetrical relative to the respective eccentricity axis and which at its outside edge remote from the main body carries a plate-shaped flange portion which is enlarged with respect to a thickness of the leg and which is also symmetrical relative to the eccentricity axis.

7. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that the vibration damper further comprises an additional element which can be non-rotatably connected to the main body.

8. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 7 characterised in that the main body and the additional element are made of different materials of different density.

9. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 8 characterised in that the main body is of an approximately square outside contour and that the additional element has a cross-section which is matched thereto and which is open at one side and in the fitted condition is mounted with elastic deformation on the main body in such a way that the additional element embraces the main body on at least three sides.

10. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that the vibration damper further comprises a fixing element which in the fitted condition with plastic deformation is squeezed on to the main body in such a way that the fixing element embraces the main body on at least three sides.

11. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 10 characterised in that the fixing element acts as a third eccentric portion and consist of metal.

12. An injection line system for a diesel engine characterised in that the injection line system includes at least one injection line pipe and at least one vibration damper as set forth in claim 1 and fitted on said at least one injection line pipe.

13. The vibration damper as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that said two eccentricity portions and said main body are integrally connected.

Description

(1) The invention is described hereinafter by means of embodiments by way of example with reference to the drawing in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with a prismatic eccentric portion,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the vibration damper of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrow II,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with a semi-cylindrical eccentric portion,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the vibration damper of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrow IV,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with a fitted-on additional element,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the vibration damper of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrow VI,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with two prismatic eccentric portions,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the vibration damper of FIG. 7 in the direction of the arrow VIII,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with two semi-cylindrical eccentric portions,

(11) FIG. 10 shows a plan view of the vibration damper of FIG. 9 in the direction of the arrow X,

(12) FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with two fitted-on additional elements,

(13) FIG. 12 shows a plan view of the vibration damper of FIG. 11 in the direction of the arrow XII,

(14) FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with a cuboidal eccentric portion,

(15) FIG. 14 shows a plan view of the vibration damper of FIG. 13 in the direction of the arrow XIV,

(16) FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a eighth embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with two cuboidal eccentric portions,

(17) FIG. 16 shows a plan view of the vibration damper of FIG. 15 in the direction of the arrow XVI,

(18) FIG. 17 shows a perspective view of a ninth embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with three cuboidal eccentric portions,

(19) FIG. 18 shows a plan view of the vibration damper of FIG. 17 in the direction of the arrow XVIII,

(20) FIG. 19 shows a perspective view of a tenth embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with two eccentric portions of T-shaped cross-section,

(21) FIG. 20 shows a perspective view of a fixing element belonging to the vibration damper of FIG. 19,

(22) FIG. 21 shows a section through the vibration damper of FIG. 19 in a plane perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis with fitted fixing element,

(23) FIG. 22 shows a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the vibration damper of FIG. 19 with fitted fixing element,

(24) FIG. 23 shows a perspective view of an eleventh embodiment of a vibration damper according to the invention with two eccentric portions of T-shaped cross-section and a pre-fitted fixing element,

(25) FIG. 24 shows a perspective view of the vibration damper of FIG. 23 in the finished fitted condition, the injection line pipe being omitted for the sake of clarity, and

(26) FIG. 25 shows a section through the vibration damper of FIG. 24 perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis.

(27) In all the Figures parts which are the same or which correspond to each other are denoted by the same references.

(28) FIG. 1 with 4 and 7 with 10 show vibration dampers according to the invention, each of which has a hollow-cylindrical main body 2 with an inside hollow space 3 which extends therethrough and the inside diameter of which is matched to the outside diameter of the injection line pipe (not shown) on which the vibration damper 1 is to be non-rotatably mounted, for example by means of an adhesive join or by frictionally locking engagement, in such a way that the longitudinal axis 4 of the inside hollow space 3 coincides with the longitudinal axis of the injection line pipe. To improve the frictionally locking engagement even with a disadvantageous tolerance situation, it can be provided that the inside surface of the inside hollow space 3 is of a roughened or toothed nature, as is described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 19 through 25.

(29) The vibration dampers shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and FIGS. 11 and 12 also have an inside hollow space 3 of circular cross-section, which is configured in the same manner and which serves the same purpose, but the main bodies 2 thereof in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 4 are of an approximately square outside contour with rounded corners.

(30) In order to be able to push the respective vibration damper 1 on to an injection line pipe perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 4 the outside wall of the main body 2 is cut along a surface line 5 over the entire height so that the main body 2 can be spread open at that line 5 in order to permit the injection line pipe to pass through the resulting opening into the inside hollow space 3 in the vibration damper 1. To facilitate spreading the main body 2 open there can be provided a notch 9 (not shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 11, 12) which extends over the entire axial length of the main body 2 and which is approximately V-shaped in cross-section and which extends inwardly in the radial direction starting from the outside surface of the main body 2 over a part of its wall thickness and ends with its tip at the section line 5.

(31) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the eccentric mass is formed by a prismatic eccentric portion 6 which is formed in one piece on the main body 2 of the vibration damper 1 and extends over the entire axial height or length of the main body and which in the plan view in FIG. 2 is of an approximately triangular outside contour.

(32) The eccentricity axis E indicates that the line of the center of gravity of the entire vibration damper 1, which line is parallel to the longitudinal axis 4, is displaced outwardly in the radial direction by that eccentric portion 6.

(33) FIGS. 3 and 4 show a vibration damper 1 which is of substantially the same structure as the vibration damper of FIGS. 1 and 2 and which differs therefrom only in that its eccentric portion 7 in the plan view in FIG. 4 is of a semicircular outside contour, wherein the center point of that semicircle is displaced outwardly in the radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis 3.

(34) The vibration damper 1 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the plan view in the direction in FIG. 6, is of a cross-section with a substantially square outside contour, with the corners being rounded off. In this case also the main body 2 is cut along a surface line, as indicated by the section line 5. The notch 9 is here admittedly not shown, for the sake of clarity, but it can be provided in the same manner as in the case of the vibration dampers of FIGS. 1 through 4.

(35) The eccentric mass is formed here by an additional element 12 so that it can be of the same axial length as the main body 2 and can be fitted thereon in such a way that it embraces three of its sides in an approximately C-shaped configuration. That additional element 12 can comprise another, in particular heavier, material than the main body 2 of the vibration damper 1 in order to achieve an enhanced damping action.

(36) As the vibration dampers described hitherto only damp movements perpendicularly to the respective eccentricity axis E with rotational vibrations, it is necessary for at least two such vibration dampers to be non-rotatably fixed to one and the same injection line in such a way that their eccentricity axes preferably include with each other an angle of 90 so that the vibrations thereof are damped in the same fashion in all directions perpendicularly to the axis of the pipe.

(37) To simplify fitment each of the vibration dampers shown in FIGS. 7 through 10 respectively includes two eccentric masses which are so oriented that their eccentricity axes E, E include an angle with each other of 90.

(38) In the embodiment in FIGS. 7 and 8 the eccentric masses are formed by two eccentric portions 6, 6 which are formed in one piece on the main body 2 and which immediately adjoin each other in the axial direction and are of the same shape as the eccentric portion in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(39) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 the two eccentric portions 7, 7, the shape of which corresponds to that of the eccentric portion 7 in FIGS. 3 and 4, involve an axial spacing in the direction of the longitudinal axis 4, which spacing however is not absolutely necessary.

(40) Conversely, in the embodiment in FIGS. 7 and 8, it is also possible to provide such an axial spacing in respect of the eccentric portions 6, 6.

(41) The embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 approximately corresponds to that shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, but here the main body 2 is of such an axial length that it is possible to fit thereon two additional elements 12, 12, the eccentricity axes E, E of which are also arranged turned through 90 relative to each other.

(42) What is essential in all those embodiments is that the vibration dampers are mounted non-rotatably on the injection line pipe in question, which can be effected for example by being glued on. For that purpose a suitable layer of adhesive is provided between the inside surface of the respective hollow cylinder 2 and the outside of the injection line pipe (not shown).

(43) As an alternative thereto however it is possible for the inside diameter of the inside hollow space 3 in the main body 2 to be selected to be so much smaller than the outside diameter of the injection line pipe to be damped, that the main body 2 is connected non-rotatably to the injection line pipe by virtue of its elasticity in frictionally locking engagement.

(44) In principle it is also possible for more than two of the vibration dampers shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 to be fixed on one and the same injection line pipe, in which case the eccentricity axes are preferably rotated alternately through 90 relative to each other.

(45) In a corresponding manner it is also possible for a plurality of the vibration dampers shown in FIGS. 7 through 12 to be non-rotatably mounted to one and the same injection line pipe.

(46) The vibration damper 1 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 substantially corresponds to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 6, that is to say it has only one eccentric portion 13 which here is of a cuboidal shape, projects in the radial direction beyond the peripheral surface of the main body 2, and extends over the entire axial length thereof. Preferably at least two of that vibration damper are mounted non-rotatably on an injection line pipe to achieve a good vibration damping effect.

(47) In the embodiment in FIGS. 15 and 16 the main body 2 carries two eccentric portions 14 and 14 which are of a similar configuration to the eccentric portion 13 in FIGS. 13 and 14 and which also extend over the entire axial length of the main body 2 and which are arranged centrally relative to two radial planes which include an angle of about 90 with each other. In this case it is sufficient for only a single such vibration damper 1 to be non-rotatably mounted on an injection line pipe to achieve the desired vibration damping effect. It is however also possible for a plurality of such vibration dampers 1 to be fixed to a single injection line pipe. The two specified radial planes can also include any other angle with each other, which however should be different from 180. The extent of the two eccentric portions 14 and 14 in the radial direction (direction of the arrows E and E) can be the same or different.

(48) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 the main body 2 is connected to three eccentric portions 15, 15, 15, the radial planes of which respectively include an angle of 120 with each other. To here achieve eccentric mass distribution, it is provided that at least two and preferably all three eccentric portions 15, 15 and 15 extend by different amounts in the radial direction so that the line of the center of mass of that vibration damper 1 does not coincide with the longitudinal axis 4.

(49) In the embodiments of FIGS. 13 through 18 the eccentric portion or portions can also be formed in one piece with the respective main body 2 or can be fixedly mounted thereto. They may comprise the same material or another material, from the respective main body 2.

(50) The embodiments shown in FIGS. 19 through 25 differ from the above-described embodiments firstly in that here, provided on the inside wall, which in principle is in the form of a circular cylinder, of the inside hollow space 3 in the main bodies 2 there is a tooth arrangement 16 which extends radially towards the longitudinal axis 4 and which extends over the entire axial length of the main body 2 and which is formed by spline-shaped inwardly projecting projections which are arranged symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis 4 and whose radial extent is of such a size that the inwardly disposed crests thereof in the assembled condition come into engagement with the outside wall of the injection line pipe (not shown) to be damped, in a condition of permitting non-rotational fixing.

(51) This configuration has the advantage that the entire main body 2 can perform rotational vibrations about its longitudinal axis 4 which is coincident in the assembled condition with the longitudinal axis of the injection line pipe, which rotational vibrations also contribute to damping the vibrations of the injection line pipe.

(52) In this case also provided on the one main body 2 which is of an approximately square cross-section are two eccentric portions 18, 18 comprising a leg 19, 19 extending along one of the longitudinal edges of the main body 2, and a flange portion 20, 20 which is arranged at the end face of those legs 19, 19, that is away from the main body 2. The two legs 19, 19 extend in the radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis 4 of the main body 2 and their eccentricity axes E, E include an angle of about 90 with each other, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 25. In those sectional views, each of the two eccentric portions 18, 18 is of an approximately T-shaped cross-section.

(53) As can be seen from FIGS. 19, 21 and 22, in this case also the main body 2 is provided along one of its surface lines 5, that is to say here approximately in the center of its lower outside surface, with a slot which extends over its entire axial length and which permits fitment thereof on the injection line pipe to be damped. The V-shaped notch 9 present in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 18 is not required here because, in the assembly procedure, the main body 2 can be gripped at the two eccentric portions 18, 18 whereupon they are pressed towards each other so that the angle included by their eccentricity axes E, E is reduced and the gap at the oppositely disposed surface line 5 is opened. When then the injection line pipe is introduced into the inside hollow space 3 through that gap the two eccentric portions 18, 18 are released and the elastically deformed main body 2 reverts to its original shape so that the inwardly projecting tooth arrangement 16 is pressed against the outside wall of the injection line pipe for non-rotational engagement.

(54) The non-rotational fixing of the connection produced in that way between the main body and the injection line pipe can be enhanced by the provision of a plastically deformable fixing element 22 which is shown separately in FIG. 20 and which comprises for example metal and which, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, is squeezed on to the main body 2, encloses it at least from three sides here in a C-shaped configuration, and compresses it.

(55) To permit that the fixing element 22 has a bottom plate 23 which is slightly concave towards the main body 2 and which is adapted in its shape to the outside contour of the underside of the main body 2 and from the longitudinal edges of which a respective integrally formed tongue 25 projects upwardly in such a way that the upper edges of the tongues 25, 25, that are remote from the bottom plate 23, are at a greater spacing than their lower edges which are connected to the bottom plate 23. In that way, in the assembly procedure, the fixing element 22 can be easily fitted from below to the main body 2 of the vibration damper 1, which main body is fitted on to the injection line pipe to be damped, whereupon then the two tongues 25, 25 are pressed together with plastic deformation of the fixing element 22 in order to come to bear against the side surfaces of the main body 2 and to press the tooth arrangement 16 at the inside wall of its inside hollow space 3 against the outside wall of the injection line pipe.

(56) To ensure a permanent connection between the main body 2 of the vibration damper 1 and the fixing element 22 each of the two tongues 25, 25, at each of its side edges, has a small projection 26, 26 which, upon fitment of the fixing element 22 on the main body 2, can be bent over towards the axially directed end faces thereof so that the main body 2 is enclosed between those projections 26.

(57) The upper edge of each tongue 25 is bent over somewhat inwardly so that, when the tongues 25, 25 are pressed together during assembly of the fixing element 22 to the main body 2, the upper edge of each tongue 25 is pressed into the material of the main body 2 and thus contributes to its compression and providing a secure connection between main body 2 and fixing element 22.

(58) The fixing element 22 forms a third eccentric portion which is diametrically opposite the two eccentric portions integrally formed on the main body 2, and further improves the damping characteristics of the vibration damper.

(59) The main body 2 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 23 through 25 is of substantially the same shape as the main body 2 shown in FIGS. 19, 21 and 22, with the exception that its outside wall disposed between the two eccentric portions 18, 18 is somewhat more greatly curved convexly outwardly.

(60) At its apex disposed in the center between the two eccentric portions 18, 18 that outside wall carries a radially upwardly projecting rib 23 extending only over a part of the axial length of the main body 2.

(61) The eccentric portions 18, 18 are of precisely the same structure and arrangement as in the preceding embodiment so that there is no need for a fresh description thereof here. In this case also, no V-shaped notch is required in the region of the slot extending along the surface line 5 as mounting of the main body 2 on an injection line pipe can also be effected by the two eccentric portions 18, 18 being pressed towards each other.

(62) As can be seen in particular from FIG. 23 in this embodiment a C-shaped fixing element 29 which comprises a plastically deformable material, in particular metal, is of such a configuration that, for a pre-fitment process, it can be fitted on to the main body 2 from above, that is to say from the side opposite to the slotted surface line 5. In that case its two limbs 30, 30 are spread apart to such an extent that the main body 2 can be easily introduced between them. At the apex of its C-shape the fixing element 29 has an opening 32 which is of such dimensions that the rib 28 of the main body 2 can pass through it in the pre-fitment procedure. In addition, provided in the fixing element 29 are two window openings 33, 33 which pass therethrough and which are disposed symmetrically relative to its apex and which in that process permit the flange portions 20, 20 of the two eccentric portions 18, 18 to pass through.

(63) In that way the main body 2 and the fixing element 29 can be assembled in a particularly advantageous fashion to provide a pre-fitted structural unit which can be fitted in the above-described manner on an injection line pipe to be damped and can then be non-rotatably mounted in place by plastic deformation, that is to say by pressing the spread limbs 30, 30 of the fixing element 29 together. Because the fixing element 29 can be pre-fitted on the main body 2 it is possible to achieve a considerable time saving in final fitment of the vibration damper on the respective injection line pipe.

(64) In this case also the fixing element 29 forms a third eccentric portion, by which the damping characteristics of the vibration damper can be further improved.