DEVICE AND METHOD FOR INFLUENCING A DYNAMIC PROPERTY OF AT LEAST ONE MOVABLY MOUNTED BODY AND USE THEREOF AS A VARIABLY ADJUSTABLE DAMPING ELEMENT

Abstract

A device and a method for influencing a dynamic property of at least one movably mounted body of two bodies coupled mechanically at least via a variably adjustable stiffness along a first force path. The invention includes a damping element with constant damping properties directly or indirectly coupled in series with the variably adjustable stiffness along the first force path Both bodies are mechanically directly or indirectly coupled via a second force path running parallel to the first force path along which at least one adjustable stiffness is incorporated. The damping property of the damping element and the adjustable stiffnesses are coordinated and configured so that a damping property assigned to the device for mechanical coupling can be varied exclusively by the adjustable stiffnesses.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A device for mechanical coupling comprising an oscillatingly mounted body along a first force path along which at least one variably adjustable stiffness is incorporated, a body at rest, wherein a damping element with constant damping properties coupled in series with the at least one variably adjustable stiffness along the first force path, the bodies being mechanically coupled via a second force path parallel with the first force path along which at least one adjustable stiffness is located in, and a damping property of the damping element and the adjustable stiffnesses are coordinated together and being configured so that a damping property assigned to the device for mechanical coupling can be varied exclusively by the adjustable stiffnesses.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the damping element is mechanically coupled to the variably adjustable stiffness along the first force path by a first rigid connecting structure.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein the variably adjustable stiffnesses are adjustable in either discrete stiffness steps or continuously.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the variably adjustable stiffnesses are adjustable in either discrete stiffness steps or continuously.

17. The device according of claim 13, wherein the variably adjustable stiffnesses include an actuator which varies stiffness.

18. The device according of claim 14, wherein the variably adjustable stiffnesses include an actuator which varies stiffness.

19. The device according of claim 15, wherein the variably adjustable stiffnesses include an actuator which varies stiffness.

20. The device according of claim 16, wherein the variably adjustable stiffnesses include an actuator which varies stiffness.

21. The device according to claim 17, comprising: a sensor for recording a relative position change positioned between the two bodies and a closed-loop or open-loop control which activates an actuator which is subject to a position change recorded by the sensor between two bodies.

22. The device according to claim 18, comprising: a sensor for recording a relative position change positioned between the two bodies and a closed-loop or open-loop control which activates an actuator which is subject to a position change recorded by the sensor between two bodies.

23. The device according to claim 19, comprising: a sensor for recording a relative position change positioned between the two bodies and a closed-loop or open-loop control which activates an actuator which is subject to a position change recorded by the sensor between two bodies.

24. The device according to claim 20, comprising: a sensor for recording a relative position change positioned between the two bodies and a closed-loop or open-loop control which activates an actuator which is subject to a position change recorded by the sensor between two bodies.

25. The device according to claim 21, comprising: a force sensor between the two bodies which records a sum of forces acting along the first and second force paths and that a closed-loop or open-loop control activates the actuator subject to a position change recorded by the sensor between the two bodies and a desired value.

26. The device according to claim 22, comprising: a force sensor between the two bodies which records a sum of forces acting along the first and second force paths and that a closed-loop or open-loop control activates the actuator subject to a position change recorded by the sensor between the two bodies and a desired value.

27. The device according to claim 23, comprising: a force sensor between the two bodies which records a sum of forces acting along the first and second force paths and that a closed-loop or open-loop control activates the actuator subject to a position change recorded by the sensor between the two bodies and a desired value.

28. The device according to claim 24, comprising: a force sensor between the two bodies which records a sum of forces acting along the first and second force paths and that a closed-loop or open-loop control activates the actuator subject to a position change recorded by the sensor between the two bodies and a desired value.

29. The device according to claim 13, wherein the damping element is configured with dynamic properties which are velocity and distance-dependent.

30. The device according to claim 25, wherein the damping element is an elastomer.

31. The device according to claim 13, wherein at least the variably adjustable stiffness along the second force path comprises at least an elastically deformable spring element having a variably adjustable spring hardness.

32. The device according to claim 13 comprising a variably adjustable damping element located between the two mechanically coupled bodies which are mounted movably relative to one another, wherein the damping behavior of the device is adjusted by varying the variably adjustable stiffnesses.

33. The use according to claim 32, wherein the variably adjustable damping behavior of the device corresponds to damping behavior of an elastomer so that the damping behavior with a predefinable damping and a varying oscillation frequency of the at least one movably mounted body remains constant over a frequency range.

34. A method for influencing a mechanical coupling between two mechanically coupled bodies via at least a variably adjustable stiffness along a force path, comprising: at least one damping element along the force path or along at least one other force path which mechanically couples the two bodies to one another, comprising: dominating the mechanical coupling with dynamic properties; and exclusively varying stiffness along at least one force path is varied to variably influence damping properties of the mechanical coupling.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] In the figures:

[0028] FIGS. 1a, b show schematic views of a circuit topology for a damping system with variably adjustable damping;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows the circuit topology for a preferred exemplary embodiment for a device with variably adjustable damping;

[0030] FIGS. 3 a and b show diagrams to illustrate the damping behavior;

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a circuit topology of a device according to the invention with distance-sensor-based closed loop control; and

[0032] FIG. 5 shows circuit topology as FIG. 5 supplemented by a sensor force measurement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] FIG. 1a illustrates a mechanical coupling topology between two bodies 1 and 2, wherein the mechanical coupling is characterized by damping properties. That is the damping effect dominates over the stiffness which is also inherent to the mechanical coupling.

[0034] In addition, the coupling system is characterized by variably adjustable dynamic properties. That is the coupling system has variably adjustable damping properties which are illustrated by the arrow in the damping system 6. It is additionally assumed that the body 1 is oscillatingly mounted with respect to the resting body 2.

[0035] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1b to which reference is made subsequently multiple times, both bodies 1 and 2 are mechanically coupled via two force paths K1 and K2. A first damping element 7 is provided along the first force path K1 which is coupled in series with a variably adjustable stiffness 9. A unit having dynamic properties in the form of a variably adjustable stiffness 9 is provided along the second force path K2. As a result of the variably adjustable stiffness 9 incorporated along the second force path K2, compensations can be made in relation to the variable stiffness behavior of the adjustable stiffness 9 arranged along the first force path, by which the damping behavior of the mechanical coupling between two bodies is variably adjustable.

[0036] The illustrated coupling topology is based on the principle that its dominant damping properties are variably adjustable in a predefinable manner by exclusive variation of at least one variably adjustable stiffness 9 or 9 incorporated in the coupling topology. The damping element 7 has constant damping properties and is preferably formed from an elastomer body or from a damping unit having at least one elastomer body.

[0037] The particular feature of the explained damping topology is in that its resulting damping properties qualitatively correspond to those of the damping element that is used. However the dampening properties are quantitatively adjustable in magnitude without varying the stiffness properties of the coupling topology. A largely independent adjustment of stiffness and damping properties is made possible. If for example an elastomer is used as damping unit or a damping unit is used having at least one elastomer body, it becomes possible to maintain the frequency-independent damping properties of the elastomer over a wide range for the entire coupling topology. At the same time an independent adjustment of stiffness and loss angle is enabled.

[0038] FIG. 2 illustrates the preferred embodiment according to FIG. 1b in detail. The movably or oscillatingly mounted body 1 as well as the preferably resting mounted body 2 are interconnected or coupled via the variably adjustable damping system 6 according to the invention. The damping system 6, which is variably adjustable in its damping properties provides, two series-connected elements which interconnect both bodies 1 and 2 along the first force path K1 which namely are a damping element 7 and an adjustable stiffness 9. A stiffness element 9 in path K2 is additionally arranged in parallel to the first force path K1, whose stiffness is adjustable or variable. The adjustable stiffness elements 9 and 9 are each characterized by a lower and by an upper limit of their stiffness adjustment range, and are dependent on the embodiment of the adjustable stiffness elements 9 and 9 used and their design. The variability of the stiffness is variable according to the constructive design of the stiffness, that is adjustable continuously or in discrete steps or stages.

[0039] A preferred embodiment for the variably adjustable stiffness 9 is disclosed in DE 10 2011 015 798 B4. The known variably adjustable stiffness couples two components, a first and a second component along at least one direction of action, along which at least one component is oscillatingly mounted and has a surface element with a surface upper and a surface lower side as well as a surface longitudinal extension which is dimensionally stable in and elastic lateral to the surface longitudinal extension. Contacts in which n?2 are attached to the first component in a spatially fixed manner, via which the first component comes in contact at n?2 first contact points with the surface underside and/or the surface upper side of the surface element. Likewise n?2 contacts are attached to the second component in a spatially fixed manner via which the second component comes in contact at n?2 second contact points with the surface underside and/or surface upper side of the surface element. Both components are arranged rotatably relative to one another about a spatial axis oriented orthogonally to the surface longitudinal extension which coincides with the at least one direction of action along which at least one component is oscillatingly mounted so that during rotation the surface stiffness of the surface element is variable.

[0040] The adjustable damping system 6 configured according to the invention exhibits both a distance-dependent, that is an elastic and also velocity-dependent, damping and dynamic behavior wherein the velocity-dependent damping behavior dominates. In principle, it is possible to use the adjustable damping system 6 also as a damped element with adjustable stiffness which is explained in FIG. 3b.

[0041] The damping behavior, which is also characterized in terms of the so-called loss angle as well as the stiffness behavior, are illustrated for the damping system 6 configured according to the invention in the diagrams illustrated in FIGS. 3a and b. The stiffness [N/mm] (S) is plotted along the abscissa, the loss angle [?] (V) along the ordinate.

[0042] FIG. 3a shows a surface 32 which characterizes the entire adjustment range of the adjustable damping system 6. This is spanned by the four corner points A, B, C and D. At the corner point A the adjustable damping system 6 has the stiffness S1 and the loss angle V1. At the corner point B the adjustable damping system 6 has the stiffness S2 and the loss angle V2. At the corner point C the adjustable damping system 6 has the stiffness S3 and the loss angle V3. At the corner point D, the adjustable damping system 6 has the stiffness S4 and the loss angle V4. Corner point A is established when the adjustable stiffness elements 9 and 9 are each adjusted to their minimal possible stiffness. If the stiffness element 9 is now left at its minimal possible stiffness and the stiffness element 9 is adjusted to its maximum possible stiffness, for the adjustable damping system 6 the properties are established at the corner point B. If the stiffness element 9 is now left at its maximum possible stiffness and the stiffness element 9 is adjusted to its maximum possible stiffness, for the adjustable damping system 6 the properties are established at the corner point D. If the stiffness element 9 is now left at its maximum possible stiffness and the stiffness element 9 is adjusted to its minimum possible stiffness, for the adjustable damping system 6 the properties are established at the corner point C. If the property of only one adjustable stiffness element 9 or 9 is varied, the stiffness and damping properties of the adjustable damping system 6 vary depending on one another.

[0043] FIG. 3b shows a surface 32 which characterizes the entire adjustment range of the adjustable damping system 6 and additionally illustrates two examples for the independent adjustment of the stiffness and damping properties. If the properties of the two adjustable stiffness elements 9 and 9 are varied jointly starting from the corner point B, it is possible to adjust the damping of the adjustable damping element 6 with constant stiffness S2. If the properties of the two adjustable stiffness elements 9 and 9 are varied jointly starting from the corner point A, it is possible to adjust the damping of the adjustable damping element 6 with constant loss angle V1.

[0044] The adjustable damping system configured according to the invention is, according to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4, advantageously combined with a closed-loop control by which the stiffnesses 9 and 9 can be adjusted by actuators with the result that the damping behavior and the stiffness behavior of the adjustable damping system can be regulated. A sensor system 17 is provided for the sensor recording of the displacements of the bodies 1 and 2 mounted movably or oscillatingly with respect to one another, by which it is possible to record the adjustment travel, the velocity and/or the acceleration between the two bodies 1, 2. The sensor system 17 is connected to a regulating unit 19 which in turn is connected to an actuator 21 for adjustment of the adjustable stiffnesses 9.

[0045] The sensor system 17 records for example a displacement 18 between two bodies 1, 2. As it were relative acceleration values or velocity values between two bodies 1, 2 as actual values which can be recorded by sensors can be taken as the basis for the regulation 19. The comparative desired value required for the regulation can be specified within the regulator 19 or be provided as desired signal 30 from an origin 31, for example in the form of a closed loop system or an open loop control.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows an advantageous addition to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 with closed loop control system. In addition, the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 provides an additional force measurement sensor 27 which is connected in series between the bodies 1 and 2 with the damping system 6 configured according to the solution. The displacement 18 recorded with the aid of the distance measurement sensor 17 and the force signal 28 recorded with the aid of the force measurement sensor 27 are led to a regulator 29 which are both the basis for the determination both of the stiffness and of the loss angle of the adjustable damping element. The stiffness determined in this way and also the determined loss angle are adapted with the aid of the regulator 29 to a desired signal 30 which is provided from an origin 31, for example in the form of another closed loop control system or open loop control.

REFERENCE LIST

[0047] 1 First body [0048] 2 Second body [0049] 6 Adjustable damping element [0050] 7 Damping element [0051] 9 and Variably adjustable stiffness [0052] 9 [0053] 17 Distance sensor [0054] 18 Displacement [0055] 19 Regulator [0056] 20 Regulating signal [0057] 21 Actuator [0058] 27 Force measurement [0059] 28 Force signal [0060] 29 Regulator [0061] 30 Desired signal [0062] 31 Origin [0063] 32 Surface