# US 11,078,981 B2 · Hydraulic mem-inerter container device and applications thereof

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- Number: US 11,078,981 B2
- Document ID: US11078981B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/158,857
- Filed: 2018-10-12
- Published: 2019-04-11
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2016-05-09
- Assignees: Jiangsu University
- Applicants: Jiangsu University
- Inventors: Xiaoliang Zhang; Jiamei Nie; Zhenxing Huang; Hai He; Long Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078981B2

## CPC

- F16F 9/3405: {Throttling passages in or on piston body, e.g. slots (F16F9/344, F16F9/3481 take precedence)}
- F16F 7/1034: {of movement of a liquid}
- F16F 9/20: with the piston-rod extending through both ends of the cylinder {, e.g. constant-volume dampers}
- F16F 9/3235: {of cylinders (F16F9/483 takes precedence)}
- F16F 9/346: Throttling passages in the form of slots arranged in cylinder walls
- F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION

## Abstract

A hydraulic mem-inerter container device and applications thereof. The hydraulic mem-inerter container device comprises a first cylinder barrel, a first piston, and a spiral passage. The first cylinder barrel is divided by the first piston into a left cavity and a right cavity; and the spiral passage enables the left cavity and the right cavity of the first cylinder barrel to communicate, and the length of the spiral passage changes along with the change of the relative displacement of the first cylinder barrel and the first piston. The cylinder barrel and the piston serve as a first end point and a second end point that are independent and movable correspondingly. When used, the hydraulic mem-inerter container device can be connected to a system to control mechanical force. The hydraulic mem-inerter container device can serve as a regulation and control valve for an inerter and a damper.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hydraulic mem-inerter device, comprising:
a first cylinder;
a first piston; and
a helical path;
wherein the first piston divides the first cylinder into left and right chambers, which are connected by the helical path;
wherein a length of the helical path varies with the relative displacement between the first cylinder and the first piston; and
wherein a momentum and relative velocity characteristic curve of the hydraulic mem-inerter device is a pinched hysteresis loop, and a momentum integral and relative displacement characteristic curve of it is a single-valued mapping.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hydraulic mem-inerter device according to claim 1, wherein:
the first cylinder has two internal surfaces with different diameters, namely the internal surface with major diameter and the internal surface with minor diameter, respectively;
the outer surface of the first piston is matched with the internal surface with minor diameter of the first cylinder to divide the first cylinder into left and right chambers; and
the outer surface of the first piston has a helical channel, such that, when inserted inside the first cylinder, a helical path formed between the helical channel and the internal surface with minor diameter can connect the left chamber with the right chamber of the first cylinder.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The hydraulic mem-inerter device according to claim 1, wherein:
the first cylinder has two internal surfaces with different diameters, namely the internal surface with major diameter and the internal surface with minor diameter, respectively;
the outer surface of the first piston is matched with the internal surface with minor diameter of the first cylinder to divide the first cylinder into left and right chambers; and
the internal surface with minor diameter has a helical channel, such that, when the first piston is inserted inside the first cylinder, a helical path formed between the helical channel and the outer surface of the first piston can connect the left chamber with the right chamber of the first cylinder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The hydraulic mem-inerter device according to claim 2, wherein the helical channel has a fixed helix pitch or a variable helix pitch.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

Use of a hydraulic mem-inerter device according to claim 1 as a mem-dashpot, wherein:
the first cylinder and the first piston of the hydraulic mem-inerter device are two independently movable terminals of mem-dashpot;
the damping force and relative velocity characteristic curve of the mem-dashpot is a pinched hysteresis loop; and
the momentum and relative displacement characteristic curve of it is a single-valued mapping.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Use of a hydraulic mem-inerter device according to claim 1 as a variable mass element, wherein any one of the first cylinder and the first piston of the hydraulic mem-inerter device is fixed.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Use of a hydraulic mem-inerter device according to claim 1 in a mechanical system to control or counteract the vibrational forces.