Metamaterial and metadamper
AssigneeThe Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/Mcgill University
InventorsAbdolhamid Akbarzadeh Shafaroud, Miralireza Seyedkanani
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Abstract
The specification describes assemblies of rotary components in which a magnetic engagement is used as a negative incremental stiffness component and a torsion spring is used as a positive incremental stiffness component to provide new or improved meta-functionalities.
Claims21
A metamaterial comprising:
- a first component having a first magnet,
- a second component having a second magnet,
- a torsion spring coupling the first component to the second component,
- the second component being rotatable relative the first component, via application of an external force, between
- a first rotational configuration of stable equilibrium in which the torsion spring is unloaded and the first magnet is magnetically disengaged from the second magnet, the torsion spring maintaining the first rotational configuration in the absence of the external force;
- and
- a second rotational configuration of stable equilibrium in which the torsion spring is loaded and the first magnet is magnetically engaged with the second magnet in the second rotational position, the loading of the torsion spring canceling the magnetic engagement and maintaining the second rotational configuration in the absence of the external force.
A method of trapping energy in a metamaterial having a first component having a first magnet, a second component having a second magnet, a torsion spring coupling the first component to the second component, the second component being rotatable relative the first component between a first configuration and a second configuration, the method comprising:
- the unloaded torsion spring maintaining the metamaterial in the first configuration in the absence of an external force;
- the external force moving the metamaterial from the first configuration to the second configuration sequentially across a peak and a dip of a torque response stemming from the combined action of magnetic engagement between the first magnet and the second magnet and from a loading of the torsion spring;
- the loading of the torsion spring and the magnetic engagement collaborating in maintaining the second relative angular position in the absence of the external force.
A metamaterial comprising:
- a first component having at least one first magnet;
- a second component having at least one second magnet, the second component being rotatable relative the first component in a manner to bring the first magnet into magnetic engagement with the second magnet and out from magnetic engagement with the second magnet, the first magnet and the second magnet generating a first torque vs. angular position response curve;
- a torsion spring coupling the first component to the second component, the torsion spring generating a second torque vs. angular position response curve, the second torque vs. angular position response curve being added to the first torque vs. angular position response curve in an overall torque vs. angular position response curve between the first component and the second component;
- the overall torque vs. angular position response curve having a first zero torque crossing of positive slope at an angular position of unloading of the torsion spring, a torque peak between the first zero torque crossing and a second zero torque crossing, the second zero torque crossing having a negative slope, and a torque dip between the second zero torque crossing and a third zero torque crossing, the third zero torque crossing having a positive slope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.