Damping nut for screw-driven mechanism
OwnerTom Unginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vibration damper for screw-driven mechanical systems includes a nut body and one or more attached damping elements. The nut body includes internal threads for cooperating with a lead screw of a screw-driven mechanical system. The damping element may be a viscoelastic material or other material. The damping element may be arranged on an outer surface of the nut body, and may either be exposed or protected by another element. A tuning mass may be applied to the vibration damper by attachment to the damping element. In some embodiments, the damping element is arranged on a cantilever element of the nut body. In other embodiments, the damping element is segmented and is distributed such that air passages are formed between the damping element segments.
Claims33
A nut for translation along a rotatable screw, the damping nut comprising:
- a nut body with internal threads that are complementary to the threads of the screw;
- and
- at least one passive vibration-damping element affixed to the nut body, the nut having at least one surface for receiving and transferring vibratory surface strain to the vibration damping element.
A nut for a screw-driven mechanism, comprising:
- a nut body;
- and
- a damping portion attached to the nut body to absorb vibration-related motion between the nut and a load.
A nut for a screw-driven mechanism, comprising:
- a nut body having internal threads for mating with a screw of the screw-driven mechanism;
- and
- a damping material arranged in a layer on an outer surface of the nut body to absorb vibration-related motion between the nut and a load.
A nut for a screw-driven mechanism, comprising:
- a nut body having internal threads for mating with a screw of the screw-driven mechanism;
- a damping material arranged in a layer on an outer surface of the nut body to absorb vibration-related motion between the nut and a load;
- and
- a load bearing plate arranged on an outer surface of the damping material to distribute a load, experienced by the nut, through the damping material, the load bearing plate also aiding in protecting the damping material from abrasion.
A nut for a screw-driven mechanism, comprising:
- a nut body having internal threads for mating with a screw of the screw-driven mechanism;
- a damping material arranged in segments at regular intervals on an outer surface of the nut body to absorb vibration-related motion between the nut and a load;
- and
- a load bearing plate arranged on an outer surface of the damping material to distribute a load, experienced by the nut, through the damping material, the load bearing plate also aiding in protecting the damping material from abrasion.
A nut for a screw-driven mechanism, comprising:
- a nut body having internal threads for mating with a screw of the screw-driven mechanism;
- a cantilever member protruding from the nut body for receiving an external force, the cantilever bending in response to the external force, the cantilever aiding in isolating external vibration from the nut body;
- and
- a damping element arranged in a layer on a surface of the cantilever to absorb vibration-related motion between the nut and a load.
A method for providing damping within a mechanical system, the method comprising:
- providing a nut body having internal threads for mating with a screw of the screw-driven mechanism;
- and
- arranging a damping material in a layer on an outer surface of the nut body to absorb vibration-related motion between the nut and a load.
A nut for a screw-driven mechanism, comprising:
- a nut body having means for mating with a screw-driven mechanism;
- and
- means for damping vibration-related motion between the nut and a load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.