# US 5,349,712 A · Variable damper for bridges and bridge

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- Number: US 5,349,712 A
- Document ID: US5349712A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/970,720
- Filed: 1992-11-03
- Granted: 1994-09-27
- Earliest claimed: 1991-11-07
- Assignees: Public Works Research Institute, Ministry of Construction
- Inventors: Kazuhiko Kawashima; Shigeki Unjoh; Hideyuki Shimizu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5349712A

## CPC

- E04H 9/0235: {Anti-seismic devices with hydraulic or pneumatic damping}
- E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D)

## Abstract

This variable damper system for a bridge is installed between a superstructure and a substructure of a bridge and can freely change the damping characteristics so that the inertial force of the superstructure generated in an earthquake will be distributed to the substructure and the vibration will be reduced, and all the functions of a viscous damper/stopper, an energy absorber, and a stopper for preventing excessive response with a shock absorber have been integrated in one unit of this system, so that one unit of this system can perform the same functions as those carried out by a plurality of conventions devices each having an independent function and also a narrow space on the top surface of the substructure of a bridge can be used as it is.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a bridge having a superstructure and a substructure, a variable system, comprising a damper and means for changing the damping coefficient of the damper in response to vibration of the bridge, the damper attached to the superstructure and substructure of the bridge.

### Claim 2

A variable system for a bridge comprising:
a piston and a viscous fluid displaced within a cylinder, the piston defining two chambers within the cylinder, the cylinder and the piston oppositely attachable to a superstructure and a substructure of a bridge; and
a passageway between the two chambers of the cylinder for the transfer of the fluid between the two chambers; and
valve means for altering the size of the passageway.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising means for detecting displacement of the bridge and means for controlling the valve means.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3 in which:
the detecting means further comprises a first sensor displaced on the superstructure and a second sensor displaced on the substructure;
the valve control means further comprises means for ascertaining displacement values from the two sensors, means for determining a desired damping coefficient, and means for outputing to the valve means a voltage corresponding to the desired damping coefficient; and
the valve means comprises means for altering the size of the passageway in response to the voltage.