Controllable magneto-rheological elastomer vibration isolator
AssigneeThe Board of Regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada, on behalf of the University of Nevada, Reno
InventorsGregory H. Hitchcock, Faramarz Gordaninejad, Alan Fuchs
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Abstract
A tunable vibration isolation device comprising a magneto-rheological elastomer (MRE), and methods of using such a device, are provided. By manipulating a magnetic field within the MRE the device's stiffness is controlled. The vibration isolator can be constructed to provide shock absorption in one, two and three dimensions. Coupling the tunable device to a sensor feedback and a control system provides fast and accurate vibration isolation and energy dissipation for shock events in a variety of applications.
Claims28
A vibration isolation device comprising:
- a. a magneto-rheological elastomer;
- b. wherein said magneto-rheological elastomer contains magnetizable particles aligned to dissipate a vibration disturbance;
- and
- c. a plurality of magnets positioned with respect to said magneto-rheological elastomer such that the magnets are capable of producing a controllable three-dimensional magnetic field throughout at least a portion of said magneto-rheological elastomer to thereby change the stiffness of said magneto-rheological elastomer, to simultaneously compensate for said vibration disturbance in one, two or three dimensions by applying a corresponding magnetic field in said one, two or three dimensions.
A vibration isolation device for dissipating a vibration disturbance, said device comprising:
- a. a plurality of magneto-rheological elastomer layers wherein each individual magneto-rheological elastomer layer is sandwiched between magnetic activation layers;
- and
- b. a plurality of magnetic nodes located within said magnetic activation layers to affect three-dimensional magnetic field strength within each of said magneto-rheological elastomer layers to simultaneously compensate for said vibration disturbance in one, two or three dimensions by applying a corresponding magnetic field in said one, two or three dimensions, wherein the magnetic field strength affected by each magnetic node can be different.
A method of controlling a variable-stiffness magneto-rheological elastomer in any direction in response to a vibrational disturbance generated by a shock event, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. communicating a signal from a sensor to a controller;
- b. determining from said signal a desired magneto-rheological elastomer stiffness and generating an electrical signal in response thereto;
- and
- c. communicating said electrical signal to a plurality of electromagnets operatively associated with said magneto-rheological elastomer, thereby generating a controllable three-dimensional magnetic field so as to vary the stiffness of said magneto-rheological elastomer to simultaneously compensate for said vibrational disturbance in one, two or three dimensions by applying a corresponding magnetic field in said one, two or three dimensions.
A vibration isolation device comprising:
- a. a magneto-rheological elastomer having an outward-facing top surface and an outward-facing bottom surface;
- b. a magnetic activation layer adjacent to the outward-facing top surface of said magneto-rheological elastomer;
- c. a magnetic activation layer adjacent to the outward-facing bottom surface of said magneto-rheological elastomer;
- and
- d. a plurality of magnets operably connected to said magneto-rheological elastomer such that said magneto-rheological elastomer can be activated by a controllable three dimensional magnetic field generated by said magnets to dissipate a vibration disturbance in one, two or three dimensions by applying a corresponding magnetic field in said one, two or three dimensions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.