Negative spring compensation for elastomeric bearing torque
OwnerWilliam Lloyd Hinksinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Elastomeric bearings exhibit a reactive positive spring effect, i.e., they produce an opposing torque or force when angular displacement or translation is applied upon them, due to shear stress developed within their elastomer parts. The present invention incorporates a device that exhibits an increasingly strong torque or force in the same direction as the displacement, i.e., a negative spring, under similar conditions of movement. When properly calibrated, the subject type of device can be used in paralleled motion with the ordinary reactive elastomeric bearing to produce a combined effect in which at least a part of the torque or force of the elastomeric bearing is changed or minimized over a range of movement.
Claims20
A force compensation system comprising:
- at least one elastomeric or laminated rubber bearing having two opposed loading members, a positive spring rate and a center or neutral position;
- and
- negative spring means having a negative spring rate and a center or neutral position, comprising:
- at least one elongated member or pusher having two opposed ends, and
- a source of force imposing compressive force between said ends of each of said elongated members, and
- two receiving and supporting members that moveably support and respectively each receive force applied by one of said two ends and are constrained in lateral motion relative to each other,
- whereby a component of said compressive force will be developed upon said receiving and supporting members in a direction of said constrained lateral motion;
- and
- said two receiving and supporting members of said negative spring means are respectively mechanically coupled together with said two opposed loading members of said at least one elastomeric bearing such that any said relative lateral movement imparted to said receiving and supporting members of said negative spring means is experienced substantially proportionately as movement between said two opposed loading members of said at least one elastomeric bearing,
- whereby any change in net torque developed upon said elastomeric bearings accountable to their said positive spring rate is at least partially compensated by the change ii net torque developed by said negative spring rate of said negative spring means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.