Mass damper system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017498-B2
Application number	US-202217733543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2022
Priority date	Jun 7, 2021
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A mass damper system includes an unsprung mass, a sprung mass, a suspension component that supports the sprung mass with respect to the unsprung mass, and a damper mass that is connected to the unsprung mass. Motion control components are connected to the sprung mass and a fluid-operated system that transfers forces between the motion control components and the damper mass to regulate motion of the damper mass with respect to the unsprung mass.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mass damper system, comprising:
an unsprung mass;
a sprung mass;
a suspension component that supports the sprung mass with respect to the unsprung mass;
a damper mass that is connected to the unsprung mass;
motion control components that are connected to the sprung mass; and
a fluid-operated system that transfers forces between the motion control components and the damper mass to regulate motion of the damper mass with respect to the unsprung mass,
wherein the motion control components include a spring and at least one of a damper or an actively controlled actuator that apply a resultant force in opposition to an inertial force from the damper mass.

2. The mass damper system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid-operated system transfers forces from the motion control components to the damper mass using a leader-follower arrangement.

3. The mass damper system of claim 2 , wherein the leader-follower arrangement of the fluid-operated system includes a first fluid-operated cylinder that is connected to the damper mass, a second fluid-operated cylinder that is connected to the motion control components, and a fluid carrying connection between the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder.

4. The mass damper system of claim 1 , wherein the suspension component is an active suspension component.

5. The mass damper system of claim 4 , wherein the active suspension component is at least one of an electrically operated active suspension actuator or a fluid-operated active suspension actuator.

6. The mass damper system of claim 1 , wherein the unsprung mass includes a vehicle wheel assembly and the sprung mass includes a vehicle body structure.

7. The mass damper system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid-operated system includes a first fluid-operated cylinder that is connected to the damper mass, and a second fluid-operated cylinder that is connected to the motion control components, and a fluid carrying connection between the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder.

8. The mass damper system of claim 7 , wherein the fluid-operated system includes a fluid carrying connection between the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder.

9. A vehicle, comprising:
an unsprung mass;
a sprung mass;
a suspension component that supports the sprung mass with respect to the unsprung mass;
a first fluid-operated cylinder;
a damper mass that is connected to the unsprung mass by the first fluid-operated cylinder, wherein the damper mass applies an inertial force to the first fluid-operated cylinder;
a second fluid-operated cylinder;
a spring that is connected to the second fluid-operated cylinder;
a damper that is connected to the second fluid-operated cylinder, wherein the spring and the damper cooperate to apply a resultant force to the second fluid-operated cylinder; and
a fluid carrying connection between the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder that transfers the inertial force and the resultant force between the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder to regulate motion of the damper mass with respect to the unsprung mass.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the unsprung mass includes a wheel assembly, the first fluid-operated cylinder is connected to the wheel assembly, and the damper mass is movable with respect to the wheel assembly.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the sprung mass includes a vehicle body structure, the second fluid-operated cylinder is connected to the vehicle body structure, the spring is connected to the vehicle body structure, and the damper is connected to the vehicle body structure.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the fluid carrying connection connects the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder in a leader-follower arrangement.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the fluid carrying connection includes a fluid line that is connected to the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder.

14. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the suspension component is at least one of an electrically operated active suspension actuator or a fluid-operated active suspension actuator.

15. A vehicle, comprising:
an unsprung mass;
a sprung mass;
a suspension component that supports the sprung mass with respect to the unsprung mass;
a first fluid-operated cylinder;
a damper mass that is connected to the unsprung mass by the first fluid-operated cylinder, wherein the damper mass applies an inertial force to the first fluid-operated cylinder;
a second fluid-operated cylinder;
a spring that is connected to the second fluid-operated cylinder;
an actuator that is connected to the second fluid-operated cylinder, wherein the spring and the actuator cooperate to apply a resultant force to the second fluid-operated cylinder; and
a fluid carrying connection between the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder that transfers the inertial force and the resultant force between the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder to regulate motion of the damper mass with respect to the unsprung mass.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:
one or more motion sensors; and
a controller, wherein the controller causes the actuator to apply a reaction force to the second fluid-operated cylinder based on motion signals that are output by the one or more motion sensors.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the unsprung mass includes a wheel assembly, the first fluid-operated cylinder is connected to the wheel assembly, and the damper mass is movable with respect to the wheel assembly.

18. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the sprung mass includes a vehicle body structure, the second fluid-operated cylinder is connected to the vehicle body structure, the spring is connected to the vehicle body structure, and the actuator is connected to the vehicle body structure.

19. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the fluid carrying connection connects the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder in a leader-follower arrangement.

20. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the fluid carrying connection includes a fluid line that is connected to the first fluid-operated cylinder and the second fluid-operated cylinder.

21. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the suspension component is at least one of an electrically operated active suspension actuator or a fluid-operated active suspension actuator.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Fowle Samuel G
• Dawson Jacob L
• Mock Jeffrey K
• Shawki Islam Mohsen

Classifications

• F16F9/103

  Devices with one or more members moving linearly to and fro in chambers, any throttling effect being immaterial, i.e. damping by viscous shear effect only (F16F9/53 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16F2230/183

  fluid actuated · CPC title

• B60G2202/25

  Dynamic damper · CPC title

• B60G2600/182

  Active control means · CPC title

• B60G2202/413

  Hydraulic actuator · CPC title