Lossless continuously adjustable devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12498022-B2
Application number	US-202017610920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2020
Priority date	May 15, 2019
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments of this disclosure are directed to devices that allow for adjusting of device parameters in a manner that does not involve power dissipation in an essential way. Thus, power demands when such devices are used in applications can be insignificant. This applies to both springs and inerters, which constitute basic lossless building blocks of mechanical device systems, and are analogues of inductors and capacitors in electrical circuits. Embodiments of this disclosure are also directed to a lossless adjustable 2-port transformer, and realization of mechanical translational and rotary transformers are set forth in the following. Embodiments of this disclosure allow for reduction of power demands in adjusting device parameters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
an adjustable device, wherein the adjustable device comprises one of an adjustable translational mechanical device, an adjustable rotational mechanical device or an adjustable electrical device, and wherein the adjustable device comprises an adjustable rotational mechanical device, the adjustable device including: a plurality of terminals, an assembly that is freely and independently moveable between internal components of the adjustable device, wherein a movement between the internal components causes a parameter of the adjustable device to be changed, and a linear actuator coupled to the assembly that is configured to impose the movement that causes the parameter of the adjustable device to be changed, wherein the internal components include a pair of rotating cones having respective surfaces separated by a gap having a fixed distance between the respective surfaces, and the assembly is moveable in the gap, and wherein a first one of the cones is fixed with only a freedom of rotation, and wherein a second one of the cones has both a freedom of rotation and another freedom of movement with respect to the first one of the cones.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of terminals comprises two terminals, and wherein the adjustable device is configured to operate according to w(t)=p(t)·D(p(t)·T(t)) where w(t) is a relative angular velocity between the terminals, p(t) is an adjustable positive parameter, T(t) is a torque between the terminals, and D denotes a differential operator.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of terminals comprises two terminals, and wherein the adjustable device is configured to operate according to T(t)=r(t)·D(r(t)·w(t)) where w(t) is a relative angular velocity between the terminals, r(t) is an adjustable positive parameter, T(t) is a torque between the terminals, and D denotes a differential operator.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the assembly includes a pair of spherical balls which are constrained to rotate between the internal components of the adjustable device and to allow for the movement imposed by the linear actuator.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a spring mechanism to impose a force against the another freedom of movement.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the another freedom of movement is in an axial direction with respect to the freedom of rotation.

7 . An adjustable rotational mechanical device comprising:
a first shaft having a first axis; a first cone connected to the first shaft and rotatable about the first axis; a second shaft having a second axis aligned to the first axis; a second cone connected to the second shaft and rotatable about the second axis; and a rolling assembly connected between surfaces of the first cone and the second cone to transmit torque between the first and second cones, wherein the rolling assembly is freely and independently moveable parallel to the surfaces of the first cone and the second cone to adjust a ratio between the torques and angular velocities of the first and second cones, wherein the first cone is fixed with only a freedom of rotation, and wherein the second cone has both a freedom of rotation and another freedom of movement with respect to the first cone.

8 . The adjustable rotational mechanical device of claim 7 , wherein the second axis is spaced from and parallel to the first axis, and wherein the second cone has an inverted orientation relative to the first cone.

9 . The adjustable rotational mechanical device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a rotary mechanical one-port connected to the second shaft.

10 . The adjustable rotational mechanical device of claim 9 , wherein the mechanical one port comprises a spring.

11 . The adjustable rotational mechanical device of claim 7 , wherein the rolling assembly includes a pair of spherical balls which are constrained to rotate between the surfaces of the first cone and the second cone and to allow for the movement parallel to the surfaces.

12 . The adjustable rotational mechanical device of claim 7 , further comprising a linear actuator coupled to the rolling assembly and to impose the movement.

13 . The adjustable rotational mechanical device of claim 7 , further comprising a spring mechanism to impose a force against the another freedom of movement.

14 . The adjustable rotational mechanical device of claim 13 , wherein the another freedom of movement is in an axial direction with respect to the freedom of rotation.

Assignees

• Univ California
• Cambridge Entpr Ltd

Inventors

• Georgiou Tryphon T
• Smith Malcolm Clive
• Jabbari Faryar
• Houghton Neil E

Classifications

• B60G13/00

  Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of vibration dampers (adjusting damping effect B60G17/06; vibration dampers per se F16F) · CPC title

• H02K21/00

  Synchronous motors having permanent magnets; Synchronous generators having permanent magnets · CPC title

• H01F21/02

  continuously variable, e.g. variometers · CPC title

• F16H13/00

  Gearing for conveying rotary motion with constant gear ratio by friction between rotary members · CPC title

• F16H21/00 Primary

  Gearings comprising primarily only links or levers, with or without slides (F16H23/00 takes precedence) · CPC title