Spheroidial joint for column support in a tuned mass damper system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926972-B2
Application number	US-201615295185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2016
Priority date	Oct 16, 2015
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A spheroidal joint for a tuned mass damper system includes a base having a concave seat and a lubricious liner secured thereto. The base defines a first mounting portion under the concave seat and a circumferential rim opposite the first mounting portion. The concave seat tapers radially outward to define a chamfer which terminates at a radially inner edge of the rim. The spheroidal joint includes an inner member that has a convex seat. The inner member has a second mounting portion extending from the convex seat and an indentation circumferentially extending around the inner member between the convex seat and the second mounting portion. The indentation cooperates with the chamfer for misalignment of the inner member relative to the base. The convex seat slidingly engages the lubricious liner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spheroidal joint for a tuned mass damper system, the spheroidal joint comprising:
a metallic base member having an upwardly opening concave seat having a surface with a spherical contour, a lubricious liner secured to the concave seat, the metallic base member having a first mounting portion under the concave seat, the metallic base member having a circumferential rim opposite the first mounting portion and extending radially outward from the concave seat, an end of the concave seat tapers radially outward into a chamfer which terminates at a radially inner edge of the circumferential rim, the concave seat having a first centrally located seat bottom, the metallic base member having a trapezoidal cross section of which the first mounting portion has a first outside diameter and the circumferential rim has a second outside diameter, the first outside diameter being greater than the second outside diameter, the circumferential rim extending a first height measured upwardly from the first centrally located seat bottom of the concave seat; and
a metallic inner member having a convex seat portion having a contour complementary to the concave seat and having a second centrally located seat bottom, the metallic inner member having a second mounting portion extending from the convex seat portion and having a cylindrical side wall that has third outside diameter, the metallic inner member having an indentation circumferentially extending around the metallic inner member between the convex seat portion and the second mounting portion, the indentation having an concave surface that extends radially into the metallic inner member, the indentation forming a junction with the convex seat portion, the junction being located at a second height measured from the second centrally located seat bottom of the convex seat, the indentation cooperating with the chamfer of the metallic base member to accommodate misalignment of the metallic inner member relative to the base member, and the convex seat portion being in sliding engagement with the lubricious liner;

the metallic inner member being 50 to 70 percent confined within the metallic base member to restrain lateral movement of the metallic inner member relative to the base member; and
the lubricous liner is configured to withstand a predetermined temperature of at least 400 degrees Fahrenheit and sustained oscillatory motion of the metallic inner member relative to the metallic base member under load that heats the liner to the predetermined temperature, such that a coefficient of friction of the lubricious liner at the predetermined temperature is maintained within 10 percent of the coefficient of friction of the lubricious liner at ambient temperature.

2. The spheroid joint of claim 1 , wherein the misalignment is defined by a conical arc having an angle of between 10 degrees and 30 degrees.

3. The spheroid joint of claim 1 , wherein the chamfer is defined by an angle of between 40 degrees and 60 degrees.

4. The spheroid joint of claim 1 , wherein first outside diameter of the first mounting portion is about 120 to 130 percent of the second outside diameter of the circumferential rim.

5. The spheroid joint of claim 1 , wherein the metallic base member has an overall height of about 35 percent to 45 percent of the first outside diameter of the first mounting portion.

6. The spheroid joint of claim 1 , wherein the lubricious liner comprises a plurality of lubricating fibers in a support system.

7. The spheroid joint of claim of claim 6 , wherein the support system comprises a plurality of support fibers and a resin infused between the support fibers and the lubricating fibers.

8. The spheroid joint of claim of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of support fibers comprises at least one of fiberglass, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, cotton, a meta-aramid material and a para-aramid synthetic material.

9. The spheroid joint of claim of claim 7 , wherein the resin system comprises at least one of polyester, epoxy, phenolic, urethane, polyimide and polyamide.

10. The spheroid joint of claim of claim 6 wherein the plurality of lubricating fibers comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

11. The spheroid joint of claim 6 , wherein the support system comprises a filler in a composite resin system comprising at least one of polyester, epoxy, phenolic, urethane, polyimide and polyamide.

12. The spheroid joint of claim 6 , wherein the filler comprises at least one of fiberglass, graphite, bronze, molybdenum disulfide and carbon fiber.

Assignees

• Roller Bearing Co America Inc

Inventors

• McGuire Jarrod
• Porter Matthew

Classifications

• Y10T403/32737

  including liner, shim, or discrete seat · CPC title

• F16C2208/82

  Composites, i.e. fibre reinforced thermosetting resins · CPC title

• E04H9/0215

  involving active or passive dynamic mass damping systems · CPC title

• F16C2202/50

  Lubricating properties · CPC title

• F16C11/0633

  the linings being made of plastics · CPC title