Abstract:
A controllable fluid damper (22) is employed in a seat suspension system. A microprocessor (42) receives successive signals from a displacement sensor (44) and computes a rate of displacement. This displacement rate is used to determine an appropriate control signal for the damper (22) to provide the desired isolation of the seat occupant from the vibration input to the frame. A rate control method is disclosed as a preferred control technique for providing the desired isolation.
Abstract:
A radially soft drive coupling for reducing vibration transmitted across the coupling in certain marine drive applications. Elastomeric elements (54, 56) are bonded to the hub (22) and in frictional engagement with the housing (42). The elastomeric elements (54, 56), interconnecting the hub (22) and housing (42) are precompressed by an amount which is at least in the range of 15-20 % to produce significant radial and torsional softening of the spring rate of the elastomer. The radial spring rate whose magnitude expressed in lb/in is in the range of between one half and three times the magnitude of said design torque level expressed in 1b-in. Frictional engagement of the elastomeric elements (54, 56) with the housing (42) slips when a design torque is exceeded.
Abstract:
An adjustable length strut having a unique locking device. An annular spring within a housing surrounds an actuator rod. An actuator member engages one end of the annular spring axially compressing it and causing radial bulging resulting in locking the rod in position relative to the housing. Numerous embodiments are disclosed which may replace gas springs in such applications as seat height adjusters, chair arm adjusters and seatback adjusters. An embodiment is disclosed employing a switch to activate and deactivate the actuator member.
Abstract:
Actuators (19L, 19H) for active vibrational energy control systems are frequency focused. The high-frequency cancellation function is decoupled (18L, 18H) from the low-frequency cancellation function to enable the size, force, number and placement of the actuators to be optimized. A hybrid system (not represented) employing structural actuators to cancel low-frequency vibrations and speakers to cancel higher-frequency vibrations is also taught.
Abstract:
An active control method and apparatus for controlling vibration or sound wherein the computational burden to adaptively update the control filter within the update model is reduced. The apparatus includes means (not represented) for producing an input signal (36) for input to the update model (22) and the reduction block (26), means (not represented) for generating an error signal (41), and an output device (25) for canceling sound and/or vibration at a selected location. The method uses a gradient descent algorithm such as the filtered-x LMS algorithm and replaces the long filter model (23, 24) with a shortened length filter model (28, 30, 30'). Error signal information together with the output information from the shortened length filter model are used to update the coefficients of the control filter (32) according to an update calculation method. The shortened filter model only contains frequency response information at the L frequencies of interest. Because of the reduced amount of information contained in the shortened filter model, more updates per unit of time can be performed on the control filter(s) or a smaller or fewer processors or CPU's may be utilized. The method has applicability to feed-forward and feed-back type systems and also to systems using a waveform generator for supplying the input signal. The reduction method may be implemented on-line or off-line.
Abstract:
An aqueous adhesive composition for bonding a castable urethane to a metal substrate during the curing cycle of the urethane contains (a) a water-soluble or water-dispersible phenoxy resin, (b) a water-soluble or water-dispersible phenolic resole resin; and (c) the balance being water.
Abstract:
An adhesive composition based on a combination of a water soluble amino silane and a normally water-immiscible alkenyl-functional silane wherein the latter is hydrolyzed in the presence of the former under specified conditions to form a stable, water-dilutable aqueous composition having marked bonding affinity between polymers and solid substrates.
Abstract:
An adjustement mechanism (16) for adjusting the height of a chair seat (10), table top or the relative position of other items includes an outer support tube (30) and a telescoping, column tube subassembly (32). The column tube subassembly (32) includes an inner support tube (46), a cylinder (62) and a piston (118) and piston rod subassembly (64). The piston rod is connected to the piston at one end and to the outer support tube at the other end. An elastomeric sleeve (68) surrounds the cylinder. A valve (152) controls flow of hydraulic fluid from the interior of the cylinder to and from an expandable chamber defined by the elastomeric sleeve. The piston snap fits onto the piston rod and allows rotation of the column tube subassembly with respect to the outer support tube. A shock-absorbing element (220) is disposed in the cylinder.
Abstract:
A magnetorheological material containing a carrier fluid and a magnetically active particle. The particle has been modified so that the surface of the particle is substantially free of contamination products. The contamination products are removed from the surface of the particle by abrader processing, chemical treatment or a combination thereof. Magnetorheological materials prepared using the particles from which contamination products have been removed exhibit significantly enhanced magnetorheological effects.
Abstract:
Adhesive compositions based on chlorinated polyolefins having chlorine contents greater than about 60 percent and molecular weights greater than about 500. The adhesive compositions contain the chlorinated polyolefin and a crosslinking agent. The chlorinated polyolefins are advantageous in that they can be prepared in an environmentally acceptable manner and can be utilized as a substitute for the traditional chlorinated natural rubber materials utilized in adhesive compositions without compromising adhesive performance. Preferred chlorinated polyolefins are prepared by a process involving the dispersion and chlorination of high surface are apolyolefinic particles in an aqueous medium.