NZ605992A

NZ605992A - Energy absorber having a capability of preventing operation temperature from increasing

Info

Publication number: NZ605992A
Application number: NZ605992A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Tsai Chongshien
Original assignee: Tsai Chongshien
Priority date: 2012-06-14
Filing date: 2013-01-18
Publication date: 2014-01-07

Abstract

605992 An energy absorber to absorb earthquake energy is disclosed. The absorber comprises at least one hollow core post (10) filled with coolant (20) and two supporting boards (12) mounted on the ends of the at least one hollow core post (10). Multiple first material layers (14) and second material layers (16) are mounted alternately between the supporting boards. ial layers (16) are mounted alternately between the supporting boards.

Description

NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION ENERGYABSORBER HAVING A CAPABILITY OF PREVENTING OPERATION TEMPERATURE FROM INCREASING I, CHONG-SHIEN TSAI, a Chinese citizen of6F-2, No. 5, Lane 466, Minchuan Road, North District, Taichung, Taiwan, People's Republic of China, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be d to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly bed in and by the following statement: ENERGYABSORBER HAVINGA CAPABILITY 0F PREVENTING OPERATION TEMPERATURE FROM INCREASING 1. Field of the Invention The present ion s to an energy absorber, and more particularly to an energy absorber to absorb earthquake shock energy and having a capability of preventing operation temperature ofthe energy absorber from increasing. 2. Description ted Art Energy absorbers are commonly mounted on large objects, such as buildings, bridges or machines to provide shock-absorbing and suppressing effects to the objects and to absorb the energy and shocks generated during earthquakes. US Patent No. 5,655,756 discloses a conventional energy absorber comprises a core, two connector plates and le rubber and steel layers. The connector plates are mounted respectively on two ends ofthe core and are securely connected to the ground and a large object respectively. The rubber layers and the steel layers are alternately mounted between the connector plates. When an earthquake occurs, a absorbing effect can be provided by the deformations ofthe rubber and steel layers.

However, the core of the energy absorber of the ‘756 Patent is made of lead.

The lead core may be deformed during the earthquake, and the deformation ofthe lead core will generate heat. Therefore, the temperature of the core of the ‘756 Patent will rise to about 300°C which approaches the melting point of lead, about 327°C, and the high temperature easily causes the melting ofthe core. rmore, the rubber layers and the structure of the conventional energy absorber are easily damaged in the overheating event. In addition, the high ature also easily decreases the structural strength of the energy absorber, such that the shock-absorbing effect of the conventional energy er is also reduced.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an energy absorber to mitigate or e the aforementioned problems.

The main objective ofthe invention is to provide an energy absorber having a capability ofpreventing the operation temperature ofthe energy er from increasing, and/or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

The energy absorber comprises at least one hollow core post ﬁlled with coolant, two supporting boards, multiple ﬁrst material layers and multiple second material layers. The supporting boards are mounted respectively on two ends of the at least one hollow core post. The ﬁrst material layers and second material layers are alternately mounted between the ting boards.

The term ‘comprising’ as used in this cation and claims means ‘consisting at least in part of’. When interpreting statements in this speciﬁcation and claims which include the term ‘comprising’, other features besides the features prefaced by this term in each statement can also be present. Related terms such as ‘comprise’ and ‘comprised’ are to be interpreted in similar manner.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the ion will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. l is a perspective view in partial section of a ﬁrst embodiment of an energy absorber in accordance with the present ion; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional side view of the energy absorber in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top View of the energy absorber in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a top view of a second ment ofan energy absorber in accordance with the present ion; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional side view of a third embodiment ofan energy absorber in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 6 is a top view of the energy absorber in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a cross sectional side View of a fourth embodiment of an energy er in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 8 is a cross sectional side View of a ﬁfth embodiment of an energy absorber in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 9 is a cross sectional side View of a sixth embodiment of an energy absorber in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 10 is a cross sectional side view of a seventh embodiment of an energy absorber in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 11 is a cross sectional side view of an eighth embodiment of an energy absorber in accordance with the t invention; and Fig. 12 is a cross sectional side view of a ninth embodiment of an energy er in accordance with the present invention.

With reference to Figs. 1 to 3, an energy absorber in accordance with the present invention comprises a core post 10, two supporting boards 12, multiple ﬁrst material layers 14 and multiple second material layers 16. The core post 10 is hollow and may have two opened ends and a round, square, gular or any possible shaped cross n. The core post 10 may be made of ﬂexible metal, such as lead, iron, steel or aluminum and is ﬁlled with coolant 20. The coolant 20 may be water or another suitable g agent. Two covers 11 are respectively mounted on and close the opened ends ofthe core post 10.

Each supporting board 12 may be round, square and any possible shaped and are securely and respectively connected to the ground and a large object, such as a building, a bridge or a machine. Each supporting board 12 has a receiving hole 122 deﬁned through the center ofthe supporting board 12 and corresponding to and receiving one ofthe ends ofthe core post 10 or the corresponding cover 11 inside. The ﬁrst material layers 14 and second material layers 16 are alternately mounted between the supporting boards 12 and surround the core post 10. The ﬁrst material layers 14 and the second material layers 16 have a shape corresponding to that of the ting boards 12 and may be round, square and any possible shape. atively, the ﬁrst material layers 14 and the second material layers 16 have a shape different from that of the supporting boards 12. For example, the ting board 12 may be square, and the ﬁrst material layers 14 and the second material layers 16 may be round. The ﬁrst material layers 14 and the second material layers 16 are made ofﬂexible materials that are different from each other. The ﬁrst material layers 14 may be rubber or metal. The second material layers 16 may be metal, rubber or carbon ﬁbers.

With such an energy absorber in accordance with the present invention, the earthquake shock and energy can be efficiently absorbed and suppressed by the deformation ofthe core post 10 and the ﬁrst and second material layers 14,16, and the uake shock and energy can be kept from being transmitted to the object directly.

Thus, an excellent shock-absorbing effect is provided to the object to prevent the object from being damaged by earthquakes.

Due to the coolant 20 ted in the hollow core post 10, the operation temperatures ofthe core post 10 and the entire energy absorber can be efficiently cooled down, and the core post 10 and the ﬁrst and second al layers 14,16 can be prevented from becoming damaged. The structural strength and the shock-absorbing effect of the energy absorber in accordance with the present ion can be maintained.

With reference to Fig. 4, in the second embodiment, multiple core posts 10A are implemented and are arranged at even intervals and in a circle having a center at the center of the energy absorber. With the coolant 20 in the multiple core posts 10A, the cooling effect ofthe entire energy er is enhanced.

With reference to Figs. 5 and 6, in the third embodiment, a single one core post 10C is implemented and comprises a solid post body 102 and a housing 104 separately enclosing the post body 102 to form a space 106 between the post body 102 and the housing 104 and ﬁlled with the coolant 20.

With reference to Fig. 7, in the fourth embodiment, the core post 10D is composed ofmultiple body ts, and the body elements are made of a same material or different als. With the body elements made of ent materials, the core post 10D has different ﬂexibilities and deformations in the body ts.

With reference to Fig. 8, in the ﬁfth embodiment, the core post 10E comprises a solid post body 102E and a housing 104E separately enclosing the post body 102E to form a space 106E between the post body 102E and the housing 104E and ﬁlled with the coolant 20. The post body 102E is composed ofmultiple body elements, and the housing 104E is composed of multiple housing elements. The body elements and the housing elements can be made of a same al or different materials to provide diﬁ‘erent ﬂexibilities and deformations at different positions of the core post 10E.

With reference to Figs. 9 to 12, in the sixth to the ninth embodiments in accordance with the present invention, the supporting boards 12F,12G,12H,121 are attached to and close the opened ends of the at least one core post 10F,10G,10H,101 respectively. Each core post 10F,10G,10H,101 may be an integral hollow post, may comprise a solid post body and a housing or may be composed ofmultiple body elements and housing elements.

Furthermore, in the embodiments shown in Figs. 5 to 12, multiple core posts 10C to 101 may be implemented to ﬁt with different needs and designs.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages ofthe present ion have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and ﬁmction ofthe invention, the sure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement s within the principles of the invention to the ﬁll] extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the ed claims are expressed.

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An energy absorber comprising: at least one hollow core post ﬁlled with coolant; two supporting boards mounted respectively on two ends ofthe at least one hollow core post; and multiple ﬁrst material layers and multiple second material layers alternately mounted between the supporting boards.

2. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 1, wherein a single one core post is implemented. 10

3. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 1, wherein le core posts are implemented.

4. The energy absorber as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each one of the at least one core post comprises a solid post body and a housing separately enclosing the post body to form a space ﬁlled with the coolant. 15

5. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 4, wherein the post body ofeach one ofthe at least one core post is composed ofmultiple body elements; and the housing ofeach one ofthe at least one core post is composed ofmultiple housing elements. 20

6. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 5, wherein the body elements ofthe post body of each one of the at least one core post are made ofdifferent materials; and the g elements ofthe housing of each one ofthe at least one core post are made of diﬁerent als. 25

7. The energy er as claimed in claim 5, wherein each one ofthe at least one core post has two opened ends and two covers d on and closing the opened ends ofthe core post respectively; and each supporting board has at least one receiving hole deﬁned through the supporting board and each one ofthe at least one receiving hole holding one of the covers ofa corresponding one ofthe at least one core post inside. 5

8. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 6, n each one ofthe at least one core post has two opened ends and two covers mounted on and closing the opened ends ofthe core post respectively; and the supporting boards are attached to and close the opened ends ofthe at least one core post respectively. 10

9. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 4, wherein each one ofthe at least one core post has two opened ends and two covers mounted on and closing the opened ends ofthe core post respectively; and each supporting board has at least one receiving hole deﬁned through the ting board and each one ofthe at least one receiving hole holding one of the 15 covers of a ponding one ofthe at least one core post inside.

10. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 4, wherein each one ofthe at least one core post has two opened ends and two covers mounted on and closing the opened ends ofthe core post tively; and the supporting boards are attached to and close the opened ends ofthe at least 20 one core post respectively.

11. The energy absorber as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each one ofthe at least one core post has two opened ends and two covers mounted on and closing the opened ends ofthe core post respectively; and each supporting board has at least one receiving hole deﬁned through the 25 supporting board and each one ofthe at least one receiving hole holding one of the covers of a corresponding one ofthe at least one core post inside.

12. The energy absorber as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, n each one ofthe at least one core post has two opened ends and two covers mounted on and closing the opened ends ofthe core post tively; and the supporting boards are attached to and close the opened ends of the at least one core post respectively.

13. The energy absorber as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each one ofthe at least one core post is composed ofmultiple body elements.

14. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 13, wherein the body elements of each one ofthe at least one core post are made of different materials. 10 15. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 14, n each one ofthe at least one core post has two opened ends and two covers mounted on and closing the opened ends ofthe core post respectively; and each supporting board has at least one receiving hole deﬁned through the supporting board and each one of the at least one receiving hole holding one of the

15 covers of a corresponding one of the at least one core post inside.

16. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 14, wherein each one ofthe at least one core post has two opened ends and two covers d on and closing the opened ends ofthe core post respectively; and the ting boards are attached to and close the opened ends of the at least 20 one core post respectively.

17. The energy absorber as claimed in claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to any embodiment disclosed.

18. An energy absorber substantially as herein described with reference to any embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.