Fraunhofer-gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.v.

Faurecia Innenraum Systeme Gmbh

Technische Universitat Darmstadt

Technische Universitaet Darmstadt

Tu Darmstadt

Tobias Melz

Holger Hanselka

Michael Matthias

Björn Seipel

Eric Zimmerman

Sven Herold

Dirk Mayer

Thorsten Koch

Jan Christoph Hansmann

William Kaal

David Flaschenträger

Christoph Klein

Bernhard Sielhorst

Christo Gavrilov

Saskia Biehl

Thilo Bein

Holger Lüthje

Roman Kraus

Eberhard Abele

Timo Jungblut

Torsten Bartel

Matthias Rauschenbach

Joachim Bös

David Flaschentraeger

Martin Thomaier

Jakob Fischer

Johannes Käsgen

Hanns Stoffregen

Vlad Radu Muntean

Eric Zimmermann

Heinz Kaufmann

Ralf Sindelar

Ho-Sung Kang

Rüdiger Heim

Thomas Pfeiffer

Philipp Neubauer

Elena Slomski

Hanns A Stoffregen

Martin Thomeier

The invention is an actuating drive for deflecting an actuating element using a solid body actuator () when an electrical voltage or an alternating magnetic field is applied, to cause a change in length. A housing () encloses the solid body actuator to define an interspace () in a fluid-tight manner. Furthermore, the solid body actuator includes a hollow duct () having one end connected to a first hollow conduit () passing through the housing and the other end opening into the interspace (). The interspace is additionally connected in a fluid-tight manner to a second hollow conduit () passing through the housing.

Actuating drive and method for cooling a solid body actuator housed in an actuating drive with an actuating element

An active bearing at least for vibration reduction is described, comprising a) an interface () to be fitted to a load (); b) at least one support element () in an operative connection with the interface () and a support unit (); c) at least one linear actuator () supported indirectly or directly on the support unit (); d) a gear unit () for the path transmission of an actuating path change originating from the linear actuator (), said gear unit being in an operative connection with the at least one linear reactor (); e) at least one decoupling unit (), which serves for the decoupling of the static load transfer and for transmitting the dynamic load transfer; wherein the at least one linear actuator (), the gear unit () and the at least one decoupling unit () are disposed serially.

Active bearing

A method for producing a housing structure at least partially enclosing at least one component, wherein the housing structure is produced with a construction process utilizing at least one of repeated layered deposition and solidification of material, which is interrupted at least once before completion of the housing structure, and during at least one interruption at least one component, which is not produced by the construction process, is joined to or disposed in a partially finished housing structure, and the construction process is then continued after the interruption until the housing is completed, wherein at least one of an actuator and sensor comprising at least partially a transformer material selected as the at least one component to be joined to or disposed in the housing structure.

Method for producing a housing enclosing at least one component under pre-tension

The invention is an actuator which includes at least one control element which has thermally activatable transducer material and which, in response to the supply or dissipation of energy, changes from a first shape state into a second shape state, and a mechanical energy storage, which is functionally connected to the control element. When the control element is in the second shape state, it exerts a restoring force on the control element which returns the control element to the first shape state. The mechanical energy storage includes an elastomer body, which at least in some regions is in direct physical and thermal contact with the control element. The elastomer body is connected in a spatially fixed manner to the control element in at least two spatially separated joining regions along the control element.

Actuator having at least one control element which has thermal transducer material

An electroactive elastomer converter is described comprising at least one electroactive elastomer layer () with a top side and underside and an electrically conductive electrode body (') that is two-dimensionally connected to the top side at least in regions. An electrically conductive electrode body (&#x2032;) is dimensionally connected in at least two regions to the underside. At least one electrode body (&#x2032;) in each case has an electrode surface facing the elastomer layer (). At least one opening () is present to which an a two-dimensional region in which there is no two-dimensional bond between the elastomer layer () and the electrode body (&#x2032;). A compressible medium is provided in the area of the opening.

Electroactive elastomer converter

An activation unit is disclosed having at least one actuator having a variable length disposed around at least one first axis. The activation unit operatively interacts with an activation element mounted so that it can be bi-directionally deflected along a second axis. The front side of the actuator is indirectly or directly engaged with a first piston, which can be deflected along the first axis in a mechanically positively driven manner. The first piston has a front side facing away from the actuator which axially borders at least regions of a transfer medium on one side. The transfer medium is radially surrounded relative to a first axis by a housing radially to the first axis, and axially borders at least regionally a front side of at least one second piston. The at least second piston can be deflected in a mechanically positively driven manner, and engages the activation element directly or indirectly. An actively variable and/or passive temperature control medium is provided on and/or in the housing that is in indirect or direct thermal contact with the transfer medium.

Activation unit with an actuator

The invention relates to a test system for dynamically and/or cyclically load testing a material sample, a component, or an assembly, hereinafter referred to as sample. The test system is provided with a test frame, to which a bearing and a counter bearing are attached. At least one actuator comprising a multifunctional solid state transducer material system is connected to the counter bearing, directly or indirectly, to which, also directly or indirectly, a fastener provides firm fixation of the sample. Likewise, on the bearing side, a fastener firm fixation of the sample such that the at least one actuator is able to introduce dynamic and/or cyclical mechanical loads into the sample, which act along a load path extending lengthwise between the bearing and the counter bearing and through the sample.

Test sample frame and system for dynamically and/or cyclically load testing a sample

A device for transmitting or decoupling mechanical vibrations between a first component and a second component with at least one of the first and the second components being free to vibrate in the at least one direction including: a planar coupling element, coupling the first and second components together, having a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface, and having a variably adjustable stiffness extending in the at least one direction; the planar coupling element, having planar dimensions with the planar coupling element being dimensionally stable along the planar dimensions and being elastic in a direction perpendicular to the planar surfaces; the first and second components are rotatable relative to each other about an axis extending in the direction perpendicular to the planar surfaces and in which at least one of the components is free to vibrate for adjusting the stiffness.

Device for transmitting or decoupling mechanical vibrations

A shaft arrangement is disclosed for transmitting torques acting around a rotational axis, with a variably adjustable torsional stiffness acting around the rotational axis and a method for varying the torsional stiffness of a shaft arrangement. The invention includes a first shaft section, having at least one torsion element secured thereto which is not damaged by torque and is axially fixed manner, which is mounted to be dimensionally stable transverse to the rotational axis, a second shaft section spaced axially apart from the first shaft section, to which the at least one torsion element is secured which is not rotatable but is axially movable and that a means for operatively interacts or can be made to operatively interact with the second shaft section for axially moving the second shaft section in relation to the first shaft section and in relation to the at least one torsion element.

Shaft arrangement and method for relaying torques acting around a rotational axis

A device is disclosed for mechanical vibration decoupling having two bearing ends to which bodies for reciprocally decoupling vibrations are joined which are interconnected by couplings having a variably adjustable stiffness. The couplings comprise at least three spring beam elements each having a spring beam surface from which a normal vector extends and which are each dimensionally stable in a longitudinal direction and are elastical orthogonal to the spring beam surface. The at least three spring beam elements are disposed spatially relative to each other so that normal vectors thereof are each orientated at an angle &#x3b1; relative to each other with &#x3b1;=90&#xb0;&#xb1;30&#xb0;.

Device for mechanical vibration decoupling

An apparatus is disclosed for producing a frictional and/or form-fitting connection between first and second components which are linearly or rotationally movable relative to one another for transmitting forces and/or force moments that act between the first and second components in a linear and/or rotational manner. The first component surrounds the second component, at least sectionally, with at least one inner wall that faces the second component. The second component features at least one active-face element that can be transferred in a force-loaded manner from a first position, in which the active-face element is spaced apart from the inner wall, into a second position, in which the active-face element produces the frictional and/or form-fitting connection with the inner wall. The invention includes at least one mechanical stressing element for exerting a restoring force upon the active-face element which holds the active-face element in a first position, and a kinematic system acts upon the active-face element opposite to the restoring force and is driven exclusively by a converter material, with the kinematic system transferring the active-face element into the second position.

Apparatus for producing a frictional and/or form-fitting connection between two components which are arranged such that they can be moved linearly or rotated relative to one another

An oscillation decoupling device is disclosed with a load-receiving element which is mounted in an oscillating manner relative to a support unit at least along an active direction along which at least part of the load is applied having at least one sensor unit which detects an oscillation of the element due to the load and at least one actuator unit acting against the oscillation of the element. The support unit is modularly configured and serves as a support structure for at least one unit that receives the element and is elastically deformable in the active direction of the load. The load-receiving element is connected to the elastically deformable unit. The at least one actuator influences the deformation applied to the at least one unit, or is integrated thereon, so that the at least one actuator initiates a deformation acting against an elastic deformation due to the load inside the unit.

Oscillation decoupling device

The invention relates to an interface for controlling (for example damping) mechanical vibrations for the automotive industry. The inventive interface comprises a base connection element, a load connection element and at least one energy converting system extending between the base connection element and the load connection element. The different energy converters of the one energy converting systems have a common preferential direction and are exposed to a preload action produced by a pretensioning element. The inventive interface also comprises a pushing force deviating element mounted between the base connection element and the load connection element which is provided with a membrane or a leaf spring disposed preferably in a perpendicular direction with respect to the preferential direction of the energy converting system. The inventive pushing force deviating element protects the energy converting systems against mechanical damage caused by an external pushing action.

Pushing force deviating interface for damping mechanical vibrations

The invention is a device and a method for eliminating vibrations of a mechanical structure with at least one electromechanical converter material that is actively connected to the mechanical structure and connected to an electrical circuit with at least one electrical impedance. The electrical circuit is connected to an interface, via which the at least one electrical impedance can be variably adjusted by wireless or wired communications with a control unit that is separated from the electrical circuit in which the electrical impedance features at least one variable ohmic resistor, inductive resistor or capacitor.

Method and device for eliminating vibrations of a mechanical structure

The invention relates to a device for a motor vehicle for protecting vehicle occupants when there is an impact of energy directed laterally at a motor vehicle door due to a collision, having a connecting structure which has at least two parts with a first part permanently connected with the motor vehicle door and a second part permanently connected with an energy-absorbing region of the motor vehicle body located in the vehicle interior. Both parts via at least one common joint region can be operationally connected with each other to conducting-away of at least part of the energy input laterally acting on the motor vehicle door in the region of the motor vehicle body. The energy impact acting on the motor vehicle door is conducted away from the pivot bearing by a force acting linearly and horizontally via the first and the second part to the first end of the second part permanently connected with the motor vehicle body.

Growing community of inventors

Darmstadt, Germany

Tobias Melz