Patent ID: 7775333
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: F16F

Abstract:
1. An magnetorheological damper useful in structural vibration control, having an upper connection support with an upper part, a lower connection support having a lower part and a damper body therebetween, and a moveable portion moveable relative to the damper body, the magnetorheological damper comprising: an magnetorheological material contained within the damper body for resisting movement of the moveable portion, wherein rheology changes can be generated in the magnetorheological material owing to changes in a magnetic field, to which the magnetorheological material is exposed; said magnetorheological material being located within said dampener body between said upper connection support and said lower connection support so as to provide dampening of external forces imparted to and across the damper through the connection supports; a first sensor attached to the upper part of the upper connection support and a second sensor attached to the lower connection support, the first sensor and the second sensor embedded in the damper for generating a signal to control the magnetic field and hence the resulting yield force and rheological damping of the damper in response to a variance in the external force applied to the support connections and across the damper; the first sensor and the second being piezoelectric sensors, said first and second sensors each including at least one pair of planar electrodes separated by a piezoelectric wafer and held together in a stack against one another under pressure.