A New Type of Continuously Variable Displacement Mechanism Used for Hydraulic Motors

A continuously variable displacement mechanism, which is composed of a hydraulic control valve with mechanical-positional feedback to camshaft, was designed for changing the displacement of traditional camshaft connecting-rod low speed high torque (LSHT) hydraulic motor continuously. The new type of continuously variable displacement mechanism is simple and easy to be made. The structure and principle of a continuously variable displacement mechanism was introduced. The mathematic model of the continuously variable displacement mechanism was set up and its static and dynamic characteristics were analyzed with the help of computer simulation. It can be seen that the cam ring on camshaft of the traditional LSHT hydraulic motor can stop at any position between minimum and maximum eccentricity, according to an input fluid pressure signal. And it can also stay anywhere stably through self-adjusting. Besides, it can work stabilized when load impact or oil leakage exists.

Analysis on resonant shake table with novel variable stiffness mechanism

To improve the efficiency and amplify the exciting force of a shake table,a novel variable stiffness mechanism(VSM)constructed by four leaf spring-lever combinations(LSLCs)was designed.Three VSMs were installed in parallel on the traditional hydraulic shake table to constitute a resonant shake table(RST).The static model of the VSM and the dynamic model of the RST were constructed by considering the large deflection of leaf springs and the geometrical nonlinearity of L-shaped levers.The variable stiffness property of LSLCs was analyzed and verified through static experiments.The simulation and vibration experiments on the dynamic properties of the RST prototype were conducted.The results show that compared with traditional shake tables,the RST consumes lower exciting force in a specified frequency bandwidth when outputting the same displacement of vibration.Under a harmonic vibrational excitation,the RST is effective for vibration enhancement using broadband frequency resonance and can save energy to some extent.The broadband resonance technology exhibits considerable potential in practical engineering applications.

Kinematic Characteristics Analysis and Parametric Solving of Snow Melting Agent Throwing Mechanism with Variable Crank Length

Variable crank length cam⁃linkage mechanism has attracted much attention due to its compact overall structure when realizing complex motion laws.According to the special trajectory requirements,the kinematic characteristics and parameters of the mechanism have been analyzed and solved,which lays foundation for the implementation of the variable crank length snow melting agent throwing mechanism designed in this paper.Based on the trajectory equation of the point,the mathematical model of the throwing mechanism was established,and the theoretical trajectory of the end point of the throwing mechanism was obtained by programming.The parametric modeling and trajectory drawing were carried out by computer aided three⁃dimensional interactive application(CATIA),and the correctness of the mathematical model was verified by comparison.The regional trajectory distribution characteristics of the end points of the throwing mechanism were studied by using the trajectory region location method,and the influence of various parameters on the trajectory was investigated by using the numerical cycle comparison method.The human⁃computer interaction system of snow melting agent throwing mechanism with variable crank length was constructed by using Microsoft Visual Basic(VB)software.Based on the restriction conditions,the optimum combination of structural adjustment parameters and operational parameters suitable for Harbin first⁃class roads was obtained by using orthogonal test table,which provides an effective method to solve the parameters of the variable crank length cam mechanism with smooth impulse trajectory.

On the Motion of Controllable Mechanical Systems Having Variable Mass

The differential equations of motion of a comtlaint system with parameters and variable mass, of a system with variable mass and servo constraints and those for the control problem on the forced motion of constraint systems with variable mass are given respectively. Finally, an example is presented.

Mathematical modeling for dynamic stability of sandwich beam with variable mechanical properties of core

The paper is devoted to mathematical modelling of static and dynamic stability of a simply supported three-layered beam with a metal foam core. Mechanical properties of the core vary along the vertical direction. The field of displacements is for- mulated using the classical broken line hypothesis and the proposed nonlinear hypothesis that generalizes the classical one. Using both hypotheses, the strains are determined as well as the stresses of each layer. The kinetic energy, the elastic strain energy, and the work of load are also determined. The system of equations of motion is derived using Hamilton＇s principle. Finally, the system of three equations is reduced to one equation of motion, in particular, the Mathieu equation. The Bubnov-Galerkin method is used to solve the system of equations of motion, and the Runge-Kutta method is used to solve the second-order differential equation. Numerical calculations are done for the chosen family of beams. The critical loads, unstable regions, angular frequencies of the beam, and the static and dynamic equilibrium paths are calculated analytically and verified numerically. The results of this study are presented in the forms of figures and tables.

Simulation and Experimental Design of Load Adaptive Braking System on Two Wheeler

The braking quality is considered the main execution of the adaptive control framework that impacts the vehicle safety and rides solace astoundingly notably the stopping distance.This research work aims to create a pattern and design of an electromechanically adjusted lever that multiplies the applied braking force depending on the inputs given by the sensors to reduce the stopping distance of the vehicle.It is carried out using two main parts of the two-wheeler vehicle:thefirst part deals with the detection of load acting on the vehicle and identifying the required braking force to be applied,and the second part deals with the micro-controller which activates the stepper motor for varying the mechanical leverage ratio from various loads on the vehicle using two actively movable wedges.The electromechanically operated variable braking force system is developed to actuate the braking system based on the load on the motorcycle.The MATLAB simulation and experimental work are carried out for various loading(driver and pillion)conditions on a two-wheeler.The results indicate that the proposed electronically operated braking system is more effective than the conventional braking system for various loads and vehicle speeds.Specifically,the stopping distance of the vehicle is decreased significantly by about 4.9%between the con-ventional braking system and the simulated proposed system.Further,the experi-mental results show that the stopping distance is condensed by about 4.1%.The validation between simulated and experimental results revealed a great deal with the least error percentage of about 0.8%.

The Third-Order Viscoelastic Acoustic Model Enables an Ice-Detection System for a Smart Deicing of Wind-Turbine Blade Shells

The present work is based on the third-order partial differential equation (PDE) of acoustics of viscoelastic solids for the quasi-equilibrium (QE) component of the average normal stress. This PDE includes the stress-relaxation time (SRT) for the material and is applicable at any value of the SRT. The notion of a smart deicing system (SDS) for blade shells (BSs) of a wind turbine is specified. The work considers the stress in a BS as the one caused by the operational load on the BS. The work develops key design issues of a prospective ice-detection system (IDS) able to supply an array of the heating elements of an SDS with the element-individual spatiotemporal data and procedures for identification of the material parameters of atmospheric-ice (AI) layer accreted on the outer surfaces of the BSs. Both the SDS and IDS flexibly allow for complex, curvilinear and space-time-varying shapes of BSs. The proposed IDS presumes monitoring of the QE components of the normal stresses in BSs. The IDS is supposed to include an array of pressure-sensing resistors, also known as force-sensing resistors (FSRs), and communication hardware, as well as the parameter-identification software package (PISP), which provides the identification on the basis of the aforementioned PDE and the data measured by the FSRs. The IDS does not have hardware components located outside the outer surfaces of, or implanted in, BSs. The FSR array and communication hardware are reliable, and both cost- and energy-efficient. The present work extends methods of structural-health/operational-load monitoring (SH/OL-M) with measurements of the operational-load-caused stress in closed solid shells and, if the prospective PISP is used, endows the methods with identification of material parameters of the shells. The identification algorithms that can underlie the PISP are computationally efficient and suitable for implementation in the real-time mode. The identification model and algorithms can deal with not only the single-layer systems such as the BS layer without the AI layer or two-layer systems but also multi-layer systems. The outcomes can be applied to not only BSs of wind turbines but also non-QE closed single- or multi-layer deformable solid shells of various engineering systems (e.g., the shells of driver or passenger compartments of ships, cars, busses, airplanes, and other vehicles). The proposed monitoring of the normal-stress QE component in the mentioned shells extends the methods of SH/OL-M. The topic for the nearest research is a better adjustment of the settings for the FSR-based measurement of the mentioned components and a calibration of the parameter-identification model and algorithms, as well as the resulting improvement of the PISP.

Design and Stability of Operating Mechanism for a Spacecraft Hatch

This article introduces the working principles of a spacecraft hatch including its operating process and moving trajectory. On this basis, an operating mechanism is designed to execute automatic open and close action of the hatch and measure the operating torques. Analysis on the mechanism＇s configuration and topological structure of each phase of movement proves that it is a typical variable freedom mechanism. The mechanism manipulates the hatch in accordance with the moving trajectory requirements through configuration transformation. Kinematic analysis and simulation of some typical configurations show that the velocity differences among mechanism components themselves and the components and their abutting components could exert influences on its working stability during configuration transformation. To solve the problem, stability conditions of configuration transformation are proposed. Appropriate control models are established for the output velocity curves of the driving servo motor and solved based on the stability conditions and rules of movement. Results from another simulation demonstrate that the proposed control models ensure smooth configuration transform and stable operation.

Design and experimental study of a passive power-source-free stiffness-self-adjustable mechanism

Passive variable stiffness joints have unique advantages over active variable stiffness joints and are currently eliciting increased attention.Existing passive variable stiffness joints rely mainly on sensors and special control algorithms,resulting in a bandwidth-limited response speed of the joint.We propose a new passive power-source-free stiffness-self-adjustable mechanism that can be used as the elbow joint of a robot arm.The new mechanism does not require special stiffness regulating motors or sensors and can realize large-range self-adaptive adjustment of stiffness in a purely mechanical manner.The variable stiffness mechanism can automatically adjust joint stiffness in accordance with the magnitude of the payload,and this adjustment is a successful imitation of the stiffness adjustment characteristics of the human elbow.The response speed is high because sensors and control algorithms are not needed.The variable stiffness principle is explained,and the design of the variable stiffness mechanism is analyzed.A prototype is fabricated,and the associated hardware is set up to validate the analytical stiffness model and design experimentally.

Aerodynamic optimization and mechanism design of flexible variable camber trailing-edge flap

Trailing-edge flap is traditionally used to improve the takeoff and landing aerodynamic performance of aircraft.In order to improve flight efficiency during takeoff,cruise and landing states,the flexible variable camber trailing-edge flap is introduced,capable of changing its shape smoothly from 50% flap chord to the rear of the flap.Using a numerical simulation method for the case of the GA（W）-2 airfoil,the multi-objective optimization of the overlap,gap,deflection angle,and bending angle of the flap under takeoff and landing configurations is studied.The optimization results show that under takeoff configuration,the variable camber trailing-edge flap can increase lift coefficient by about 8% and lift-to-drag ratio by about 7% compared with the traditional flap at a takeoff angle of 8°.Under landing configuration,the flap can improve the lift coefficient at a stall angle of attack about 1.3%.Under cruise state,the flap helps to improve the lift-todrag ratio over a wide range of lift coefficients,and the maximum increment is about 30%.Finally,a corrugated structure–eccentric beam combination bending mechanism is introduced in this paper to bend the flap by rotating the eccentric beam.

Experimental investigation on variability in properties of Amazonian wood species Muiracatiara ( Astronium lecointei ) and Maçaranduba ( Manilkara huberi ) focusing guitar fingerboards manufacturing

In face of scarcity in the supply of non-traditional Brazilian woods properly treated for use in high quality musical instruments,pieces of Amazonian wood species muiracatiara(Astronium lecointei)and maçaranduba(Manilkara huberi)purchased in the common internal Brazilian timber market were examined.These species were pre-selected for use in fingerboards of acoustic and electric guitars due to similar properties with ebony(Diospyros crassiflora).Variabilities of elastic modulus parallel to grain and density were investigated inside wooden pieces.In addition,referred parameters were used in calculation of speed of sound.Statistical tests were performed in order to compare both species and revealed inequality for variances of dynamic elastic modulus(E_(d))and speed of sound,but equality for density.Equality of means was also examined via unequal variance t-test.Despite color differences,lower variability of M.huberi led to the indication of this species as likely capable to substitute satisfactorily ebony in fingerboards manufacturing.

COMPUTATION OF TURBULENT FLOW IN TWO-DIMENSIONAL IRREGULAR DOMAIN INCLUDING ROTATION EFFECTS

A finite volume method is employed to predict the turbulent flow in irregular domains. In handling the irregular solution domain an algebraic nonorthogonal transformation along with the orthogonal body-surface coordinate is presented, which avoids the task of numerically generating the grid and also extends the scope of solution domain as compared with that of [1]. The modified K-Ε turbulence model is adopted to account for the Coriolis force caused by the system rotation. Three examples with or without rotation effects are presented.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AND NUMERICAL CALCULATION OF HYDRODYNAMIC FORCES AND MOMENTS ACTING ON A HIGH-SPEED TRANSOMSTERN SHIP RUNNING OBLIQUE TO THE COURSE

On the basis of oblique towing tests and flow visualizations of ship models, the flow pattern around a high-speed transom-stern ship, its motion attitudes (sinkage and trim) and the characteristics of hydrodynamic forces are analysed. It is concluded that the variation of ship motion attitudes, caused by ship speed, has a great influence over the coefficients of hydrodynamic forces and moments acting on the oblique running ship. Ship attitudes related to different speed and drift angles are calculated by Hess-Smith method. By distributing complex singularities over the surface of a double model and by considering separated vortex sheets in the wake at the lee side of the model, pressures and velocities of the fluid around the model may be calculated directly by solving a three-dimensional body with lift problem. The transom stern stream-lines are extended to form a virtual length. In this way, the hydrodynamic lateral forces, yaw moments and pressure distribution are calculated. The results show good agreement with those measured from model tests.

WAVE-CURRENT FORCES ON BIPILES IN TANDEM ARRAY

The in-line and lift forces on bipiles in tandem array induced by both irregular waves and currents were investigated experimentally in this paper. The characteristics in both time and frequency domain of inline, lift and resultant forces as well were analyzed. The grouping effect coefficients of in-line and resultant forces on two piles related to KC number and relative spacing parameters are given. A comparison of the magnitude and direction of resultant forces on bipiles in tandem array with the corresponding values for single cylinder is also made.