MECHANICAL TENSIONER STRUT WITH UNI-DIRECTIONAL FRICTION DAMPING

摘要

A strut including a housing, a plunger within a space in the housing and including a tapered outer circumferential surface, a primary spring engaged with the housing, a wedge element within the space and including a tapered inner circumferential surface engageable with the outer circumferential surface, and a secondary spring engaged with the wedge element and the plunger to urge the plunger in an axial direction. The primary spring urges the plunger in the axial direction with a first force. In a fully extended mode, the plunger is maximally displaced in the axial direction. In a contracted mode, the plunger is displaced in an opposite axial direction in response to application of a second force, sufficiently greater than the first force, on the plunger in the opposite axial direction. When the second force is sufficiently decreased, the plunger displaces with respect to the housing in the axial direction.

主权项

1. A mechanical tensioner strut, comprising:
a housing including a first internal space; a plunger at least partially disposed within the first internal space and including a first outer circumferential surface tapering in a first axial direction; a primary spring including a first end and a second end engaged with the housing; a wedge element disposed within the first internal space and including at least one first inner circumferential surface tapering in a second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction, and directly engageable with the first outer circumferential surface; and, a secondary spring directly engaged with the wedge element and at least a portion of the plunger to urge the at least a portion of the plunger in the second axial direction, wherein:
the primary spring urges the plunger in the second axial direction, with respect to the housing, with a first force;in a fully extended mode, the plunger is displaced a maximum distance in the second axial direction with respect to the housing;in a contracted mode, the plunger is displaced a second distance, with respect to the housing, in the first axial direction in response to application of a second force, greater by a first amount than the first force, on the plunger in the first axial direction; and,when the second force is decreased by a second amount, the plunger is configured to displace with respect to the housing in the second axial direction.