The invention relates to a method of taking over kinetic energy of an impact and a rotary device for taking over the kinetic energy of an impact applicable when converting the kinetic energy of a translation motion into the kinetic energy of a rotary motion. The solution may , e used in devices designed to cushion the energy, especially in dampers in bogie suspension, bumpers and buffers.

From the application of invention O2004028864 a method of the kinetic energy taking over is known in which the kinetic energy of translational motion transferred by slidable driving elements is converted into the kinetic energy of the rotary motion by starting the rotary motion of rotary kinetic energy accumulators.

From the application of invention O2004028864 there is known also a rotary device for taking over the energy created by an impact in which the kinetic energy created in effect of the impact is converted into the kinetic energy of rotating masses. In this known solution, two gear racks, which are slidable in relation to a body, move in the same direction, and by gears drive rotary energy accumulators converting the kinetic energy of the translational motion ^; into the kinetic energy of the rotary motion.

From US4032829 there is also known a road shock energy converter for charging vehicle batteries. The shock energy convertor has an oppositely acting inertia operative gear racks and pinions with unidirectional clutches causing continuous rotation by the aid of flywheels . Additionally, to return the gear racks to the initial position, they are provided with bumper springs .

It is an object of the invention to assert a greater efficiency smoothness when transforming kinetic energy of a translational motion caused by an impact into the kinetic energy of a rotary motion, and thus to increase the energy dissipating efficiency .

According to the method of the invention, the kinetic energy of a translational motion transmitted by slidable driving elements is converted into the kinetic energy of a rotary motion by rotating the rotary kinetic energy accumulators. This solution is characterized by that at least two of the slidable driving elements are moved in the opposite directions, whereas the kinetic energy of the translational motion created by an outer active force is transferred by a cushioning element onto the first slidable driving element rotating the first rotary kinetic energy accumulator, and the kinetic energy of the translational motion created by a reaction force is transferred onto the second slidable driving element rotating the second rotary kinetic energy accumulator.

The rotary kinetic energy accumulators are advantageously driven by gear trains increasing the rotation speed and having different gear ratios.

The rotary kinetic energy accumulators have advantageously different moments of inertia.

The gear racks are used advantageously as the slidable driving parts, which by the gear trains are coupled with the rotary kinetic energy accumulators . According to the invention, a device has at least two gear racks slidably positioned in relation to a body and gear trains placed in the body and co-operating with these gear racks . The rotary kinetic energy accumulators are rotatably mounted in the body and are driven by gear racks and by gear trains, said gear racks transferring the kinetic energy of the translational motion by gear trains to the rotary kinetic energy accumulators in order to transform this energy into the kinetic energy of the rotary motion. The solution is characterized in that at least two of the gear racks slidably positioned in relation to the body are moving one in relation to another in the opposite directions, whereas at least one of these gear racks which transfers the kinetic energy produced by an active force is coupled by means of the gear train with the first rotary kinetic energy accumulator, and at least one of these gear racks which transfers the kinetic energy produced by a reaction force is coupled with the second rotary kinetic energy accumulator throughout the gear train. Additionally, in front of the gear rack which transfers the kinetic energy produced by the active force there is located a cushioning element.

Advantageously, the rotary kinetic energy accumulators are rotationally mounted on one axis.

Advantageously, each gear rack drives the rotary kinetic energy accumulator by the gear train increasing the rotation speed.

In particular, the rotary kinetic energy accumulators are driven by gear trains increasing the rotation speed, having different gear ratios, or these rotary accumulators have different moments of inertia. Advantageously, the body is shaped as a sleeve, especially an elliptic one in its cross section.

Advantageously, the body is placed slidably in a tubular shield of a damper between its active rod and a passive one, said rods being connected with gear racks .

Advantageously, at least two telescopic guides are placed between the ends of the rods, whereas said telescopic guides may comprise cushioning elements.

Advantageously, the cushioning element is seated in the active rod.

By putting the gear racks slidably in the body, enabling them to move in the opposite directions, the structure of the rotary device according to the invention makes it possible to use at least one gear rack to transfer the kinetic energy of the translational motion created by the outer active force, as well as at least one gear rack to transfer the kinetic energy of the translational motion created by the reaction force, what has the influence on the increase of the efficiency of taking over the kinetic energy of the translational motion, and in effect on the more effective transformation of this energy into the kinetic energy of the rotary motion in the rotor kinetic energy accumulators. Smoothness of the kinetic energy taking over in the solution according to the invention is achieved by using the cushioning element as an intermediate component in the transfer of the kinetic energy produced by the active force.

Thanks to the use of the gear trains having different gear ratios and thanks to the use of different moments of inertia both for the first rotary kinetic energy accumulator and for the second one, the device according to the invention is suitable both to take over and to suppress both small and great kinetic energy portions. When the energy is not great, the device works more effectively and more gently because the energy of the translational motion is taken over essentially by using the rotary kinetic energy accumulator with the smaller moment of inertia. In the second case, the device according to the invention ensures also the suitably effective and smooth cushioning of energy because the kinetic energy of the translational motion is taken over by using at first the rotary kinetic energy accumulator having a smaller moment of inertia, and then by using increasingly the rotary kinetic energy accumulator having the greater moment of inertia.

In the device according to the invention, when the great energy has to be attenuated, an additional advantageous effect is used by which the kinetic energy of an impact, before the rotary kinetic energy accumulator having the greater moment of inertia starts to take it over, is in its essential part accumulated in the rotary kinetic energy accumulator having a smaller inertia moment, what ensures smooth device operation.

The invention is schematically shown in its embodiments in the drawing, where Fig. 1 shows a rotary device for taking over the kinetic energy assembled in a damper unit in a partial axial section, Fig. 2 - a rotary device mounted in the damper unit in a partial axial section with the kinetic energy accumulators having different inertia moments, Fig. 3 - a rotary device assembled in the damper unit in a partial axial section with the gear trains having different gear ratios, Fig. 4 - a rotary device for taking over the kinetic energy in a partial axial section, Fig. 5 - a rotary device for taking over the kinetic energy installed in an aircraft wheel set in the perspective view, but without showing the body, Fig. 6 - a rotary device as shown in Fig. 5 with exposed cushioning elements without showing the body, Fig. 7 - the rotary device from Fig. 5 magnified in perspective view without showing the body, Fig. 8 - the enlarged rotary device from Fig. 5 in the front view without showing the body, and Fig. 9 shows the rotary device from Fig. 9 in the perspective cross section.

As it is shown in an embodiment in Fig. 1, a sleeve body 1 of a rotary device for taking over kinetic energy is located in a tubular shield 2 of a damper unit between an active rod 3 and a passive rod 4. The active rod 3 is connected with a gear rack 5 which, by means of a revving up gear train 6, propels the first rotary kinetic energy accumulator 7. This device comprises also the second rotary kinetic energy accumulator 8 driven by the revving up gear train 9 and a gear rack 10 connected to the passive rod 4.

The gear trains 6, 9 are rotatably placed on axles 11, 12 in the body 1 by means of supports 13, 14, and between these axles 11, 12 the rotary kinetic energy accumulators 7, 8 are rotatably fastened by means of supports 16. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the gear rack 5 works as an active one, carrying an active force F, and the gear rack 10 works as a passive one transferring the force of reaction R. Each of the gear racks 5, 10 drives the independent rotary kinetic energy accumulator 7, 8. To optimise the structure, both independent rotary kinetic energy accumulators 7, 8 are rotationally mounted on the same axle 15, which does not exclude a possibility to use separate axles for the accumulator dissipating kinetic energy coming from the active force and for the accumulator dissipating kinetic energy coming from the reaction force.

The device according to the invention has also a cushioning element 17, as an intermediate component in the transfer of the kinetic energy produced by the active force F, situated in the active rod 3. In an exemplary embodiment, the cushioning element 17 is made as a helical spring. A fluid or elastomer damper may be also used as the cushioning element. It is a task of the cushioning element 17 to initially suppress the kinetic energy in order to reduce the dynamic load of the gear trains taking part in transferring the kinetic energy.

According to the method of the invention, the kinetic energy of the translational motion transferred by driving elements which are slidable in relation to the body 1 and made as the gear racks 5, 10 is converted into the kinetic energy of the rotary motion by rotating the rotary kinetic energy accumulators 7, 8, whereas these two gear racks 5, 10 are moved in the opposite directions. The kinetic energy of the translational motion created by the outer active force F is carried on onto the first gear rack 5 rotating the first rotary kinetic energy accumulator 7, and the kinetic energy of the translational motion created by the reaction force R is carried on onto the second gear rack 10 rotating the second rotary kinetic energy accumulator 8.

In the embodiments shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, different possibilities of shaping the kinetic energy taking over characteristic according to the invention are shown. In the first case illustrated in Fig. 2, rotary kinetic energy accumulators 7a, 8a are used having different moments of inertia. Different values of the inertia moments may be also obtained by using for the rotary kinetic energy accumulators 7a, 8a materials having different specific weight values.

In the second case illustrated in Fig. 3, gear trains 6a, 9a having different gear ratios are used to drive the rotary kinetic energy accumulators 7, 8.

Such a structure of the device according to the invention makes it possible to obtain the greater progressiveness when taking over the kinetic energy by keeping a suitable order of operation of the rotary kinetic energy accumulators . When inertia moments of the rotary kinetic energy accumulators 7a, 8a are different, at first the kinetic energy is dissipated essentially by the rotary kinetic energy accumulator 8a having a smaller moment of inertia, and afterwards by the rotary kinetic energy accumulator 7a having the greater moment of inertia.

Thus, the progressiveness kinetic energy taking over characteristic may be shaped in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 by choosing inertia moments of the rotor kinetic energy accumulators 7a, 8a and/or, as it is shown in Fig. 3, by choosing a gear ratio of the gear trains 6a, 9a.

In an embodiment not shown in the drawing, in order to increase the kinetic energy dissipation effectiveness, it is also possible to serially connect several devices according to the invention having different gear ratios and/or different moments of inertia of the rotary kinetic energy accumulators . Moreover, instead of gear racks there may be used any kind of transmission mechanisms changing the translational motion into the rotary motion, such as especially tie-rod transmissions. In Fig. 4, a device according to the invention is shown, affected by the active force F and the reaction force R resulting together in relocating the gear racks 5, 10 in the opposite directions. In order to limit the torsional moments having an effect on the body 1, both gear racks 5, 10 are placed slidably along the same axis.

Inside a middle part of the body 1 on the axle 15 there are rotatably set the rotary kinetic energy accumulators 7, 8. The gear rack 5 drives by means of the gear train 6 the rotary kinetic energy accumulator 7, whereas the gear rack 10 drives by means of the gear train 9 the rotary kinetic energy accumulator 8. The gear train 6 is built of a set of toothed wheels 18, 19 pivotally mounted on the axle 11 and of the toothed wheel 20 joined with the rotary kinetic energy accumulator 7, and the gear train 9 is built of a set of toothed wheels 21, 22 pivotally mounted on the axle 12 and of the toothed wheel 23 joined with the rotary kinetic energy accumulator 8.

The active force F acting onto the gear rack 5, when the device according to the invention is in action, is transferred onto the toothed wheel 18 which drives the second toothed wheel 19 coupled with it, which rotates the toothed wheel 20 of the rotary kinetic energy accumulator 7. At the same time, the reaction force R acting onto the gear rack 10 is transferred onto the toothed wheel 21 that drives the toothed wheel 22 coupled with it, which in turn drives the toothed wheel 23 of the rotary kinetic energy accumulator 8. In an advantageous embodiment, one-way clutches (not shown in the drawing) are mounted between the toothed wheels 18 and 19 as well as between the toothed wheels 20 and 21, said clutches enabling the free rotation of the rotary kinetic energy accumulators 7, 8 until the kinetic energy accumulated during the short time when the active force F and the reaction force R acting can be dissipated in these accumulators .

In another embodiment shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, there is shown the rotary device according to the invention co-operating with an aircraft bogie. In this embodiment, the bogie 24 is connected with the rotary device taking over the kinetic energy, said device comprising two telescopic guides 25 fastened between the end part 26 of the active rod 3 and the end part 27 of the passive rod 4. As it is shown in Fig. 6, behind a sleeve casing 28 in the active rod 3 there is mounted a spring cushioning element 17. Additional spring cushioning elements 29 are placed also in two telescopic guides 25. The gear racks 5, 10 are located and guided in such a way that the devices are dislocated in relation one to another in the opposite directions. In the more advantageous embodiment shown in Fig. 1 - 4, the gear racks are additionally located on one axis, which ensures the better distribution of forces during the work of the device according to the invention. An axially offset location of the gear racks 5, 10, as it is shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, creates a pair of forces, which may result in deforming co-operating elements, so when using the device according to the invention wherever there may exist additional lateral forces, it is especially justified to use additional guides, for example telescopic guides 25.

In Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, a rotary device according to the invention is shown, such as one shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, enlarged and in another location. The supports 13, 14 and 16 are firmly fastened to the body 1, however in Fig. 5 - 8 these supports are shown without the body 1 in order to increase the clarity of the drawing and to better show the structure of the device.

As it is shown in Fig. 9, the body 1 has an elliptical shape in its cross section. The rotary kinetic energy accumulators 1, 8 connected suitably with the toothed wheels 20 and 23 and supported on the slide bearing sleeves 30 are placed rotatably on the axle 15.