Compression-Adjustable Automatic Restoration Damper

Seismic Self-Restoring Damper Based on On-Site Primary Elasticity Compression Adjustment and Secondary Elasticity Restorative Force Amplification

This technology is a compression-adjustable self-restoring damper that houses a primary elastic body and a disk within a housing. An adjustment unit regulates the compression rate of the primary elastic body, while a secondary elastic body, held in a compressed state by a locking member, is released upon further movement of the disk to provide additional restorative force.

Existing circular restoring energy dissipation dampers, which connect friction plates using shape-memory steel rods, cannot have their restorative force adjusted once manufactured, making it difficult to precisely set them on-site according to a structure's load, design, and safety factors. Furthermore, the friction force in friction dampers limits restoration speed and hinders complete return to the original position.

This technology allows for the on-site resetting of restorative force by rotating multiple adjustment members screwed into the housing to change the gap between the adjustment plate and the disk. When a large external force causes the disk to further compress the secondary elastic body, the locking member rotates around a hinge, releasing the secondary elastic body so that the restorative forces of both the primary and secondary elastic bodies act together during the recovery phase. Applicable to vibration control devices for buildings, bridges, and plant facilities, it ensures the ability to return to the original position without residual deformation after absorbing seismic loads, tailored to specific on-site conditions.

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Key Features:

• A damper structure comprising a housing with an internal receiving space, a primary elastic body provided within the space, and a disk subjected to the restorative force of the primary elastic body
• An adjustment unit that regulates the compression rate of the primary elastic body using an adjustment plate located on the opposite side of the disk within the receiving space and multiple adjustment members screwed into the housing
• A locking member that blocks the elastic recovery of a secondary elastic body to keep it spaced apart from the disk, and releases this block when the disk further compresses the secondary elastic body
• A locking member structure consisting of a hinge rotatably coupled to the housing, a locking portion and a contact portion extending from the hinge, and a spring member that applies rotational force to the locking member

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for the commercialization of innovative hybrid seismic isolation devices capable of withstanding magnitude 8.5 earthquakes.

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