| CPC F16F 15/021 (2013.01) [F16F 7/015 (2013.01); E04H 9/0237 (2020.05); F16F 2224/0208 (2013.01); F16F 2232/08 (2013.01)] | 7 Claims |
|
1. An energy dissipation system for structural members and equipment, the system comprising:
one or more energy dissipation devices adapted to be removably configured with any of the structural members or the equipment, wherein each of the devices comprises:
a hollow cylindrical member adapted to be filled with a plurality of solid balls; and
a longitudinal member comprising a plurality of rods protruding radially from the longitudinal member such that the plurality of rods remain perpendicularly oriented from a longitudinal axis or along a length of the longitudinal member, wherein the longitudinal member is movably disposed within the hollow cylindrical member such that two ends of the longitudinal member extend at least partially outside of the hollow cylindrical member and the plurality of rods remains within the hollow cylindrical member, and
wherein each rod of the plurality of rods comprises a threaded portion adapted to removably attach to one of a plurality of threaded holes of the longitudinal member to cantilever the respective rods relative to the longitudinal member, wherein each threaded hole of the plurality of threaded holes continuously extends through the longitudinal member,
wherein the two ends of the longitudinal member of each device are adapted to be attached to the structural member or equipment, such that an energy impact on the structural member or the equipment causes movement of the longitudinal member along a longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical member, which results in friction between the plurality of solid balls and the plurality of rods, thereby facilitating dissipation of the energy impact,
wherein the hollow cylindrical member, the plurality of solid balls, the longitudinal member, and the plurality of rods are separable from each other, and wherein the energy dissipation device requires zero electrical power to operate.
|