Dynamical response of a bistable system with clearance

We study the dynamics of an elastic inverted pendulum with an horizontal excitation and imperfect clamping. Complex nonlinear responses of the system appear due to the existence of double potential wells and impacts. The simulation results are analysed by means of phase portraits and Fourier spectra. The results show clearly that increasing the distance between the amplitude limiters can lead to increase in bending amplitude up to the bifurcation point. Beyond this point the large pendulum amplitude response is destabilized. We claim that an inverted pendulum with imperfect clamping of mechanical resonator can be used in frequency broadband energy harvesting.

Phase plane results: the chord reduction ∆Lc versus angular displacement of pendulum for various distance between amplitude limiters. (a) – 10mm, (b) – 12mm, (c) – 14mm, (d) – 16mm

Authors: Grzegorz Litak, Piotr Wolszczak, Krystian Łygas

This paper was published in Meccanica September 2019, Volume 54, Issue 11–12, pp 1689–1702.
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