Purpose: The demand for the devices structures reliability and machines requires understanding elements operation, in particular elastic elements, under the effect of nonstationary temperature factors. Therefore, it is important to investigate the behaviour of these elements under variable temperature effecting. Design/methodology/approach: In this article, the temperature field and the thermal stresses of the membrane type elastic elements, as well as the thermal deformation of its body part were investigated by the method of numerical analysis. The theoretical results have experimental confirmation. Findings: The article shows possibilities significantly reduce the thermal stress in an elastic element, thereby increase its functional and structural reliability by varying the geometric parameters of the elastic element, the materials selection, and body shape. Research limitations/implications: Numerical modelling of thermal processes requires accurate information about the physico-mechanical properties of materials and heat-exchange coefficient, which in practice may differ from the theoretical ones. Therefore, experimental confirmation of research and decisions is needed. The influence of the "hot" thermal shock was investigated. There is performed interest to investigate the "cold" thermal shock. Practical implications: The obtained results allow creating elastic elements with better functional characteristics for operation in a wide temperature range. They can also be used in the designing of elastic elements not only of membrane type. Originality/value: Performed investigation of thermomechanical processes in the membrane elastic element has revealed important features of its temperature deformations with nonstationary thermal influence. Namely, the nature of thermal deformations can be changed by selecting the geometrical parameters of the element, its material, as well as the conditions of heat-exchange conditions with mating member (body). In this way, it is possible to obtain a controlled deformation and to design the elastic elements with predetermined functional tasks. On the other hand, the design of the membrane element body can create elastic hinges, which allows reducing the thermal stress in the membrane, which significantly increases the reliability of the element operation of this type in conditions of non-stationary temperatures. In general, the conducted investigations allow efficient design of elastic elements for devices, sensors and other precision mechanisms.

No abstract

Physiological rehabilitation is applied in medical practice to restore a person's functional ability after musculoskeletal injuries. Movements in the joints are the main functional indicator of the activity of the organs of support and movement. The paper considers a resistive goniometric sensor in the form of a ball joint. Based on such a sensor, a medical rehabilitation goniometric system is developed. It includes also a data collection device (autonomous data recorder) and a portable modem. That is why the system works autonomously in real-time and transmits data over a distance. This allows the system to be mobile and control joint mobility without the direct involvement of a doctor.