Variable rotary mass vibration suppression system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020191237-A1
Application number	US-201816500715-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2018
Priority date	Apr 4, 2017
Publication date	Jun 18, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vibration suppression unit for an aircraft comprising a vibration control frame adapted to be mounted to the aircraft and to rotate about a central axis, a first motor configured to rotate the vibration control frame about the central axis, a second motor configured to rotate a first and second center of mass about a first and second axis or rotation, a third motor configured to adjust a variable distance between the first and second centers of mass and the first and second axis of rotation, respectively, and a controller for receiving input signals and outputting command signals to the first, second and third motors.

First claim

1 . A vibration suppression system comprising:
a first vibration control mass having a first center of mass; a first Cg input driver rotationally coupled to said first mass such that said first center of mass rotates about a first Cg axis with selective rotation of said first Cg input driver about a first Cg input drive axis; said first center of mass offset a first Cg radial distance from said first Cg axis; a first mass input driver rotationally coupled to said first mass such that said first Cg axis rotates about a first mass axis with selective rotation of said first mass input driver about a first mass input drive axis; said first Cg axis offset a first mass radial distance from said first mass axis; said first center of mass having a selectively variable first displacement angle defined by the inclusive angle between a line extending between said first Cg axis and said first center of mass and a line extending between said first Cg axis and said first mass axis; said first mass axis offset a first unit radial distance from a unit center axis; a second vibration control mass having a second center of mass; a second Cg input driver rotationally coupled to said second mass such that said second center of mass rotates about a second Cg axis with selective rotation of said second Cg input driver about a second Cg input drive axis; said second center of mass offset a second Cg radial distance from said second Cg axis; a second mass input driver rotationally coupled to said second mass such that said second Cg axis rotates about a second mass axis with selective rotation of said second mass input driver about a second mass input drive axis; said second Cg axis offset a second mass radial distance from said second mass axis; said second center of mass having a selectively variable second displacement angle defined by the inclusive angle between a line extending between said second Cg axis and said second center of mass and a line extending between said second Cg axis and said second mass axis; and said second mass axis offset a second unit radial distance from said unit center axis; wherein said first vibration control mass and said second vibration control mass are controllable to produce a vibration control force vector having a controllable magnitude about said unit center axis.

2 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first vibration control mass and said second vibration control mass are controllable to produce a linear vibration control force vector.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 1 , wherein:
said first Cg axis, said second Cg axis, said first mass axis and said second mass axis are substantially parallel; said first Cg axis rotates about said first mass axis and said second Cg axis rotates about said second mass axis in opposite rotational directions; said first center of mass rotates about said first Cg axis and said second center of mass rotates about said second Cg axis in opposite rotational directions; and said first Cg axis rotates about said first mass axis and said first center of mass rotates about said first Cg axis in opposite rotational directions.

5 . (canceled)

6 . (canceled)

7 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first displacement angle and said second displacement angle are synchronized to be substantially equal.

8 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first Cg input drive axis of said first Cg input driver and said first mass input drive axis of said first mass input driver are coincident with said first mass axis.

9 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 1 , wherein at a first displacement angle of 0 degrees said first center of mass is coincident to said first mass axis.

10 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 1 , comprising:
a mass motor having a mass rotor driven to rotate about a mass rotor axis; a Cg motor having a Cg rotor driven to rotate about a Cg rotor axis; a first motor rotational coupling between said mass rotor and said first mass input driver configured such that said first Cg axis rotates about said first mass axis with rotation of said mass rotor about said mass rotor axis, whereby a speed of rotation of said vibration control mass about said first mass axis is a function of rotation of said mass rotor; a second motor rotational coupling between said Cg rotor and said first Cg input driver configured such that said first center of mass rotates about said first Cg axis with rotation of said Cg rotor about said Cg rotor axis, whereby said first displacement angle is a function of said Cg rotor; and a controller for receiving input signals and outputting command signals to said mass motor and said Cg motor to control said speed of rotation of said first vibration control mass and said first displacement angle of said first vibration control mass.

11 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 10 , wherein said controller controls said first displacement angle of said first vibration control mass such that said first displacement angle varies over an operation cycle, and wherein said first displacement angle varies from 0 degrees to 180 degrees during said operational cycle.

12 . (canceled)

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 10 , wherein said controller selectively controls said mass motor and said Cg motor such that said first Cg axis rotates about said first mass axis at a first mass rotational speed and said second Cg axis rotates about said second mass axis at a second mass rotational speed that is substantially the same as said first mass rotational speed, and said first center of mass rotates about said first Cg axis at a first Cg rotational speed and said second center of mass rotates about said second Cg axis at a second Cg rotational speed that is substantially the same as said first Cg rotational speed.

16 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 10 , wherein:
said first motor rotational coupling between said mass rotor and said first mass input driver comprises a first mass coupling speed ratio and said first motor rotational coupling between said mass rotor and said second mass input driver comprises a second mass coupling speed ratio that is substantially the same as said first mass coupling speed ratio; said second motor rotational coupling between said Cg rotor and said first Cg input driver comprises a first Cg coupling speed ratio and said second motor rotational coupling between said Cg rotor and said second Cg input driver comprises a second Cg coupling speed ratio that is substantially the same as said first Cg coupling speed ratio; and said controller varies said first displacement angle by maintaining a speed differential between said Cg motor and said mass motor at a constant that is a function of a differential between said mass coupling speed ratio and said Cg coupling speed ratio.

17 . (canceled)

18 . (canceled)

19 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 10 , wherein said controller varies an operational magnitude of said vibration control force vector by varying a speed differential between a speed of rotation of said first Cg axis about said first mass axis and a speed of rotation of said first center of mass about said first Cg axis from substantially 2 to 1.

20 . The vibration suppression system set forth in claim 10 , comprising:
a first support

Assignees

• Moog Inc

Inventors

• Kopp John

Classifications

• G05D19/02

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• B06B1/166

  Where the phase-angle of masses mounted on counter-rotating shafts can be varied, e.g. variation of the vibration phase · CPC title

• B64C2027/003

  mounted on rotor hub, e.g. a rotary force generator · CPC title

• F16F15/223 Primary

  Use of systems involving rotary unbalanced masses where the phase-angle of masses mounted on counter-rotating shafts can be varied (generation of mechanical vibrations per se with such systems B06B1/166) · CPC title

• B64C27/001 Primary

  Vibration damping devices · CPC title