Elastomeric damper with heater

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9353820-B2
Application number	US-201313861092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2013
Priority date	Apr 11, 2013
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A damper system includes a damper and a heater operably associated with the damper. The method includes heating the damper with heat energy from the heater and then monitoring and regulating the heat energy to the damper with a sensor and control subsystem.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A damper system, comprising:
a damper having:
a first fluid chamber and a second fluid channel fluidly connected to each other via a fluid passage;
a housing; and
a piston disposed within the housing;
wherein the piston is configured to dampen a force exerted on the damper;
wherein the piston forms the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber; and
wherein fluid passages between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber as the piston moves within the housing;

a heater having a plurality of coils operably associated with the damper, the plurality of coils being positioned with in the first chamber; and
a control subsystem operably associated with the heater;
wherein the heater is configured to provide heat energy to a fluid passing between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber; and
wherein the control subsystem is configured to regulate the amount of heat energy to the damper.

2. The damper system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor associated with the control subsystem;
wherein the sensor senses the heat energy to the damper; and
wherein the control subsystem monitors the heat energy via the sensor and regulates the amount of heat energy accordingly.

3. The damper system of claim 1 ,
wherein the fluid passage extends through the piston.

4. A rotor system, comprising:
a yoke;
a rotor blade attached to the yoke;
a damper configured to dampen forces exerted on the yoke via the rotor blade; the damper having:
a first fluid chamber and a second fluid channel fluidly connected to each other via a fluid passage;
a housing; and
a piston disposed with the housing;
wherein the piston is configured to dampen a force exerted on the damper;
wherein the piston forms the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber; and
wherein fluid passages between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber as the piston moves with the housing;

a heater having a plurality of coils operably associated with the damper, the plurality of coils being positioned within the first chamber;
a control subsystem operably associated with the heater and configured to regulate the heat energy to the damper;
wherein the heater is configured to provide heat energy to a fluid passing between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber.

5. The rotor system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a sensor associated with the control subsystem;
wherein the sensor senses the heat energy to the damper; and
wherein the control subsystem monitors the heat energy via the sensor and regulates the amount of heat energy accordingly.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Schofield Emily
• Sottiaux Dan
• Stamps Frank B

Classifications

• F16F9/32 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• F16F15/124

  Elastomeric springs (F16F15/123, {F16F15/127} take precedence) · CPC title

• F16F9/19

  with a single cylinder {and of single-tube type} · CPC title

• F16F2230/00

  Purpose; Design features · CPC title

• B64C27/51 Primary

  Damping of blade movements · CPC title