Multi-directional elastomeric dampened ball joint assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9902496-B2
Application number	US-201615273542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2016
Priority date	Jan 24, 2013
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing a force. An apparatus comprises a multi-directional joint assembly and a damper associated with the multi-directional joint assembly. The multi-directional joint assembly has a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end move relative to each other. The damper is comprised of a number of elastomeric layers and a number of rigid layers interspersed with each other reducing at least one of a force and a moment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for reducing a force, the method comprising: receiving at least one of a number of forces and a number of moments applied to at least one of a first end and a second end of a multi-directional joint assembly, wherein the first end and the second end move relative to each other, and wherein the second end is connected to a rotorcraft; and deforming a number of elastomeric layers in a damper associated with the multi-directional joint assembly, wherein the damper comprises the number of elastomeric layers and a number of rigid layers interspersed with each other;
wherein the first end comprises a ball connected to a first elongate member and a first portion of an enclosure of the multi-directional joint assembly, the method further comprising: holding the ball within an interior of the enclosure; and
wherein the second end comprises a hemispherical socket connected to a second elongate member and extending through a hole in a second portion, the method further comprising: pivotally holding the ball within the hemispherical socket by a frusto-spherical ring directly connected to the hemispherical socket.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
absorbing energy from the at least one of the number of forces and the number of moments through the deformation of the number of elastomeric layers in the damper.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of forces is selected from at least one of a normal force, a torsional force, and a bending force, and wherein the number of moments is selected from one of torsion and a bending moment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the damper is an elastomeric bearing.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of elastomeric layers is comprised of a number of materials selected from at least one of neoprene, a thermoplastic elastomer, synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and chlorosulfonated polyethylene.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of rigid layers is selected from at least one of a metal and a plastic.

7. A method for attaching a beam to a rotorcraft, the method comprising connecting a first end of a multi-directional joint assembly to the beam; connecting a second end of the multi-directional joint assembly to a rotorcraft; pivotally connecting the first end to the second end; and deforming a damper disposed in the multi-directional joint assembly in response to a number of forces and a number of moments applied to at least one of the first end and the second end, wherein the damper is comprised of a number of elastomeric layers and a number of rigid layers interspersed with each other;
wherein the first end comprises a ball distally connected to the beam by a first elongate member and a first portion of an enclosure of the multi-directional joint assembly; and
wherein the second end comprises a hemispherical socket distally connected to the rotorcraft by a second elongate member and extending through a hole in a second portion of the enclosure.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein pivotally connecting the first end to the second end further comprises:
pivotally holding the ball within the hemispherical socket in an interior of the enclosure by a frusto-spherical ring directly connected to the hemispherical socket.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the damper is comprised of the number of elastomeric layers and a number of rigid layers interspersed with each other and disposed between the hemispherical socket and the second portion, and wherein deforming the damper further comprises:
deforming the number of elastomeric layers to absorb energy from at least one of the number of forces and the number of moments applied to at least one of the first end and the second end.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the number of elastomeric layers is comprised of a number of materials selected from the group consisting of neoprene, a thermoplastic elastomer, synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and chlorosulfonated polyethylene.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the number of rigid layers is selected from at least one of a metal and a plastic.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the number of forces is selected from at least one of a normal force, a torsional force, and a bending force, and wherein the number of moments is selected from one of torsion and a bending moment.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the damper is directly connected to the enclosure and the hemispherical socket and is indirectly connected to the ball by the enclosure.

14. A method for maintaining spacing between a plurality of rotorcraft, the method comprising:
connecting a spacing structure to a first rotorcraft via a first multi-directional joint assembly; and
connecting a first end of the spacing structure to a second rotorcraft via a second multi-directional joint assembly;
wherein each of the first multi-directional joint assembly and the second multi-directional joint assembly comprises:
a first end of a multi-directional joint assembly connected to the spacing structure;
a second end of the multi-directional joint assembly connected to an associated rotorcraft; and
a damper disposed within an associated enclosure of the multi-directional joint assembly and between a hemispherical socket of the second end and a second portion of the associated enclosure, wherein the damper is comprised of a number of elastomeric layers and a number of rigid layers interspersed with each other.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
deforming the damper of the first multi-directional joint assembly in response to a number of forces and a number of moments applied to at least one of the first end and the second end of the first multi-directional joint assembly; and
deforming the damper of the second multi-directional joint assembly in response to the number of forces and the number of moments applied to at least one of the first end and the second end of the second multi-directional joint assembly.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first end of the first multi-directional joint assembly and the first end of the second multi-directional joint assembly each comprises a ball distally connected to the spacing structure by a first elongate member and a first portion of the associated enclosure.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second end of the first multi-directional joint assembly and the second end of the second multi-directional joint assembly each comprises the hemispherical socket distally connected to the associated rotorcraft by a second elongate member and extending through a hole in the second portion of the associated enclosure.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
pivotally holding the ball within the hemispherical socket in an interior of the associated enclosure by a frusto-spherical ring directly connected to the hemispherical socket to connect the first end of an associated multi-directional joint assembly to the second end of the associated multi-directional joint assembly.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein each damper is comprised of the number of elastomeric layers and a number of rigid layers interspersed with each other and disposed between the hemispherical socket and the second portion of the associated multi-directional joint assembly, and wherein deforming the damper further comprises:
deforming the number of elastomeric layers to absorb energy from at least one of the number of forces and the number of moments applied to at least one of the first end and the second end.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Bouwer Scott Hendrik

Classifications

• F16C11/0695

  Mounting of ball-joints, e.g. fixing them to a connecting rod · CPC title

• B64C27/22

  Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft · CPC title

• F16C11/083

  by means of parts of rubber or like materials · CPC title

• B64D1/22 Primary

  Taking-up articles from earth's surface · CPC title

• F16F1/406

  characterised by the shape of the elastic elements · CPC title