Relating to electromechanical actuators
First Claim
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1. A vibration damping apparatus comprising:
- a cuboidal support frame; and
an actuator includinga proof-mass coupled to the cuboidal support frame for movement in six degrees of freedom, wherein at least one of the six degrees of freedom is a translational degree of freedom;
six permanent magnet pole pairs attached to a surface of the proof-mass or to a surface of the cuboidal support frame; and
six coils each positioned opposite a corresponding one of the six permanent magnet pole pairs, each coil being associated with one of the magnet pole pairs such that a current flowing through the respective coil in the presence of a magnetic field of the respective pole pair induces a force that acts on the proof-mass.
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Abstract
The present invention concerns electromechanical actuators. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns actuators operable in multiple degrees of freedom.
There is provided an actuator comprising a proof-mass and at least two coils arranged such that current flowing through the coil produces a force that acts on the proof-mass, the proof-mass being mounted for movement in at least two degrees of freedom, wherein one of the at least two degrees of freedom is a translational degree of freedom.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vibration damping apparatus comprising:
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a cuboidal support frame; and an actuator including a proof-mass coupled to the cuboidal support frame for movement in six degrees of freedom, wherein at least one of the six degrees of freedom is a translational degree of freedom; six permanent magnet pole pairs attached to a surface of the proof-mass or to a surface of the cuboidal support frame; and six coils each positioned opposite a corresponding one of the six permanent magnet pole pairs, each coil being associated with one of the magnet pole pairs such that a current flowing through the respective coil in the presence of a magnetic field of the respective pole pair induces a force that acts on the proof-mass. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of damping vibration in a structure, using a cuboidal support frame and an actuator including a proof-mass coupled to the cuboidal support frame for movement in six degrees of freedom, wherein at least one of the six degrees of freedom is a translational degree of freedom, six permanent magnet pole pairs attached to a surface of the proof-mass or to a surface of the cuboidal support frame, and six coils each positioned opposite a corresponding one of the six permanent magnet pole pairs, each coil being associated with a magnet such that current flowing through the coil in the presence of the magnetic field of the pole pair induces a force that acts on the proof-mass, the proof-mass being mounted for movement in six degrees of freedom, the method comprising:
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causing a current to flow through at least two of the coils to produce translation of the proof-mass in a first degree of freedom; and causing a current to flow through at least one of the coils to produce movement of the proof-mass in a second degree of freedom.
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17. A generator comprising:
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a cuboidal support frame; and a generator unit including a proof-mass coupled to the cuboidal support frame for movement in six degrees of freedom, wherein at least one of the six degrees of freedom is a translational degree of freedom; six permanent magnet pole pairs attached to a surface of the proof-mass or to a surface of the cuboidal support frame; and six coils each positioned opposite a corresponding one of the six permanent magnet pole pairs, each coil being associated with a magnet such that movement of the proof-mass induces a current to flow through the respective coil. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification