Annular oil damper arrangement

• US 4,669,893 A
• Filed: 02/18/1986
• Issued: 06/02/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Hurchalla, James, Chalaire, Donald K., Hoyt, Halfen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US06/830,777
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 384/99, 384/215, 384/322, 384/445, 384/456, 384/462, 384/535, 384/581, 74/574
• US Class Current: 384/99
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/06 with a single row or balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/23 Gas turbine engines in general F02C
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 27/045 with a fluid film, e.g. squeeze film damping
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/0237 involving squeeze-film damping

Abstract

A fluid damper for controlling transverse orbital movement (14) of a non-rotating cylindrical body (12) is provided with a sealed, fluid filled reservoir (30) in fluid communication with a vent opening (24) disposed in a surrounding support member (10). A sized orifice (34) controls the volumetric flow rate of the damping fluid, maintaining an elevated average static fluid pressure in the annular volume (16) and resisting surge flow into the reservoir (30) through the vent (24) during the periodic occurrence of high fluid pressure in the annular volume (16) adjacent the vent opening (24).

Claims

1. An annular oil damper for controlling transverse orbital movement of a non-rotating cylindrical member within a surrounding support member, comprising:

means for supplying a flow of damping fluid into a fluid-tight annular volume defined between the interior surface of the support member and the exterior surface of the cylindrical member;

means for venting the damping fluid from the annular volume;

an enclosed reservoir, defining an internal volume of fixed magnitude and in fluid communication with the venting means, for receiving and holding an equivalent solid volume of damping fluid therein; and

an orifice, disposed in the reservoir for conducting the damping fluid therefrom, the orifice defining a fixed flow area.

2. The damper as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

first and second means, disposed between the cylindrical body and the support member for sealing axially spaced apart first and second ends of the annular volume against leakage of damping fluid therefrom.

3. The damper as recited in claim 2, wherein the damping fluid supply means comprises a conduit, passing through the support member and opening into the annular volume, and

a fluid pump for providing a flow of pressurized damping fluid in the conduit.

4. The damper as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

a check valve, disposed in the supply conduit proximate the annular volume, for preventing any reverse flow of damping fluid from the annular volume into the supply conduit.

5. The damper as recited in claim 2, wherein

the first and second sealing means comprise first and second elastomeric O-rings.

6. The damper as recited in claim 1, wherein

the venting means defines a fluid flow path of sufficient cross section to provide substantially unrestricted flow between the reservoir and the annular volume.

7. The damper as recited in claim 1, wherein

the damping fluid supply means comprises a conduit, passing through the support member and opening into the annular volume, and

a fluid pump for providing a flow of pressurized damping fluid in the conduit.

8. The damper as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

a check valve, disposed in the supply conduit proximate the annular volume, for preventing any reverse flow of damping fluid from the annular volume into the supply conduit.

9. In an annular fluid damper for suppressing orbital movement of a non-rotating cylindrical body within a surrounding support member, the damper receiving a flow of damping fluid into a sealed annular volume formed between the cylindrical body and the support member via a supply conduit, and exhausting the flowing fluid from the annular volume through a vent opening in the support member, the improvement comprising:

means, in fluid communication with the vent opening, for opposing the cyclical surge of damping fluid from the annular volume induced by the orbiting zone of relatively high pressure and for preventing the entry of gas into the annular volume through the vent opening as a result of the subsequent orbiting zone of low pressure.

10. The improved damper as recited in claim 9, wherein

the opposing and preventing means includes

a closed reservoir having an internal volume for receiving the vented fluid and being completely filled thereby;

and

a sized, fixed orifice, disposed in fluid communication with the reservoir, for regulating the volumetric flow of damping fluid at a rate relatively independent of the pressure in the reservoir.

11. The improved damper as recited in claim 10, wherein the improvement further comprises

a check valve disposed in the supply conduit for preventing any reverse flow of damping fluid therein.

12. The improved damper as recited in claim 9, wherein the improvement further comprises

a check valve disposed in the supply conduit for preventing any reverse flow of damping fluid therein.

13. A method for controlling repeating, high frequency orbital motion of a non-rotating cylindrical body within a surrounding housing, comprising the steps of:

supplying a unidirectional, pressurized flow of damping fluid to the annular volume formed between the cylindrical body and the support housing;

venting the damping fluid from the annular volume into a fluid filled closed reservoir;

controlling the rate of damping fluid exiting the reservoir to a pre-selected, relatively pressure-independent flow rate,

collecting the damping fluid from the reservoir for recycling to the annular volume by the fluid supplying step.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the step of controlling the flow rate of damping fluid exiting the reservoir includes the step of

providing a fixed exit orifice in the reservoir.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the step of supplying a unidirectional, pressurized damping fluid includes the step of

providing a check valve in the flow of damping fluid supplied to the annular volume.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the step of supplying a unidirectional, pressurized damping fluid includes the step of

providing a check valve in the flow of damping fluid supplied to the annular volume.