Helicopter vibration control system and rotary force generator for canceling vibrations

• US 7,448,854 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Ferguson, Matthew, Jolly, Mark, Hildebrand, Stephen, Altieri, Russell, Ivers, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Kershteyn; Igor
• Application Number:
  US11/215,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20060083617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 415/119, 416/1, 416/24, 416/98
• US Class Current: 416/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2027/003 mounted on rotor hub, e.g. a rotary force generator
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/001 Vibration damping devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/22 Compensation of inertia forces suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by favourable grouping or relative arrangements of the moving members of the system or systems F16F15/20, counterweights F16F15/28; correcting-weights for balancing rotating bodies F16F15/32
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/265 Arrangement of two or more balancer shafts F16F15/267 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/267 characterised by bearing support of balancer shafts; Lubrication arrangements

Abstract

Helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system for a rotary wing hub having periodic vibrations while rotating at an operational rotation frequency. The vibration control system includes a housing attachable to the rotary wing hub and rotating with the hub at the operational frequency. The housing is centered about the rotary wing hub axis of rotation and has an electronics housing cavity subsystem and an adjacent rotor housing cavity subsystem. The rotor housing cavity contains a first coaxial ring motor with a first rotor and imbalance mass and a second coaxial ring motor with a second rotor and imbalance mass. The electronics housing cavity contains an electronics control system which receives sensor outputs and electrically controls and drives the first motor and the second motor such that the first imbalance mass and the second imbalance mass are driven at a vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than the operational rotation frequency wherein the helicopter rotary wing hub periodic vibrations are reduced.

Claims

1. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system for a helicopter rotary wing hub having a periodic vibration while rotating at a helicopter operational rotation frequency, said helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system comprised of:

an annular ring housing, said annular ring housing attached to said helicopter rotary wing hub and rotating with said helicopter rotary wing hub at said helicopter operational rotation frequency, said annular ring housing having an electronics housing cavity subsystem and an adjacent coaxial rotor housing cavity subsystem,

said rotor housing cavity subsystem containing a first coaxial frameless AC ring motor having a first rotor with a first imbalance mass concentration, a second coaxial frameless AC ring motor having a second rotor with a second imbalance mass concentration,

said electronics housing cavity subsystem containing an electronics control system which controls a speed and a phase of said first coaxial frameless AC ring motor and said second coaxial frameless AC ring motor such that said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration are directly driven at a whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than said helicopter operational rotation frequency wherein said helicopter rotary wing hub periodic vibration is reduced.

2. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotor housing cavity subsystem confines a lubricant.

3. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotor housing cavity subsystem is comprised of a first rotor upper cavity and a second rotor lower cavity.

4. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first coaxial frameless AC ring motor first rotor has a lubricated bearing for supporting said first rotor relative to said housing, said first rotor bearing lubricated by a lubricant, and said second coaxial frameless AC ring motor second rotor has a lubricated bearing for supporting said second rotor relative to said housing, said second rotor bearing lubricated by a lubricant.

5. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first coaxial frameless AC ring motor first rotor has a target and said second coaxial frameless AC ring motor second rotor has a target, and said rotor cavity subsystem contains at least two target sensing read heads that senses said rotor targets.

6. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said rotor housing cavity subsystem includes a circumferential surface that constrains said lubricant.

7. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system as claimed in claim 6, said rotor housing cavity subsystem containing at least one lubricant mover.

8. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system as claimed in claim 6, said first rotor lubricated bearing including an outer race secured to said housing proximate said rotor housing cavity subsystem circumferential surface and an inner race secured to said first rotor.

9. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system as claimed in claim 6, said second rotor lubricated bearing including an outer race secured to said housing proximate said rotor housing cavity subsystem circumferential surface and an inner race secured to said second rotor.

10. A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said lubricant is sealed inside said rotor housing cavity subsystem.

11. A helicopter rotating vibration control system for a helicopter rotary wing hub having a periodic vibration while rotating at a helicopter operational rotation frequency about a rotary wing axis of rotation, said helicopter rotating vibration control system comprised of:

a rotary housing, said housing centered about and encompassing said rotary wing axis of rotation and rotating with said helicopter rotary wing hub at said helicopter operational rotation frequency,

said housing containing a first coaxial ring motor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said first coaxial ring motor having a first rotor with a first imbalance mass concentration, said housing containing a second coaxial ring motor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said second coaxial ring motor having a second rotor with a second imbalance mass concentration,

said housing containing an electronics control system which controls a speed and a phase of said first coaxial ring motor and said second coaxial ring motor such that said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration are directly driven at a whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than said helicopter operational rotation frequency wherein said helicopter rotary wing hub periodic vibration is reduced.

12. A helicopter rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said rotary housing confines a lubricant.

13. A helicopter rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said housing is comprised of a first rotor upper cavity and a second rotor lower cavity.

14. A helicopter rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said first coaxial ring motor first rotor has a lubricated bearing for supporting said first rotor relative to said housing, said first rotor bearing lubricated by a lubricant, and said second coaxial ring motor second rotor has a lubricated bearing for supporting said second rotor relative to said housing, said second rotor bearing lubricated by a lubricant.

15. A helicopter rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said housing includes a circumferential surface that constrains said lubricant.

16. A helicopter rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 15, said first rotor lubricated bearing including an outer race secured to said housing proximate said housing circumferential surface and an inner race secured to said first rotor, said second rotor lubricated bearing including an outer race secured to said housing proximate said housing circumferential surface and an inner race secured to said second rotor.

17. A helicopter rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said housing contains a health monitoring sensor for monitoring a change in an operational characteristic of said vibration control system.

18. A helicopter rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said electronics control system includes an electromagnetic braking circuit for electromagnetically braking a rotation of said rotors.

19. A helicopter rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said electronics control system opposingly orients said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration at a transitioning rotation speed, said transitioning rotation speed less than said whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency.

20. A method of controlling a periodic vibration of an aircraft with a rotary hub which rotates at an operational rotation frequency,

said method including providing an annular ring housing having an electronics housing cavity subsystem and an coaxial rotor housing cavity subsystem, said rotor cavity subsystem containing a first coaxial frameless ring motor having a first rotor with a first imbalance mass concentration, a second coaxial frameless ring motor having a second rotor with a second imbalance mass concentration, and a lubricant, said electronics housing cavity subsystem containing a electronics control system which controls a speed and a phase of said first coaxial frameless ring motor and said second coaxial brushless frameless ring motor,

securing said annular ring housing to said rotary hub with said annular ring housing rotating at said operational rotation frequency with said rotary hub,

directly driving said first rotor and said second rotor at a whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than said operational rotation frequency while controlling the rotational position of said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration in order to produce a rotating net force vector to inhibit said periodic vibration.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said rotor housing cavity subsystem includes a circumferential surface that constrains said lubricant, and said method includes rotating said annular ring housing with said rotary hub at said operational rotation frequency with said lubricant collecting at said circumferential surface.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 including moving said lubricant inward from said circumferential surface.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said first rotor has a lubricated bearing for supporting said first rotor relative to said housing and said second rotor has a lubricated bearing for supporting said second rotor relative to said housing, and said method include moving said lubricated bearings through said lubricant collecting at said circumferential surface.

24. A method as claimed in claim 20 including sealing said lubricant in said rotor cavity subsystem.

25. A method as claimed in claim 20, said method including magnetically coupling said first rotor with said second rotor.

26. A method as claimed in claim 20, said method including isolating said first rotor in a first rotor upper rotor cavity from said second rotor in a second rotor lower rotor cavity.

27. A method as claimed in claim 20, said method including providing a health monitoring sensor and monitoring a change in an operational characteristic sensed by said health monitoring sensor.

28. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said method includes means of electromagnetically braking a rotation of said rotors.

29. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said method includes opposingly orienting said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration at a transitioning rotation speed less than said whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency.

30. A method of making a rotating hub mounted vibration control system for a rotary wing hub having a periodic vibration while rotating at an operational rotation frequency, said method including:

providing a rotary housing having an electronics housing cavity and a rotor housing cavity, said rotor housing cavity containing a first coaxial frameless ring motor having a first rotor with a first imbalance mass concentration, a second coaxial frameless ring motor having a second rotor with a second imbalance mass concentration, said rotor housing cavity including a circumferential surface, said electronics housing cavity containing a electronics control system which controls a speed and a phase of said first coaxial frameless ring motor and said second coaxial brushless frameless ring motor, and sealing a lubricant inside said rotor housing cavity, wherein said lubricant collects along said circumferential surface when said rotary housing rotates at said operational rotation frequency.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein said rotor housing cavity is comprised of a first rotor upper cavity and a second rotor lower cavity, and said method includes isolating said first rotor in said first rotor upper cavity from said second rotor in said second rotor lower cavity.

32. A method as claimed in claim 30, said method including providing a health monitoring sensor for monitoring a change in an operational characteristic and disposing said health monitoring sensor in said rotary housing.

33. A rotating vibration control system which rotates about a center axis of rotation at an operational rotation frequency, said rotating vibration control system comprised of a first stator having a plurality of electromagnets, said electromagnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation,

a first imbalance rotor having a mass concentration, said first imbalance rotor including a plurality of magnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation, said first imbalance rotor adjacent said first stator,

a second stator having a plurality of electromagnets, said electromagnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation,

a second imbalance rotor having a mass concentration, said second imbalance rotor including a plurality of magnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation, said second imbalance rotor adjacent said second stator, said first stator electromagnets directly drive said first imbalance rotor magnets and said first imbalance rotor mass concentration around said center axis of rotation at a vibration controlling rotation frequency creater than said operational rotation frequency, and said second stator electromagnets directly drive said second imbalance rotor magnets and said second imbalance rotor mass concentration around said center axis of rotation at said vibration controlling rotation frequency, said rotating vibration control system includes a lubricated rotor housing cavity subsystem, said lubricated rotor housing cavity subsystem containing said first imbalance rotor, said first stator, said second imbalance rotor, said second stator, and a liquid lubricant, said rotating vibration control system includes an unlubricated electronics housing cavity subsystem for containing a electronics control system, said unlubricated electronics housing cavity subsystem fluidly sealed from said lubricated rotor housing cavity subsystem, said unlubricated electronics housing cavity subsystem containing a electronics control system.

34. A rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 33 wherein said electronics control system is comprised of a first stator first amplifier and a first stator second amplifier, and said first stator plurality of electromagnets includes a first set of electromagnet windings and a second set of electromagnet windings with said first stator first amplifier driving said first set of electromagnet windings and said first stator second amplifier driving said second set of electromagnet windings.

35. A rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 33 wherein said electronics control system is comprised of a second stator first amplifier and a second stator second amplifier, and said second stator plurality of electromagnets includes a first set of electromagnet windings and a second set of electromagnet windings with said second stator first amplifier driving said first set of electromagnet windings and said second stator second amplifier driving said second set of electromagnet windings.

36. A rotating vibration control system which rotates about a center axis of rotation at an operational rotation frequency, said rotating vibration control system comprised of a first stator having a plurality of electromagnets, said electromagnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation,

a first imbalance rotor having a mass concentration, said first imbalance rotor including a plurality of magnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation, said first imbalance rotor adjacent said first stator,

a second stator having a plurality of electromagnets, said electromagnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation,

a second imbalance rotor having a mass concentration, said second imbalance rotor including a plurality of magnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation, said second imbalance rotor adjacent said second stator,

wherein said first stator electromagnets directly drive said first imbalance rotor magnets and said first imbalance rotor mass concentration around said center axis of rotation at a vibration controlling rotation frequency greater than said operational rotation frequency, and said second stator electromagnets directly drive said second imbalance rotor magnets and said second imbalance rotor mass concentration around said center axis of rotation at said vibration controlling rotation frequency, and including a rotary housing, said housing centered about and encompassing said center axis of rotation and rotating at said operational rotation frequency, said housing containing a electronics control system which controls a speed and a phase of said first rotor and said second rotor.