Method and system for controlling helicopter vibrations

• US 8,272,592 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Badre-Alam, Askari, Swanson, Douglas, Cranmer, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stehle, Jamie S
• Application Number:
  US12/640,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20100090054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.11, 244/17.13, 244/17.27, 381/71.1, 416/500, 180/300, 180/312, 248/550
• US Class Current: 244/17.13
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2027/005 using suspended masses
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/001 Vibration damping devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/1011 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A method/system for controlling helicopter vibrations is provided that includes a vibration canceling force generator for actively generating a vibration canceling force. The system includes a resonant actuator having a natural resonant frequency and a resonant actuator electronic control system. The resonant actuator electronic control system provides an electrical drive current to the resonant actuator to drive the resonant actuator about the resonant frequency when commanded by a received command signal. The resonant actuator has a feedback output with the feedback output fed back into the resonant actuator electronic control system wherein the resonant actuator electronic control system adjusts the electrical drive current based on the resonant actuator feedback output to generate the vibration canceling force.

Claims

1. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator for actively generating an aircraft vibration canceling force, said aircraft vibration canceling force generator comprising:

an aircraft resonant actuator, said resonant actuator including an electromagnetically driven sprung mass, said resonant actuator having an aging resonant frequency, and a resonant actuator electronic control system having an input for receiving a signal, said resonant actuator electronic control system providing an electrical drive current to said resonant actuator to drive said resonant actuator about said aging resonant frequency when commanded by a received signal, said resonant actuator having a direct feedback electrical output, said direct feedback electrical output directly fed back into said resonant actuator electronic control system wherein said resonant actuator electronic control system adjusts said electrical drive current based on said resonant actuator direct feedback electrical output to generate said aircraft vibration canceling force.

2. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resonant actuator includes a stack of resilient flexures.

3. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein said stack of resilient flexures is comprised of a beam stack of multiple layers of resilient flexures.

4. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resonant actuator includes a plurality of flexures.

5. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resonant actuator electromagnetically driven sprung mass is supported by a plurality of vertical side resilient flexure posts.

6. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator as claimed in claim 1 including an electrical connector interface for disengagably connecting said resonant actuator to said resonant actuator electronic control system.

7. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resonant actuator direct feedback electrical output is an electrical potential difference through said resonant actuator.

8. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resonant actuator direct feedback electrical output is an electrical charge flow rate through said resonant actuator.

9. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resonant actuator direct feedback electrical output is an electrical charge flow rate through said resonant actuator and an electrical potential difference through said resonant actuator.

10. An aircraft vibration canceling force generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resonant actuator does not include a separate physical actuator motion sensor.

11. A method of making an aircraft vibration canceling force generator, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an aircraft resonant actuator having an aging resonant frequency and an electrical output, said aging resonant frequency changing over time, providing a resonant actuator electronic control system having an input for receiving a signal, said electronic control system providing an electrical drive current to drive said resonant actuator, connecting said resonant actuator with said resonant actuator electronic control system wherein said resonant actuator electronic control system electrical drive current drives said resonant actuator about said aging resonant frequency when commanded by a received signal, with said resonant actuator feeding said electrical output back into said resonant actuator electronic control system wherein said resonant actuator electronic control system adjusts said electrical drive current based on said resonant actuator electrical output.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein providing a resonant actuator includes providing a resonant actuator with an electromagnetically driven sprung mass.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said resonant actuator electromagnetically driven sprung mass is suspended with a plurality of resilient flexures.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said method includes providing an electrical connector interface for disengagably connecting said resonant actuator to said resonant actuator electronic control system.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said resonant actuator electrical output is an electrical potential difference through said resonant actuator.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said resonant actuator electrical output is an electrical charge flow rate through said resonant actuator.

17. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said resonant actuator electrical output is an electrical charge flow rate through said resonant actuator and an electrical potential difference through said resonant actuator.

18. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein providing a resonant actuator includes providing a resonant actuator said resonant actuator that does not include a separate physical actuator motion sensor.

19. A method of controlling aircraft vibrations, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a resonant actuator, said resonant actuator including an electromagnetically driven sprung mass, said resonant actuator having an electrical output, said resonant actuator having a resonant frequency, said resonant frequency changing over time, providing an electronic control system for providing an electrical drive current to drive said resonant actuator, connecting said resonant actuator with said electronic control system, electromagnetically driving said resonant actuator about said resonant frequency with said resonant actuator feeding said electrical output back into said electronic control system and adjusting said electrical drive current based on said resonant actuator electrical output.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said resonant actuator electromagnetically driven sprung mass is suspended with a plurality of resilient flexures.

21. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said method includes providing an electrical connector interface for disengagably connecting said resonant actuator to said electronic control system.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said resonant actuator electrical output is an electrical potential difference through said resonant actuator.

23. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said resonant actuator electrical output is an electrical charge flow rate through said resonant actuator.

24. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said resonant actuator electrical output is an electrical charge flow rate through said resonant actuator and an electrical potential difference through said resonant actuator.

25. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said resonant actuator electrical output is not from a separate physical actuator motion sensor.

26. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said electronic control system includes an amplifier with a current loop, and the method includes controlling said amplifier as a voltage controlled amplifier proximate said resonant frequency and controlling said amplifier as a current controlled amplifier away from said resonant frequency.

27. A helicopter, said helicopter having helicopter vibrations, said helicopter including a helicopter vibration canceling system, said vibration canceling system comprising at least one resonant actuator, said resonant actuator including an electromagnetically driven sprung mass, said resonant actuator having a resonant frequency, said resonant frequency changing over time, and a resonant actuator electronic controller, said resonant actuator electronic controller providing an electrical drive current to said resonant actuator to electromagnetically drive said resonant actuator about said resonant frequency, said resonant actuator having a feedback electrical output, said feedback electrical output fed back into said resonant actuator electronic controller wherein said resonant actuator electronic controller adjusts said electrical drive current based on said resonant actuator feedback electrical output with said helicopter vibration canceling system controlling said helicopter vibrations.

28. A helicopter as claimed in claim 27 wherein said resonant actuator includes a plurality of resilient flexures.

29. A helicopter as claimed in claim 27 including an electrical connector interface for disengagably connecting said resonant actuator to said resonant actuator electronic control system.

30. A helicopter as claimed in claim 27 wherein said resonant actuator feedback electrical output is an electrical potential difference through said resonant actuator.

31. A helicopter as claimed in claim 27 wherein said resonant actuator feedback electrical output is an electrical charge flow rate through said resonant actuator.

32. A helicopter as claimed in claim 27 wherein said resonant actuator feedback electrical output is an electrical charge flow rate through said resonant actuator and an electrical potential difference through said resonant actuator.

33. A helicopter as claimed in claim 27 wherein said resonant actuator does not include a separate physical actuator motion sensor.