Helicopter vibration control system and rotary force generator for canceling vibrations

• US 8,313,296 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2011
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Jolly, Mark, Hildebrand, Stephen, Altieri, Russell, Ferguson, Matthew, Ivers, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Kershteyn, Igor
• Application Number:
  US13/108,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20120141273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 416/55, 416/60, 416/61, 416/500, 415/119
• US Class Current: 416/55
• 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 rotary wing aircraft rotating vibration control system for an aircraft rotary wing hub having a periodic vibration while rotating at a rotary wing aircraft operational rotation frequency about a rotary wing axis of rotation, said rotary wing aircraft rotating vibration control system comprised of:

a rotary housing, said housing centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation and rotating with said rotary wing hub at said operational rotation frequency, said housing containing a first means for driving a first imbalance mass concentration, said housing containing a second means for driving a second imbalance mass concentration; and

a drive control means for controlling a driven speed and a phase of said first imbalance mass concentration and a driven speed and a phase of said second imbalance mass concentration wherein said rotary wing hub periodic vibration is reduced.

2. A rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 1 including a health monitoring sensor for monitoring a change in an operational characteristic of said vibration control system.

3. A rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive control means includes a braking means for braking a rotation of said imbalance mass concentrations.

4. A rotating vibration control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive control means opposingly orients said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration at a transitioning rotation speed.

5. A rotary wing aircraft rotating vibration control system for an aircraft rotary wing hub having a periodic vibration while rotating at a rotary wing aircraft operational rotation frequency about a rotary wing axis of rotation, said rotary wing aircraft 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 rotary wing hub at said operational rotation frequency, said housing containing a first rotor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said first rotor having a first imbalance mass concentration, said housing containing a second rotor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said second rotor having a second imbalance mass concentration;

a health monitoring sensor for monitoring a change in an operational characteristic of said vibration control system,

and

an electronics control system which controls a first rotor drive means to drive said first rotor with a first rotor speed and phase and controls a second rotor drive means to drive said second rotor with a second rotor speed and phase to drive

said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration to reduce said rotary wing hub periodic vibration.

6. A rotary wing aircraft rotating vibration control system for an aircraft rotary wing hub having a periodic vibration while rotating at a rotary wing aircraft operational rotation frequency about a rotary wing axis of rotation, said rotary wing aircraft 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 rotary wing hub at said operational rotation frequency, said housing containing a first rotor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said first rotor having a first imbalance mass concentration, said housing containing a second rotor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said second rotor having a second imbalance mass concentration;

and

an electronics control system which controls a first rotor drive means to drive said first rotor with a first rotor speed and phase and controls a second rotor drive means to drive said second rotor with a second rotor speed and phase to drive

said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration to reduce said rotary wing hub periodic vibration, with said electronics control system controlling a means for braking a rotation of said imbalance mass concentrations.

7. A rotary wing aircraft rotating vibration control system for an aircraft rotary wing hub having a periodic vibration while rotating at a rotary wing aircraft operational rotation frequency about a rotary wing axis of rotation, said rotary wing aircraft 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 rotary wing hub at said operational rotation frequency, said housing containing a first rotor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said first rotor having a first imbalance mass concentration, said housing containing a second rotor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said second rotor having a second imbalance mass concentration;

and

an electronics control system which controls a first rotor drive means to drive said first rotor with a first rotor speed and phase and controls a second rotor drive means to drive said second rotor with a second rotor speed and phase to drive

said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration to reduce said rotary wing hub periodic vibration, with said electronics control system opposingly orienting said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration at a transitioning rotation speed.