Translational inerter assembly and method for damping movement of a flight control surface

An aircraft, comprising:

• a flight control surface pivotably coupled to a support structure;
• one or more actuators configured to actuate the flight control surface;
• and
• at least one translational inerter assembly for damping movement of the flight control surface, the at least one translational inerter assembly attached to a first end of the flight control surface and comprising:
• a press fit element fixedly disposed within the first end of the flight control surface and rotatably movable with the flight control surface;
• an inertia element coupled to and installed in the press fit element, the inertia element having a plurality of exterior helical splines corresponding to a plurality of interior helical splines of the press fit element;
• and
• a torsion bar having a torsion bar first end coupled to and installed in the inertia element, and having a torsion bar second end fixedly attached to the support structure of the aircraft, the torsion bar further having a plurality of exterior linear splines corresponding to a plurality of interior linear splines of the inertia element,
• wherein rotation of the flight control surface causes translational movement of the inertia element, via the press fit element, along a hinge axis of the flight control surface and along the torsion bar, resulting in the at least one translational inerter assembly damping movement of the flight control surface.

A method for damping movement of a flight control surface of an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:

• installing at least one translational inerter assembly at a first end of the flight control surface, the at least one translational inerter assembly comprising:
• a press fit element fixedly disposed within the first end of the flight control surface and rotatably movable with the flight control surface;
• an inertia element coupled to and installed in the press fit element, the inertia element having a plurality of exterior helical splines corresponding to a plurality of interior helical splines of the press fit element;
• and
• a torsion bar having a torsion bar first end coupled to and installed in the inertia element, and having a torsion bar second end fixedly attached to a support structure of the aircraft, the torsion bar further having a plurality of exterior linear splines corresponding to a plurality of interior linear splines of the inertia element;
• rotating the flight control surface using one or more actuators;
• using the at least one translational inerter assembly to axially accelerate in a translational movement along a hinge axis of the flight control surface, the inertia element relative to the torsion bar, simultaneous with, and in proportion to, rotation of the flight control surface;
• and
• damping movement of the flight control surface, using the at least one translational inerter assembly.