Higher harmonic control augmented with active vibration control
AssigneeSikorsky Aircraft Corporation
InventorsWilliam A. Welsh, Vineet Sahasrabudhe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotary wing aircraft includes a rotor system rotatable about an axis relative to an airframe. A plurality of blade assemblies is mounted to the rotor system. A higher harmonic control system is operable to generate a harmonic load at the rotor system according to a higher harmonic control signal. An active vibration control system is operable to generate vibration forces about the aircraft according to an active vibration control signal. A controller is operable to issue the higher harmonic control signal and the active vibration control signal to coordinate the higher harmonic control system and the active vibration control system to reduce vibration within the airframe.
Claims14
A rotary wing aircraft comprising:
- a rotor system rotatable about an axis relative to an airframe;
- a plurality of blade assemblies mounted to the rotor system;
- a higher harmonic control system including at least one computer operably coupled to at least one actuator, the at least one computer being operable to adjust a position of the at least one actuator to implement a higher harmonic blade pitch at the rotor system according to a higher harmonic control signal;
- an active vibration control system including at least one active vibration control actuator mounted to the airframe, the active vibration control system being operable to generate vibration forces about the airframe of the aircraft according to an active vibration control signal;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the at least one active vibration control actuator and to the at least one computer, the controller being operable to selectively communicate the higher harmonic control signal to the at least one computer and communicate the active vibration control signal to the at least one active vibration control actuator to coordinate operation of the higher harmonic control system and the active vibration control system to reduce vibration within the airframe.
A rotary wing aircraft comprising:
- a rotor system rotatable about an axis relative to an airframe;
- a plurality of blade assemblies mounted to the rotor system;
- an actuator system including a plurality of individually controllable actuators movably coupled to the plurality of blade assemblies in an X-Y-Z axis, the plurality of individually controllable actuators being operable to adjust a pitch of the plurality of blade assemblies to implement higher harmonic blade pitch to the rotor system;
- at least one force generator mounted about the aircraft;
- a sensor system within the airframe which senses vibration;
- a controller arranged in communication with the sensor system, wherein the controller identifies a commanded position of each of the plurality of individual controllable actuators and a commanded position of the at least one force generator in response to the sensed vibration from the sensor system such that the actuator system and the at least one force generator in combination reduce vibration within the airframe.
A method of reducing vibration in a rotary wing aircraft airframe having a rotor system rotatable about an axis of rotation comprising:
- sensing vibrations of the airframe;
- determining a higher harmonic control signal and an active vibration control signal to reduce vibration of the aircraft in response to the sensed vibrations;
- individually controlling at least one actuator, via a computer, to adjust a position of the rotor system in an X-Y-Z axis to implement a higher harmonic blade pitch to the rotor system in response to the higher harmonic control signal;
- and
- controlling at least one force generator mounted about the airframe in response to the active vibration control signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.