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US 10,648,529 B2Granted
Hydraulic vibration control
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorDavid E. Heverly, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, a centrifugal force generating device comprises a first hydraulic rotor, a second hydraulic rotor, and one or more hydraulic control valves. The first hydraulic rotor comprises a first mass and is configured to rotationally drive the first mass around a first axis of rotation using a first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor. The second hydraulic rotor comprises a second mass and is configured to rotationally drive the second mass around a second axis of rotation using a second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor. The one or more hydraulic control valves are configured to control the first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor and the second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor.
Claims20
A centrifugal force generating device, comprising:
- a first hydraulic rotor comprising a first mass, wherein the first hydraulic rotor is configured to rotationally drive the first mass around a first axis of rotation using a first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor;
- a second hydraulic rotor comprising a second mass, wherein the second hydraulic rotor is configured to rotationally drive the second mass around a second axis of rotation using a second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor;
- and
- one or more hydraulic control valves configured to control the first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor and further configured to control the second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor;
- wherein the first hydraulic rotor further comprises:
- a first motor gear configured to rotate around a first shaft when driven by the first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor;
- and
- a first rotor gear configured to be rotationally driven by the first motor gear, wherein the first mass is coupled to the first rotor gear and is configured to rotate with the first rotor gear.
5 more elements
A vibration control system, comprising:
- one or more centrifugal force generators, wherein each centrifugal force generator comprises:
- a first hydraulic rotor comprising a first mass, wherein the first hydraulic rotor is configured to rotationally drive the first mass around a first axis of rotation using a first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor;
- a second hydraulic rotor comprising a second mass, wherein the second hydraulic rotor is configured to rotationally drive the second mass around a second axis of rotation using a second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor;
- and
- one or more hydraulic control valves configured to control the first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor and further configured to control the second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor;
- and
- a vibration controller configured to:
- identify one or more vibrations;
- determine one or more parameters of a vibration cancelling force for reducing the one or more vibrations;
- and
- configure the one or more centrifugal force generators to produce the vibration cancelling force;
- wherein the first hydraulic rotor further comprises:
- a first motor gear configured to rotate around a first shaft when driven by the first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor;
- and
- a first rotor gear configured to be rotationally driven by the first motor gear, wherein the first mass is coupled to the first rotor gear and is configured to rotate with the first rotor gear;
- and
- wherein the second hydraulic rotor further comprises:
- a second motor gear configured to rotate around a second shaft when driven by the second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor;
- and
- a second rotor gear configured to be rotationally driven by the second motor gear, wherein the second mass is coupled to the second rotor gear and is configured to rotate with the second rotor gear.
17 more elements
An aircraft, comprising:
- a fuselage;
- one or more centrifugal force generators, wherein each centrifugal force generator comprises:
- a first hydraulic rotor comprising a first mass, wherein the first hydraulic rotor is configured to rotationally drive the first mass around a first axis of rotation using a first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor;
- a second hydraulic rotor comprising a second mass, wherein the second hydraulic rotor is configured to rotationally drive the second mass around a second axis of rotation using a second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor;
- and
- one or more hydraulic control valves configured to control the first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor and further configured to control the second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor;
- one or more vibration sensors configured to measure aircraft vibrations;
- and
- a vibration controller configured to:
- identify the aircraft vibrations measured by the one or more vibration sensors;
- determine one or more parameters of a vibration cancelling force for reducing the aircraft vibrations;
- and
- configure the one or more centrifugal force generators to produce the vibration cancelling force;
- wherein the first hydraulic rotor further comprises:
- a first motor gear configured to rotate around a first shaft when driven by the first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor;
- and
- a first rotor gear configured to be rotationally driven by the first motor gear, wherein the first mass is coupled to the first rotor gear and is configured to rotate with the first rotor gear;
- and
- wherein the second hydraulic rotor further comprises:
- a second motor gear configured to rotate around a second shaft when driven by the second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor;
- and
- a second rotor gear configured to be rotationally driven by the second motor gear, wherein the second mass is coupled to the second rotor gear and is configured to rotate with the second rotor gear.
19 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.