Fluid elastomeric damper assembly including internal pumping mechanism and volume compensator

A method for controlling a rotating blade, the method comprising:

• providing a rotating blade which rotates about a rotation axis, providing a fluid damper with a damper fluid and at least a first working chamber for controlling a motion of said rotating blade,
• providing a volume compensator with a volume compensator channel in fluid communication with said damper fluid, said volume compensator channel including a centrifugal force mass member movable along a volume compensating length of said volume compensating channel, and linking said fluid damper and said volume compensator with said rotating blade wherein a rotation about said rotation axis forces said centrifugal force mass member towards an outboard end of said volume compensating channel and pushes damper fluid from said volume compensator channel towards said at least first working chamber.

A rotating blade damper for a blade rotating about a rotation axis, said blade damper including a fluid damper with a damper fluid for controlling a troublesome blade motion, said fluid damper having an inboard end and an outboard end, said fluid damper inboard end for attachment to a first inboard member and said outboard end for attachment to a second outboard member, said fluid damper containing a damper fluid volume in at least a first working chamber which is worked by a relative motion between said inboard end and said outboard end to control said troublesome motion, said blade damper including a volume compensator channel in fluid communication with said damper fluid, said volume compensator channel including a centrifugal force mass member movable along a volume compensating length of said volume compensating channel, wherein a rotation about said rotation axis forces said centrifugal force mass member towards an outboard end of said volume compensating channel and pushes damper fluid from said volume compensator channel towards said at least first working chamber.

A method of making a damper, said method including:

• providing a damper fluid, providing a housing for containing said damper fluid in at least a first working chamber and at least a second working chamber, providing a volume compensator with a volume compensator channel in fluid communication with said damper fluid, said volume compensator channel including a centrifugal force mass member movable along a volume compensating length having an inboard end and an outboard end, wherein a rotation of said volume compensator with said volume compensating length outboard end outboard of said volume compensating length inboard end forces said centrifugal force mass member towards said outboard end of said volume compensating channel and applies a pressure to said damper fluid.

A method of making a rotating blade machine, said method comprising:

• providing a rotating blade rotor which rotates about an axis of rotation, said rotating blade rotor including a fluid member, said fluid member including a housing containing a working fluid, providing a volume compensator with a volume compensator channel in fluid communication with said working fluid, said volume compensator channel including a centrifugal force mass member movable along a volume compensating length having an inboard end proximate said axis of rotation and an outboard end distal from said axis of rotation, wherein a rotation of said volume compensator with said rotating blade rotor forces said centrifugal force mass member towards said outboard end of said volume compensating channel and applies a pressure to said working fluid.

A method of making a rotary wing aircraft machine, said method comprising:

• providing a rotary wing rotor which rotates about an axis of rotation, said rotary wing rotor including a fluid member, said fluid member including a housing containing a working fluid, providing a volume compensator in fluid communication with said working fluid, said volume compensator including a movable centrifugal force mass member, wherein a rotation of said volume compensator with said rotary wing rotor forces said centrifugal force mass member to apply a pressure to said working fluid.

An apparatus as shown.

An apparatus as described herein.