# US 2011/0079107 A1 · Active balancing system powered by light > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2011/0079107 A1 - Document ID: US20110079107A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/901,712 - Filed: 2010-10-11 - Published: 2011-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2005-02-09 - Inventors: John F. Justak; Frank M. Caimi; Donna M. Kocak - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20110079107A1 ## CPC - F16F 15/18: using electric, {magnetic or electromagnetic} means ({suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by use of non-rotating magnetic or electromagnetic means F16F15/03;} dynamo-electric devices H02K; {control effected upon generator excitation circuit to reduce harmful effects of overloads or transients H02P9/10}) - G01M 1/22: and converting vibrations due to imbalance into electric variables - G01M 1/36: by adjusting position of masses built-in the body to be tested - Y10T 74/2121: Flywheel, motion smoothing-type - Y10T 74/2127: with electrical or magnetic damping - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An active balancing system for rotating machinery is provided which is light weight, solid state and powered by radiant energy. One or more balance rings coupled to the rotating machinery each have balancing elements which are moved to a selected position by actuators whose operation is controlled according to measured vibration resulting from imbalance of the machinery. The actuators are powered by an electrical energy generating device, such as a photo cell or a photovoltaic element, which is coupled to the machinery and located across an air gap from a source of radiant energy such as an array of light emitting diodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for balancing a machine, comprising: a member coupled to the machine, said member having at least one balancing element; at least one actuator operatively coupled to said at least one balancing element; a device for generating electrical energy coupled to the machine; a light source spaced from said electrical energy generating device across an air gap, said light source being positioned to direct radiant energy to said electrical energy generating device; said at least one actuator being effective to move said at least one balancing element to a selected location powered by electrical energy from said electrical energy generating device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 in which said member includes a first balance ring and a spaced second balance ring, each of said first and second balance rings mounting an actuator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 in which each of said first and second balance rings include a pivot element spaced about 180° from said actuator, a first balancing weight located on one side of a plane extending through said actuator and said pivot element, a second balancing weight located opposite said first balancing weight, a first pair of flexure elements coupled to said first balancing weight and a pair of second flexure elements coupled to said second balancing weight. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 in which said actuator of each of said first and second balance rings is effective to move said first and second balance weights is a clockwise or counterclockwise direction relative to said pivot element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which said device for generating electrical energy is a photo cell. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which said device for generating electrical energy is a photovoltaic element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which said at least one actuator is a piezoelectric actuator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which said member is a single balance ring having a number of circumferentially spaced balancing elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 in which said balance ring mounts a number of discrete actuators each operatively coupled to one of said balancing elements, each of said actuators being effective to move an associated balancing element to a selected location. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 in which said balance ring comprises an outer containment ring, an inner ring coupled to the machine and a number of balancing elements located between said inner and outer rings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10 in which each of said balancing elements is formed with a cavity defining an inner wall connected at opposite ends to spaced side walls, a beam being located in each of said cavities wherein one end of each of said beams is connected to one of said side walls. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10 in which said inner ring is formed with a number of spaced supports each having a first arm connected to a second arm, each of said supports extending within one of said cavities such that said first arm is substantially parallel to one of said side walls of said cavity and said second arm is generally parallel to said inner wall of said cavity, and to said beam, the opposite end of said beam being connected to said first arm of said support. ### Claim 13 Apparatus for balancing a machine having a circumference comprising: a first balance ring coupled to the machine and a second balance ring coupled to the machine, each of said first and second balance rings having at least one balancing element; a first actuator mounted to said first balance ring and a second actuator mounted to said second balance ring which is spaced from said first actuator relative to the circumference of the machine, each of said first and second actuators being effective to move at least one of said balancing elements; a device for generating electrical energy coupled to the machine; a light source spaced from said electrical energy generating device across an air gap, said light source being positioned to direct radiant energy to said electrical energy generating device; said first and second actuators being effective to move said at least one balancing element of respective first and second balance rings to a selected location powered by electrical energy from said electrical energy generating device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 in which each of said first and second balance rings includes a pivot element spaced about 180° from said actuator, a first balancing weight located on one side of a plane extending through said actuator and said pivot element, a second balancing weight located opposite said first balancing weight, a pair of first flexure elements coupled to said first balancing weight and a pair of second flexure elements coupled to said second balancing weight. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 in which said actuator of each of said first and second balance rings is effective to move said first and second balance weights in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction relative to said pivot element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 in which said device for generating electrical energy is a photo cell. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 in which said device for generating electrical energy is a photovoltaic element. ### Claim 18 Apparatus for balancing a machine, comprising: a balance ring coupled to the machine, said balance ring having a number of balancing elements; a number of actuators mounted to said balance ring, each of said actuators being coupled to one of said balancing elements; a device for generating electrical energy coupled to the machine; a light source spaced from said electrical energy generating device across an air gap, said light source being positioned to direct radiant energy to said electrical energy generating device; said actuators being effective to move a respective balancing element to a selected location powered by electrical energy from said electrical energy generating device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 in which said balance ring comprises an outer containment ring, an inner ring coupled to the machine and a number of balancing elements located between said inner and outer rings. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 in which each of said balancing elements is formed with a cavity defining an inner wall connected at opposite ends to spaced side walls, a beam being located in each of said cavities wherein one end of each of said beams is connected to one of said side walls. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20 in which said inner ring is formed with a number of spaced supports each having a first arm connected to a second arm, each of said supports extending within one of said cavities such that said first arm is substantially parallel to one of said side walls of said cavity and said second arm is generally parallel to said inner wall of said cavity, and to said beam, the opposite end of said beam being connected to said first arm of said support. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 in which said device for generating electrical energy is a photo cell. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 in which said device for generating electrical energy is a photovoltaic element.