Rotorcraft vibration isolation systems
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsMichael Smith, Frank Bradley Stamps, Taeoh Lee, David E. Heverly, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotorcraft vibration isolation system includes a plurality of liquid inertia vibration elimination (LIVE) units mounted on a first rotorcraft surface, an accumulator mounted on a second rotorcraft surface at a location that is remote from locations of the plurality of LIVE units, and a fluid passage to connect the accumulator to the plurality of LIVE units in parallel. The fluid passage has sufficient length to traverse between the location of the accumulator and each location of each LIVE unit. During rotorcraft operation, the second rotorcraft surface experiences lesser periodic vibration than the first rotorcraft surface.
Claims20
A rotorcraft vibration isolation system comprising:
- a plurality of liquid inertia vibration elimination (LIVE) units mounted on a first rotorcraft surface;
- an accumulator mounted on a second rotorcraft surface at a location that is remote from locations of the plurality of LIVE units, wherein, during rotorcraft operation, the second rotorcraft surface experiences lesser periodic vibration than the first rotorcraft surface;
- and
- a fluid passage to connect the accumulator to the plurality of LIVE units in parallel, the fluid passage having sufficient length to traverse between the location of the accumulator and each location of each LIVE unit.
A rotorcraft comprising:
- a first rotorcraft surface;
- a second rotorcraft surface which, during rotorcraft operation, experiences lesser periodic vibration than the first rotorcraft surface;
- and
- a rotorcraft vibration isolation system comprising:
- one or more liquid inertia vibration elimination (LIVE) units mounted on the first rotorcraft surface;
- an accumulator mounted on the second rotorcraft surface at a location that is remote from locations of the one or more LIVE units;
- and
- a fluid passage to connect the accumulator to the one or more LIVE units in parallel, the fluid passage having sufficient length to traverse between the location of the accumulator and each location of each LIVE unit.
A method for isolating periodic vibration in a system, the method comprising:
- mounting a plurality of liquid inertia vibration elimination (LIVE) units on a first surface of a system;
- mounting an accumulator on a second surface of the system at a location that is remote from locations of the plurality of LIVE units, wherein, during operation of the system, the second surface experiences lesser periodic vibration than the first surface;
- and
- connecting the accumulator and the plurality of LIVE units in parallel using a fluid passage having sufficient length to traverse between the location of the accumulator and each location of each LIVE unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.