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.
Claims15
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 operable to generate harmonic load at the rotor system according to a higher harmonic control signal;
- an active vibration control system operable to generate vibration forces about the aircraft according to an active vibration control signal;
- and
- a controller operable to selectively issue the higher harmonic control signal and active vibration control signal to coordinate 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;
- 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 generates commands for the actuator system and 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 to 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;
- individually controlling at least one actuator to adjust a position of the rotor system in an X-Y-Z axis to reduce vibration within the airframe of the aircraft according to the sensed vibration;
- and
- controlling at least one force generator mounted about the airframe to further reduce vibration within the airframe of the aircraft according to the sensed vibration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.