Friction dampers and friction damping methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRichard W. Aston, Trent M. Aston, Daniel L. Mosier, Mara Pearson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A friction damper includes a central axis, a damper housing, a bearing assembly, and a loading assembly. The damper housing includes a bore extending along the central axis. The bearing assembly is situated in the bore and is configured to rotate in a load direction about the central axis relative to the damper housing in response to a torsional load applied to the bearing assembly. The loading assembly is situated in the bore and is configured to apply an axial load to the bearing assembly along the central axis.
Claims20
A friction damper comprising:
- a central axis;
- a damper housing comprising a bore extending along the central axis;
- a bearing assembly situated in the bore and configured to rotate in a load direction about the central axis relative to the damper housing in response to a torsional load applied to the bearing assembly;
- and
- a loading assembly situated in the bore and configured to apply an axial load to the bearing assembly along the central axis.
A system comprising:
- a platform;
- a friction damper comprising:
- a central axis;
- a damper housing coupled to the platform and comprising a bore extending along the central axis;
- a bearing assembly situated in the bore and configured to rotate in a load direction about the central axis relative to the damper housing in response to a torsional load applied to the bearing assembly;
- and
- a loading assembly situated in the bore and configured to apply an axial load to the bearing assembly along the central axis;
- and
- a component comprising a shaft received by the bore and configured to apply the torsional load.
A friction damping method comprising:
- coupling a shaft to a friction damper comprising:
- a central axis;
- a damper housing comprising a bore extending along the central axis and configured to receive the shaft;
- a bearing assembly situated in the bore;
- and
- a loading assembly situated in the bore;
- freely rotating the shaft in free direction about the central axis;
- rotating the shaft in a load direction about the central axis, opposite the free direction;
- applying a torsional load to the bearing assembly in response to rotating the shaft in the load direction;
- applying an axial load to the bearing assembly along the central axis by the loading assembly;
- and
- damping rotation of the shaft about the central axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.