Annular oil damper arrangement
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsDonald K. Chalaire, Halfen L. Hoyt, James Hurchalla
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid damper for controlling transverse orbital movement (14) of a non-rotating cylindrical body (12) is provided with a sealed, fluid filled reservoir (30) in fluid communication with a vent opening (24) disposed in a surrounding support member (10). A sized orifice (34) controls the volumetric flow rate of the damping fluid, maintaining an elevated average static fluid pressure in the annular volume (16) and resisting surge flow into the reservoir (30) through the vent (24) during the periodic occurrence of high fluid pressure in the annular volume (16) adjacent the vent opening (24).
Claims16
An annular oil damper for controlling transverse orbital movement of a non-rotating cylindrical member within a surrounding support member, comprising:
- means for supplying a flow of damping fluid into a fluid-tight annular volume defined between the interior surface of the support member and the exterior surface of the cylindrical member;
- means for venting the damping fluid from the annular volume;
- an enclosed reservoir, defining an internal volume of fixed magnitude and in fluid communication with the venting means, for receiving and holding an equivalent solid volume of damping fluid therein;
- and
- an orifice, disposed in the reservoir for conducting the damping fluid therefrom, the orifice defining a fixed flow area.
In an annular fluid damper for suppressing orbital movement of a non-rotating cylindrical body within a surrounding support member, the damper receiving a flow of damping fluid into a sealed annular volume formed between the cylindrical body and the support member via a supply conduit, and exhausting the flowing fluid from the annular volume through a vent opening in the support member, the improvement comprising:
- means, in fluid communication with the vent opening, for opposing the cyclical surge of damping fluid from the annular volume induced by the orbiting zone of relatively high pressure and for preventing the entry of gas into the annular volume through the vent opening as a result of the subsequent orbiting zone of low pressure.
A method for controlling repeating, high frequency orbital motion of a non-rotating cylindrical body within a surrounding housing, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a unidirectional, pressurized flow of damping fluid to the annular volume formed between the cylindrical body and the support housing;
- venting the damping fluid from the annular volume into a fluid filled closed reservoir;
- controlling the rate of damping fluid exiting the reservoir to a pre-selected, relatively pressure-independent flow rate,
- collecting the damping fluid from the reservoir for recycling to the annular volume by the fluid supplying step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.