Method and apparatus for cancellation of rotational unbalance

Abstract

A device (19) for generating a rotating force vector and an oscillatory couple includes a plurality of non-concentric eccentric masses (22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 22E, 22F) co-rotating at the same angular speed; and means (24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, 24E, 24F) for individually controlling the angular position of each of the masses; whereby, by selectively controlling the angular position of each eccentric mass, the device may generate a desired rotating force vector and a desired oscillatory couple. In use, the device performs an improved method for opposing the propagation of vibration from a dynamically unbalanced rotating rotor through a supporting structure (12). This method comprises the steps of: mounting a plurality of non-concentric rotatable eccentric masses on the supporting structure; co-rotating each eccentric mass at the same angular speed as the rotor, and controlling the angular position of each mass relative to the angular position of the rotor; thereby to generate a pattern of rotating inertial forces to oppose the transmission of vibration from the rotor through the supporting structure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.