US 7,448,854 B2 · Helicopter vibration control system and rotary force generator for canceling vibrations

Abstract

Helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system for a rotary wing hub having periodic vibrations while rotating at an operational rotation frequency. The vibration control system includes a housing attachable to the rotary wing hub and rotating with the hub at the operational frequency. The housing is centered about the rotary wing hub axis of rotation and has an electronics housing cavity subsystem and an adjacent rotor housing cavity subsystem. The rotor housing cavity contains a first coaxial ring motor with a first rotor and imbalance mass and a second coaxial ring motor with a second rotor and imbalance mass. The electronics housing cavity contains an electronics control system which receives sensor outputs and electrically controls and drives the first motor and the second motor such that the first imbalance mass and the second imbalance mass are driven at a vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than the operational rotation frequency wherein the helicopter rotary wing hub periodic vibrations are reduced.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system for a helicopter rotary wing hub having a periodic vibration while rotating at a helicopter operational rotation frequency, said helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system comprised of:

an annular ring housing, said annular ring housing attached to said helicopter rotary wing hub and rotating with said helicopter rotary wing hub at said helicopter operational rotation frequency, said annular ring housing having an electronics housing cavity subsystem and an adjacent coaxial rotor housing cavity subsystem,
said rotor housing cavity subsystem containing a first coaxial frameless AC ring motor having a first rotor with a first imbalance mass concentration, a second coaxial frameless AC ring motor having a second rotor with a second imbalance mass concentration,
said electronics housing cavity subsystem containing an electronics control system which controls a speed and a phase of said first coaxial frameless AC ring motor and said second coaxial frameless AC ring motor such that said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration are directly driven at a whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than said helicopter operational rotation frequency wherein said helicopter rotary wing hub periodic vibration is reduced.

A helicopter rotating vibration control system for a helicopter rotary wing hub having a periodic vibration while rotating at a helicopter operational rotation frequency about a rotary wing axis of rotation, said helicopter rotating vibration control system comprised of:

a rotary housing, said housing centered about and encompassing said rotary wing axis of rotation and rotating with said helicopter rotary wing hub at said helicopter operational rotation frequency,
said housing containing a first coaxial ring motor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said first coaxial ring motor having a first rotor with a first imbalance mass concentration, said housing containing a second coaxial ring motor coaxially centered about said rotary wing axis of rotation, said second coaxial ring motor having a second rotor with a second imbalance mass concentration,
said housing containing an electronics control system which controls a speed and a phase of said first coaxial ring motor and said second coaxial ring motor such that said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration are directly driven at a whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than said helicopter operational rotation frequency wherein said helicopter rotary wing hub periodic vibration is reduced.

A method of controlling a periodic vibration of an aircraft with a rotary hub which rotates at an operational rotation frequency,

said method including providing an annular ring housing having an electronics housing cavity subsystem and an coaxial rotor housing cavity subsystem, said rotor cavity subsystem containing a first coaxial frameless ring motor having a first rotor with a first imbalance mass concentration, a second coaxial frameless ring motor having a second rotor with a second imbalance mass concentration, and a lubricant, said electronics housing cavity subsystem containing a electronics control system which controls a speed and a phase of said first coaxial frameless ring motor and said second coaxial brushless frameless ring motor,
securing said annular ring housing to said rotary hub with said annular ring housing rotating at said operational rotation frequency with said rotary hub,
directly driving said first rotor and said second rotor at a whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than said operational rotation frequency while controlling the rotational position of said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration in order to produce a rotating net force vector to inhibit said periodic vibration.

A rotating vibration control system which rotates about a center axis of rotation at an operational rotation frequency, said rotating vibration control system comprised of a first stator having a plurality of electromagnets, said electromagnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation,

a first imbalance rotor having a mass concentration, said first imbalance rotor including a plurality of magnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation, said first imbalance rotor adjacent said first stator,
a second stator having a plurality of electromagnets, said electromagnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation,
a second imbalance rotor having a mass concentration, said second imbalance rotor including a plurality of magnets periodically spaced around said center axis of rotation, said second imbalance rotor adjacent said second stator, said first stator electromagnets directly drive said first imbalance rotor magnets and said first imbalance rotor mass concentration around said center axis of rotation at a vibration controlling rotation frequency creater than said operational rotation frequency, and said second stator electromagnets directly drive said second imbalance rotor magnets and said second imbalance rotor mass concentration around said center axis of rotation at said vibration controlling rotation frequency, said rotating vibration control system includes a lubricated rotor housing cavity subsystem, said lubricated rotor housing cavity subsystem containing said first imbalance rotor, said first stator, said second imbalance rotor, said second stator, and a liquid lubricant, said rotating vibration control system includes an unlubricated electronics housing cavity subsystem for containing a electronics control system, said unlubricated electronics housing cavity subsystem fluidly sealed from said lubricated rotor housing cavity subsystem, said unlubricated electronics housing cavity subsystem containing a electronics control system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Helicopter vibration control system and rotary force generator for canceling vibrations

Life of this patent

Helicopter vibration control system and rotary force generator for canceling vibrations

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36