US 7,726,452 B2Granted

Systems and methods for active vibration damping

AssigneeTechnical Manufacturing Corporation

InventorEmil Kraner

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Abstract

An active vibration damping system having a supporting spring for addressing a static force from a payload, and an independent actively isolated damper positioned in parallel between a payload and a source of vibration for damping dynamic force from the payload to an actively isolated point. The actively isolated damper includes a small intermediate mass, distinct and decoupled from the payload mass, and a passive isolator element for dynamic coupling of the isolated platform to the small intermediate mass. The small intermediate mass provides a point to which dynamic forces from the payload may be dampened. The active damper also includes at least one actuator coupled at one surface to the small intermediate mass and coupled at a second surface to the vibrating base platform. A motion sensor may also be provided on the small intermediate mass so as to generate a feedback signal as a function of the movement of the small intermediate mass. The motion sensor together with a compensation/amplifier module and the actuator act as part of a feedback compensation loop for minimizing vibration.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A system for damping vibration from a supported payload, the system comprising:

a supporting spring extending at one end from an isolated platform on which the payload is supported to an opposing end attached to a base platform opposite the isolated platform for supporting static forces from the payload;
an active damper extending between the isolated platform and the base platform in parallel to and spaced relation from the supporting spring for damping dynamic forces from the payload, the active damper including:
an actuator having first and second opposing ends and being variable in length between the first and second ends, the second end being coupled to the base platform, the actuator being statically decoupled from the payload, so as to avoid transference of static forces from the payload to the actuator;
an intermediate mass having a body portion and in axial alignment atop the first end of the actuator, the intermediate mass providing a stability point to which dynamic forces can be isolated from the payload and can be dampened;
and
a passive damper having a piston coupled to the isolated platform at one end and extending toward the intermediate mass at an opposite end to the stability point;
and
a motion sensor coupled to the intermediate mass of the active damper to generate a signal which is a function of movement of the intermediate mass to provide feedback to the actuator, so as to permit the actuator to generate the stability point on the intermediate mass.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.