Hub-mounted active vibration control (HAVC) devices, systems, and methods

• Main Authors: Black, Paul R, Winzenz, Wayne L, Jolly, Mark R, Swanson, Doug A, Altieri, Russell E, Brannan, Warren F
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.08.2018
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; BLASTING; COSMONAUTICS; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; HELICOPTERS; LIGHTING; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; SPRINGS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

Hub-mounted active vibration control (HAVC) devices, systems, and related methods are provided. An HAVC device (100) includes a housing (206) having a tolerance ring (600) attached to a rotary hub (702). The tolerance ring can accommodate dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion between dissimilar metals. The HAVC device can also include a plurality of coaxial ring motors (308A, 308B, 310A, 310B) configured to rotate a plurality of imbalance masses for controlling vibration. An HAVC system can further include a de-icing distributor (208) for communicating instructions to one or more heating sources (HS) provided at one or more rotary blades (802) of a vehicle or aircraft. A method of controlling vibratory loads occurring at a moving platform can include providing a moving platform, mounting a vibration control device to a portion of the moving platform, and rotating at least one pair of imbalance masses such that the combined forces of the masses substantially cancel unwanted vibration of the platform.