Abstract:
This invention relates to an undersea riser bearing designed to operate at higher temperatures over an extended timeframe while maintaining performance advantages of high capacity laminate (HCL) elastomeric composite bearings.
Abstract:
Improvements to slip rings and methods for the operation thereof include an improved slip ring assembly that has a stationary element, a rotating element rotatable with respect to the stationary element, a bearing assembly coupled between the stationary element and the rotating element, and one or more contact brushes on one of the stationary element or the rotating element. In some embodiments, the bearing assembly includes a primary bearing, a secondary bearing, a shear pin coupling the secondary bearing to the primary bearing, and an electrical monitoring circuit in communication with the shear pin. In some embodiments, the one or more contact brushes includes one or more metal fiber brushes constructed of a plurality of metal fibers that are configured to transmit one or more of electrical power or data between the stationary element and the rotating element.
Abstract:
A protective system is provided including a material comprising a first and second surface opposite one another and a thickness, and where the first surface has a low-electrical resistance and the second surface has a high-electrical resistance that is higher than the electrical resistance of the low-electrical resistance surface, and the material conducts charge from the first surface to the second surface through the thickness. This can be provided in a bilayer structure where a first protective layer having a low-resistivity is disposed upon a second protective layer having a high-resistivity. This protective system is particularly useful for dissipating electrical charge, for example as a lightning strike protection system for composite aircraft.
Abstract:
A magneto-rheological fluid damper includes a damper body having a reservoir (108) for a magneto-rheological fluid, a piston rod (114), a piston rod guide (106) disposed within the damper body, where the piston rod guide has a passage (112) therein for receiving the piston rod. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes at least a first piston rod seal and at least a second piston rod seal (124, 128) arranged to seal between the piston rod guide and the piston rod. The magneto- rheological fluid damper further includes a fluid chamber (134) defined between the piston rod guide and the piston rod, the fluid chamber being in communication with the reservoir. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes a piston rod guide filter (120) arranged in a communication path between the fluid chamber and the reservoir to filter particulates out of the magneto-rheological fluid entering the fluid chamber. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes an accumulator (144) arranged between the piston rod guide and the damper body.
Abstract:
An aircraft with at least one rotating machine creating troublesome vibrations, the aircraft comprised of an aerostructure, the aircraft including: a power source, the power source outputting a plurality of electromagnetic force generator power outputs, the aerostructure including a plurality of distributed actiye vibration control system sites, at least a first distributed active vibration electromagnetic force generator, the first distributed active vibration electromagnetic force generator including a first distributed electronic control system and a first electromagnetically driven mass, the first distributed active vibration electromagnetic force generator fixed to the aerostructure at a first distributed active vibration control system site, at least a second distributed active vibration electromagnetic force generator, the second distributed active vibration electromagnetic force generator including a second distributed electronic control system and a second electromagnetically driven mass, the second distributed active vibration electromagnetic force generator fixed to the aerostructure at a second distributed active vibration control system site, a plurality of electrical power distribution lines, the electrical power distribution lines connecting the electromagnetic force generators with the power source with the electromagnetic force generator power outputs outputted to the electromagnetic force generators, a distributed force generator data communications network, the distributed force generator data communications system network linking together the at least first and second distributed electronic control systems wherein the distributed electronic control systems communicate force generator vibration control data through the distributed force generator data communications network independently of the electrical power distribution lines to minimize the troublesome vibrations.
Abstract:
A damper for a structural tower having a space frame construction for high elevation and heavy load applications is disclosed, with particular application directed to wind turbines. The structural tower includes one or more dampers for damping resonant vibrations or vibrations generated by non-periodic wind gusts or sustained high wind speeds. The wind tower damper includes a fluid damper comprising a housing, elastomeric chamber, piston and damping fluid, wherein relative motion between the first and second structural members drive the fluid moving piston to pump the fluid and thereby dissipate unwanted motion in the tower.
Abstract:
An adhesive composition comprising as principal components, a polymerizable component, an ambient temperature radical polymerization catalyst system and a photoinitiator. The adhesive may optionally comprise an adhesion promoter, a toughener, an epoxy, and a filler material. Further, a two- part reactive adhesive comprising, a first part comprising, (i) at least one free radical-polymehzable monomer, (ii) at least one reducing agent, and (iii) a photoinitiator, and a second part comprising an oxidizing agent that is reactive at ambient temperature with the reducing agent to produce free radicals that are capable of initiating and propagating free radical polymerization.
Abstract:
The invention provides a rotary damper (20) for controlling helicopter motions. The rotary damper includes an outer canister (22) with an inner paddle wheel receiving cavity (26) which receives an inner paddle wheel (60) with upper and lower elastomeric tubular intermediate members (78,80) between the inner paddle wheel and the outer canister. The canister and inner paddle wheel form neighboring variable volume chambers (82,84) in liquid communication through liquid damping conduits. A clockwise rotation of the inner paddle wheel about the center of rotation axis (28) relative to the outer canister pumps damper liquid from a second variable volume chamber through a first liquid conduit towards a first variable volume chamber, and a counterclockwise rotation of the paddle wheel relative to the outer canister pumps the damper liquid from the first variable volume chamber through the first liquid conduit towards the second variable volume chamber with the elastomeric tubular intermediate members providing for the relative rotation and containing the damper liquid in the damper.
Abstract:
A multi-rate torsional coupling (20) features parallel first and second drive connections (82 and 84) between input (24) and output (22) members. The first drive connection (82) extends through a first resilient coupling (38), and the second drive connection (84) extends through a second resilient coupling (40). An angular play coupling (70) engages the second drive connection (84) at a particular torque load for transmitting additional torque through the torsional coupling (20) at a higher spring rate.
Abstract:
A helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system (20) for a helicopter rotary wing hub (22) having a periodic vibration (24) while rotating at a helicopter operational rotation frequency (26) . The helicopter rotating hub mounted vibration control system (20) includes an annular ring rotary housing (30) attachable to the helicopter rotary wing hub (22) and rotating with the helicopter rotary wing hub (22) at the helicopter operational rotation frequency (26) . The annular ring housing is centered about the rotary wing hub axis of rotation and has an electronics housing cavity subsystem (32) and preferably an adjacent coaxial rotor housing cavity subsystem (34) . The rotor housing cavity subsystem (34) contains a first coaxial frameless AC ring motor (36) having a first rotor with a first imbalance mass (40) and a second coaxial frameless AC ring motor (42) having a second rotor with a second imbalance mass (46) . The electronics housing cavity subsystem (32) contains an electronics control system (50) which receives sensor outputs and electrically controls and drives the first coaxial frameless AC ring motor (36) and the second coaxial frameless AC ring motor (42) such that the first imbalance mass (40) and the second imbalance mass (46) are directly driven at a vibration canceling rotation frequency (52) greater than the helicopter operational rotation frequency wherein the helicopter rotary wing hub periodic vibration (24) is reduced.