Lord Corporation

William S Jensen

Scott K Miller

Douglas Edward Ivers

Russell E Altieri

Douglas A Swanson

Lane R Miller

Mark A Norris

Dino J Rossetti

Brian Kent Hackett

Stephen F Hildebrand

Michael D Janowski

Jeffry D Sharp

Russell E Alteri

John H Highfill, Iii

Thomas E Schulte

Michael F Walch

A balancing device including a positionable member associated with a rotating member having an axis, wherein the positionable member has a substantially constant mass, and wherein the positionable member is disposed at a first position about the axis of the rotating member. The balancing device also including an actuation device disposed at a distance from the positionable member, wherein the actuation device is operable for selectively generating a force, and wherein the force is operable for moving the positionable member from the first position to a second position about the axis of the rotating member, thereby balancing the rotating member.

Balancing device for a rotating member and associated methods

A controlled equilibrium device comprising a housing; at least one spring, each at least one spring having a spring stiffness; and a load leveling device movable through the housing between a first maximum displacement position and a second maximum displacement position, the load leveling device comprising a deadband displacement zone defined between a first deadband displacement threshold and a second deadband displacement threshold, the displacement required to reach the first and second deadband displacement thresholds being less than the displacement distances required to reach the first and second maximum displacement positions, the at least one spring stiffness being substantially constant when the displacement of the load leveling device is within the deadband zone, the stiffness of the at least one spring being modified to a second stiffness when the load leveling device is equal to or beyond either the first deadband displacement threshold or the second deadband displacement threshold.

Controlled equilibrium device with displacement dependent spring rates and integral damping

Elastomer dampers (,) and (,) for damping movement between two relatively moveable members, such as shimmy motion between components in an aircraft landing gear assembly (,). Each damper includes a housing (,) having an internal cavity (,) with a cylindrical interior surface (,) and an opening (,), and a member assembly (,) moveable relative to the housing (,) having an elongated shaft (,) received through the opening (,) with a piston head assembly (,) mounted thereon. The piston head assembly (,) has a annular support element (,) received over the shaft (,) with a sleeve-like elastomer member (,) received over it. The elastomer member (,) engages the interior surface (,) in an interference fit relationship thereby radially precompressing the elastomer element (,) in the range of between about 5% and 15%. In one embodiment of piston head assembly, low friction washers (,) are preferably positioned adjacent to the ends of the elastomer member (,) and the support member (,). Rigid washers (,) may be provided to abut and support the low friction washers (,). The elastomer member (,) preferably has grooves (,) forming a plurality of ribs (,) that are preferably axially oriented. In another embodiment, elastomer member,is directly bonded to annular support element,and includes at least one continues helical groove (,) around the circumference.

Elastomer damper

An elastomer damper (,) for damping movement between two relatively moveable members, such as shimmy motion between components in an aircraft landing gear assembly (,). The damper (,) includes a housing (,) having an internal cavity (,) with a cylindrical interior surface (,) and an opening (,), and a member assembly (,) moveable relative to the housing (,) having an elongated shaft (,) received through the opening (,) with a piston head assembly (,) mounted thereon. The piston head assembly (,) has a annular support element (,) received over the shaft (,) with a sleeve-like elastomer member (,) received over it. The elastomer member (,) engages the interior surface (,) in an interference fit relationship thereby radially precompressing the elastomer element (,) in the range of between about 5% and 15%. Low friction washers (,) are preferably positioned adjacent to the ends of the elastomer ember (,) and the support member (,). Rigid washers (,) may be provided to abut and support the low friction washers (,). The elastomer member (,) preferably has grooves (,) forming a plurality of ribs (,) that are preferably axially oriented.

A method, apparatus and controller for machining non-circular work pieces. The apparatus, method and controller are preferably used in combination with rotating, equipment, such as a turning center having an x-y table capable of gross movements. The apparatus includes at least one position sensor for deriving an angular position signal of the work piece, a preferably longitudinally-disposed, flexible tool holder attached to a rigid tool block which holds the machine tool, a preferably solid state vibration actuator imparting active vibrational forces to the end of the tool holder, thus vibrating the machine tool at high frequency to impart the desired ovality to the work piece, and a control system for generating the output signal to the vibration actuator. Preferably, the control system includes manually adjusted magnitude and phase thereby providing a non-circular work piece profile with the desired ovality and positioning thereof. The controller includes a wave form generator which provides an input signal which is phase locked to the work piece rotation regardless of small cutting speed changes.

Method, apparatus and controller for machining non-circular work pieces

A flex-plate tuned vibration absorber (35) including a tuned mass (43) flexibly suspended by one or more flex plates (58). In one aspect the tunable vibration absorber (TVA) (35) is adaptive in that the position of the mass is adaptively moveable with respect to its initial position, thereby effectuating a change in the TVA's resonant frequency. In one embodiment, the tuned mass (43) moves along a rigid frame (53). In another, movement of the mass (43) statically stresses a preferably disc-shaped flexible plate (58) thereby changing its stiffness. Preferably, a reducer (78) gears down the speed of the motor (64). In another aspect, a TVA system includes a base sensor (40) providing a base vibration signal, a mass sensor (38) for providing a vibration signal of the tuned mass (43), and an electronic controller (42) for generating a control signal to the TVA (35). The TVA finds application for absorbing vibration in vibrating structures, such as in aircraft.

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Apex, NC, United States of America

William S Jensen