Patents by Inventor Kirsten P. Duffy

Kirsten P. Duffy has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Self-tuning impact damper for rotating blades
    Patent number: 6827551
    Abstract: A self-tuning impact damper is disclosed that absorbs and dissipates vibration energy in the blades of rotors in compressors and/or turbines thereby dramatically extending their service life and operational readiness. The self-tuning impact damper uses the rotor speed to tune the resonant frequency of a rattling mass to an engine order excitation frequency. The rattling mass dissipates energy through collisions between the rattling mass and the walls of a cavity of the self-tuning impact damper, as well as through friction between the rattling mass and the base of the cavity. In one embodiment, the self-tuning impact damper has a ball-in-trough configuration with tire ball serving as the rattling mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Kirsten P. Duffy, Gerald V. Brown, Ronald L. Bagley