Patents Assigned to The United States of America as reprensented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • Patent number: 7893602
    Abstract: A transducer for use with a boundary-stiffened panel has an inter-digitated electrode (IDE) and a piezoelectric wafer portion positioned therebetween. The IDE and/or the wafer portion are triangular, with one edge or side aligned with a boundary edge of the panel. The transducer generates and transmits an output force to the panel in response to an input voltage signal from a sensor, which can be another transducer as described above or an accelerometer. A controller can generate an output force signal in response to the input voltage signal to help cancel the input voltage signal. A method of using the transducer minimizes vibration in the panel by connecting multiple transducers around a perimeter thereof. Motion is measured at different portions of the panel, and a voltage signal determined from the motion is transmitted to the transducers to generate an output force at least partially cancelling or damping the motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as reprensented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Noah H. Schiller, Randolph H. Cabell