Abstract: A system for controlling shaft displacement within a support structure, the system having a rotatable shaft, at least one bearing supporting the shaft, the at least one bearing having an inner race rotatable along with the shaft and an outer race circumferentially surrounding the inner race, an electromagnet assembly positioned about the shaft along a longitudinal axis thereof, and a controller that detects a radial motion of the shaft and determines a corrective force to reduce the radial motion of, or a parameter related to, the shaft, the controller commanding the electromagnet assembly to generate the corrective force to act on the shaft, the electromagnet assembly having a plurality of phases spaced circumferentially about the shaft, the controller commanding different phases of the electromagnet assembly to generate the corrective force so that a vector of the corrective force rotates about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A system for controlling shaft displacement within a support structure, the system having a rotatable shaft, at least one bearing supporting the shaft, the at least one bearing having an inner race rotatable along with the shaft and an outer race circumferentially surrounding the inner race, an electromagnet assembly positioned about the shaft along a longitudinal axis thereof, and a controller that detects a radial motion of the shaft and determines a corrective force to reduce the radial motion of, or a parameter related to, the shaft, the controller commanding the electromagnet assembly to generate the corrective force to act on the shaft, the electromagnet assembly having a plurality of phases spaced circumferentially about the shaft, the controller commanding different phases of the electromagnet assembly to generate the corrective force so that a vector of the corrective force rotates about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring twist on a shaft of a rotating drive system include a first set of targets circumferentially distributed around the shaft at a first axial location to rotate with the shaft and a second set of targets circumferentially distributed around the shaft at a second axial location to rotate with the shaft. The first and second sets of targets are interleaved. The system includes a sensor assembly including one or more sensors mounted around the shaft and configured to detect the first and second sets of targets as the shaft rotates. The system includes a sensor processing unit for receiving an electrical waveform from the sensor assembly, determining, based on the electrical waveform, a twist measurement of twist motion between the first axial location and the second axial location on the shaft, and determining, based on the electrical waveform, a second measurement of shaft motion.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for creating a prescribed vibration profile on a mechanical device comprising a sensor for measuring an operating condition of the mechanical device, a circular force generator for creating a controllable rotating force vector comprising a controllable force magnitude, a controllable force phase and a controllable force frequency, a controller in electronic communication with said sensor and said circular force generator, the controller operably controlling the controllable rotating force vector, wherein the difference between the measured operating condition and a desired operating condition is minimized.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for a hub-based active vibration control (AVC) design includes at least one pair of co-rotating motorized imbalanced rotors that create a controllable rotating force vector that can be controlled to cancel hub loads on a rotating hub. This control is achievable using a configuration in which each rotor has an axis of rotation that is offset from the hub axis of rotation. In this way, in a loss of operation failure mode, the system is designed such that centrifugal forces will cause the masses to spin to an orientation of low static imbalance.

Abstract: Apparatus and vibratory separators having a base, a separator housing movably connected with the base, the separator housing including a top having an inlet chute, a bottom having a liquid discharge chute, a cylindrical sidewall defining an axial centerline and having a discharge spout, and at least one screen mounted within the separator housing. A vacuum system proximate the at least one screen may also be incorporated. The apparatus further includes at least one circular force generator (CFG) disposed on the separator housing, and at least one sensor positioned on the apparatus for measuring an operating function associated with and enabled by the vibration profile, and a controller in electronic communication with the sensor and with the at least one CFG. The difference between the measured operating function and the prescribed operating function is reduced. The apparatus may also include at least one CFG having a plurality of imbalanced masses which rotate in a plane parallel the axial centerline.

Abstract: Structural health monitoring and protection systems and methods are provided. System and methods utilize structural information and/or enhanced built in testing capabilities for detecting failure modes that may cause damage to a structure. Systems and methods herein may protect a structure by mitigating one or more incorrect forces. The structure may be an aircraft, a rotary wing aircraft, or any other physical structure subject to vibrations and receptive to canceling of those vibrations.

Abstract: A rotary wing aircraft including a vehicle vibration control system.

Abstract: Circular force generator (CFG) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed having indirectly driven imbalanced rotors for generating vibrations and/or imparting vibration control. A CFG device (10) includes a first set of imbalanced rotors (12) disposed about a center point and a second set of imbalanced rotors (12) disposed about the center point. The first set of imbalanced rotors is configured to co-rotate synchronously. The second set of imbalanced rotors is configured to co-rotate synchronously. The first and second sets of imbalanced rotors are configured to create a controllable rotating force vector having a controllable magnitude and phase about the center point. A CFG system includes a controller and one or more CFG devices configured to receive control commands from the controller. A method of generating a force via a CFG device includes receiving a force command and generating a force in response to receiving the force command.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for directional force weighting of an active vibration control system involve arranging a plurality of force generators in an array, identifying individual component forces corresponding to force outputs of each of the plurality of force generators, determining a combination of the individual component forces that will produce a desired total force vector, and adjusting the outputs of each of the plurality of force generators such that the combination of the individual component forces are at least substantially similar to the desired force vector.

Abstract: Apparatus and vibratory separators having a base, a separator housing movably connected with the base, the separator housing including a top having an inlet chute, a bottom having a liquid discharge chute, a cylindrical sidewall defining an axial centerline and having a discharge spout, and at least one screen mounted within the separator housing. A vacuum system proximate the at least one screen may also be incorporated. The apparatus further includes at least one circular force generator (CFG) disposed on the separator housing, and at least one sensor positioned on the apparatus for measuring an operating function associated with and enabled by the vibration profile, and a controller in electronic communication with the sensor and with the at least one CFG. The difference between the measured operating function and the prescribed operating function is reduced. The apparatus may also include at least one CFG having a plurality of imbalanced masses which rotate in a plane parallel the axial centerline.

Abstract: Apparatus having a base, a separator housing movably connected with the base, the separator housing including a top having an inlet chute, a bottom having a liquid discharge chute, a cylindrical sidewall defining an axial centerline and having a discharge spout, and at least one screen mounted within the separator housing. A vacuum system proximate the at least one screen may also be incorporated. The apparatus further includes at least one circular force generator (CFG) disposed on the separator housing, and at least one sensor positioned on the apparatus for measuring an operating function associated with and enabled by the vibration profile, and a controller in electronic communication with the sensor and with the at least one CFG. The difference between the measured operating function and the prescribed operating function is reduced. The apparatus may also include at least one CFG having a plurality of imbalanced masses which rotate in a plane parallel the axial centerline.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A rotary wing aircraft including a vehicle vibration control system.

Abstract: A non-contacting torquemeter capable of measuring torque in a rotating shaft with improved accuracy in the presence of relative motion between a rotating shaft and a transducer assembly is provided. The non-contacting torquemeter has improved robustness and reliability, and is able to self-calibrate. The non-contacting torquemeter is able to provide accurate torque measurements using a single transducer assembly positioned at a single azimuthal position on a rotating shaft.

Abstract: A method of controlling the vibration of a vibratory separator, the method including providing a vibratory separator having a frame and a plurality of force generators coupled to the frame and a control unit operatively connected to each of the plurality of force generators, and independently controlling each of the plurality of force generators. Independently controlling each of the plurality of force generators controls a motion profile of the vibratory separator.

Abstract: Apparatus having a base, a separator housing movably connected with the base, the separator housing including a top having an inlet chute, a bottom having a liquid discharge chute, a cylindrical sidewall defining an axial centerline and having a discharge spout, and at least one screen mounted within the separator housing. A vacuum system proximate the at least one screen may also be incorporated. The apparatus further includes at least one circular force generator (CFG) disposed on the separator housing, and at least one sensor positioned on the apparatus for measuring an operating function associated with and enabled by the vibration profile, and a controller in electronic communication with the sensor and with the at least one CFG. The difference between the measured operating function and the prescribed operating function is reduced. The apparatus may also include at least one CFG having a plurality of imbalanced masses which rotate in a plane parallel the axial centerline.

Abstract: Improvements to slip rings (200) and methods for the operation thereof include an improved slip ring assembly (200) that has a stationary element (202), a rotating element (210) rotatable with respect to the stationary (202) element, a bearing assembly coupled between the stationary element (202) and the rotating element (210), and one or more contact brushes (213) on one of the stationary element (202) or the rotating element (210). 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 (206) in communication with the shear pin. In some embodiments, the one or more contact brushes (213) 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 (202) and the rotating element (210).

Abstract: A method of controlling the vibration of a vibratory separator, the method including providing a vibratory separator having a frame and a plurality of force generators coupled to the frame and a control unit operatively connected to each of the plurality of force generators, and independently controlling each of the plurality of force generators. Independently controlling each of the plurality of force generators controls a motion profile of the vibratory separator.

Abstract: 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.