Rotor balancer

Claim 2

Apparatus to dynamically balance a rotary body comprising: a. means to rotate the rotary body, b. a source of a beam of energy capable of rendering material of said body removable, c. means to deflect said beam of energy in a path terminated by impingement upon a selected portion of the surface of the rotary body, d. means to effect motion of the path of said deflected beam, and e. means to coNtrol said motion of the path and said means to rotate said rotary body to effect substantially synchronous and in phase movement of said beam path impingement and said selected portion.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: a. said means to rotate the body further comprises means to rotate the body at normal operating speed, b. said source and said means to deflect said beam further comprises means to supply concentrated laser beam energy to said rotary body, and c. said means to effect motion of the path further comprises means to deflect said beam into a rotating path wherein the beam impinges upon the area comprising said selected portion of the rotary body surface.

Claim 4

transducer means to sense the area of rotary body imbalance at a particular angular position in the rotation of the rotary body,

Claim 5

transducer means to sense the area of rotary body imbalance at a particular angular position in the rotation of the rotary body,

Claim 6

a phase shifter to adjust the phase of the input to said synchronous drive means,

Claim 7

a phase shifter to adjust the phase of the input to said synchronous drive means,

Claim 8

an imbalance sensor responsive to rotation thereby of a rotary body equivalent area of imbalance of said rotary body,

Claim 9

an imbalance sensor responsive to rotation thereby of a rotary body equivalent area of imbalance of said rotary body,

Claim 10

a stroboscopic light connected to be responsive to said transducer to illuminate said optical scanner indicator when the area of imbalance passes said transducer coincident with the indicator passing said stroboscopic light,

Claim 11

a stroboscopic light connected to be responsive to said transducer to illuminate said optical scanner indicator when the area of imbalance passes said transducer coincident with the indicator passing said stroboscopic light,

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said selected portion of the surface is a portion of equivalent imbalance, said control means further comprising: a. means to sense imbalance of said rotary body, and b. means responsive to said sensing means to retain the apparatus in enabled condition such that the beam continues to impinge upon said selected surface until sufficient energy has been delivered to remove the equivalent imbalance of the rotary body.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 1: a. said means to deflect further comprising an optical scanner having a beam deflecting face angularly disposed with respect to the plane normal to said rotary body axis, b. means to support and rotate said optical scanner, and c. means to adjust the relationship between said scanner and said rotary body such that the beam deflected by said scanner is deflected to impinge radially outwardly from the axis of said rotary body a distance substantially equal to the distance that the selected portion is disposed radially outwardly from the axis of said rotary body.

Claim 14

said indicator being positioned on said scanner such that a beam of energy impinging upon said scanner will strike said area of imbalance of said rotary device when said stroboscopic light illuminates said indicator,

Claim 15

said indicator being positioned on said scanner such that a beam of energy impinging upon said scanner will strike said area of imbalance of said rotary device when said stroboscopic light illuminates said indicator,

Claim 16

a rotor strobe unit,

Claim 17

a rotor strobe unit,

Claim 18

means to adjust the phase and synchronism of at least one of said scanner and mirror drive motors with relation to the other of said scanner and mirror drive motors until the beam is continuously aimed in a direction to impinge upon the proximity of said equivalent area of imbalance of said rotor to remove material over a time duration sufficient to remove imbalance.

Claim 19

means to adjust the phase and synchronism of at least one of said scanner and mirror drive motors with relation to the other of said scanner and mirror drive motors until the beam is continuously aimed in a direction to impinge upon the proximity of said equivalent area of imbalance of said rotor to remove material over a time duration sufficient to remove imbalance.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 4: a. said supporting and rotating means further comprising means to support and rotate said optical scanner about an axis axially aligned with the axis of said rotary body such that said optical scanner is caused to wobble while rotating and to deflect said beam in a circularly scanning trace upon the rotary body surface.

Claim 21

a mirror strobe unit electrically parallel to said rotor strobe unit,

Claim 22

a mirror strobe unit electrically parallel to said rotor strobe unit,

Claim 23

a phase compensator network responsive to the signal output of said imbalance sensor to activate said mirror and rotor strobe units.

Claim 24

a phase compensator network responsive to the signal output of said imbalance sensor to activate said mirror and rotor strobe units.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: a. said means to deflect comprises a frusto-conical support having a flat reflecting mirror disposed upon a portion of the frusto-conical periphery, and b. means to adjust the distance between said rotary body and said mirror to cause the beam from said source to impinge at a distance radially outward from the axis of said rotary body varying between the radially outward distance at which the selected portion of the rotary body appears and the rotary body periphery.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: a. said selected portion is an equivalent area of imbalance, b. said means to deflect said beam further comprises an optical scanner having an indicator, c. said means to rotate further comprises a rotary body drive motor, d. said means to control further comprises:

Claim 27

The appAratus of claim 7, wherein: a. said source further comprises a source of laser beam energy capable when concentrated for a substantial time duration of boiling off of material where striking said rotary body, said apparatus further including: b. means connected to and actuated by the output of said transducer to cut off said beam when sufficient material has been removed from said rotary body to remove the equivalent imbalance, and c. means to concentrate said laser beam energy such that said deflected beam is concentrated upon said equivalent imbalance area of said rotary body.

Claim 28

Apparatus to dynamically balance a rotary body comprising: a. a first drive means to rotate said rotary body, b. a rotatable optical deflection means positioned to deflect a beam of energy upon said rotary body, c. a second drive means to rotate said optical deflection means, d. a source of laser beam energy directed to be deflected by said optical deflection means, e. means associated with said deflection means to concentrate said laser beam energy, f. means to adjust said deflection means to selectively aim said beam to concentrate upon an equivalent area of imbalance on the surface of said rotary body, g. means to adjust the relative phase and speed of said motors to provide in phase and in synchronism continuous aiming of said beam upon the proximity of said equivalent area of imbalance while said rotary body and rotatable optical deflection means are rotating.

Claim 29

Apparatus to dynamically balance a rotary body comprising: a. a first drive means to rotate said rotary body, b. a rotatable optical deflection means positioned to deflect a beam of energy upon said rotary body, c. a second drive means to rotate said optical deflection means, d. a source of laser beam energy directed to be deflected by said optical deflection means, e. means associated with said deflection means to concentrate said laser beam energy, f. means to adjust said deflection means to selectively aim said beam to concentrate upon an equivalent area of imbalance on the surface of said rotary body, g. means to adjust the relative phase and speed of said motors to provide in phase and in synchronism continuous aiming of said beam upon the proximity of said equivalent area of imbalance while said rotary body and rotatable optical deflection means are rotating.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means to adjust said deflection means further comprises: a. an indicator associated with said optical deflection means, b. imbalance sensing means to sense imbalance of said rotary body, c. stroboscopic means responsive to said sensing means to strobe said optical deflection means, d. said indicator being positioned to be illuminated by said stroboscopic means when said deflection means is in phase and in synchronism with said rotary body such that a beam from said source incident on the optical deflection means strikes the proximity of said equivalent area of imbalance.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 10 including: a. means responsive to termination of signal output from said sensor to terminate the application of further energy from said source to said rotary body.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said deflection means and said means to adjust said deflection means further comprise: a. a wobble mirror having a deflecting face, b. a rotatable support for said mirror, and c. means to adjust the angle of said reflecting face with respect to the axis of rotation of said mirror to enable said selective aiming of said beam.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said deflection means and said means to adjust said deflection means further comprise: a. an optical transparent wedge aligned with said rotary body and positioned to intercept the laser beam from said source and to deflect said beam angularly with respect to the axis of said rotary body, and b. means to adjust the distance of said rotary body from said optical transparent wedge such that the radius of trace of said beam upon said rotary body is substantially the radial distance of the equivalent area of imbalance of said rotary body.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 9, said means to concentrate said laser beam further comprising: a. a focusing lens positioned in the path from said source to said deflection means.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 14 including: a. a mirror to reflect laser beam energy disposed between said source and said lens.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 9, said means to concentrate said laser beam further comprising: a. a concave deflecting face on said optical deflection means curved to concentrate said laser beam upon said rotary body.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 16 including: a. a mirror to reflect laser beam energy disposed between said source and said concave deflecting face.

Claim 38

THe apparatus of claim 9 wherein: a. said first and second drive means are synchronous drive means, b. said means to adjust the relative phase and speed of said synchronous drive means further comprises:

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 9 including: a. an optical deflection means holder, b. an indicator disposed on said holder, c. imbalance sensing means to sense imbalance of said rotary body, d. stroboscopic means responsive to said sensing means, e. said indicator and said stroboscopic means being relatively positioned such that when said stroboscopic means is activated by said imbalance means and illuminates said indicator each revolution of said motor and optical deflection means holder, said motor and optical deflection means are rotating in phase and in synchronism and the beam is aimed to follow the movement of the equivalent area of imbalance.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 19 including: a. a partially transparent and partially reflective means disposed in the beam path between said source of said deflection means, b. said holder being apertured for viewing therethrough, c. said partially transparent and partially reflective means being positioned to reflect an image of the area of imbalance through said aperture and to pass a laser beam therethrough from said source to said deflecting means.

Claim 41

Apparatus to physically change the structure of a body to adapt the body to move accurately in a predetermined desired operating pattern comprising: a. means capable when said structure of said body is appropriately changed to move the body in said desired operating pattern, b. means to transmit a beam of energy which is capable of deforming said body in a path, c. means to change the direction of said beam path to approximately follow an area of said moving body for a duration of impingement of said beam to deform said body to said physical change.

Claim 42

Apparatus to physically change the structure of a body to adapt the body to move accurately in a predetermined desired operating pattern comprising: a. means capable when said structure of said body is appropriately changed to move the body in said desired operating pattern, b. means to transmit a beam of energy which is capable of deforming said body in a path, c. means to change the direction of said beam path to approximately follow an area of said moving body for a duration of impingement of said beam to deform said body to said physical change.

Claim 43

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said means to change said beam path further includes: a. means to change said beam path such that a trace of said path at least periodically impinges upon said area, and b. means to adjust the relative moving of said body in said operative pattern and the changing of the direction of said beam path to moving of the body and following of the path in phase and in synchronism.

Claim 44

The apparatus of claim 22 including: a. transducer means to sense the need for additional change in said structure to enable said body to move in said desired pattern, and b. means responsive to said transducer means to provide indication of adjustment to said in phase and in synchronism relationship of the said beam path direction changing and said body moving.

Claim 49

The method of claim 25 including the steps of: a. sensing the equivalent point of imbalance at successively occurring intervals, b. continuing to direct the said path of impingement upon said approximate area while indication of imbalance at said equivalent point of imbalance continues.