US3716206A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Nutation damper
Assignee: RCA Corp
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Filing: 1970-11-16
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Granted: 1973-02-13
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Expires: 1990-11-16
Abstract
Abstract A damper in the form of a generally ring-like container of viscous fluid filling a substantial portion of the container the remaining portion of which defining a void or bubble. The container is spun by being oriented within a spinning portion of a spacecraft or is provided with means to spin relative to the stable body portion of a spacecraft. Centrifugal forces on the fluid in the presence of nutational motions will develop oscillations of the bubble relative to the spinning axis of the container to generate energy losses thereby reducing nutation motion. Fluid resonance is developed with bubbles of selected size in ring-like containers. Resonance is also developed in a Ushape configuration having different sized cross-sectional portions.
Inventors
- 👤 R Lynch
- 👤 K Ayache
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:30
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64G; B64G1/00; B64G1/22; B64G1/24; B64G1/28; B64G1/281; B64G1/285; B64G1/38; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/12; Y10T74/1229; Y10T74/1257; Y10T74/21; Y10T74/2121; Y10T74/2122
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A nutation damper device adapted for rotation about an axis parallel to the spin axis of a spin stabilized body comprising: a. a hollow tube formed generally within a plane; b. viscous fluid in a portion of said tube, said fluid having a selected density and viscosity; c. the remaining portion of said tube having a fluid of less viscosity and substantially less density than said viscous fluid; c1. the size of said remaining portion being selected so that the resonant frequency of said viscous fluid is substantially equal to the frequency of said nutational motion, and d. means for mounting said tube relative to said body so that said fluid is displaced radially outwardly from said rotation axis, said remaining portion being oriented thereby between the respective surfaces of said fluid when said tube is rotated about said rotation axis, e. whereby the viscous fluid will resonate in said tube at a frequency substantially equal to the frequency of nutation of said body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
A nutation damper device adapted for rotation about an axis parallel to the spin axis of a spin stabilized body comprising: a. a hollow tube formed generally within a plane; b. viscous fluid in a portion of said tube, said fluid having a selected density and viscosity; c. the remaining portion of said tube having a fluid of less viscosity and substantially less density than said viscous fluid; c1. the size of said remaining portion being selected so that the resonant frequency of said viscous fluid is substantially equal to the frequency of said nutational motion, and d. means for mounting said tube relative to said body so that said fluid is displaced radially outwardly from said rotation axis, said remaining portion being oriented thereby between the respective surfaces of said fluid when said tube is rotated about said rotation axis, e. whereby the viscous fluid will resonate in said tube at a frequency substantially equal to the frequency of nutation of said body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
164 words
A nutation damper device adapted for rotation about an axis parallel to the spin axis of a spin stabilized body comprising: a. a hollow tube formed generally within a plane; b. viscous fluid in a portion of said tube, said fluid having a selected density and viscosity; c. the remaining portion of said tube having a fluid of less viscosity and substantially less density than said viscous fluid; c1. the size of said remaining portion being selected so that the resonant frequency of said viscous fluid is substantially equal to the frequency of said nutational motion, and d. means for mounting said tube relative to said body so that said fluid is displaced radially outwardly from said rotation axis, said remaining portion being oriented thereby between the respective surfaces of said fluid when said tube is rotated about said rotation axis, e. whereby the viscous fluid will resonate in said tube at a frequency substantially equal to the frequency of nutation of said body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
164 words
A nutation damper device adapted for rotation about an axis parallel to the spin axis of a spin stabilized body comprising: a. a hollow tube formed generally within a plane; b. viscous fluid in a portion of said tube, said fluid having a selected density and viscosity; c. the remaining portion of said tube having a fluid of less viscosity and substantially less density than said viscous fluid; c1. the size of said remaining portion being selected so that the resonant frequency of said viscous fluid is substantially equal to the frequency of said nutational motion, and d. means for mounting said tube relative to said body so that said fluid is displaced radially outwardly from said rotation axis, said remaining portion being oriented thereby between the respective surfaces of said fluid when said tube is rotated about said rotation axis, e. whereby the viscous fluid will resonate in said tube at a frequency substantially equal to the frequency of nutation of said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein the tube is a toroid having circular cross-section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein the tube is a rectangle having circular cross-section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said tube is cylindrical formed generally as a U, the ends of the tube being enlarged, and sufficient viscous fluid in said tube to fill only a portion of said enlarged ends.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 4 wherein said end portions are open and are joined to each other by a conduit serving as a vapor line to prevent a vapor lock.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device according to claim 4 wherein the coupling factor (f(D)s) is proportional to the ratio of the area of the cross-section of said tube and the enlarged ends of said tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to claim 4 wherein the coupling factor (f(D)s) is selected to a desired value by varying the spin rate of said body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device according to claim 4 wherein the coupling factor (f(D)s) is proportional to the ratio of the length of the tube to the distance of the tube from the spin axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said viscous fluid is taken from the class comprising silicone oils or equivalents, the remaining portion of said tube comprising vapor of said fluid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said body is a de-spun satellite, having a momentum wheel decoupled from a stable platform, and rotated by a motor, and further including on said platform means for spinning said tube about an axis perpendicular to said spin axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device according to claim 10 wherein said spinning means includes means coupled to said motor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device according to claim 10 wherein said spinning means includes a second motor.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
119 words
A device for damping nutational motion about a given axis, comprising: a hollow tube formed into a closed loop and defining generally thereby a plane having a rotation axis, said tube being adapted for orientation for rotation about said axis parallel to the spin axis of a spin stabilized body, said tube being partially filled with a viscous fluid which flows with respect to the inner surface of the tube in response to said nutational motion, the portion of said tube free of said fluid defining a space of predetermined size, the size of said space being selected so that the resonant frequency of said fluid in said tube is substantially equal to the frequency of said nutational motion.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
119 words
A device for damping nutational motion about a given axis, comprising: a hollow tube formed into a closed loop and defining generally thereby a plane having a rotation axis, said tube being adapted for orientation for rotation about said axis parallel to the spin axis of a spin stabilized body, said tube being partially filled with a viscous fluid which flows with respect to the inner surface of the tube in response to said nutational motion, the portion of said tube free of said fluid defining a space of predetermined size, the size of said space being selected so that the resonant frequency of said fluid in said tube is substantially equal to the frequency of said nutational motion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-02-13 | 1976-08-14 | 1977-02-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-02-13 | 1980-08-14 | 1981-02-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-02-13 | 1984-08-14 | 1985-02-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |