Rotation flexure with temperature controlled modal frequency

Patent · 14 May 2019

OSTI ID:1568330

Salas, Theodore E.; Barney, Patrick S.; Ison, Aaron M.; Akau, Ronald L.; Weir, Nathan

A flexure bearing includes an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of substantially planar radially extending blades coupled between the inner and outer race. The blades have a thickness that is thinner than a thickness of the inner and outer races. The inner race, outer race, and blades have substantially the same height. At least one heating element is coupled to the inner race and/or the outer race. The heating element is configured to apply heat to the race that it is coupled to in order to tune the flexure bearing.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): 10,288,121
• Application Number: 15/667,524
• OSTI ID: 1568330
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English