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Abstract

A passive/adaptive vibration control system is provided wherein various elements of the system may be adapted on-line in response to sensed vibrations. A spring/mass vibration absorber is attached to a vibrating body to absorb energy generated by that body, to minimize the transmission of vibrations to a structure in mechanical communication with the vibrating body. In one embodiment of the present invention, the mass of the vibration absorber may be adjusted, on-line, to compensate for sensed vibrations. A vibration sensor is connected to either the vibrating body or the attached structure so as to sense the level of vibration above a desired level and to send a signal representative of that vibration to an electronic controller. The electronic controller is designed to instruct the actuator to adapt the mass to compensate for the sensed vibration. In additional embodiments of the system, the stiffness of the spring, rather than the mass of the weight, may be adjusted on-line to 'tune' the vibration absorber. Further, if more than one excitation frequency is present, a plurality of on-line adaptive and/or purely passive vibration absorbers may be cascaded so as to minimize vibrations due to a plurality of excitation frequencies. Depending on the number of vibration axes to be attenuated, one or a plurality of passive/adaptive vibration absorber elements may be used.

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First Claim