Patent ID: 8684602
Filing Date: 2014-04-01
Classification: F01D,F05D,F16C

Abstract:
1. A bearing assembly for a rotatable shaft, comprising: a bearing housing; a bearing located within the bearing housing and arranged in use to receive the rotatable shaft; and a plurality of elongate members that couple the bearing to the bearing housing, the elongate members extending at least partially in an axial direction of the rotatable shaft; wherein the elongate members include piezoelectric elements configured upon actuation to directly exert forces on the elongate members, thereby changing the stiffness of the elongate members or causing the elongate members to undergo bending to reduce vibration transmitted from the bearing assembly: wherein each elongate member has axially extending sides, and the elongate members are oriented such that each side of each elongate member is parallel to a corresponding side of an adjacent elongate member; and wherein each of the plurality of elongate members has one of the piezoelectric elements attached on each side.