Automatic balancing system

Abstract

An automatic balancing system is provided for canceling a rotational imbalance of a rotary device that includes a body to be rotated. A rotation support member rotates with the rotary device and has a polyhedron shape to have multiple flat ball operating surfaces that define an outer circumferential surface. A hollow storage channel around the rotation support member provides an inner circumferential surface so that the balance balls positioned in the hollow storage channel can move freely between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface. The polyhedron shape of the ball operating surfaces allows the balance balls to come in contact with the surfaces with minimized force during low speed rotation and beginning of rotation to prevent abrupt collisions of the balance balls which results in smooth and quiet operation of the rotary device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An automatic balancing system in which a plurality of balance balls are stored freely movable inside a hollow storage case configuring a portion of rotary bodies that include a body-to-be-rotated and said balance balls freely move along an inner circumferential wall of said hollow storage case to a position to cancel rotational unbalance so that the vibration of said rotary bodies is prevented, comprising: 
 a rotation support member which is provided inside said hollow storage case and rotates together with said hollow storage case to control or support the free movement of said balance balls at the beginning of rotation;    wherein said rotation support member is formed in a polyhedron shape to have multiple flat ball operating surfaces around an outer circumferential surface thereof, and said multiple flat ball operating surfaces have a proper gap from said inner circumferential wall of said hollow storage case to enable a smooth contact with said balance balls at the beginning of rotation.    
     
     
         2 . The automatic balancing system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said rotation support member is formed in a regular polyhedron shape.  
     
     
         3 . The automatic balancing system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said rotation support member is formed to have five or more ball operating surfaces and configured such that the open angle between circumferentially adjacent ball operating surfaces is set as an obtuse angle exceeding 90°.  
     
     
         4 . The automatic balancing system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the shortest distance, L, in the radial direction between said inner circumferential wall of said hollow storage case and said ball operating surface of said rotation support member is established within the following range:  
         
       1.03 ×D<L< 1.15 ×D    
         
       where D is a diameter of said balance ball.  
     
     
         5 . The automatic balancing system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein a disk table is integrated with said hollow storage case to mount said body-to-be-rotated, and said rotation support member is integrated with said disk table.  
     
     
         6 . An automatic balancing system for canceling a rotational imbalance of a rotary device that includes a body to be rotated, comprising: 
 a rotation support member operable to rotate with the rotary device and having a polyhedron shape to have multiple flat ball operating surfaces that define an outer circumferential surface;    a hollow storage channel disposed around the rotation support member and having an inner circumferential surface; and    a plurality of balance balls positioned in the hollow storage channel and operable to move freely between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface.    
     
     
         7 . The automatic balancing system as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the rotation support member has a regular polyhedron shape.  
     
     
         8 . The automatic balancing system as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the rotation support member has five or more ball operating surfaces and the open angle between adjacent ball operating surfaces is an obtuse angle exceeding 90°.  
     
     
         9 . The automatic balancing system as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the shortest distance, L, in the radial direction between the inner circumferential surface and the ball operating surfaces is within the following range:  
       1.03 ×D<L< 1.15 ×D    
       where D is a diameter of the balance ball.  
     
     
         10 . The automatic balancing system as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising a disk table integrated with the rotation support member.  
     
     
         11 . The automatic balancing system as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the rotation support member has a regular polyhedron shape having at least five ball operating surfaces.