Ultra Electronics Limited

Christopher Biggadike

Mark Salthouse

Richard Vaughan

Graeme John Dutton

Mark Anthony Salthouse

Computer

A link assembly has a pair of mechanical links pivotally connected to rotate relative to one another about a pivot axis. A cable protector is provided as part of the link assembly. The cable protector has a cup with an end wall which defines a first end of a winding chamber, and an annular side wall which extends from the end wall and defines a side of the winding chamber. A lid defines a second end of the winding chamber opposite to the first end. The lid is coupled to the cup by a bearing so that the cup and lid can rotate with respect to each other. An opening is formed in the side wall of the cup and a slot is formed in the lid. The assembly is fitted with a cable having a length, a width, and a thickness, wherein the width of the cable is greater than its thickness. The cable has a first portion which extends along a first one of the links and passes into the side of the winding chamber through the opening in the side wall of the cup, a second portion which extends along a second one of the links and passes into the second end of the winding chamber through the slot in the lid, and a rolled portion in the winding chamber in which the cable is wound into a roll, the roll including an outer turn which leads to the first portion and an inner turn which is inside the outer turn and leads to the second portion.

Link assembly and cable protector

A linkage guides a flexible cable between two structures. The linkage includes a proximal arm with a proximal pivot joint for coupling the proximal arm to a first one of the two structures; and a distal arm which is coupled to the proximal arm by one or more intermediate pivot joints. The distal arm is shaped to follow a three-dimensional curve along a majority of its length. Shaping the distal arm to form a three-dimensional curve along a majority of its length enables the distal arm to pass through a relatively small aperture as the linkage is adjusted between its retracted and extended positions. It also enables the proximal arm to move in a locus of movement which does not interfere with other system components. The linkage can be used to guide a flexible cable between any two structures, for instance a fixed aircraft wing and a slat.

Linkage for guiding a flexible cable

A cable () is routed between a pair of links () that are pivotally connected about a lateral pivot axis (). A wound section () is provided in the cable with the winding axis coincident with the pivot axis of the links. The wound section () may be preformed. A cable protector () is provided each end of the wound section () along the pivot axis () so as to constrain the adjacent end of the wound section () to be keyed with it and the adjacent link.

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Cheltenham, United Kingdom

Christopher Biggadike