Parker-hannifin Corporation

Moog Gmbh

Eric A Polcuch

Abbas M Charafeddine

David Edwards

Seth E Gitnes

Luc P Cyrot

Lowell V Larson

Nancy Kay Keech

David J Bouman

Kenneth K Nakashima

William H House

Mark A Mourani

Bradley Conn

Alexandre J Borreda

Andrew D Momotiuk

A load detent assembly for restricting creep of a rotating assembly of an actuator used to actuate an aircraft flight control surface. The load detent assembly includes an engagement member having circumferentially spaced engagement surfaces/protruding portions, and a load detent having a stoppage member radially biasable towards the engagement member for interengagement between the engagement surfaces to restrict creep of the rotating assembly. One of the engagement member or the load detent is configured for rotation radially inward of the other of the engagement member or the load detent through at least 360 degrees of rotation. The other of the engagement member or the load detent is configured for being fixed radially outward of the one of the engagement member or the load detent.

Aircraft actuator with no-back, load detent assembly

A control system includes a plurality of subsystems each operative to perform a unique vehicle function, a plurality of electronic controllers each operative to individually control at least one of the plurality of subsystems, wherein a number of subsystems is greater than a number of controllers, and a plurality of switching devices each operative to selectively connect any one of the plurality of subsystems to any one of the plurality of electronic controllers.

Control system for multiple electric actuation of a vehicle

An actuator assembly includes a primary load path for tightly coupling an actuated surface to a reference structure, and a secondary load path having a backlash portion for coupling the actuated surface to the reference structure with backlash, wherein the secondary load path is unloaded during an operative state of the primary load path and loaded during a failure state of the primary load path. A first sensor is configured to sense relative displacement between a portion of the primary load path and a portion of the secondary load path. A controller is operatively coupled to the first sensor, the controller configured to determine a load on the primary load path based on relative displacement sensed by the first sensor.

LVDT-based actuator output load limited

A mechanical synchronization device for a distributed system. A plurality of actuators actuate movement of control surface components of an aircraft. Each actuator has a first end coupled to a structure of the aircraft and a second end coupled to a control surface component, and a drive path from a motion provider to the control surface component, the control surface component being configured to move along the respective drive path. A power module controller is operable to simultaneously output motor drive power from a power module through an electrical bus to at least two of the motion providers in a synchronous or nearly synchronous manner to actuate movement of control surface components. The mechanical synchronization device is between at least two of the actuators and transfers torque between the actuators to maintain symmetry between the actuators. A load limiting device may limit the power transferred through the mechanical synchronization device.

Synchronization system for distributed electromechanical actuation system

An actuation system includes a power drive unit that drives a plurality of drive shafts that each has a first end individually connected to the power drive unit. The power drive unit includes a geartrain including a plurality of individual gears that are offset relative to each other along the gearbox, and a motor-driven rotation of one of the plurality of individual gears drives rotation of the other individual gears, and each of the plurality of individual gears rotates to drive rotation of a respective one of the plurality of drive shafts. A plurality of torque brakes is mounted to the gearbox, the torque brakes being mechanically coupled to respective individual gears and drive shafts. When the torque being passed through is above a predetermined threshold value, a locking of one of the torque brakes stops rotation of all gears simultaneously to maintain positional symmetry in the actuation system.

Aircraft electrically powered thrust reverser systems

A system and method for determining the health of a motor drive system is provided, where a motor is coupled to a common motor control and a single or plurality of other motors are coupled to the common power source. Current data corresponding to current provided to the motor is obtained via a sensor connected to an electrical input of the motor, and voltage data corresponding to a voltage provided by the common motor control is also obtained. Based on the current data and the voltage data, a motor current provided to the motor and a motor voltage to current phase shift (or power factor) are determined, and the health of the motor drive system is determined from the motor phase shift (or power factor) and the motor current.

Induction motor health monitoring method

A system and method of managing power for an electric motor drive system is provided, where at least two electric motor drives are connected to a common power bus, each of the electric motor drives connected to at least one electric motor. A voltage of the common power bus is monitored, and upon the voltage of the common power bus exceeding a prescribed threshold voltage it is determined which of the at least two electric motor drives is operating in a mode other than a regeneration mode. The electric motor drive operating in a mode other than a regeneration mode is commanded to drive the connected motor into a load to dissipate the regenerated energy.

Electric motor regenerated energy management method

A control system may be used to control actuators that actuate movement of flight control surfaces of an aircraft. Each actuator is couplable to a flight control surface and includes a motion control assembly having a hydraulic motor and a drive path from the hydraulic motor to the flight control surface. Each hydraulic motor includes an extend port and a retract port. The system includes a hydraulic control module fluidly connected to the extend port and the retract port of each hydraulic motor and a controller operable to output hydraulic power from the hydraulic control module to the motion control assembly to actuate movement of the flight control surfaces. The controller is configured to identify an actuator that positionally leads the other actuators and reduce hydraulic power to the motion control assembly assigned to such actuator.

Near synchronous distributed hydraulic motor driven actuation system

A distributed electromechanical actuation system including multiple electromechanical actuators intended to operate together in a synchronous (or near synchronous) manner. Each individual actuator is powered by one or more induction motors or other appropriate motor such as a stepper motor. The induction motors are designed to have a very high pullout torque with very low slippage to the pull out point. The group of actuators is controlled from a single controller (e.g., an induction motor controller) that utilizes a Volts per Hertz type of open loop control where the bus voltage and frequency are controlled to assure that the motors always operate on the low slip side of the pull out point performance curve.

Near synchronous controlled induction motor drive actuation system

An actuator for actuating movement of a control surface relative to a structure can include a high-efficiency assembly and a low-efficiency assembly. The high-efficiency assembly can be connectable between a control surface and a structure for providing a first load transfer assembly and the assembly can have minimum backlash. The low-efficiency assembly is connectable between the control surface and the structure for providing a second load transfer assembly. The low-efficiency or irreversible assembly can be disposed in parallel relationship to the high-efficiency assembly and can have a higher backlash than the low-efficiency assembly. The low-efficiency assembly can be unloaded in normal operation. The actuator also can include a coupler for that can have a closed state in which both load transfer assemblies are synchronously driven by the drive mechanism, and an open state in which the drive mechanism is decoupled from the low-efficiency assembly and the low-efficiency assembly can inhibit movement of the control surface.

Aircraft stabilizer actuator

The invention provides a method for controlling an electromechanical servomechanism () for moving an output member relative to a variable load (). The servomechanism includes: a motor () having at least one coil (A,B orC) adapted to be supplied with current and having a rotor () with an output shaft (); a mechanical transmission () arranged between the output shaft and the load, the transmission having a mechanical friction related to the load; a servoamplifier () arranged to supply current to the motor coil in response to an input signal (in line); a command signal (in line) for commanding the position of the load; a load position feedback signal (in line) compared (in summing point) to the command signal and arranged to produce an error signal (in line); and means () for generating an offset signal (in line) that is summed (in summing point) with the error signal to modify the servoamplifier input signal (in line). The improved method comprises the steps of: generating the offset signal as a function of the command and feedback signals and the currents supplied to the motor coil after the position of the output member as remained substantially constant for a predetermined time; and adjusting the offset signal so that the motor current is reduced until the position of the output member changes so as to minimize the steady-state power dissipation in the motor.

Method of controlling a high-friction electro-mechanical servo-mechanism to minimize the power needed to hold a loaded output member

A pressure-control device () includes a controllable variable-displacement reversible hydraulic motor () having a pressure port () and a return port (); a source of pressurized fluid (P); a fluid return (R); and a pressure regulating valve () operatively interposed between the source, return and pressure port. The pressure regulating valve is operatively arranged to maintain a predetermined pressure at the pressure port regardless of the direction of flow through the pressure port.

Regulated pressure supply for a variable-displacement reversible hydraulic motor

A skewed roller brake assembly ( ) has a main axis of rotation (x&mdash;x), has a first plate ( ) adapted to be rotated about the main axis, has a second plate ( ) adapted to be rotated relative to the first plate about the main axis, and has an intermediate plate ( ) positioned between the first and second plates. The first and second plates are adapted to be axially loaded with respect to one another. The intermediate plate has a plurality of slots ( ). Each slot is bounded by a first wall ( ) that is arranged at a first angle (&thgr; ) with respect to a radius from the main axis. A cylindrical roller ( ) is arranged in each slot for rolling engagement with the first and second plates about the axis of the roller such that the roller axis (y&mdash;y) is parallel to the first wall when the first and second plates are rotated relative to one another in one angular direction. The slot has a second wall ( ) arranged at a second angle (&thgr; ) with respect to a radius from the main axis such that the roller axis is parallel to the second wall when the first and second plates are rotated relative to one another in the opposite angular direction. The resistance to relative rotation between the first and second plates for the same value of axial loading may differ as a function of the direction of relative angular rotation between the first and second plates.

Skewed roller brake assembly

A force-limiting rotary lock ( ) for a shaft ( ) mounted on a housing ( ) for rotational and axial movement relative thereto, broadly includes a lug member ( ) provided on the shaft, and a pawl ( ) mounted on the housing. The pawl is movable relative to the housing between first and second positions. The pawl is operatively arranged to engage the lug when the pawl is in its first position (shown in FIG. 3) to prevent further rotation of the shaft in one angular direction, and to be disengaged from the lug when the pawl is in its second position (shown in FIG. 2) to permit rotation of the shaft in either angular direction. A cam ( ) is mounted on the shaft, and a follower ( ) is mounted on the housing for selectively moving the pawl between the first and second positions when the shaft is axially displaced from its predetermined position. When the shaft is axially displaced from its predetermined position and the pawl engages the lug, the shaft will be prevented from rotating further in the one angular direction.

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Mission Viejo, CA, United States of America

Eric A Polcuch