The Boeing Company

Eugene T Raymond

Curtiss W Robinson

Jerome R Kilner

Steven M Warren

An actuator system for a control surface of an aircraft having a hydraulic system and a source of actuation system commands. The actuator system includes hydraulic circuits connected to the aircraft hydraulic system and an electrically-powered hydraulic circuit integrated with the actuator. The electrically-powered hydraulic circuit includes an electric motor connected to a hydraulic fluid pump. The pump can be controlled to adapt to the power requirements to actuate the control surface.

Load-adaptive hybrid actuator system and method for actuating control

Two-fluid nonflammable hydraulic system

An electric stepping motor, operated by command pulses from a computer or microprocessor, rotates a rotary control member of a distributor valve, for sequencing hydraulic pressure and flow to the cylinders of one or more axial piston hydraulic motors. A group of the cylinders are subjected to pressure and flow and the remaining cylinders are vented to a return line. Rotation of the rotary control member sequences pressurization by progressively adding a cylinder to the forward edge to the pressurized group and removing a cylinder from the trailing edge of the pressurized group. The pistons of each new pressurized group function to rotate a wobble plate into a new position of equilibrium and the hold it in such position until another change in the makeup of the pressurized group. An increment of displacement of the rotary pressurized group. An increment of displacement of the rotary hydraulic motor occurs in direct response to each command pulse that is received by the stepping motor. In an installation which includes two hydraulic motors connected to a common output, the rotary distributor valve functions to alternate driving pulses of hydraulic pressure and flow between the two motors.

Rotary digital electrohydraulic actuator

An electric stepping motor, operated by command signals from a computer or a microprocessor, rotates a rotary control member of a distributor valve, for sequencing hydraulic pressure and hence flow to the cylinders of an axial piston hydraulic machine. A group of the cylinders are subjected to pressure and flow and the remaining cylinders are vented to a return line. Rotation of the rotary control valve member sequences pressurization by progressively adding a cylinder to the forward edge to the pressurized group and removing a cylinder from the trailing edge of the pressurized group. The double ended pistons of each new pressurized group function to drive a wobble plate into a new position of equilibrium and then hold it in such position until another change in the makeup of the pressurized group. These pistons also displace hydraulic fluid from the opposite cylinder head which serves as the output of a pumping element. An increment of displacement of the wobble plate occurs in direct response to each command pulse that is received by the stepping motor. Wobble plate displacement drives the rotary valve of the hydraulic power transfer unit, causing it to transfer hydraulic fluid from a first expansible chamber on one side of a piston in a hydraulic ram to a second expansible chamber on the opposite side of the piston. Reverse drive of the hydraulic power transfer unit reverses the direction of transfer of hydraulic fluid between the two expansible chambers.

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Kent, WA, United States of America

Eugene T Raymond