The Boeing Company

Michael E Renzelmann

Mark John Gardner

Mark H Smith

Mark Steven Good

Alan D Marx

Gary A Emch

Matthew August Lassen

Paul M Vijgen

Mark William Lesyna

Dan Onu

Charles E Jokisch

George Moy

Nicholas Seth Tyler

John D Winter

Brian Curtis Hill

Candy L Carr

Stephen Roger Amorosi

Michael R Finn

James J Kunda

Mark A Barr

Peter Angel Padilla

Shannon J Kupfer

Christopher D Feet

William Suhail Hanna

Eric J Selby

Richard I Apfel

Gregory J Seehusen

Jared Chung Houten

Gregory T Stramat

Mark J Gardner

A system and method for a number of backup systems in an aircraft. The apparatus comprises a movement system; a latch system; a lock system; and at least one of a backup valve, a backup actuator, or a backup power source connected to at least one of the movement system, the latch system, or the lock system. The movement system has a first number of actuators and is connected to a hydraulic power source. The latch system has a second number of actuators and is connected to the hydraulic power source. The lock system has a third number of actuators and is connected to the hydraulic power source.

Backup system

A latch pin actuator comprises a primary lock, a spring, and a piston. The primary lock is attached to a primary lock cam and has a notch. The spring is biased to lock the primary lock. The piston is configured to unlock the primary lock.

Folding wing system

The movable surfaces affecting the camber of a wing are dynamically adjusted to optimize wing camber for optimum lift/drag ratios under changing conditions during a given flight phase. In a preferred embodiment, an add-on dynamic adjustment control module provides command signals for optimum positioning of trailing edge movable surfaces, i.e., inboard flaps, outboard flaps, ailerons, and flaperons, which are used in place of the predetermined positions of the standard flight control system. The dynamic adjustment control module utilizes inputs of changing aircraft conditions such as altitude, Mach number, weight, center of gravity (CG), vertical speed and flight phase. The dynamic adjustment control module's commands for repositioning the movable surfaces of the wing are transmitted through the standard flight control system to actuators for moving the flight control surfaces.

Dynamic adjustment of wing surfaces for variable camber

An apparatus comprises a sensor system, a flexible line, and a sensor. The sensor system is capable of detecting skew in at least some of a plurality of control surfaces for a vehicle. The flexible line extends across a number of interfaces for a portion of the plurality of control surfaces. The sensor is connected to the flexible line and is capable of detecting the skew in the portion of the plurality of control surfaces in response to a selected amount of movement of the flexible line.

Slat skew detection system

A method for detecting freewheeling skew failures in the wing flaps of an aircraft includes measuring the outputs of flap skew sensors when the aircraft is in flight (IF) and the flaps are extended to a selected position, and when the aircraft is next on the ground (OG) and the flaps are extended to the selected position. The respective differences between the IF and OG outputs of symmetrical pairs of the flap skew sensors are computed, and then the respective difference between the computed IF output difference and the computed OG output difference of each symmetrical pair of the sensors is computed. The computed IF and OG difference of each symmetrical pair of the sensors is then compared with each of predetermined maximum and minimum threshold value to determine whether a freewheeling skew failure exists in any of the flaps of the aircraft.

In-flight detection of wing flap free wheeling skew

An aircraft door mechanism includes a solenoid connected to a support assembly. The solenoid displaces the latch pin between a solenoid energized and a solenoid de-energized position. A catch assembly rotatably connected to the support assembly is positioned to engage a 3&#xbd; degree or less taper portion of the latch pin in the solenoid energized position. When the latch pin moves to the solenoid de-energized position, a latch bolt supported by the door rotates the catch assembly. The latch bolt includes a distal bulbous end which multiplies the force applied to the door to rotate the catch assembly. If the latch pin is extended, a substantially greater force is required to force the latch pin to the solenoid de-energized position owing to the reduced taper of the latch pin. Authorized door entry is therefore easier and unauthorized door entry is made more difficult.

Reduced door opening force and enhanced security flight deck door mechanism

The movable surfaces affecting the camber of a wing are dynamically adjusted to optimize wing camber for optimum lift/drag ratios under changing conditions during a given flight phase. In a preferred embodiment, an add-on dynamic adjustment control module provides command signals for optimum positioning of trailing edge movable surfaces, i.e., inboard flaps, outboard flaps, ailerons, and flaperons, which are used in place of the predetermined positions of the standard flight control system. The dynamic adjustment control module utilizes inputs of changing aircraft conditions such as altitude, Mach number, weight, center of gravity, vertical speed and flight phase. The dynamic adjustment control module's commands for repositioning the movable surfaces of the wing are transmitted through the standard flight control system to actuators for moving the flight control surfaces.

A hydraulic power drive unit (36) including a linear hydraulic piston cylinder unit (64) with a set of longitudinally spaced gear teeth (84) in the form of a rack. A pinion gear (86) is operatively engaged and driven by the rack (84). A differential which may include a carrier (102), planet gears (108, 110) and sun gears (120, 122) may be driven by the pinion gear (86) to selectively transfer drive power to two separate rotary drive outputs (38, 40). A switching valve (160) may be provided which is responsive to a reversal of hydraulic supply pressure. Operation of the switching valve (160) may be limited by mechanical interference between an inhibit dog (181) and a cam surface (196) on the carrier (102). The carrier (102) may also include a separate cam surface (140) positioned for actuation of separate electrical switches (146, 148) in order to monitor position of the drive outputs (38, 40).

Hydraulic power drive unit

A latch pin actuator (34) for use in connection with an aircraft (10) having folding wings or wing tips (12). The actuator (34) includes housing (38) mountable to a wing portion (12, 16). A latch pin (21) in the form of a hydraulic cylinder is slidably mounted within the housing (38) and on a piston (44) which is fixed to the housing (38). Variable volume fluid chambers (46, 48) are defined in the cylinder body of the latch pin (21). A primary lock member (58) is movable between locked and unlocked positions such that retraction of the latch pin (21) is prevented when the primary lock (58) is in a locked position. In preferred form, a hydraulic actuator (78) is used to move the primary lock member (58) between locked and unlocked positions and to operate a sequencing valve which delivers hydraulic pressure to a chamber (48) of the latch pin (21) after actuation of the primary lock (58). The latch pin actuator (34) may also include a secondary lock member (60) which can be ganged to operate in unison with adjacent latch pin actuators (34).

Locking hydraulic latch pin actuator

A plurality of latch pins are locked into a latch position by primary locks and secondary locks. Each primary lock mechanically blocks movement of its corresponding secondary lock into the secondary lock's locked position when the primary lock is out of its locked position. The secondary locks are ganged together to cause them to move together into and out from their locked positions. A follow-up switch senses movement of the ganging mechanism. A latch pin inhibitor blocks movement of the latch pin into the latch position and is moved away to permit latching by spreading of the wing tip. The inhibitor is linked to a valve to shift the valve and thereby cause hydraulic pressure to be supplied to extend the latch pin. When the locks are in their looked positions, the secondary locks mechanically block the primary locks from moving out of their locked positions. The secondary locks are biased into their locked positions. During flight, the latch pins and locks are isolated from hydraulic pressure. Spreading, latching, and locking procedures are carried out automatically following manual actuation of a control member. A hydraulic actuator that moves the wing-tip between folded and spread positions acts as a strut to hold the wing tip in the folded position.

Folding wing-tip system

A plurality of radially extendable/retractable lock bolts (LB) are carried by a piston head (PH). A cylinder body (CB) in which the piston head (PH) is located includes a lock-bolt cavity (52) or cavities. When the actuator is in a lock position (fully extended or fully retracted), the lock bolt or bolts (LB) are in radial alignment with the lock bolt cavity or cavities. A locking piston (LP) within the actuator is movable axially to place a bolt block (62) radially inwardly of the lock bolt or bolts (LB), to in such position block the lock bolt or bolts (LB) against a radial inward movement out from the lock bolt cavity (52) or cavities. The locking piston (LP) includes a piston face (60) against which hydraulic fluid pressure may be directed, to move the locking piston (LP) axially, for retracting the bolt block (62) out from its position radially inwardly of the lock bolt or bolts (LB). This frees the lock bolt or bolts (LB) so that they can move radially inwardly, out from the lock bolt cavity 52 or cavities.

Hydraulic actuator with mechanical lock and installation

A folding wing tip (14) on an aircraft (2) carries a lug (16) that moves into alignment with lugs (6, 10) on the inboard wing portion (4) as the wings spread. The lug (16) pivots an inhibitor (28) that is interconnected by linkage to a valve spool (122). The pivoting of the inhibitor (28) causes the spool (122) to shift its position so that a sense port is brought into communication with a return port. Return pressure in the sense port indicates a spread wing condition. When the wing tip (14) is folded, springs move the inhibitor (28) and the valve spool (122) back to their original positions. This communicates the sense port with a pressure port to indicate a folded wing condition. The spool (122) is preferably also biased into its original position by fluid pressure. In addition, the lug (16) has a cam (92) that engages a roller (84) carried by the inhibitor (28) when the wing tip (14) is moved into a folded position. Abutment of the cam (92) and roller (84) pivots the inhibitor (28) back into its original position.

Latch pin inhibitor for folding wing-tip aircraft

A latch pin and locking system for use in connection with an aircraft having folding wings or wing tips. The system includes a plurality of individual latch pin units, each of which has a pin that is hydraulically driven in extension and retraction. When extended, the pins cooperatively lock wing tip hinge structure which prevents wing tip folding movement. Each latch pin unit has a locking body that prevents pin retraction of its respective pin after extension thereof for wing tip locking. The locking bodies of all of the latch pin units are drivingly interlinked, so that all lock and/or unlock as a single network. The network is driven by a single power drive unit. In the event any one locking body in the network fails, the network is broken, and thereby provides an indication that maintenance is required.

Self-monitoring latch pin lock for folding wing aircraft

A torque isolation device for a force-sensitive load having a safe force limit to be imposed thereon, configured to transmit upstream rotational force within the limit to the load and transmit any force in excess thereof to a load-isolated path, is comprised of a radially displaceable driving coupling which includes a cam member having a dwell and bi-directional, outwardly oriented camming surfaces bounding same receiving a cam follower secured to a pivotal drive arm radially extensible from a biased primary transmission position, wherein the cam follower is disposed within the dwell, to an extended overload position in engagement with mechanical ground wherein the cam follower is displaced along the camming surface.

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Woodinville, WA, United States of America

Michael E Renzelmann