Honeywell International Inc.

Michal Nozka

Antonin Skarolek

Tomas Ripel

Radek Hedl

David Podola

Albert Mikan

Gear systems provide backlash control at low loading and effective load carrying at increased loading. A gear system with backlash control includes at least two meshing gears. One of the gears has a gear section configured for carrying loads and another gear section configured to control backlash. The gear sections are connected together by a compliant section that has features that reduce stiffness so that the gear sections are moveable relative to each other. One gear section is biased relative to the other gear section so that its teeth are preloaded against the teeth of the first gear.

Gear system with compliant anti-backlash features

An actuator system for a flight control surface of an aerial vehicle includes a motor, and an inner shaft. The inner shaft includes a first portion at a first end and a second portion that extends from the first portion to a second end of the inner shaft. The first portion of the inner shaft is coupled to the motor. The second portion of the inner shaft is coupled to at least one roller that includes roller threads. The actuator system includes an inverted nut defining an inner bore and having an outer diameter that defines an output rod. The inner bore includes nut threads. The inverted nut is coupled about the inner shaft such that the nut threads are to engage with the plurality of roller threads to move the output rod, and the output rod is to be coupled to the flight control surface.

Actuator systems for flight control surface

A differential actuator system for controlling a flight control surface is provided, which includes a first control lane subsystem, a second control lane subsystem, a differential subsystem and a differential lock subsystem. The differential subsystem includes a first gear set forming a first load path from the first control lane to the flight control surface, and a second gear set forming a second load path from the second control lane to the flight control surface. The differential lock subsystem operably couples to the first gear set and the second gear set and is switchable between a locked state to couple the first and second gear sets in a torque-summing mode for moving the flight control surface and an unlocked state to couple the first and second gear sets in a velocity-summing mode for moving the flight control surface. Control signals issued from a controller operate the differential actuator system.

Differential lock actuator systems and methods for moving flight control surface

An actuator system for a flight control surface of an aerial vehicle includes a shaft. The shaft includes at least one roller to rotate with the shaft and a plunger. The at least one roller includes a plurality of roller threads. The actuator system includes an inverted nut defining an inner bore including a plurality of nut threads. The inverted nut is coupled about the shaft such that the plurality of nut threads are to engage with the plurality of roller threads to move the inverted nut relative to the shaft. The inverted nut includes a source of a lubricant in fluid communication with the inner bore and the plunger is to be received within the inner bore to supply the lubricant to the at least one roller.

A system and method for measuring an amount of backlash in an actuator assembly that includes a housing assembly, an actuator, a drive source, an actuator position sensor, a drive source position sensor, and a controller. The controller is in operable communication with the drive source, the actuator position sensor, and the drive source position sensor, and is configured to selectively implement a built-in test that determines the amount of backlash in the actuator assembly.

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Brno, Czechia

Michal Nozka