The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Neal Van Huynh

Seiya Sakurai

Patrick Joseph McCormick

Douglas S Lacy

Jan A Kordel

John A Standley

Michael Albert Balzer

John V Dovey

John C Nicholas

Kevin W Beyer

Patrick M Fahey

Clayton A Prow

Michael D Bills

Robert S Eick

Thomas G Heineman

Stephen T Brown

Jimmy Manansala Quiambao

Paul W Dees

David E Blanding

Matthew A Moser

Robert J Bleeg

Jeffrey Charles Coffman

Mark E Gast

Alan D Marx

Henning Buus

David W Lochtie

Daniel H Cartmell

Timothy G Overton

Ralph Scott Pepper

Brian L Bocksch

Clifton A Piersbacher

Keith S Duffy

David B Borgens

Patrick Joseph Mccormick

Mark Steven Good

Kelly Thomas Jones

Stephen John Fox

Paul M Vijgen

Joseph E Elliott

Mark H Smith

Stephen L Wells

Jack S Noble

Leonard J Inderhees

Paul T Meredith

Gordon Tylosky

Paul Jay Cline

Michael F Fitzpatrick

Edward W Gronenthal

Peter James Andersen

Munior Orgun

Alexander Craig Oleson

Joseph P Bagnoli

Selya Sakurai

Paul L Johnson

Russell R Christianson

Scott Pepper

David Blanding

Matthew Alexander Moser

John A Dley

Electro-hydraulic servo-valves and related methods are disclosed herein. An example electro-hydraulic servo-valve includes an inlet to receive a fluid from a reservoir, a torque motor, a chamber, the fluid to return to the reservoir via the chamber, and a flexure tube coupled to the torque motor. At least a portion of the flexure tube is disposed in the chamber. The flexure tube includes a nozzle to deliver the fluid to an actuator. The example electro-hydraulic servo-valve includes a damper operatively coupled to the flexure tube. The damper is disposed in the chamber.

Electro-hydraulic servo-valves and related methods

Systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling aircraft roll operations are disclosed. An example system includes an aileron actuator including a mode selector valve to control fluid flow through the aileron actuator, and a valve spring coupled to the mode selector valve, the valve spring to adjust the mode selector valve from the active position to a block position, the block position to prevent fluid flow through the aileron actuator, a wing cable system coupled to the aileron actuator, a wing actuator coupled to the wing cable system, the wing actuator to control displacement of the aileron of the aircraft in response to the mode selector valve being in the block position, and a differential linkage coupled to the wing actuator and the aileron, the differential linkage to translate the displacement of the wing actuator into rotational movement to adjust the aileron from a first position to a second position.

Systems, methods, and apparatus to control aircraft roll operations using wing actuators

Distributed trailing edge actuation systems and methods for aircraft are described herein. An example aircraft includes a wing, a flap coupled to the wing, the flap movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, and a distributed trailing edge (DTE) actuation system including a flap actuator coupled to the wing to move the flap. The flap actuator includes an integrated hydraulic powered actuator and electric powered actuator. The flap actuator is operable in a hydraulic powered mode in which the hydraulic powered actuator is activated to move the flap, an electric powered mode in which the electric powered actuator is activated to move the flap, and a hybrid mode in which the hydraulic powered actuator and the electric powered actuator are activated simultaneously to move the flap.

Distributed trailing edge actuation systems and methods for aircraft

An example aircraft disclosed herein includes a wing, a spoiler rotatably coupled to the wing, the spoiler movable between a cruise position and an upward position and between the cruise position and a droop position, and a spoiler actuation system coupled to a hydraulic system of the aircraft, the spoiler actuation system including a first piston and a second piston, a rack coupled between the first piston and the second piston, the rack movable between a first position and a second position, a pinion coupled to the rack, the pinion to rotate between a third position and a fourth position when the rack moves between the first position and the second position, a first crank arm coupled to the pinion, the first crank arm to rotate with the pinion between the third position and the fourth position, and a second crank arm coupled to the first crank arm and to the spoiler, the second crank arm to move the spoiler between the cruise position and the upward position when the first crank arm rotates between the third position and the fourth position.

Spoiler actuation systems and methods for aircraft

Systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling aircraft roll operations are disclosed. An example system includes a wing actuator coupled to an aileron of an aircraft, an alternate power unit (APU), a control wheel position sensor to measure a control wheel position of a control wheel of the aircraft, a flight control computer (FCC) coupled to the APU and the control wheel position sensor, the FCC to invoke the APU to provide power to the wing actuator, and transmit a control signal to the wing actuator, the control signal to invoke the wing actuator to control the aileron based on the control wheel position, and a differential linkage coupled to the wing actuator and the aileron, the differential linkage to convert first movement of the wing actuator into second movement to control the aileron, the first movement of the wing actuator based on the control wheel position.

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for a distributed aircraft actuation system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a non-responsive component detector to determine a position difference between a first position of a first control surface of an aircraft and a second position of a second control surface of the aircraft, the first position lagging the second position, and a command generator, in response to determining that the position difference satisfies a threshold, the command generator is to cease movement of the second control surface at the second position, attempt to move the first control surface to the second position, and cease movement of the first control surface when moved to the second position.

Methods and apparatus for a distributed aircraft actuation system

A method for monitoring remaining useful life (RUL) of an actuation system in a vehicle that includes receiving position data of the actuation system from a position sensor, maintaining a total distance traveled for the actuation system, and calculating the RUL of the actuation system. The calculating includes estimating force data using an output variable estimator, determining motor torque, weighing the estimated force data using a confidence level, predicting a total life of the actuation system based on the weighted force data, and comparing the predicted total life with the total distance traveled to determine the remaining useful life.

System and method for monitoring the remaining useful life of a ball screw in actuation system

Systems, methods, and apparatus to control aircraft roll operations are disclosed herein. An example system includes a control wheel position determiner to determine a control wheel position based on an input from a control wheel of the aircraft, a control wheel force determiner to determine a first control wheel force based on a sensor measurement, and a spoiler controller to map the control wheel position to a second control wheel force, the second control wheel force based on nominal characteristics of the aircraft, determine a first difference between the first control wheel force and the second control wheel force, and in response to determining that the first difference does not satisfy a threshold, move a flight control surface based on a third control wheel force, the third control wheel force based on a second difference between the first difference and the threshold.

Systems, methods, and apparatus to control aircraft roll operations

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for redundant actuation of control surfaces. An example apparatus includes a control surface of an aircraft, and an actuator to move the control surface. The example apparatus also includes an electric motor to move the actuator; the electric motor communicatively coupled to an electrical system of the aircraft. The example apparatus also includes a hydraulic motor to move the actuator, the hydraulic motor fluidly coupled to a hydraulic system of the aircraft. The example apparatus also includes a sensor to detect incorrect operation of the hydraulic system. The example apparatus also includes a switch operatively coupled to the sensor, the switch to enable operation of the electric motor in response to the detected incorrect operation of the hydraulic system.

Methods and apparatus for redundant actuation of control surfaces

Distributed trailing edge wing flap systems are described. An example wing flap system for an aircraft includes a flap and first and second actuators. The flap is movable between a deployed position and a retracted position relative to a fixed trailing edge of a wing of the aircraft. The first and second actuators are configured to move the flap relative to the fixed trailing edge. The first actuator is operatively coupled to the second actuator via a shaft. The first actuator is actuatable via pressurized hydraulic fluid to be supplied from a hydraulic system of the aircraft to the first actuator via a hydraulic module operatively coupled to the first actuator. The first actuator is configured to control movement of the second actuator via the shaft when the hydraulic system and the hydraulic module are functional. The second actuator is actuatable via an electric motor of the second actuator. The electric motor is selectively connectable to an electrical system of the aircraft. The electric motor is connected to the electrical system in response to detection of a failure of the hydraulic system or of the hydraulic module. The second actuator is configured to control movement of the first actuator via the shaft when the electric motor is connected to the electrical system.

Distributed trailing edge wing flap systems

Distributed trailing edge wing flap systems are described. An example wing flap system for an aircraft includes a flap and first and second actuators. The flap is movable between a deployed position and a retracted position relative to a fixed trailing edge of a wing of the aircraft. The first and second actuators are configured to move the flap relative to the fixed trailing edge. The first actuator is actuatable via pressurized hydraulic fluid to be supplied from a hydraulic system of the aircraft to the first actuator via a hydraulic module operatively coupled to the first actuator. The first actuator is operatively coupled to a first shaft. The second actuator is actuatable via an electric motor of the second actuator. The electric motor is operatively coupled to an electrical system of the aircraft. The second actuator is operatively coupled to a second shaft. The first and second shafts are selectively operatively couplable via a clutch operatively positioned between the first and second shafts. The clutch is actuatable between a disengaged position in which the second shaft is operatively uncoupled from the first shaft and an engaged position in which the second shaft is operatively coupled to the first shaft.

Systems and methods for jam mitigation in aircraft fly-by-wire systems are described herein. An example method of controlling an aircraft with a fly-by-wire system includes determining a current position of a pilot cockpit controller of the fly-by-wire system, determining an amount of pilot input force applied to the pilot cockpit controller, determining an expected pilot input force value that corresponds to the current position of the pilot cockpit controller, and, if the amount of pilot input force applied exceeds the expected pilot input force value by a threshold, generating a pilot command based on the amount of pilot input force applied and not the current position of the pilot cockpit controller.

Jam mitigation in aircraft fly-by-wire systems and related methods

An aircraft control system includes pilot and co-pilot flight control systems that each include a first shaft mechanically coupled to and displaced apart from a second shaft, the shafts defining and being rotatable about independent longitudinal axes. A connecting link enables rotation of one of the first shafts to rotate a corresponding one of the second shafts. A position transducer is mechanically coupled to each shaft and configured to communicate an electrical signal corresponding to the rotation of the respective shaft. A flight control unit electrically communicates with the position transducers and is configured to (a) receive the electrical signal from each position transducer, (b) detect a failure of the flight control system by detecting differences in the position transducers' electrical signals, and (c) communicate the electrical signal from the position transducer to a flight control surface actuation system to compensate for the detected failure.

Method and apparatus for latent fault detection and management for fly-by-wire flight control systems

Distributed trailing edge wing flap systems are described. An example wing flap system for an aircraft includes a flap and an actuator. The flap is movable between a deployed position and a retracted position relative to a fixed trailing edge of a wing of the aircraft. The actuator is to move the flap relative to the fixed trailing edge. The actuator is hydraulically drivable via first pressurized hydraulic fluid to be supplied by a hydraulic system of the aircraft. The actuator is also hydraulically drivable via second pressurized hydraulic fluid to be supplied by a local power unit. The local power unit is selectively connectable to an electrical system of the aircraft. The electrical system is to power the local power unit to supply the second pressurized hydraulic fluid.

Distributed trailing edge wing flap systems are described. An example wing flap system for an aircraft includes a flap, an actuator, a first hydraulic module, and a second hydraulic module. The flap is movable between a deployed position and a retracted position relative to a fixed trailing edge of a wing of the aircraft. The actuator is to move the flap relative to the fixed trailing edge. The first hydraulic module is located at the actuator. The second hydraulic module is located remotely from the first hydraulic module and includes a local power unit. The actuator is hydraulically drivable via first pressurized hydraulic fluid to be supplied from a hydraulic system of the aircraft to the actuator via the second hydraulic module and further via the first hydraulic module. The actuator is also hydraulically drivable via second pressurized hydraulic fluid to be supplied from the local power unit to the actuator via the second hydraulic module and further via the first hydraulic module.

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Neal Van Huynh