Honeywell International Inc.

Alliedsignal Inc.

Steve G Abel

Casey Hanlon

Paul T Wingett

Kellan P Geck

Kevin K Chakkera

Don Christensen

Raymond R Tseng

James Wawrzynek

George T Woessner

Ron Vaughan

Steven Talbert Forrest

Mark H Baker

Kevin Gardner

Patrick Hinke

Donald Jeffrey Christensen

Dwayne Michael Benson

David M Eschborn

Gordon E Whelpley

Bruce Larsen

Doug Kortum

Matt McClure

Eric J Ekstrom

A hydraulic lock for an actuator having a movable shaft includes a lock cylinder having a first end and a second end. A slot is defined through a perimeter of the lock cylinder adjacent to the second end, and a bore is defined through a portion of the lock cylinder at the second end to extend towards the first end. The hydraulic lock includes at least one pawl having a first pawl end and a second pawl end. The first pawl end is releasably coupled to a groove defined in the shaft, and the second pawl end is coupled to the slot. The pawl is movable relative to the slot between a first, locked position in which the first pawl end is coupled to the groove to inhibit movement of the shaft, and a second, unlocked position in which the first pawl end is released from the groove.

Hydraulic lock for actuator

A thrust reverser system for a gas turbine engine includes a support structure, a transcowl, an actuator, and a hydraulic assist mechanism. The actuator is configured to supply an actuation force to the transcowl to thereby move the transcowl between the stowed and deployed positions. The hydraulic assist mechanism is coupled to the transcowl and is configured to react reverse thrust loads on the transcowl at least when the transcowl is translating between the stowed position and the deployed position.

Aircraft thrust reverser system with hydraulic assist device

A thrust reverser system for a gas turbine engine includes a support structure, a transcowl, a door, a main actuator, and an assist actuator. The transcowl is mounted on the support structure and is axially translatable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The door is pivotally coupled to the support structure and is rotatable between at least a first position and a second position when the transcowl translates between the stowed position and the deployed position, respectively. The main actuator is configured to supply an actuation force to the transcowl to thereby move the transcowl between the stowed and deployed positions. The assist actuator is coupled to the door, and is configured to supply an actuation assist force to the door and, upon rotation of the door to an intermediate position between the first position and the second position, to commence load sharing with the main actuator.

Aircraft thrust reverser with out-of-plane assisting actuator

A thrust reverser control system includes a plurality of actuators, an electric motor, an electric brake, and a control. Each actuator is responsive to an actuator input torque to move between a stowed position and a deployed position. The electric motor is coupled to each of the actuators and is configured, upon being energized from a voltage source having a supply voltage magnitude, to supply the actuator input torque to the actuators and further configured to selectively generate regenerative current. The electric brake is coupled to be selectively supplied with the regenerative current and is configured, upon being supplied with the regenerative current, to supply a braking torque that slows movement of the actuators. The control is coupled to the electric brake and is configured, upon the supply voltage magnitude exceeding a predetermined value, to cause the regenerative current to be supplied to the electric brake.

Electric thrust reverser actuation system with controlled brake assist

A hydraulic lock for a thrust vector actuator includes a lock cylinder. The lock cylinder includes at least one slot and at least one bore. The slot is defined through a perimeter of the lock cylinder, and the bore is defined through a portion of the lock cylinder at a second end to extend towards a first end. The hydraulic lock includes at least one biasing member coupled to the bore. The hydraulic lock includes at least one pawl having a first pawl end and a second pawl end. The first pawl end is releasably coupled to the shaft of the thrust vector actuator. The second pawl end is coupled to the slot. The pawl is movable relative to the slot between a first, locked position in which the first pawl end is coupled to inhibit movement of the shaft, and a second, unlocked position.

Hydraulic lock for thrust vector actuator

A fluid accumulator includes a tank, a piston, and a valve. The piston is movably disposed within the tank and divides the tank volume into a first fluid volume and a second fluid volume. The valve is coupled to the tank and includes a valve body, a valve element, a valve spring, a piston contact element, and a load limiter spring. The valve element is disposed within the valve body and is movable between an open position and a closed position. The valve spring has a first spring constant and supplies a force to the valve element that urges the valve element toward the open position. The piston contact element is spaced apart from, and is movable relative to, the valve element. The load limiter spring engages the valve element and the piston contact element, and has a second spring constant that is greater than the first spring constant.

Leak-free piston style accumulator

An aircraft thrust reverser actuation system includes a plurality of actuator assemblies that are each configured, upon receipt of a drive torque, to move to a position. The rotary hydraulic motor is coupled to each of the actuator assemblies and is configured, upon receipt of hydraulic fluid, to rotate and supply the drive torque to each of the actuator assemblies. The control valve is in fluid communication with the rotary hydraulic motor and is configured, upon receipt of electrical current, to move to a valve position based on the magnitude of the received electrical current, to thereby control the direction and flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor. The valve control is configured, upon receipt of thrust reverser commands, to supply the electrical current to the control valve and selectively vary the magnitude of the electrical current based on the positions of the actuator assemblies.

Rotary hydraulic motor driven hybrid thrust reverser actuation system with end-of-stroke snubbing

A rope drive anchoring assembly includes a pulley, a rope, and a rope connector. The pulley is adapted to be rotationally mounted and has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a fastener opening extending between the inner and outer surfaces. The rope engages at least a portion of the outer surface of the pulley and is adapted to receive a drive torque, which causes the pulley to rotate. The rope connector couples the rope to the pulley, and includes a fastener, a threaded bolt, and a spring. The fastener extends through the fastener opening, and has a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and an opening through which the rope extends. The threaded bolt is threaded onto the fastener threads, and the spring is disposed between the threaded bolt and the inner surface of the pulley.

Rope drive anchoring assembly

A self-snubbing hydraulic actuation system includes a hydraulic motor, a component actuator, a control valve, a valve actuator, and a variable resistance device. The hydraulic motor is configured, upon receipt of hydraulic fluid, to rotate and supply a drive torque. The component actuator is configured, upon receipt of drive torque from the motor, to translate to a position. The control valve is movable to a plurality of valve positions to thereby control hydraulic fluid flow rate to the hydraulic motor. The valve actuator is coupled to the control valve and is adapted to receive electrical current and to move the control valve to a valve position based on the magnitude of the received electrical current. The variable resistance device is configured, based on component actuator position, to selectively vary the magnitude of the electrical current received by the valve actuator.

Self-snubbing hydraulic actuation system

An actuator includes an actuator housing, a ball screw, and an axial soft stop assembly. The ball screw extends through the actuator housing and has a first end and a second end. The ball screw is coupled to receive a drive force and is configured, upon receipt of the drive force, to selectively move in a retract direction and an extend direction. The axial soft stop assembly is disposed within the actuator housing. The axial soft stop assembly is configured to be selectively engaged by the ball screw and, upon being engaged thereby, to translate, with compliance, a predetermined distance in the extend direction, and to prevent further movement of the ball screw upon translating the predetermined distance.

Ball screw actuator including an axial soft stop

An apparatus and method is provided for operating an aircraft control stick in an active mode and a passive mode. The method comprises subjecting the control stick to an a resilient restoring force in the passive mode, and neutralizing the restoring force in the active mode. A spring assembly is provided for exerting and neutralizing the restoring force, which may be varied between minimum and maximum values.

Aircraft control stick operational in active and passive modes

A hot-gas thruster is actuated using a relatively small electric motor. The hot-gas thruster includes a pressure assisted pilot shaft to keep electric power demand to only a few hundred watts peak and only tens of watts on average, while exhibiting relatively fast response times.

Pressure assisted direct drive proportional hot-gas thruster

Systems and methods of controlling solid propellant gas pressure and vehicle thrust are provided. Propellant gas pressure and a vehicle inertial characteristic are sensed. Propellant gas pressure commands and vehicle thrust commands are generated. A propellant gas pressure error is determined based on the propellant gas pressure commands and the sensed propellant gas pressure, and vehicle thrust error is determined based on the vehicle thrust commands and the sensed vehicle inertial characteristic. Reaction control valves are moved between closed and full-open positions based on the determined propellant gas pressure error and on the determined vehicle thrust error. The system and method allow the reaction control valves to operate at variable frequencies or at fixed frequencies. The system and method also allows propellant pressure to be commanded to follow a predetermined pressure profile or commanded to vary 'on-the-fly.'

Solid propellant gas control system and method

A gas control valve is configured to controllably supply propellant gas to a thruster so that the thruster may produce thrust over a relatively wide range, and so that the thruster exhibits relatively fine minimum impulse bit (MIB) performance. The gas control valve includes a pilot stage having a pilot valve, and a main stage having a main valve. The gas control valve responds to control signals supplied to the pilot stage and is configured such that for commands of relatively short duration, only the pilot valve responds. Conversely, for commands of relatively longer duration, the pilot valve and main valve both respond.

Propellant gas control valve

An electromechanical actuator is provided for converting rotary action into linear action, and includes an electric motor, a cable yoke, an output shaft, and a pair of cables. The electric motor is adapted to be selectively energized and is configured, upon being energized to generate a drive torque. The cable yoke is coupled to receive the drive torque and is configured, upon receipt thereof, to rotate about a rotational axis. The output shaft is coupled to receive a drive force and is configured, upon receipt thereof, to translate along a linear axis that is disposed at least substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis. Each cable is wound, in pretension, on a portion of the cable yoke and around a portion of the output shaft. The pair of cables is configured, upon rotation of the cable yoke, to supply the drive force to the output shaft.

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Chandler, AZ, United States of America

Steve G Abel