Sundstrand Corporation

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Teddy L Jones

Kevin D Gibbons

William E Villano

Jon B Althof

Jeffrey T Wavering

Duane H Grimm

Shan-Chin Tsai

Gary D Gillingham

Andrew N Baines

Gregory T Wallen

William E Leden

Dale W Massolle, Jr

Francis W Recck

Kevin Gibbons

Patrick D Conner

Dale B Sundstrom

Jonathan E Beimborn

A system to provide differential movement between a first surface, a second surface and a fixed surface includes a first surface movable between a first position and a second position; a second surface movable with the first surface and further movable beyond the first surface; a shaft connected to the second surface to move the second surface; and a drive unit connected to the fixed surface to drive the shaft to move the second surface relative to the first surface and to allow the shaft to move through the drive unit when the second surface is being moved by the first surface.

Actuation system

An integrated thrust reverser and variable area fan nozzle actuator includes a ballscrew shaft having a first ballnut and a second ballnut. The second ballnut is fastened to a first translatable object. A bearing is affixed to the ballscrew shaft between the first ballnut and the second ballnut. A second translatable object is coupled to the bearing. A drive mechanism is operably coupled to the first ballnut for rotation and a locking mechanism selectively couples the ballscrew shaft to the first ballnut.

Integrated thrust reverser actuator and variable area fan nozzle actuator

An integrated variable area fan nozzle (VAFN) and thrust reversing actuation system (TRAS) system includes movable surfaces for adjusting an exit area for bypass flow and cowls moved for directing discharge flow in a reverser manner. The movable surfaces of the VAFN and TRAS systems are both coupled for movement by a common actuator arrangement. A power drive unit drives each of the actuators on each of the actuators through a gearbox or other linkage such that one common motor or motor combination is utilized for driving all of the actuators. A series of redundant and separately actuateable locks control deployment of the surfaces of the thrust reverse system such that thrust reversing system can move to an open or deployed position only in response to each of the locks being actuated to an unlocked condition.

Integrated electric variable area fan nozzle thrust reversal actuation system

A dual redundant actuation control system for controlling a plurality of actuators for positioning a plurality of moveable aircraft components. The actuation control system includes a component controller. The component controller includes two component control channels. Each of the plurality of actuators is electrically connected to each of the two component control channels such that either of the two component control channels may control any or all of the plurality of actuators.

Actuation control system

A sensor assembly for sensing relative movement between adjacent panels includes a base and first and second arms pivotally mounted to the base. An electrical connecting element is attached to the first and second arms and holds the first and second arms in a first position to indicate a first condition. When the first and second arms have moved relative to each other by a predetermined amount, the electrical connecting element breaks to indicate a second condition.

Disconnect sensor

An air driven turbine having variable pitched blades is provided that includes a pitch change mechanism and associated control circuits for automatically adjusting the pitch of the blades during either rotating or non-rotating operational modes of the air driven turbine. The pitch control mechanism includes a resettable overspeed protection device which is directly actuated by an overspeed condition of the turbine and operates independently from the pitch change mechanism to move the blades to a failsafe, feathered, or coarse pitch, low speed position. The pitch control mechanism utilizes a linear actuator in the form of an acme screw drive. The air driven turbine includes a ball ramp thrust bearing for attaching the blades to a hub of the turbine in such a manner that during rotation of the turbine actuation loads on the pitch change mechanism are reduced. The control circuits utilize simple on-off switching circuits for controlling blade pitch, thereby eliminating the need for more complex PID type control functions.

Air driven turbine including a blade pitch control system

An air driven turbine having variable pitched blades is provided that includes a pitch change mechanism for adjusting the pitch of the blades during either rotating or non-rotating operational modes of the air driven turbine. The pitch control mechanism includes a resettable overspeed protection device which is directly actuated by an overspeed condition of the turbine and operates independently from the pitch change mechanism to move the blades to a failsafe, feathered, or coarse pitch, low speed position. The pitch control mechanism utilizes a linear actuator in the form of an acme screw drive. The air driven turbine includes a ball ramp thrust bearing for attaching the blades to a hub of the turbine in such a manner that during rotation of the turbine actuation loads on the pitch change mechanism are reduced.

Air driven turbine having a blade pitch changing mechanism including

The invention is directed to a jam tolerant ballscrew actuator. The ballscrew actuator is driven through a differential via plural power paths therein. A first of these differential power paths is drivingly coupled to a reciprocating dual ballscrew assembly by way of a rotatable ballnut. A second of the differential power paths is coupled to the dual ballscrew assembly via a rotatable hub having a splined opening therethrough. A reciprocating sleeve having a splined portion engages the sleeve shaft to reciprocate therethrough and be rotated by the rotatable hub. The sleeve shaft additionally includes a rotatable sleeve ballnut portion that drivingly cooperates with the dual ballscrew assembly. The reciprocating rotatable sleeve provides the ballscrew actuator output. The rotatable ballnut and the rotatable sleeve ballnut have equal but opposite leads which provide an axial motion summing characteristic for the dual ballscrew assembly. An internal jam of one of the ballscrews, in the differential, or in any bearing, simply alters the power flow path through the differential and the dual ballscrew assembly but does not affect the overall mechanical advantage or speed ratio of the actuator.

Jam tolerant linear actuator

A non-jamming electro-mechanical hydrostatic actuator system includes one embodiment in which a ballscrew assembly has a rotatable nut and an axially movable ballscrew. A motor rotates the nut to axially move the ballscrew. An actuator is operatively connected to a load to be actuated. A hydraulic system is coupled between the ballscrew and the actuator and includes a closed hydraulic circuit for statically trapping fluid in the circuit to effect movement of the actuator in response to movement of the ballscrew. The closed circuit is selectively opened to allow fluid flow in the circuit in the event of failure or jamming of the ballscrew assembly to allow reaction movement of the actuator in response to load forces. In another embodiment a rotary vaned assembly includes a cylinder housing a rotary vane, with the motor rotating the cylinder. The hydraulic system is coupled between the cylinder and the vane and includes a closed hydraulic circuit for statically trapping fluid in the circuit on opposite sides of the vane to effect conjoint rotation of the cylinder and the van. When the closed circuit is opened to allow fluid flow in the circuit the vane can rotate independently of the cylinder to allow reaction movement of the actuator in response to load forces.

Non-jamming actuator system

A bi-directional snub valve provides two parallel fluid paths therethrough and means for restricting the fluid flow through each of the parallel paths to one preferred direction. A movable piston is provided with two land portions which selectively are movable into blocking association with two openings in a fluid chamber. Blockage of either of the two openings in the fluid chamber and the corresponding fluid flow path does not effect the ability of the alternate path to conduct a fluid therethrough. The bi-directional snub valve therefore is able to slow the flow of fluid therethrough as a movable object approaches its end-of-travel position. However, because of the nature of the two parallel flow paths, the movable object can be moved away from its end-of-travel position at full speed. A cam arrangement is used to move the piston of the snub valve in response to movement of the movable object.

Bi-directional snub valve

This invention relates to a resettable force limiting assembly of the ball and screw type employed in a flight control actuation system. The resettable force limiting assembly includes a force transmitting reciprocating output member drivingly carried by an actuating member mounted for rotation in a housing. A reversible torque input is mechanically coupled to the actuating member to cause the output member to move in a direction dependent upon the direction of rotation of the input. A reciprocating reaction plate is secured for rotation with the actuating member. In operating cooperation with the reaction plate is a reaction plate engagement assembly that has elements secured against rotation to the housing. The elements are disposed on either side of the reaction plate. The elements have compression springs coupled thereto to resiliently separate the elements while allowing the elements to individually move towards and away from the reaction plate. The reaction plate, in turn, has springs resiliently positioning the reaction plate between a pair of force transmitting means in the form of snap rings secured to the actuating member whereby tension and compression forces above a predetermined value experienced by the output member result in the reaction plate being deflected into engagement with one of the reaction plate engagement elements depending upon the direction of the tension and compression forces experienced by the output member to thereby cause any additional input torque to be reacted into the housing. Reverse rotation of the input torque will result in the release of one of the reaction plate engagement elements to thereby reset the force limiting assembly.

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Cherry Valley, IL, United States of America

Teddy L Jones