The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 23, 2022
Filed:
Apr. 01, 2020
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Mitchell Mellor, Bothell, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A rotary actuator for a hinged panel assembly, e.g., of a fixed-wing aircraft, includes ball bearings, an outer cylinder, a piston, and an inner shaft. The outer cylinder admits fluid pressure from a fluid pressure supply. The piston is circumscribed by the outer cylinder. The piston, outer cylinder, and ball bearings collectively forming an outer ball screw. The piston translates along a longitudinal center axis in response to the fluid pressure. The inner shaft is circumscribed by the piston, with the inner shaft, piston, and ball bearings collectively forming an inner ball screw that is concentric with the outer ball screw. The ball screws form an interlaced ball circuit with one or more shared ball paths. Piston translation rotates the piston and inner shaft, and to thereby recirculates the ball bearings between the outer ball screw and the inner ball screw through the interlaced ball circuit.