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:
Nov. 19, 2002
Filed:
May. 21, 2001
Edward Emaci, Rockford, IL (US);
Scott Wilkinson, German Valley, IL (US);
William Leden, Roscoe, IL (US);
Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, Rockford, IL (US);
Abstract
A sensor detects skewed adjacent movable component. The sensor may be used to detect harmful skews of aircraft control surfaces, such as slats or flaps on aircraft wings, which may be caused by an actuator disconnection from the surface it drives. Harmful skew, which is a relative asymmetrical motion of control surfaces beyond a predetermined limit, is detected by the sensor, but the relatively smaller harmless skew caused by normal flight is ignored. The sensor comprises first and second arms connected to a common base that may be attached to a first control surface. A constraining means such as a mechanical fuse holds the arms together while a separating means such as a spring exerts a separating force on the arms when the fuse breaks. A switching means is integral to the two arms. A striker pin on a second control surface strikes the first or second sensor arm when the relative motion between the control surfaces exceeds a certain predetermined limit. The force of the striker pin breaks the constraining means at a predetermined tension. Then the switching means operates to provide an indication that the arms have been opened.