Automatic flight control actuator systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10030756-B2
Application number	US-201615171733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 2, 2016
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

An automatic actuator system is provided. The automatic actuator system includes an input linkage that receives an input and an output linkage adapted to control a flight surface actuator. The automatic actuator system includes a first strain wave gear having a first circular spline coupled to the input linkage and a first flex spline rotatably coupled to the first circular spline. The automatic actuator system includes a second strain wave gear having a second circular spline coupled to the first flex spline. The second strain wave gear includes a second flex spline, and the second flex spline is coupled to the output linkage such that at least a portion of the input from the input linkage is transferred to the output linkage via the first strain wave gear and the second strain wave gear.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic actuator system, comprising:
an input linkage that receives an input;
an output linkage adapted to control a flight surface actuator;
a first strain wave gear including a first circular spline coupled to the input linkage and a first flex spline rotatably coupled to the first circular spline; and
a second strain wave gear including a second circular spline coupled to the first flex spline, the second strain wave gear including a second flex spline, and the second flex spline is coupled to the output linkage such that at least a portion of the input from the input linkage is transferred to the output linkage via the first strain wave gear and the second strain wave gear.

2. The automatic actuator system of claim 1 , wherein the first strain wave gear and the second strain wave gear operate in series and the second circular spline is positioned adjacent to a cavity defined by the first circular spline.

3. The automatic actuator system of claim 1 , further comprising a first actuator system, the first strain wave gear includes a first wave generator, and the first actuator system is coupled to the first wave generator to rotate the first flex spline.

4. The automatic actuator system of claim 3 , further comprising a second actuator system, the second strain wave gear includes a second wave generator, and the second actuator system is coupled to the second wave generator to rotate the second flex spline.

5. The automatic actuator system of claim 4 , further comprising at least one first sensor coupled to the first actuator system and at least one second sensor coupled to the second actuator system.

6. The automatic actuator system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the first circular spline.

7. The automatic actuator system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the second flex spline.

8. The automatic actuator system of claim 1 , further comprising a trim input system coupled to the first circular spline.

9. The automatic actuator system of claim 5 , wherein the first actuator system includes a first motor and the second actuator system includes a second motor, and the automatic actuator system further comprises a control module that receives and processes sensor signals from the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor, and generates one or more control signals for at least one of the first motor and the second motor based at least in part on the sensor signals.

10. The automatic actuator system of claim 9 , wherein the first wave generator includes a first wave generator input shaft, and the first actuator is coupled to the first wave generator input shaft.

11. The automatic actuator system of claim 10 , wherein the second wave generator includes a second wave generator input shaft, and the second actuator is coupled to the second wave generator input shaft.

12. The automatic actuator system of claim 11 , wherein the second wave generator input shaft is received through the first wave generator input shaft and rotates independently of the first wave generator input shaft.

13. An automatic actuator system, comprising:
an input linkage that receives an input;
an output linkage adapted to control a flight surface actuator;
at least one sensor that generates sensor signals based on a movement of the input linkage;
a first actuator system that includes a first motor;
a second actuator system that includes a second motor;
a first strain wave gear including a first circular spline coupled to the input linkage and a first flex spline rotatably coupled to the first circular spline, the first strain wave gear including a first wave generator, the first wave generator coupled to the first motor to rotate the first flex spline;
a second strain wave gear including a second circular spline coupled to the first flex spline, the second strain wave gear including a second flex spline and a second wave generator, the second wave generator coupled to the second motor to rotate the second flex spline and the second flex spline coupled to the output linkage such that at least a portion of the input from the input linkage is transferred to the output linkage via the first strain wave gear and the second strain wave gear; and
a control module that receives and processes the sensor signals and outputs one or more control signals to at least one of the first motor and the second motor to rotate at least one of the first wave generator and the second wave generator based on the sensor signals.

14. The automatic actuator system of claim 13 , wherein the second circular spline and the second flex spline are received within a cavity defined by the first circular spline.

15. The automatic actuator system of claim 13 , wherein the first wave generator includes a first wave generator input shaft, and the first motor is coupled to the first wave generator input shaft.

16. The automatic actuator system of claim 15 , wherein the second wave generator includes a second wave generator input shaft, and the second motor is coupled to the second wave generator input shaft.

17. The automatic actuator system of claim 16 , wherein the second wave generator input shaft is received through the first wave generator input shaft and rotates independently of the first wave generator input shaft.

18. The automatic actuator system of claim 13 , wherein the first strain wave gear and the second strain wave gear operate in series.

19. The automatic actuator system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor is coupled to the first motor.

20. The automatic actuator system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor is coupled to the second flex spline.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Wilkens Dean

Classifications

• F16H49/001 Primary

  Wave gearings, e.g. harmonic drive transmissions · CPC title

• B64C13/04

  actuated personally · CPC title

• B64C13/28

  mechanical · CPC title

• B64C13/18

  using automatic pilot · CPC title

• B64C27/605

  including swash plate, spider or cam mechanisms · CPC title