Actuator having an internal conductive path

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10995776-B2
Application number	US-201916577033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2019
Priority date	Apr 4, 2016
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

An actuator includes a piston and a housing. The piston includes a piston shaft that is configured to reciprocate within a chamber of the housing. The actuator includes a gland electrically coupled to the housing. The gland forms at least a portion of a first end of the chamber. The actuator also includes a first conductor positioned in the chamber. The first conductor is coupled to the gland and to a first side of the piston to electrically couple the piston to the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator comprising:
a piston including a piston shaft;
a housing, wherein the piston is configured to reciprocate within a chamber of the housing;
a gland electrically coupled to the housing, the gland forming at least a portion of a first end of the chamber; and
a first conductor positioned in the chamber, the first conductor coupled to the gland and to a first side of the piston to electrically couple the piston to the housing, wherein the first conductor is formed as a bellows, and wherein tension of the bellows maintains the first conductor in contact with the gland and with the first side of the piston.

2. The actuator of claim 1 , further comprising an o-ring coupled to the piston, wherein the o-ring forms a seal with a wall of the chamber.

3. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the gland, the piston, and the first conductor are part of a current path to ground.

4. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor surrounds a portion of the piston shaft.

5. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the gland seals the chamber to inhibit movement of a working fluid past an interface between the housing and the chamber.

6. The actuator of claim 5 , wherein the working fluid comprises hydraulic fluid.

7. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a cylindrical wall that defines the chamber.

8. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the gland is in direct physical contact with the actuator housing.

9. The actuator of claim 1 , further comprising ends, wherein the ends are coupled to an aircraft.

10. The actuator of claim 9 , wherein the ends are coupled to non-conductive portions of the aircraft.

11. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the gland comprises a primary seal.

12. The actuator of claim 11 , wherein the gland comprises a secondary seal.

13. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the gland comprises a buffer seal.

14. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the gland comprises bearing elements.

15. The actuator of claim 1 , further comprising ends, wherein an end of the ends is coupled to a flight control surface of an aircraft.

16. A method of assembling an actuator comprising:
placing a piston shaft through an opening in a gland;
placing a first conductor around the piston shaft;
coupling the piston shaft to a piston;
inserting the piston in a chamber of a housing; and
coupling the gland to the housing, wherein the gland forms at least a portion of a first end of the chamber, wherein the piston is configured to reciprocate within the chamber, wherein the first conductor is formed as a bellows, and wherein tension of the bellows maintains the first conductor in contact with the gland and with a first side of the piston.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising an o-ring coupled to the piston, wherein the o-ring forms a seal with a wall of the chamber.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the housing comprises a cylindrical wall that defines the chamber.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising coupling an end of the piston shaft to a component of an aircraft.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the contact of the first conductor with the first side of the piston and with the gland forms a portion of an electrical path to ground.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Callahan Kevin S
• Plass Christopher E
• Moser Matthew A

Classifications

• F16J3/047

  Metallic bellows · CPC title

• F16J3/046

  Lubrication or venting arrangements · CPC title

• F15B15/1433 Primary

  End caps (F15B15/1438 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F15B15/1423 Primary

  Component parts; Constructional details · CPC title

• F15B2215/305

  characterised by the use of special materials · CPC title