Control surface actuation mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214354-B2
Application number	US-201916389210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2019
Priority date	Apr 27, 2018
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A control surface actuation mechanism for moving a control surface relative to a fixed aerofoil portion of an aircraft is disclosed including an articulating support, a sliding member on the articulating support and coupled to the control surface, the sliding member arranged to slide relative to the articulating support, a track with a path for attachment on the fixed aerofoil portion, and a rigid connecting element connected to the first track and to the sliding member. The first end of the first rigid connecting element is configured to move passively along the path, as the sliding member is driven to slide relative to the articulating support by an actuator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control surface actuation mechanism for moving a control surface relative to a fixed aerofoil portion of an aircraft, comprising:
an articulating support for pivotal coupling to the fixed aerofoil portion about a generally spanwise pivot axis,
a sliding member having a proximal end mounted on the articulating support, and having a distal end for coupling to the control surface, the sliding member arranged to slide relative to the articulating support along a generally chordwise axis,
a first track for attachment on the fixed aerofoil portion and defining a first path, and
a first rigid connecting element connected at a first end to the first track and connected at a second end to a fixed point on the sliding member,
wherein the first end of the first rigid connecting element is configured to move passively along the first path, as the sliding member is driven to slide relative to the articulating support by an actuator.

2. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the first rigid connecting element is pivotally connected at the first end to the first track.

3. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the first rigid connecting element is pivotally connected at the second end to the sliding member.

4. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the first path has a non-linear portion.

5. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the articulating support is configured to rotate about the spanwise pivot axis in response to movement of the first end of the first rigid connecting element along the first track.

6. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the control surface translates relative to the articulating support as the slider translates.

7. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 1 , including a second rigid connecting element connected at a first end to the sliding member and connected at a second end to a second track defining a second path, wherein the second end of the second rigid connecting element is configured to move along the second path.

8. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 7 , including a third rigid connecting element, wherein the third rigid connecting element causes rotation of the control surface with respect to the articulating support, and wherein a second end of the third rigid connecting element is coincident with the second end of the second rigid connecting element.

9. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 1 , including a third rigid connecting element having a first end connected to the actuator via a rigid actuator link, wherein, wherein the third rigid connecting element causes rotation of the control surface with respect to the articulating support.

10. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein the third rigid connecting element is connected to a third track that defines a third path.

11. The control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein a first end of the third rigid connecting element is configured to move a second sliding member having a proximal end mounted on the articulating support, and having a distal end for coupling to the control surface, the second sliding member arranged to slide relative to the articulating support along a generally chordwise axis.

12. An aerofoil of an aircraft, including a fixed aerofoil portion, a control surface, and the control surface actuation mechanism according to claim 1 .

13. The aerofoil an aircraft according to claim 12 , wherein the articulating support comprises an aerodynamic outer surface of the aerofoil.

14. The aerofoil of an aircraft according to claim 12 , wherein the fixed aerofoil portion has a rear spar and an aft rib, and the first track is on the aft rib.

15. The aerofoil of an aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein the actuator is a linear actuator that moves parallel to the rear spar.

Assignees

• Airbus Sas

Inventors

• Kuruvilla Jason
• Gajakosh Pradeep
• Srinivasamurthy Akshay
• Belur Rakshith Raghavan
• Malik Sumit Kumar
• Swaminathan Gayathri
• Patil Vinayak Ramachandra
• Yadav Avinash Kumar

Classifications

• B64C9/04

  with compound dependent movements · CPC title

• B64C3/187

  Ribs · CPC title

• Y02T50/30

  Wing lift efficiency · CPC title

• B64C9/16 Primary

  at the rear of the wing · CPC title

• B64C9/02 Primary

  Mounting or supporting thereof · CPC title