Drive arrangements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428137-B2
Application number	US-202218713481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2022
Priority date	Dec 2, 2021
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A drive arrangement for manipulating a vehicle control surface, comprises: a first drive; a second drive; an output member for connecting to the vehicle control surface; first engaging means for selectively engaging and disengaging the first drive and the output member; and second engaging means for selectively engaging and disengaging the second drive and the output member, wherein the first drive and the second drive are mounted on bearings.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive arrangement for manipulating a vehicle control surface, comprising:
a first drive;
a second drive;
an output member for connecting the first drive and the second drive to the vehicle control surface;
a torque arm rotatably mounted adjacent to the first drive;
a force sensor configured to measure a force experienced by the torque arm; and
engaging means for selectively engaging or disengaging the first drive and the torque arm;
wherein the first drive and the second drive are mounted on bearings.

2. The drive arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the engaging means comprises:
a pin; and
an actuator configured to extend or retract the pin to cause engagement or disengagement of the first drive and the torque arm.

3. The drive arrangement of claim 2 , wherein:
the torque arm includes an aperture for receiving the pin.

4. The drive arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the force sensor is mechanically grounded, constraining movement of the force sensor and the torque arm.

5. The drive arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the pin is configured to constrain the first drive and the torque arm such that the first drive and the torque arm are substantially fixed relative to each other.

6. The drive arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the torque arm is a first torque arm, the force sensor is a first force sensor, and the engaging means is a first engaging means, the drive arrangement comprising:
a second torque arm rotatably mounted adjacent to the second drive;
a second force sensor configured to measure a force experienced by the second torque arm; and
a second engaging means for selectively engaging or disengaging the second drive and the second torque arm.

7. The drive arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the pin is a first pin and the actuator is a first actuator, and the second engaging means comprises:
a second pin; and
a second actuator configured to extend or retract the second pin to cause engagement or disengagement of the second drive and the second torque arm.

8. The drive arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to cause the first pin to disengage the first drive and the torque arm, and the second pin to engage the second drive and the torque arm, substantially simultaneously.

9. The drive arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the second torque arm includes an aperture for receiving the second pin, and wherein the second force sensor is mechanically grounded, constraining movement of the second force sensor and the second torque arm.

10. The drive arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the second pin is configured to constrain the second drive and the second torque arm such that the second drive and the second torque arm are substantially fixed relative to each other.

11. The drive arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first drive is rotatably mounted within a mechanically grounded housing on first bearings included in the bearings.

12. The drive arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the housing is a first housing, and the second drive is rotatably mounted within a mechanically grounded second housing on second bearings included in the bearings.

13. The drive arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the output member includes a connecting portion configured for connection to the vehicle control surface.

14. The drive arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first engaging means comprises a shear pin, a break knuckle, or a single-use component which is configured to fail under unexpected force or torque conditions, to disengage the first drive and the torque arm.

15. The drive arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first drive and the second drive are arranged to both be engaged with the output member at the same time, the first drive and the second drive being independently disengageable from the output member to allow the other drive to independently control the output member.

16. A vehicle comprising a drive arrangement of claim 1 .

17. A drive arrangement for manipulating a vehicle control surface, comprising:
a first drive mounted on first bearings;
a second drive mounted on second bearings;
an output member for connecting the first drive and the second drive to the vehicle control surface;
a first torque arm rotatably mounted adjacent to the first drive;
a first force sensor configured to measure a force experienced by the first torque arm;
a second torque arm rotatably mounted adjacent to the second drive;
a second force sensor configured to measure a force experienced by the second torque arm;
a first component for selectively engaging or disengaging the first drive and the first torque arm, the first component including a first pin and a first actuator, the first actuator configured to extend or retract the first pin to cause engagement or disengagement of the first drive and the first torque arm; and
a second component for selectively engaging or disengaging the second drive and the second torque arm, the second component including a second pin and a second actuator, the second actuator configured to extend or retract the second pin to cause engagement or disengagement of the second drive and the second torque arm.

18. The drive arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the first drive and the second drive are arranged to both be engaged with the first torque arm and the second torque arm, respectively, at the same time, the first drive and the second drive being independently disengageable from the first torque arm and the second torque arm, respectively, to allow the other drive to independently control the output member.

19. A drive arrangement for manipulating a vehicle control surface, comprising:
a first drive mounted on first bearings;
a second drive mounted on second bearings;
an output member for connecting the first drive and the second drive to the vehicle control surface;
a first component for selectively disengaging the first drive and a first torque arm, the first component including a shear pin, a break knuckle, or a component that is configured to fail or disengage under unexpected force or torque conditions, to disengage the first drive and first torque arm; and
a second component for selectively disengaging the second drive and the second torque arm, the second component including a shear pin, a break knuckle, or a component that is configured to fail or disengage under unexpected force or torque conditions, to disengage the second drive and second torque arm.

20. The drive arrangement of claim 19 , wherein the first drive and the second drive are arranged to both be engaged with the first torque arm and the second torque arm, respectively, at the same time, the first drive and the second drive being independently disengageable from the first torque arm and the second torque arm, respectively, to allow the other drive to independently control the output member.

Assignees

• Bae Systems Plc

Inventors

• Hollands Robert David
• Ingleton Martyn

Classifications

• B64C13/341

  having duplication or stand-by provisions · CPC title

• B64C13/505 Primary

  having duplication or stand-by provisions · CPC title

• B64C13/28 Primary

  mechanical · CPC title