Multiple electromechanical actuator control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018102718-A1
Application number	US-201615289409-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 10, 2016
Priority date	Oct 10, 2016
Publication date	Apr 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for controlling multiple actuators that are attached to a structure for moving and positioning the structure include a magnetic flux sensor in a motor of each actuator. The magnetic flux sensor senses a magnetic flux in an associated motor and generates an electrical signal that corresponds to the magnetic flux in the associated motor. The system also includes a control unit that receives the electrical signal from the magnetic flux sensor of each actuator. The control unit is configured to generate a drive command signal to each actuator that balances a torque applied to the structure by each actuator in response to the magnetic flux sensed in the motor of each actuator.

First claim

1 . A system for controlling multiple actuators that are attached to a structure for moving and positioning the structure, the system comprising:
a magnetic flux sensor in a motor of each actuator, the magnetic flux sensor comprising a flux sensor winding in each motor for sensing a magnetic flux in an associated motor and generating an electrical signal that corresponds to the magnetic flux in the associated motor; and a single control unit that receives the electrical signal from the magnetic flux sensor in each motor of each actuator of the multiple actuators, the control unit being configured to generate a drive command signal to each actuator that balances a torque applied to the structure by each actuator in response to the magnetic flux sensed in the motor of each actuator.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the motor of each actuator comprises a three-phase electric motor and the magnetic flux sensor comprises a separate flux sensor winding for each phase of the three-phase electric motor.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the three-phase electric motor comprises an annular stator, the annular stator comprising:
a plurality of stator posts for each phase, the stator posts for each phase being individually interspersed consecutively about the annular stator; and a phase winding for each phase, the phase winding for each phase being wound around the plurality of stator posts associated with each respective phase.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the flux sensor winding for each phase comprises a secondary winding wound around at least one stator post of an associated phase, an electrical current flowing in the phase winding of a particular phase generates a magnetic flux in each stator post of the particular phase and the magnetic flux produces a magnetic field at each stator post, the magnetic field generates a voltage signal across the flux sensor winding for the particular phase, wherein the voltage signal has an amplitude corresponding to a level of the magnetic flux in the stator post around which the flux sensor winding for the particular phase is wound.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the flux sensor winding for each phase is electrically connected to a magnetic flux level detector for each phase, wherein each magnetic flux level detector is configured to convert an alternating current (AC) voltage signal from an associated flux sensor winding to a direct current (DC) voltage signal that corresponds to a magnetic flux level in an associated phase of the motor.

6 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising a circuit configured to determine a magnetic flux density for the motor from the DC voltage signals from the three phases of the motor, wherein the magnetic flux density for the motor corresponds to a torque provided by the motor when the motor is energized and wherein the circuit generates an output signal that represents the torque provided by the motor to the structure.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the DC voltage signals from the three phases of the motor are summed to provide the magnetic flux density for the motor and the output signal.

8 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising a compare and balance module that receives a plurality of output signals, each output signal representing the torque provided by the motor of each actuator to the structure, wherein the compare and balance module is configured to compare each output signal and to generate a command signal to each actuator that balances the torque applied by each actuator to the structure.

9 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a threshold window detector configured to perform a function comprising detecting the magnetic flux density of a particular actuator being outside preset performance limits; and a flux selector configured to perform a function comprising deactivating the particular actuator in response to the magnetic flux density of the particular actuator being greater than an upper preset limit or lower than a lower preset limit.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the flux selector is further configured to perform a function comprising neutralizing a difference between the magnetic flux density of the motor of each actuator.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein neutralizing the difference between the magnetic flux density of the motor of each actuator comprises equalizing the magnetic flux density of the motor of each actuator by modifying a gain of an actuator driver circuit associated with each actuator.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a flight control surface of an aircraft.

13 . A system for controlling multiple actuators that are attached to a structure for moving and positioning the structure, the system comprising:
a magnetic flux sensor in a motor of each actuator, the magnetic flux sensor sensing a magnetic flux in an associated motor and generating an electrical signal that corresponds to the magnetic flux in the associated motor; and a control unit that receives the electrical signal from the magnetic flux sensor of each actuator, the control unit comprising:
a threshold window detector configured to perform a function comprising detecting a magnetic flux density of a particular actuator being outside preset performance limits based on the electrical signal corresponding to the magnetic flux in the associated motor of the particular actuator; and
a flux selector configured to perform a function comprising deactivating the particular actuator in response to the magnetic flux density of the particular actuator being greater than an upper preset limit or lower than a lower preset limit.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the flux selector is further configured to perform a function comprising neutralizing a difference between the magnetic flux density of the motor of each actuator.

15 . A method for controlling multiple actuators that are attached to a structure for moving and positioning the structure, the method comprising:
sensing a magnetic flux using a flux sensor winding in a motor of each actuator, the flux sensor winding in each motor generating an electrical signal that corresponds to the magnetic flux in an associated motor; and generating, by a single control unit, a drive command signal to the motor of each actuator of the multiple actuators that balances a torque applied to the structure by each actuator in response to the magnetic flux sensed in the motor of each actuator.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the motor of each actuator comprises a three-phase electric motor and wherein sensing the magnetic flux in the motor comprises sensing the magnetic flux in each phase.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising generating a voltage signal for each phase that has an amplitude corresponding to a level of the magnetic flux in each phase of the motor.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining a magnetic flux density for the motor associated with each actuator by summing the voltage signals for the three phases of the motor to provide an output signal that equals the magnetic flux density, wherein the magnetic flux density for the motor corresponds to a torque provided by the motor.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
comparing a plurality of output signals, each output signal representing the torque provided by the motor of each actuator to the structure; and generating a command signal to each actuator that balances the torque applied by each actuator to the structure.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Peck Jr James L
• Quiambao Jimmy M
• Coffman Jeffrey Charles

Classifications

• B64C13/50

  using electrical energy · CPC title

• H02P29/0241

  the fault being an overvoltage · CPC title

• H02P6/04

  Arrangements for controlling or regulating the speed or torque of more than one motor (H02P6/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02P2101/30

  for aircraft · CPC title

• H02P5/74 Primary

  controlling two or more AC dynamo-electric motors (H02P5/46, H02P5/60 take precedence) · CPC title