Method for generating hydraulic power in an aircraft, use of a hybrid power control unit and drive system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9334044-B2
Application number	US-201514797527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Jul 26, 2012
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

A method for generating hydraulic power in an aircraft, the aircraft having a drive system comprising at least one transmission shaft connected to a power control unit, the power control unit having an electric motor and a hydraulic displacement machine connected to a differential gear unit for driving a common output shaft. The method includes switching the hydraulic displacement machine into a pump mode, arresting the output shaft, rotating the electric motor such that the hydraulic displacement machine is driven due to the arrested output shaft and supplying the fluid flow into a hydraulic system. A drive system of an aircraft may thereby be used for either moving control surfaces or for generating hydraulic power in an aircraft. This hydraulic power may be used to cover hydraulic load peaks during aircraft operation or to power hydraulic devices without the need of additional hydraulic power generation components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive system for moving at least one control surface of an aircraft and for generating hydraulic power in an aircraft, comprising:
at least one transmission shaft connected to a hybrid power control unit, the power control unit having an electric motor and a hydraulic displacement machine coupled to a differential gear unit for driving a common output shaft, and a control unit for controlling at least one of the speed of the electric motor and a displacement of the hydraulic displacement machine for adjusting a resulting hydraulic pressure or flow rate,
wherein the drive system, through a control via the control unit, is adapted for:
arresting the output shaft;
rotating the electric motor such that the hydraulic displacement machine is driven due to the arrested output shaft; and
supplying fluid flow into a hydraulic system.

2. The drive system of claim 1 , wherein arresting the output shaft comprises arresting at least one first brake connected to the at least one transmission shaft.

3. The drive system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one first brake is at least one wing tip brake.

4. The drive system of claim 1 , further comprising a second brake at the hydraulic displacement machine and a third brake at the electric motor, wherein the drive system releases the second brake and the third brake when rotation the electric motor.

5. The drive system of claim 4 , wherein the second brake is a pressure-off brake and wherein releasing the second brake includes driving a brake release unit coupled with the pressure-off brake to release the pressure-off brake in case the corresponding hydraulic system is not pressurized.

6. The drive system of claim 1 , further comprising a control unit that controls at least one of the speed of the electric motor and a displacement of the hydraulic displacement machine for adjusting a resulting hydraulic flow rate.

7. An aircraft, comprising:
an electric motor;
a hydraulic displacement machine coupled to a differential gear unit having a common output shaft for generating hydraulic power under arresting the common output shaft and rotating the electric motor, and
a drive system comprising a control unit for controlling at least one of the speed of the electric motor and a displacement of the hydraulic displacement machine for adjusting a resulting hydraulic pressure or flow rate,
wherein the drive system, through a control via the control unit, is adapted for:
arresting the common output shaft,
rotating the electric motor such that the hydraulic displacement machine is driven due to the arrested common output shaft; and
supplying fluid flow into a hydraulic system.

8. The aircraft of claim 7 , wherein at least one wing tip brake of the aircraft connected to a transmission shaft mechanically connected to the output shaft of the differential gear unit for arresting the transmission shaft is used for arresting the common output shaft.

9. An aircraft having at least one movable control surface and drive system for moving the at least one control surface and for generating hydraulic power, comprising:
at least one transmission shaft connected to a hybrid power control unit, the power control unit having an electric motor and a hydraulic displacement machine coupled to a differential gear unit for driving a common output shaft, and a control unit for controlling at least one of the speed of the electric motor and a displacement of the hydraulic displacement machine for adjusting a resulting hydraulic pressure or flow rate,
wherein the drive system, through a control via the control unit, is adapted for:
arresting the output shaft;
rotating the electric motor such that the hydraulic displacement machine is driven due to the arrested output shaft; and
supplying fluid flow into a hydraulic system.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Fleddermann Andreas
• Heintjes Mark

Classifications

• Y02T50/44

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B64C9/04 Primary

  with compound dependent movements · CPC title

• B64D41/00

  Power installations for auxiliary purposes · CPC title

• B64C13/40 Primary

  using fluid pressure · CPC title

• B64C13/42

  having duplication or stand-by provisions · CPC title