Apparatus and method for arrestment of a flight control surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9586675-B2
Application number	US-201414299625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2014
Priority date	Jun 9, 2014
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A secondary actuation mechanism for arresting movement of a control surface may include a secondary actuator, a drive link coupled to the secondary actuator, and a secondary connecting rod coupled between the drive link and the control surface, wherein the control surface is movable to a default position in response to actuation of the secondary actuator, and the secondary actuator retains the control surface at the default position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A secondary actuation mechanism for arresting movement of a control surface, said secondary actuation mechanism comprising:
a secondary actuator;
a drive link coupled to said secondary actuator; and
a secondary connecting rod coupled between said drive link and said control surface,
wherein:
said control surface is movable to a default position in response to actuation of said secondary actuator,
said secondary actuator retains said control surface at said default position, and
said secondary actuator is smaller than a primary actuator.

2. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 1 wherein said secondary actuator comprises a unidirectional actuator.

3. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 1 wherein said secondary actuator comprises a pyrotechnic actuator.

4. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 1 wherein:
said secondary actuator comprises an actuation element,
said actuation element is movable from a first position to a second position in response to said actuation of said secondary actuator,
said secondary connecting rod is movable from a first position to a second position in response to movement of said actuation element to said second position, and
said control surface is movable to said default position in response to movement of said secondary connection rod to said second position.

5. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 4 wherein said drive link comprises a motion control feature configured to translate movement of said actuation element from said first position to said second position into movement of said secondary connecting rod from said first position to said second position.

6. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 4 wherein said drive link comprises a motion control feature configured to allow movement of said secondary connection rod between a third position and a fourth position in response to movement of said control surface between a first position and a second position without applying a back-driving force to said actuation element.

7. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 4 wherein:
said drive link comprises:
a first drive linkage comprising a first end and an opposed second end; and
a second drive linkage comprising a first end and an opposed second end,

said first end of said first drive linkage is coupled to said actuation element,
said first end of said second drive linkage is coupled to said secondary connecting rod, and
said second end of said first drive linkage and said second end of said second drive linkage are coupled together at a pivot connection.

8. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 7 wherein:
said second drive linkage is movable between a first position and a second position in response to movement of said secondary connecting rod between a third position and a fourth position, and
said first drive linkage is not movable in response to movement of said second drive linkage between said first position and said second position.

9. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 7 wherein:
said first drive linkage is movable from a first position to a second position in response to movement of said actuation element to said second position,
said second drive linkage is movable from a third position to a fourth position in response to movement of said first drive linkage to said second position, and
said secondary connecting rod is movable to said second position in response to movement of second drive linkage to said fourth position.

10. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 7 wherein:
said first drive linkage comprises a first edge proximate said second end,
said second drive linkage comprises a second edge proximate said second end,
a space is defined between said first edge and said second edge.

11. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 10 wherein:
said second drive linkage is movable between a first position and a second position in response to movement of said secondary connecting rod between a third position and a fourth position, and
said space is configured to allow movement of said second drive linkage between said first position and said second position.

12. The secondary actuation mechanism of claim 10 wherein:
said first drive linkage is movable from a first position to a second position in response to movement of said actuation element to said second position,
said first edge and said second edge engage in response to movement of said first drive linkage to said second position, and
said second drive linkage is movable from a third position to a fourth position in response to engagement of said first edge and said second edge.

13. An aircraft comprising:
at least one control surface;
a primary actuation mechanism coupled to said control surface, said primary actuation mechanism comprising a primary actuator; and
a secondary actuation mechanism coupled to said control surface, said secondary actuation mechanism comprising a secondary actuator comprising an actuation element, said secondary actuator being smaller than said primary actuator,
wherein:
said control surface is movable between a first position and a second position in response to actuation of said primary actuation mechanism,
said control surface is movable to a default position in response to actuation of said secondary actuation mechanism,
said secondary actuation mechanism actuates in response to a failure of said primary actuation mechanism, and
said secondary actuator retains said control surface at said default position.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 wherein said secondary actuation mechanism does not apply a load to said primary actuation mechanism in response to movement of said control surface between said first position and said second position.

15. The aircraft of claim 13 wherein:
said primary actuation mechanism further comprises:
a primary connecting rod coupled between said primary actuator and said control surface,

said secondary actuation mechanism further comprises:
a drive link coupled to said actuator element; and
a secondary connecting rod coupled between said drive link and said control surface,

said primary connecting rod is movable between a first position and a second position in response to actuation of said primary actuator,
said control surface is movable between said first position and said second position in response to movement of said primary connecting rod between said first position and said second position,
said secondary connecting rod is movable from a first position to a second position in response to actuation of said secondary actuator, and
said control surface is movable to said default position in response to movement said secondary connecting rod to said second position.

16. The aircraft of claim 15 wherein:
said actuation element is movable from a first position to a second position in response to said actuation of said secondary actuator,
said secondary connecting rod is movable to said second position in response to movement of said actuation element to said second position,
said drive link comprises a motion control feature configured to translate movement of said actuation element from said first position to said second position into movement of said secondary connecting rod from said first position to said second position.

17. The aircraft of claim 15 wherein:
said secondary connecting rod is movable between a third position and a fourth position in response to movement of said control surface between said first position and said second position, and
said d

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Ungar Lior
• Anderson Randall E
• Skobyak Sergey N

Classifications

• B64C13/28 Primary

  mechanical · CPC title

• B64C13/42

  having duplication or stand-by provisions · CPC title

• F16H21/44

  for conveying or interconverting oscillating or reciprocating motions · CPC title

• B64C9/00

  Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders (trimming stabilising surfaces B64C5/10) · CPC title

• B64C13/341 Primary

  having duplication or stand-by provisions · CPC title