Magnetorheological actuator with torsional spring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9656745-B2
Application number	US-201514960482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a trim actuator for a pilot input device includes a driven member and a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source. A magnetorheological (MR) fluid is disposed between the driving member and the driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member such that the driven member moves in a first direction. An output member configured to be coupled between the driven member and the pilot input device. A spring is in mechanical communication with the output member and configured to apply a force in a second direction opposite of the first direction. A magnetic circuit is configured to control movement of the pilot input device by varying the strength of a magnetic field delivered towards the first MR fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft, comprising:
a body;
a power train coupled to the body and comprising an engine and a drive shaft coupled to the engine;
a rotor system coupled to the power train, the rotor system comprising at least one rotor blade;
a pilot input device; and
an actuator in mechanical communication with the pilot input device, the actuator comprising:
a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source;
a driven member;
a magnetorheological (MR) fluid disposed between the driving member and the driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member such that the driven member moves in a first direction;
an output member coupled between the driven member and the pilot input device;
a spring in mechanical communication with the output member and configured to apply a force in a second direction opposite of the first direction; and
a magnetic circuit configured to deliver a magnetic field towards the MR fluid, the magnetic circuit configured to control movement of the pilot input device by varying the strength of the magnetic field delivered towards the MR fluid.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a torsional spring.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic circuit is configured to move the pilot input device by varying the strength of the magnetic field delivered towards the MR fluid such that the amount of energy delivered from the MR fluid to the driven member is either less than or greater than the amount of energy delivered by the spring.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein:
varying the strength of the magnetic field delivered towards the MR fluid changes the viscosity of the MR fluid; and
changing the viscosity of the MR fluid changes the amount of mechanical energy transmitted from the driving member to the driven member.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 4 , wherein the output member is movable between a first output position corresponding to a maximum deflection position of the spring and a second output position corresponding to a maximum compression position of the spring.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 5 , wherein the magnetic circuit configured to move the output member to the first output position by minimizing the viscosity of the MR fluid and configured to move the output member to the second output position by maximizing the viscosity of the MR fluid.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , further comprising a housing configured to direct the magnetic field provided by the magnetic circuit towards the MR fluid.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the pilot input device is selected from the group consisting of a cyclic pilot input device, a collective pilot input device, an anti-torque pilot input device, a power control device, and a thrust control device.

9. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises an electric motor.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , further comprising a second actuator in mechanical communication with the pilot input device, the second actuator comprising:
a second driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a second power source;
a second driven member;
a second MR fluid disposed between the second driving member and the second driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the second driving member to the second driven member in a third direction;
an output member coupled between the second driven member and the pilot input device;
a second spring in mechanical communication with the second output member and configured to apply a force in a fourth direction opposite of the third direction; and
a second magnetic circuit configured to deliver a magnetic field towards the second MR fluid, the second magnetic circuit configured to control movement of the pilot input device by varying the strength of the magnetic field delivered towards the second MR fluid.

11. The rotorcraft of claim 10 , wherein:
the pilot input device comprises a cyclic pilot input device;
the actuator is configured to move the cyclic pilot input device in a substantially longitudinal direction; and
the second actuator is configured to move the cyclic pilot input device in a substantially lateral direction.

12. An actuator for a pilot input device, comprising:
a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source;
a driven member;
a magnetorheological (MR) fluid disposed between the driving member and the driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member such that the driven member moves in a first direction;
an output member coupled between the driven member and a pilot input device;
a spring in mechanical communication with the output member and configured to apply a force in a second direction opposite of the first direction; and
a magnetic circuit configured to deliver a magnetic field towards the MR fluid, the magnetic circuit configured to control movement of the pilot input device by varying the strength of the magnetic field delivered towards the MR fluid.

13. The actuator of claim 12 , wherein the spring is a torsional spring.

14. The actuator of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic circuit is configured to move the pilot input device by varying the strength of the magnetic field delivered towards the MR fluid such that the amount of energy delivered from the MR fluid to the driven member is either less than or greater than the amount of energy delivered by the spring.

15. The actuator of claim 12 , wherein:
varying the strength of the magnetic field delivered towards the MR fluid changes the viscosity of the MR fluid; and
changing the viscosity of the MR fluid changes the amount of mechanical energy transmitted from the driving member to the driven member.

16. The actuator of claim 15 , wherein the output member is movable between a first output position corresponding to a maximum deflection position of the spring and a second output position corresponding to a maximum compression position of the spring.

17. The actuator of claim 16 , wherein the magnetic circuit configured to move the output member to the first output position by minimizing the viscosity of the MR fluid and configured to move the output member to the second output position by maximizing the viscosity of the MR fluid.

18. The actuator of claim 12 , further comprising a housing configured to direct the magnetic field provided by the magnetic circuit towards the MR fluid.

19. The actuator of claim 12 , wherein the pilot input device is selected from the group consisting of a cyclic pilot input device, a collective pilot input device, an anti-torque pilot input device, a power control device, and a thrust control device.

20. The rotorcraft of claim 12 , wherein the power source comprises an electric motor.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Latham Geoffrey C
• Brand Albert G
• Plante Jean-Sébastien
• Julio Guifré
• Denninger Marc

Classifications

• B64C27/56

  characterised by the control initiating means, e.g. manually actuated · CPC title

• B64C27/64 Primary

  using fluid pressure, e.g. having fluid power amplification · CPC title

• B64C27/68

  using electrical energy, e.g. having electrical power amplification · CPC title

• B64D31/04

  actuated personally · CPC title

• B64D31/14

  Transmitting means between initiating means and power plants · CPC title