Actuators for flight control surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9694900-B2
Application number	US-201414228004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2014
Priority date	Sep 3, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

An actuator assembly includes an actuator body, a ram, and a cross pin. The actuator body has an internal axial cavity bounded by an actuator body wall and defines a pivot axis. A longitudinal slot extends along a portion of the length of the actuator body wall and is in communication with the internal axial cavity. The ram is slidably received within the axial cavity of the actuator body. The cross pin is mounted to the ram and extends laterally from the ram and into the longitudinal slot for converting linear motion of the ram into rotational motion about the pivot axis for displacing a control surface of an air vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air vehicle, comprising:
a flight surface;
a wing tip with a flight control surface outboard of the flight surface; and
an actuator assembly coupling the control surface to the flight surface, including:
an actuator body with a wall bounding an internal axial cavity and a longitudinal slot, wherein the longitudinal slot is communicative with the axial cavity through the wall;
a ram slidably received within the axial cavity; and
a cross pin mounted to the ram and extending laterally from the ram into the longitudinal slot, wherein the actuator body defines a pivot axis and wherein the cross pin and longitudinal slot are configured to convert linear motion of the ram into rotational motion about the pivot axis for deflecting the control surface in relation to the flight surface,
wherein the ram has an axial length that is greater than an axial length of the longitudinal slot of the actuator body,
wherein the longitudinal slot is parallel with the pivot axis, and
wherein the control surface includes a pin-receiving slot with an inclined or helical shape defined in the control surface.

2. The air vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the actuator body integrally couples the control surface to the flight surface and provides a structural pivot for the control surface.

3. The air vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the actuator body defines a bulged region on its outboard portion, wherein the bulged region axially fixes the flight control surface in relation to the actuator body.

4. The air vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flight surface and control surface define an airfoil with an interior, wherein the actuator assembly is disposed within the interior of the airfoil.

5. The air vehicle as recited in claim 1 , further including a motor housed within an interior of the control surface and operatively associated with the ram.

6. The air vehicle as recited in claim 1 , further including a motor housed within the interior of the flight surface and operative associated with the ram.

7. The air vehicle as recited in claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal slot has an inclined or helical shape about the pivot axis, wherein the control surface defines a pin-receiving slot that is parallel with the pivot axis.

8. The actuator assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cross pin has a first position and a second position, wherein the second position is axially offset from the first position along the pivot axis, wherein the second position is pivotably offset relative to the first position about the pivot axis.

9. An actuator assembly, comprising:
an actuator body with an internal axial cavity bounded by an actuator body wall and a longitudinal slot communicating through the actuator body wall and into the cavity;
a ram slidably received within the axial cavity; and
a cross pin mounted to the ram and extending laterally from the ram and into the longitudinal slot, wherein the actuator body defines a pivot axis and the cross pin and longitudinal slot are configured to convert linear motion of the ram into rotational motion about the pivot axis for pivoting a wing tip control surface of an air vehicle about the pivot axis,
wherein the longitudinal slot is parallel with the pivot axis,
wherein the control surface includes a pin-receiving slot with an inclined or helical shape defined in a wing tip control surface of an air vehicle,
wherein the longitudinal slot has an inclined or helical shape extending about the pivot axis, and
wherein the control surface defines a pin-receiving slot that is parallel with the pivot axis.

Assignees

• Simmonds Precision Products

Inventors

• Buttolph Martin E

Classifications

• B64C9/00 Primary

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

• B64C5/16

  about spanwise axes · CPC title

• B64C13/32

  using cam mechanisms · CPC title

• B64C13/28 Primary

  mechanical · CPC title