Locking manual drive unit for aircraft engine nacelle door operating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9816586-B2
Application number	US-201514803305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2015
Priority date	Apr 24, 2015
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

An aircraft engine nacelle door operating system locking manual drive unit includes a housing, an input drive shaft, an output drive shaft, a lock shaft, and a lock spring. The input drive shaft, the output drive shaft, and the lock shaft are all rotationally mounted in the housing. The output drive shaft continuously engages and mates with the input drive shaft, and he lock shaft extends at least partially into and engages the input drive shaft. The lock shaft is movable between a lock position, in which it engages and mates with the output drive shaft, and an unlock position, in it is disengaged from the output drive shaft. The lock spring supplies a bias force to the lock shaft that urges the lock shaft toward the lock position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft engine nacelle door operating system locking manual drive unit, the manual drive unit comprising:
a housing;
an input drive shaft rotationally mounted in the housing, the input drive shaft including a first end, a second end, an inner surface, and an input drive gear, the inner surface defining an axial bore between the first and second ends;
an output drive shaft rotationally mounted in the housing, the output drive shaft including an output drive gear that continuously engages and mates with the input drive gear;
a lock shaft rotationally mounted in the housing and extending at least partially into the axial bore and engaging the inner surface of the input drive shaft, the lock shaft including a lock gear and movable between a lock position, in which the lock gear engages and mates with the output drive gear, and an unlock position, in which the lock gear is disengaged from the output drive gear; and
a lock spring mounted in the housing and engaging the housing and the lock shaft, the lock spring supplying a bias force to the lock shaft that urges the lock shaft toward the lock position.

2. The manual drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the input drive shaft and the lock shaft are configured such that the lock shaft is indexed to the input drive shaft within the axial bore.

3. The manual drive unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the axial bore of the input drive shaft is configured to receive a manual operating tool therein;
the lock shaft is configured to be engaged by the manual operating tool, when the manual operating tool is inserted into the axial bore; and
the bias force supplied by the lock spring to the lock shaft additionally urges the manual drive tool, when the manual operating tool is inserted into the axial bore, to be ejected from the axial bore.

4. The manual drive unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible shaft interface coupled to, and surrounding a portion of, the output drive shaft.

5. The manual drive unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a torque limiter coupled to the flexible shaft interface and the output drive shaft.

6. The manual drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the input drive gear, the output drive gear, and the lock gear are each bevel gears.

7. A cowl door operating system, comprising:
a cowl door;
an actuator coupled to the cowl door and coupled to receive a drive torque, the actuator configured, upon receipt of the drive torque, to move the cowl door; and
a manual drive unit coupled to the actuator and configured to selectively supply the drive torque thereto, the manual drive unit comprising:
a housing;
an input drive shaft rotationally mounted in the housing, the input drive shaft including a first end, a second end, an inner surface, and an input drive gear, the inner surface defining an axial bore between the first and second ends;
an output drive shaft rotationally mounted in the housing, the output drive shaft including an output drive gear that continuously engages and mates with the input drive gear;
a lock shaft rotationally mounted in the housing and extending at least partially into the axial bore and engaging the inner surface of the input drive shaft, the lock shaft including a lock gear and movable between a lock position, in which the lock gear engages and mates with the output drive gear, and an unlock position, in which the lock gear is disengaged from the output drive gear; and
a lock spring mounted in the housing and engaging the housing and the lock shaft, the lock spring supplying a bias force to the lock shaft that urges the lock shaft toward the lock position.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the input drive shaft and the lock shaft are configured such that the lock shaft is indexed to the input drive shaft within the axial bore.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein:
the axial bore of the input drive shaft is configured to receive a manual operating tool therein;
the lock shaft is configured to be engaged by the manual operating tool, when the manual operating tool is inserted into the axial bore; and
the bias force supplied by the lock spring to the lock shaft additionally urges the manual drive tool, when the manual operating tool is inserted into the axial bore, to be ejected from the axial bore.

10. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a flexible shaft interface coupled to, and surrounding a portion of, the output drive shaft.

11. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a torque limiter coupled to the flexible shaft interface and the output drive shaft.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the input drive gear, the output drive gear, and the lock gear are each bevel gears.

13. A gas turbine engine assembly, comprising:
a gas turbine engine;
an engine nacelle having the gas turbine engine housed therein, the engine nacelle including a cowl door;
an actuator coupled to the cowl door and coupled to receive a drive torque, the actuator configured, upon receipt of the drive torque, to move the cowl door; and
a manual drive unit coupled to the actuator and configured to selectively supply the drive torque thereto, the manual drive unit comprising:
a housing;
an input drive shaft rotationally mounted in the housing, the input drive shaft including a first end, a second end, an inner surface, and an input drive gear, the inner surface defining an axial bore between the first and second ends;
an output drive shaft rotationally mounted in the housing, the output drive shaft including an output drive gear that continuously engages and mates with the input drive gear;
a lock shaft rotationally mounted in the housing and extending at least partially into the axial bore and engaging the inner surface of the input drive shaft, the lock shaft including a lock gear and movable between a lock position, in which the lock gear engages and mates with the output drive gear, and an unlock position, in which the lock gear is disengaged from the output drive gear; and
a lock spring mounted in the housing and engaging the housing and the lock shaft, the lock spring supplying a bias force to the lock shaft that urges the lock shaft toward the lock position.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the input drive shaft and the lock shaft are configured such that the lock shaft is indexed to the input drive shaft within the axial bore.

15. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
the axial bore of the input drive shaft is configured to receive a manual operating tool therein;
the lock shaft is configured to be engaged by the manual operating tool, when the manual operating tool is inserted into the axial bore; and
the bias force supplied by the lock spring to the lock shaft additionally urges the manual drive tool, when the manual operating tool is inserted into the axial bore, to be ejected from the axial bore.

16. The assembly of claim 13 , further comprising:
a flexible shaft interface coupled to, and surrounding a portion of, the output drive shaft.

17. The assembly of claim 13 , further comprising:
a torque limiter coupled to the flexible shaft interface and the output drive shaft.

18. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the input drive gear, the output drive gear, and the lock gear are each bevel gears.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Chakkera Kevin K
• Hartman Timm E
• Vaughan Ron
• Birn Stephen

Classifications

• B64C1/1446

  Inspection hatches (for engine cowls B64D29/08) · CPC title

• F16H1/22

  with a plurality of driving or driven shafts; with arrangements for dividing torque between two or more intermediate shafts · CPC title

• F16H1/203 Primary

  with non-parallel axes (F16H1/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02K1/763

  with actuating systems or actuating devices; Arrangement of actuators for thrust reversers · CPC title

• B64D29/06

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title