Jam-tolerant linear control motor for hydraulic actuator valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9889929-B2
Application number	US-201314038154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a linear control motor includes a first permanent magnet, a coil, a first magnetic material, a shaft, and a first non-magnetic material. The first non-magnetic material is disposed between at least one of the movable components and at least one of the static components and operable to prevent physical contact between at least one of the movable components and at least one of the static components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft, comprising:
a body;
a power train coupled to the body and comprising a power source and a drive shaft coupled to the power source;
a hub coupled to the drive shaft;
a rotor blade coupled to the hub;
a hydraulic actuator in mechanical communication with the rotor blade and operable to change a position of the rotor blade;
an actuator control valve system operable to regulate a flow of fluid to the hydraulic actuator; and
a linear control motor in mechanical communication with the actuator control valve system, the linear control motor comprising:
a first permanent magnet operable to generate a first magnetic flux path;
a coil operable to selectively add magnetic flux to and subtract magnetic flux from the magnetic flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
a first magnetic material disposed at least partially in the first magnetic flux path;
a static component comprising at least one of the first permanent magnet, the coil, and the first magnetic material;
a movable component operable to move relative to the static component in response to variations in flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path, the movable component comprising at least one of the first permanent magnet, the coil, and the first magnetic material, the static component and the movable component being different components;
a shaft in mechanical communication with the actuator control valve system and coupled to the movable component such that the shaft is operable to move linearly in response to variations in flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
a first non-magnetic material disposed between the movable component and the static component and operable to prevent physical contact between the movable component and the static component; and
a spring in mechanical communication with the first non-magnetic material, the spring configured to allow the first non-magnetic material to move relative to the moveable component and the static component.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , the actuator control valve system further comprising:
a servo valve; and
a spool extending through the servo valve.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 2 , wherein the shaft is directly coupled to the spool opposite the movable component.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the movable component comprises the coil.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 4 , wherein the coil is at least partially disposed in the first magnetic flux path.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 4 , the linear control motor further comprising a second magnetic material disposed at least partially in the first magnetic flux path and at least partially outside the coil.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , the linear control motor further comprising a second non-magnetic material disposed between the movable component and the static component.

8. A linear control motor, comprising:
a first permanent magnet operable to generate a first magnetic flux path;
a coil operable to selectively add magnetic flux to and subtract magnetic flux from the magnetic flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
a first magnetic material disposed at least partially in the first magnetic flux path;
a static component comprising at least one of the first permanent magnet, the coil, and the first magnetic material;
a movable component operable to move relative to the static component in response to variations in flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path, the movable component comprising at least one of the first permanent magnet, the coil, and the first magnetic material, the static component and the movable component being different components;
a shaft coupled to the movable component such that the shaft is operable to move linearly in response to variations in flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
a first non-magnetic material disposed between the movable component and the static component and operable to prevent physical contact between the movable component and the static component; and
a spring in mechanical communication with the first non-magnetic material, the spring configured to allow the first non-magnetic material to move relative to the moveable component and the static component.

9. The linear control motor of claim 8 , wherein the movable component comprises the coil.

10. The linear control motor of claim 9 , wherein the coil is at least partially disposed in the first magnetic flux path.

11. The linear control motor of claim 9 , further comprising a second magnetic material disposed at least partially in the first magnetic flux path and at least partially outside the coil.

12. The linear control motor of claim 8 , wherein the movable component comprises the first magnetic material.

13. The linear control motor of claim 8 , further comprising a second permanent magnet operable to generate a second magnetic flux path, the movable component operable to move relative to the static component in response to variations in flux flowing in the first and second magnetic flux paths.

14. The linear control motor of claim 13 , wherein the first magnetic flux path is operable to move the movable component in a first direction and the second magnetic flux path is operable to move the movable component in an opposite second direction.

15. The linear control motor of claim 13 , wherein the coil is operable to selectively add magnetic flux to the magnetic flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path or remove magnetic flux from the magnetic flux flowing in the second flux magnetic flux path such that the coil causes the movable component to move in a direction of stronger magnetic flux.

16. The linear control motor of claim 8 , further comprising a second non-magnetic material disposed between the movable component and the static component.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Covington Charles Eric
• Fenny Carlos A

Classifications

• H01F7/122

  by permanent magnets {(H01F7/1615, H01F7/1646 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01F7/066

  Electromagnets with movable winding · CPC title

• B64C27/64 Primary

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

• H02K7/003

  Couplings; Details of shafts (means for mounting rotors on shafts H02K1/28) · CPC title

• B64C27/605

  including swash plate, spider or cam mechanisms · CPC title