Folding wing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919809-B2
Application number	US-201615175286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 7, 2016
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A latch pin actuator comprises a primary lock, a spring, and a piston. The primary lock is attached to a primary lock cam and has a notch. The spring is biased to lock the primary lock. The piston is configured to unlock the primary lock.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A latch pin actuator comprising:
a primary lock attached to a primary lock cam, the primary lock comprising a fracture evident geometry configured to divide the primary lock into sides connected at the fracture evident geometry;
a spring connected to a first side of the primary lock and biased to lock the primary lock; and
a piston connected to a second side of the primary lock and configured to unlock the primary lock.

2. The latch pin actuator of claim 1 further comprising:
a first independent pin connecting the piston to the primary lock on the first side of the fracture evident geometry of the primary lock; and
a second independent pin connecting the spring to the primary lock on the second side of the fracture evident geometry of the primary lock.

3. The latch pin actuator of claim 1 , wherein the fracture evident geometry comprises a notch configured to fracture under a designated force or abnormal wear.

4. The latch pin actuator of claim 1 further comprising:
a secondary lock;
a spring biased to lock the secondary lock; and
a secondary lock crank arm assembly connected to the secondary lock.

5. The latch pin actuator of claim 4 , wherein the secondary lock crank arm assembly comprises a quick release crank arm assembly.

6. The latch pin actuator of claim 1 , further comprising the spring configured to bias the first side of the primary lock to a position that, responsive to a fracture of the primary lock, prohibits a movement of an associated latch pin to an unlocked position.

7. A folding wing system comprising:
a number of latch pin actuators each comprising a length of a latch pin being parallel to a wing fold hinge line of the folding wing system; and
a sensor system configured to indirectly detect failure of a primary lock of any of the number of latch pin actuators.

8. The folding wing system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor system comprises four sensors.

9. The folding wing system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor system comprises a wing tip position sensor associated with the wing fold hinge line.

10. The folding wing system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor system further comprises an angle gearbox position sensor attached to an angle gearbox and associated with the wing fold hinge line.

11. The folding wing system of claim 10 , further comprising at least one of: the wing tip position sensor or the angle gearbox position sensor, configured to, responsive to a command to fold a wing tip, indirectly detect a primary lock fracture of one of the number of latch pin actuators.

12. The folding wing system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor system comprises a secondary lock drive line position sensor connected to a first end of a secondary lock branch.

13. The folding wing system of claim 12 , further comprising the secondary lock drive line position sensor configured to indirectly detect a jam of a primary lock of one of the number of latch pin actuators.

14. The folding wing system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor system comprises a secondary lock actuator sensor connected to a secondary lock actuator.

15. The folding wing system of claim 14 , further comprising the secondary lock actuator sensor configured to indirectly detect a jam of a primary lock of one of the number of latch pin actuators.

16. A method of indirectly determining a failure of a primary lock in any of a number of latch pin actuators in a folding wing system, the method comprising:
receiving commands, in the folding wing system, to move a wing tip;
determining, using a wing tip position sensor associated with a wing fold hinge line, a position of the wing tip;
sensing, using a number of secondary lock sensors, positions of a number of secondary locks; and
comparing, in a processor, the position of the wing tip to an expected position of the wing tip;
comparing, in the processor, the positions of the number of secondary locks to an expected position of the number of secondary locks; and
determining, in the processor, responsive to at least one of: the wing tip position sensor not sensing the position of the wing tip in the expected position of the wing tip, or any secondary lock sensor in the number of secondary lock sensors not sensing the positions of any of the number of secondary locks in the expected position of the number of secondary locks, a failure of any primary lock in any of the number of latch pin actuators.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining the failure of the primary lock comprises:
identifying, responsive to expecting the position of the wing tip to be folded and sensing the position of the wing tip as not being folded, a fracture in a primary lock of one of the number of latch pin actuators.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining the failure of the primary lock comprises:
expecting a position of the number of secondary locks to be a locked position and identifying a primary lock in an unlocked position and a position of at least one secondary lock in an unlocked position.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
sensing the positions of the number of secondary locks via two secondary lock sensors positioned at opposite ends of a number of secondary lock linkages connected in series, the number of secondary lock linkages configured for driving the number of secondary locks.

20. A secondary lock crank arm assembly that comprises:
a quill shaft that comprises a quick release mechanism configured to provide a quick release from a latch pin actuator;
a crank arm configured to interface with the quill shaft; and
a spring configured to bias the quill shaft into an engaged position with the latch pin actuator.

21. The secondary lock crank arm assembly of claim 20 further comprising:
a housing cap configured to retain the spring within a housing of the secondary lock crank arm assembly.

22. The secondary lock crank arm assembly of claim 21 , wherein the housing cap is further configured to provide a removal path for the quill shaft.

23. The secondary lock crank arm assembly of claim 20 , wherein the quick release mechanism comprises a hole through a first end of the quill shaft.

24. The secondary lock crank arm assembly of claim 20 , wherein the quill shaft further comprises a lock crank interface spline configured to engage the crank arm and a latch pin actuator interface spline.

25. The secondary lock crank arm assembly of claim 24 , further comprising the quick release mechanism configured to place the lock crank interface spline of the quill shaft into a disengaged position.

26. The secondary lock crank arm assembly of claim 20 , further comprising the quick release mechanism configured to provide counter pressure to the spring.

27. A folding wing system comprising:
a number of latch pin actuators configured such that each of the number of latch pin actuators respectively comprise a latch pin parallel to a wing fold hinge line of the folding wing system;
a number of secondary lock linkages connected in series such that a length of the series lies parallel to the wing fold hinge line of the folding wing system; and
the number of latch pin actuators connected to the number of secondary lock linkages via a number of secondary lock crank arm assemblies.

28. The folding wing system of claim 27 , wherein the number of secondary lock crank arm assemblies comprise a number of quick release

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Moy George
• Jokisch Charles E
• Good Mark Steven
• Gardner Mark John
• Renzelmann Michael Edward
• Houten Jared Chung

Classifications

• B64C3/56 Primary

  Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft · CPC title

• B64D45/0005 Primary

  Devices specially adapted to indicate the position of a movable element of the aircraft, e.g. landing gear · CPC title

• G07C5/0808

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• B64C5/10

  adjustable · CPC title