This application claims priority to GB 1120234.8 filed 23 Nov. 2011, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to deployment system for aircraft control surfaces.
Aircraft wings commonly comprise deployable control surfaces such as slats, droop noses, airbrakes or ailerons. Slats, for example, are commonly supported on the wing fixed leading edge by two tracks driven by actuators arranged to achieve the correct slat to position for take off and landing of the aircraft. Failure in one of the actuators can lead to a jam of the slat deployment mechanism due to the high back driving torque in the actuator. Such failure can lead to differential track movement causing high tensional stresses in the slat body and high stresses in the slat attachment and the fixed leading edge. Such high stress levels increase the possibility of slat detachment from the aircraft wing.
An embodiment of the invention provides a deployment system for deploying a deployable member relative to a base member, the deployment mechanism comprising:
a base member;
a deployable member for deployment relative to the base member;
a plurality of tracks fixed to the deployable member, supported by the base member and operable for parallel simultaneous movement relative to the base member;
actuator means operable to drive the tracks so as to deploy the deployable member;
sensor means operable to detect relative skew of the tracks; and
brake means operable in response to detection of the relative skew by the sensor means to brake the track so as to substantially prevent further skewing of the tracks.
The deployment system further comprising limiter means associated with the actuator means, the limiter means being arranged to limit the force applied by the actuator means to the tracks. The actuator may be rotary and the limiter means comprises a torque limiter. The sensor means may be provided for each track. A plurality of the sensors may be provided for each track. The brake means may be provided for each sensor. The brake means may be provided adjacent the or each sensor. Each sensor may be mechanically operable to detect the relative skew. The brake means may be operated mechanically by the sensor in response to the detection of the relative skew. The mechanical operation may comprise a predetermined amount of float. The sensor means may be arranged to operate the brake means via a cantilever. The deployable member may be a control surface for an aircraft wing. The control surface may be a slat.
Another embodiment provides a brake system for an aircraft control surface deployment to track, the brake system comprising:
sensor means operable to detect relative skew of deployment tracks;
braking means operable automatically in response to the detection of the relative skew by the sensor means to brake one or more of the tracks so as to substantially prevent further skew of the deployment tracks.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
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In another embodiment, the float means is provided by an elastomer coupling between respective subsections of the relevant connecting rod. In a further embodiment float means are provided in only one or neither connecting rod or provided in the cantilever.
In another embodiment, the sensor means is provided with a pad arranged to slide along the side surface of the track so as to detect skewing.
In a further embodiment, sensor means and brake means are provided on only one track. In another embodiment, a sensor means and brake means pair are provided on each track of a given deployable member. In a further embodiment, the or each sensor means and brake means pair are provided opposite each other either side of a given track or towards respective ends either side of a given track.
As will be understood by those in the art, the coupling between the sensor means and brake means may be provided by any suitable means such as mechanical, electrical, hydraulic or other means. The brake means may be separately powered from the sensor means. The skew sensor means may be provided by any suitable sensing means such as a non-contact sensor, for example, optical sensors.
In another embodiment, one sensor means is arranged to control the operation of a plurality of brake means. In a further embodiment, one brake means is operable by a to plurality of sensor means. In another embodiment, the sensor means is provided separately from the brake means. In another embodiment, one sensor means on a given track is arranged to control the operation of one or more brake means on other tracks for the deployable member.
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details of the representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the scope of applicant's general inventive concept.
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1120234.8 | Nov 2011 | GB | national |
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