This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 20275022.0 filed Jan. 31, 2020, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure is concerned with an actuation system for moveable panels in an aircraft.
Aircraft contain many moveable parts including moveable surfaces such as slats, flaps and other panels that are moved to different positions by means of actuators responding to control commands. Movement of these surfaces affects the flight of the aircraft.
Tubes generally connect actuators to the moving parts and gearing is provided at the actuators to step down the power.
One example of the use of actuators to move moveable parts on an aircraft is the high lift slat panels provide on the leading edge of the aircraft wings to control lift of the aircraft, or flap panels on the trailing edge of an aircraft wing. The actuators raise and lower these panels as commanded. Typically, several panels will be provided along the length of the wing and each panel will have two actuators to control its lifting/lowering movement.
It is also typical to use different strength actuators along the length of the wing as the loads on the panels due to aerodynamics are different.
The actuators used in such systems are complex and expensive to manufacture. There is, therefore, a desire to reduce the overall number of actuators without adversely affecting performance and safety.
According to the present disclosure, there is provided an actuator system for controlling movement of a plurality of panels, comprising two or more lifting mechanisms connected to each panel at two or more separate locations on the panel, an actuator in engagement with a first of the lifting mechanisms to drive the lifting mechanism to move the panel, and a torque tube having a first end in engagement with the actuator so as to be rotated by the actuator as the actuator drives the lifting mechanism, the torque tube having a second end in engagement with the or another of the two or more lifting mechanisms to drive the lifting mechanism due to rotation of the torque tube.
The lifting mechanisms each preferably comprise a rack and pinion arrangement with a rack attached to the panel and the pinion driven by the actuator, and wherein the pinion of the first lifting mechanism is in engagement with the actuator and the pinion of the other lifting mechanism is engaged by the second end of the torque tube.
The torque tube can be a carbon fiber tube.
In some embodiments, more than two lifting mechanisms are provided at respective separate locations on the panel; the actuator may be in engagement with a first of the lifting mechanisms and to drive the other lifting mechanisms via respective torque tubes.
In another aspect, there is provided an aircraft wing comprising a plurality of panels along a leading edge and an actuator system as described above.
The described embodiments are by way of example only. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the claims.
Existing actuator systems will first be described with reference to
As can be seen in the chart the more inboard panels are subjected to a higher load than the more outboard panels and so the output requirements of the actuators vary.
In a typical system, the panels 2 are deployed using a known rack and pinion arrangement on a curved track. A pinion is provided at each actuator station or location on the panel. The actuators are controlled, by the PCU, to move the pinion to cause the desired panel movement.
As mentioned above, the actuators used in such systems are expensive and complex.
According to the present disclosure, a system is provided having only a single actuator per panel. A torque tube is provided between the pinions at the two panel stations, that drive the racks to move the panels. The sole actuator is provided as usual at the first station and drives the pinion at that station. The other pinion is driven by rotation of a high torque tube, e.g. a carbon fiber tube, that is attached to and rotated by the actuator.
While any high torque material could be used for the tube to achieve advantages in cost savings due to fewer actuators, advancements in carbon fiber tube technology mean that such tubes can be manufactured more easily and at lower cost.
The system can be seen in
An actuator 400 is provided at the first station 200 and drives the drive mechanism. A torque tube 500 connects the actuator at the first station to the drive mechanism at the second station 210 in torque transmitting connection.
The torque tube 500 will rotate at the output speed of the actuator 400 to move the pinion at the second station in the same way as the first pinion at the first station is moved by the actuator 400.
The system of this disclosure is thus much less expensive and easier to manufacture and industrialise than conventional systems. The smaller structure of the tube compared to another actuator also means that the wing has less drag and less inertia than when two actuators are present.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20275022 | Jan 2020 | EP | regional |
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Entry |
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European Search Report for Application No. 20275022.0 dated Aug. 7, 2020, 10 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20210237854 A1 | Aug 2021 | US |