Patent Grant
8740493
This application relates to a rotating connection between two components, wherein a feature is included that will assist in assuring a proper assembly.
Torque tubes are known and utilized to in aircraft actuation systems to transmit rotational motion from one system component, to another system component. Components may be the power drive unit, actuators, bearing supports, sensors, brakes, or other components. Actuation systems may be employed to actuate slat and flap panels on fixed wing aircraft for high lift, flight control surfaces, aircraft doors, landing gears, and etc. This application may apply to any system which requires torque tubes to transmit motion to/from adjacent components.
It is known to use a spline connection formed between the torque tube and the component. This spline connection may have a spline on the torque tube termination and a mating spline on a surface of the component. Typically, a bolt hole is formed through both the torque tube termination and the component, and in an area having spline teeth. The component and the torque tube are assembled together with their spline teeth engaged and the bolt is passed through the bolt holes to secure the connection axially.
Such connections may be utilized in any number of applications, such as an aircraft actuation system which consists of drive unit, flap actuators, slat actuators, bearing supports, sensors, brakes, or other components, all of which must be attached in synchronous motion.
The tube termination possesses a female spline which will receive the male splined incorporated into the shaft of the adjacent component. In other cases, the male spline may be placed on the torque tube termination and the female spline placed on the adjacent component.
In the prior art, when the component and the torque tube have been incorrectly assembled, it has been the case that the bolt has not been inserted through the bolt hole in the inner member. Still, the spline teeth may be positioned such that there is some engagement. In such a case, rotational motion may be transmitted, even though the two are not properly secured from sliding out of engagement.
A connection for transmitting rotating torque has a first component having a shaft with male spline teeth on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft. The male spline teeth extend to an inner end, and there is a blocking portion of the shaft extending in an inner direction from the inner end of the male spline teeth. A second component has a hollow portion with female spline teeth on an inner periphery of a bore. The female spline teeth extend to an outer end. Bolt holes are formed in both the hollow portion and the shaft. The bolt hole in the shaft is formed in a portion of the shaft receiving the male spline teeth. A bolt extends through the bolt holes, and the shaft is secured within the hollow portion. A distance from an inner end of the blocking portion to the inner end of the male spline teeth is greater than a distance between an outer surface on the bolt to the outer end of the female spline teeth on the hollow portion.
These and other features of this application will be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
A drive actuation system 20 is illustrated in
Male spline teeth 38 are formed on the outer diameter of the shaft 26 to an inner end 29. The direction “inner” should be interpreted as extending inwardly into hollow portion 28 or to the right in the Figures. Female spline teeth 40 are formed in a bore in the hollow portion 28, and extend from outer end 201 to inner end 360. A bolt 32 extends through bolt hole 31 in the hollow portion 28 and bolt hole 30 in the shaft 26. A nut 34 secures the bolt 32 within the shaft 26 and hollow portion 28, after having extended through the holes 30 and 31. A radially smaller portion 36 is inward of the shaft 26 and extends to an inner end 37. Portion 36 is not provided with spline teeth.
As shown, with the bolt properly received in the bolt holes 30 and 31, torque can be transmitted through the spline teeth 38/40 and the connection is secured from sliding out of engagement.
However, the two components may not always properly connected.
In this position, one can see the female spline teeth 40 do not engage the male spline teeth 38.
This is true, since a distance d1 is defined between inner end 37 of the smaller portion, and the inner end 29 of the spline teeth 38. Distance d1 is greater than a distance d2 between the outer surface 210 of the bolt 32 and the outer end 201 of the spline teeth 40. Thus, the provision of the smaller portion 36 ensures there will be no engagement between the spline teeth 38 and 40 unless the two components 24 and 22 are properly connected.
While the shaft 26 is shown on the actuator 24, the “inner member” could be associated with the connection member 22, and the hollow portion could be associated with the actuator 24.
Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140093313 A1 | Apr 2014 | US |
