Flight control surface actuation system including a skew detection system and associated methods

Abstract

Flight control surface actuation systems including a skew detection system and associated methods are disclosed. A flight control surface actuation system includes a skew detection system configured to generate a skew detection signal indicative of a skew condition of a flight control surface. In some examples, the skew detection system includes a skew cable and a detection mechanism assembly (DMA) configured to detect a cable displacement of the skew cable and generate an analog cable displacement signal. In some examples, the skew detection system includes a hybrid sense actuator including an actuator output and an actuator output position sensor directly coupled to the actuator output. Methods of utilizing a flight control surface actuation system include utilizing the DMA and / or the hybrid sense actuator to detect a skew condition in the flight control surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to flight control surface actuation systems and associated methods, including skew detection systems. Background Technology

[0002] Dynamic skew occurs when a portion of the flight control surface is stuck in one position while another portion is actively driven. This condition pushes undesirable loads into the supporting structure. Some vehicles include skew detection systems configured to detect when this malfunction occurs and issue a command to stop actively driving the flight control surface. The flight control surface and surrounding supporting structure can be engineered to handle loads corresponding to the maximum permissible skew driven into the structure. In this example, configuring the vehicle to withstand a greater amount of skew before shutting down the flight control surface requires structural engineering to withstand the increased loads, which impacts size and weight. Existing skew detection systems have the disadvantage of increasing the minimum amount of skew that can be reliably detected, which in turn increases the maximum permissible skew.

[0003] Position sensing of flight control surfaces is also central to the operation of vehicles such as aircraft. Monitoring the position of flight control surfaces is necessary to ensure they are accurately positioned in the desired configuration. In flight science and structural analysis, the possibility of deviations from the position surface must be considered. For example, deviations from the nominal configuration may result in higher drag, reducing fuel efficiency and thus increasing user costs. Furthermore, deviations may lead to higher loads on supporting structures, potentially increasing size and weight. Position data can be used for closed-loop feedback of the flight control surfaces. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This document discloses a flight control surface actuation system and associated method, including a skew detection system. A flight control surface actuation system for operating the flight control surface of a vehicle wing includes: a control surface actuator operatively coupled to a corresponding control surface segment of the flight control surface; and a skew detection system configured to detect skew conditions in the flight control surface. The control surface actuator is configured to switch the corresponding control surface segment in a plurality of segment configurations defined between and including a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. The skew detection system is configured to generate a skew detection signal that at least partially represents the skew condition of the flight control surface.

[0005] In some examples, the skew detection system includes: a lanyard operatively coupled to each control surface segment of a lanyard subset of control surface segments of a flight control surface; and a detection mechanism assembly (DMA) configured to detect lanyard displacement relative to a nominal configuration of the lanyard. In this example, the DMA is configured to generate a lanyard displacement signal that at least partially represents the lanyard displacement. In this example, the skew detection signal includes the lanyard displacement signal, and the DMA is configured such that the lanyard displacement signal indicates that the lanyard displacement is any one of a consecutive plurality of values.

[0006] In some examples, the flight control surface actuation system includes a driveline operatively coupled to each of a plurality of control surface actuators and configured to actuate each control surface actuator. In some such examples, the skew detection system includes a hybrid sensing actuator comprising a gear train operatively coupled to the driveline, an actuator output operatively coupled to a corresponding end of a corresponding control surface segment, and an actuator output position sensor directly coupled to the actuator output. In this example, the actuator output is configured to drive the corresponding end of the segment between a retracted position and an extended position, and the actuator output position signal indicates the rotational and / or linear position of the actuator output. In this example, the skew detection signal includes the actuator output position signal, and at least one control surface actuator includes a hybrid sensing actuator.

[0007] A method for operating the flight control surfaces of a vehicle wing using a flight control surface actuation system includes using the flight control surface actuation system to detect skewness in the flight control surfaces.

[0008] In some examples, detecting skew involves using DMA to generate a tether displacement signal and generating a skew condition signal that represents a quantity of skew in the flight control surfaces. In this example, the generation of the skew condition signal is based at least in part on the tether displacement signal.

[0009] In some examples, detecting skew conditions includes generating an actuator output position signal using an actuator output position sensor of a hybrid sensing actuator. In this example, detecting skew conditions also includes generating a skew condition signal, at least in part, based on the actuator output position signal. In this example, the skew condition signal represents the presence and / or amount of skew conditions on the flight control surface. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 It is a representation of a vehicle including an example of a flight control surface actuation system according to this disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a schematic top view of an example of a flight control surface actuation system used in conjunction with a flight control surface in the retracted position, according to the illustrations of this disclosure.

[0012] Figure 3 This is a schematic top view of an example of a flight control surface actuation system used in conjunction with a flight control surface in an extended position, according to the illustrations of this disclosure.

[0013] Figure 4 This is a schematic top view illustrating an example of a flight control surface actuation system used in conjunction with a flight control surface in a tilted state, according to the illustrations of this disclosure.

[0014] Figure 5 This is a schematic top view illustrating an example of a flight control surface actuation system used in conjunction with a flight control surface in a tilted state, according to the illustrations of this disclosure.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a schematic partial top view illustrating a portion of a flight control surface actuation system according to the illustrations of this disclosure, the flight control surface actuation system including a tether and detection mechanism assembly (DMA).

[0016] Figure 7 This is a schematic partial top view illustrating an example of a portion of a flight control surface actuation system including a hybrid sensing actuator, according to the illustrations of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 8 This is a schematic top view illustrating an example of a vehicle including a first flight control surface actuation system and a second flight control surface actuation system, according to the illustrations in this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for operating a flight control surface using a flight control surface actuation system, according to the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Figures 1-9 Illustrative, non-exclusive examples are provided of a flight control surface actuation system 100, a skew detection system 130, and / or a method 200 utilizing the flight control surface actuation system 100 according to this disclosure. Elements for similar or at least substantially similar purposes are also provided. Figures 1-9 Each of these elements is labeled with the same number, and these elements may not be referenced in this document. Figures 1-9 Each of these is discussed in detail. Similarly, in Figures 1-9 In each of these categories, not all elements may be labeled; however, for consistency, the associated reference numerals may be used herein. Without departing from the scope of this disclosure, reference is made to… Figures 1-9 One or more of the elements, components and / or features discussed in the text may be included. Figures 1-9 any of the neutralizations and / or combinations in Figures 1-9 Any of the elements in the figures may be used together. Generally, in the accompanying drawings, elements that may be included in a given example are illustrated with solid lines, while elements that are optional for a given example are illustrated with dashed lines. However, elements illustrated with solid lines are not essential for all examples of this disclosure, and elements shown with solid lines may be omitted from certain examples without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 1 This is an example of a vehicle 10 that may include and / or utilize a flight control surface actuation system 100 according to this disclosure. In various examples, and as... Figure 1 As illustrated, the vehicle 10 includes a fuselage 12 and at least one wing 20 extending from the fuselage 12. The wing 20 includes flight control surfaces 22, as described in more detail herein. In some examples, and as... Figure 1 As illustrated, wing 20 is a first wing 20, and the vehicle 10 also includes a second wing 30 extending from the fuselage 12. As discussed in more detail below, each of the first wing 20 and the second wing 30 may include and / or utilize a corresponding instance of the flight control surface actuation system 100 according to this disclosure. Therefore, although the following examples generally refer to examples where wing 20 (e.g., the first wing 20) includes the flight control surface actuation system 100, it should be understood that any feature, aspect, component, function, etc., of the flight control surface actuation system 100 and / or wing 20 may also be understood to refer to features, aspects, components, functions, etc., similar to those of the flight control surface actuation system 100 and / or the second wing 30. The flight control surface actuation system 100 can be configured for use in conjunction with any of the various vehicles 10 that include flight control surfaces 22. In some examples, such as in… Figure 1 In the example, vehicle 10 is an aircraft, such as a fixed-wing aircraft.

[0021] Figures 2-7 The schematic diagram illustrates an example of a flight control surface actuation system 100 for operating the flight control surface 22 of the wing 20 of the vehicle 10. (See diagram for example.) Figures 2-7 As schematically illustrated, the flight control surface actuation system 100 according to this disclosure is configured for use in conjunction with a flight control surface 22, which includes one or more control surface segments 40 configured to move relative to at least a portion of a wing 20, such as to selectively alter one or more aerodynamic characteristics of the wing 20. Specifically, and as... Figures 2-7As schematically illustrated, the flight control surface actuation system 100 includes a control surface actuator 120 operatively coupled to a corresponding control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22. More specifically, and as shown in the diagram... Figure 2 As schematically illustrated, the control surface actuator 120 includes an actuator output 126 operatively coupled to a corresponding control surface segment 40. The control surface actuator 120 is configured to transition between, and include, a plurality of segment configurations of the corresponding control surface segment 40, defined between and including a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. Similarly, the flight control surface 22 is configured to transition between a plurality of control surface positions defined between and including a retracted position and an extended position, wherein each control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22 is in a retracted configuration in the retracted position and in an extended configuration in the extended position.

[0022] As used herein, flight control surface 22 may refer to, include, and / or be any of a variety of structures and / or systems associated with wing 20, and may have any of a variety of positions and / or orientations relative to wing 20. In some examples, and as... Figures 2-7 As schematically illustrated, flight control surface 22 is located near the leading edge 70 of wing 20. In some such examples, flight control surface 22 at least partially defines the leading edge 70. As a more specific example, flight control surface 22 may include and / or a leading edge flight control surface, such as a slat and / or a Krueger panel. Additionally or alternatively, in some such examples, each control surface segment 40 includes and / or such a leading edge flight control surface.

[0023] While this disclosure generally relates to examples of flight control surface 22 associated with the leading edge 70 of wing 20, not all examples of flight control surface actuation system 100 require this, and the following aspects are also within the scope of this disclosure: the flight control surface 22 may be located near the trailing edge 72 of wing 20 and / or may at least partially define the trailing edge 72 of wing 20. As an example, the flight control surface 22 (and / or at least one control surface segment 40 thereof) may include and / or flaps, flaperons, and / or ailerons.

[0024] In some examples, and such as Figures 2-7Schematably illustrated, a flight control surface actuation system 100 includes a plurality of control surface actuators 120, such that each control surface actuator 120 is operatively coupled to a corresponding segment end 44 of a corresponding control surface segment 40. In this example, each control surface actuator 120 can be described as being configured to shift the corresponding segment end 44 between a plurality of segment end positions defined between and including a retracted position and an extended position. In this example, when each corresponding segment end 44 of a given control surface segment 40 is in the retracted position, the given control surface segment 40 (e.g., a particular control surface segment 40 and / or the control surface segment 40 corresponding to the control surface actuator 120) can be described as being in a retracted configuration. Similarly, when each corresponding segment end 44 of a given control surface segment 40 is in the extended position, the given control surface segment 40 can be described as being in an extended configuration. As a more specific example, Figure 2 The schematic illustration depicts a configuration in which each segment end 44 of each control surface segment 40 is in a retracted position, such that each control surface segment 40 is in a retracted configuration, and the flight control surface 22 is in a retracted position. As another example, Figure 3 The schematic illustration depicts a configuration in which each control surface actuator 120 is operably transformed to the extended position of each corresponding segment end 44, such that each control surface segment 40 is in an extended configuration and the flight control surface 22 is in an extended position.

[0025] As used herein, actuator output 126 is intended to refer to and / or include any suitable structure and / or mechanism that transmits the mechanical output of control surface actuator 120 to its corresponding control surface segment 40 and / or segment end 44. As an example, actuator output 126 may include and / or a pinion, lead screw, jack screw, rotary link, linear link, etc. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "position," used to describe the state and / or configuration of actuator output 126, is intended to refer to any of the various states and / or configurations corresponding to the segment end position of the corresponding segment end 44 driven by actuator output 126. In this way, as used herein, the position of actuator output 126 can generally be understood to directly correspond to the segment end position of the corresponding segment end 44.

[0026] In some examples, each control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22 includes a pair of corresponding segment ends 44, each segment end 44 being selectively transitioned between a retracted position and an extended position by a corresponding control surface actuator 120. In this example, and as... Figures 2-7As schematically illustrated, each such control surface segment 40 can be described as having a first segment end 46 and a second segment end 48 opposite to the first segment end 46 (e.g., on the side of the control surface segment 40 opposite to the first segment end 46).

[0027] In some examples, as the flight control surface 22 operatively transitions between a retracted position and an extended position, the set of corresponding segment ends 44 of each control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22 is configured to move at least substantially uniformly. In this way, the flight control surface 22 can be described as being in a nominal state when each corresponding segment end 44 of each control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22 moves at least substantially uniformly as the flight control surface 22 transitions between the retracted and extended positions. In other words, when the flight control surface 22 is in its nominal state, as the flight control surface 22 transitions between the retracted and extended positions, the flight control surface 22 can be configured such that the first segment end 46 and the second segment end 48 of each control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22 move at least substantially uniformly.

[0028] However, in some cases, the flight control surface 22 may enter an operational state where the set of corresponding segment ends 44 of each control surface segment 40 of a given (e.g., specific) flight control surface 22 does not move uniformly and / or exhibit the same segment end positions. In such an example, the given flight control surface 22 can be described as being in a skewed state. More specifically, the given flight control surface 22 can be described as being in a skewed state when at least one segment end 44 of at least one control surface segment 40 of the given flight control surface 22 has a segment end position that differs from the segment end position of at least one other segment end 44 of at least one control surface segment 40 of the given flight control surface 22. This state can occur, for example, when two or more control surface actuators 120 associated with the given flight control surface 22 and / or with the given control surface segment 40 operate at least partially independently of each other. As a more specific example, if at least one control surface actuator 120 fails to rotate the corresponding segment end 44 (e.g., the first segment end 46 or the second segment end 48) of the corresponding control surface segment 40 between the retracted and deployed positions when the control surface actuator 120 associated with the corresponding segment end 44 operably rotates the relative segment end 44 between the retracted and deployed positions, then the flight control surface 22 may be in a skewed state. For example, and as... Figure 4As schematically illustrated, the flight control surface 22 may include a first control surface actuator 122 operably coupled to a first segment end 46 of a corresponding control surface segment 40 and a second control surface actuator 124 operably coupled to a second segment end 48 of a corresponding control surface segment 40. In this example, the flight control surface 22 may be described as being in a skewed state when the first control surface actuator 122 and / or the second control surface actuator 124 are partially unable to operably change the corresponding segment end 44 between a retracted position and an extended position.

[0029] In an example where the flight control surface 22 is tilted, continuing to drive the flight control surface 22 between the retracted and extended configurations can operate to drive unwanted loads into the flight control surface 22 and / or the wing 20. For example, Figure 4 Examples can be described as illustrating the second control surface actuator 124 being inoperable and / or otherwise operably decoupled from the second segment end 48 of the corresponding control surface segment 40. In examples where the control surface actuator 120 is operably decoupled from the corresponding segment end 44, the flight control surface 22 can be described as being in a freewheeling skew condition. In other examples where the control surface actuator 120 is inoperable, continued driving of the corresponding segment end 44 of the corresponding control surface segment 40 toward the deployed position can lead to a jam condition and / or exert undesirable forces on adjacent control surface segments 40, wings 20, etc. In such examples, the flight control surface 22 can be described as being in a powered skew condition. As discussed in more detail herein, the flight control surface actuation system 100 and method 200 according to this disclosure are generally designed to detect and / or identify skew conditions with high accuracy, thereby resolving such skew conditions while limiting the application of undesirable forces to the wing 20.

[0030] The skew condition of the flight control surface 22 can be defined in any of a variety of ways. As an example, each segment configuration of a plurality of segment configurations of the control surface segment 40 can define a target orientation of the control surface segment 40, and the flight control surface 22 can be in a skew condition when at least one control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22 defines a skew orientation different from the target orientation. As a more specific example, the skew orientation can be rotated relative to the target orientation, can be at least partially under-deployed relative to the target orientation, and / or can be at least partially over-deployed relative to the target orientation. Additionally or alternatively, the flight control surface 22 can be described as being in a skew condition when at least one segment end 44 (and / or its segment end position) of at least one control surface segment 40 approaches a retracted position relative to at least one other segment end 44 of at least one control surface segment 40 (e.g., the same control surface segment 40 and / or another control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22).

[0031] As yet another example, when at least one control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22 is misaligned, such as misalignment relative to at least one other control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22 and / or relative to the entire extent of the flight control surface 22, the flight control surface 22 can be described as being in a skewed state. For example, and Figures 2-5 As schematically illustrated, when the flight control surface 22 is in its nominal condition, the flight control surface 22 may extend along and define the control surface axis 24 such that each control surface segment 40 extends at least substantially parallel to the control surface axis 24. In this example, the flight control surface 22 may be described as being in a skewed condition when at least one control surface segment 40 is not parallel to the control surface axis 24 and / or at least one other control surface segment 40.

[0032] Figure 4 The schematic illustration shows an example of flight control surface 22 being tilted. Specifically, Figure 4 The schematic illustration shows an example where a second control surface actuator 124 associated with a second segment end 48 of a particular control surface segment 40 is at least partially unable to cause the flight control surface 22 to be tilted when the second segment end 48 is turned to the deployed position. As a more specific example, Figure 4 This can be described as a schematic illustration of a configuration in which a second control surface actuator 124 associated with a specific control surface segment 40 is operatively decoupled from the corresponding segment end 44, thereby placing the flight control surface 22 in a free-rotational tilt state. Alternatively, Figure 4 This can be described as a schematic illustration of the configuration of the flight control surface 22 in a powered skew condition. Therefore, in Figure 4In the example, the first segment end 46 and the second segment end 48 of a specific control surface segment 40 have different segment positions, such that the specific control surface segment 40 is not parallel to the control surface axis 24, and the flight control surface 22 is tilted. In other words, Figure 4 The schematic illustration shows an example where the target orientation of the second section end 48 is insufficient relative to the specific control surface section 40, resulting in the flight control surface 22 being tilted.

[0033] In some examples, when the flight control surface 22 is in a skewed condition, it may be desirable to restrict and / or stop the operation of the flight control surface 22. For example, and as previously described, when the flight control surface 22 is in a skewed condition, operating each control surface actuator 120 to change the flight control surface 22 between a retracted position and an extended position can create blockages and / or exacerbate mechanical failures associated with the flight control surface 22. Therefore, it is generally desirable to detect the presence of a skewed condition of the flight control surface 22 before a costly and / or time-intensive mechanical failure occurs. Thus, as Figures 2-7 As schematically illustrated and as described herein, the flight control surface actuation system 100 according to this disclosure includes a skew detection system 130 configured to detect skew conditions in the flight control surface 22.

[0034] The flight control surface actuation system 100 can be configured to operate each control surface actuator 120 in any of a variety of ways, such that each control surface segment 40 moves at least substantially uniformly. In some examples, and as... Figures 2-5 and Figure 7 As schematically illustrated, the flight control surface actuation system 100 includes a transmission system 112 operably coupled to and configured to actuate each control surface actuator 120. In this example, and as... Figures 2-5As also schematically shown, the flight control surface actuation system 100 further includes a power drive unit 110 configured to generate torque in the transmission system 112 to selectively actuate each control surface actuator 120. Thus, in this example, the flight control surface actuation system 100 can be configured to generate torque using the power drive unit 110 to rotate the transmission system 112 and thus uniformly actuate each control surface actuator 120, selectively shifting each segment end 44 of each control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22 between a retracted position and an deployed position. In this way, in this example, the transmission position of the transmission system 112 (e.g., rotational position, such as the number of revolutions of the transmission system 112 relative to the nominal and / or initial rotational position) can correspond to the segment end position of each segment end 44, and therefore can correspond to the control surface position of the flight control surface 22. In other words, in this example, at least when the flight control surface 22 is in its nominal state, measuring and / or determining the rotational position of the drivetrain 112 enables the measurement and / or determination of the control surface position corresponding to the flight control surface 22. In various examples, the determination of the control surface position of the flight control surface 22 is a core factor in the operation of the flight control surface 22. For example, the measurement of the drivetrain position of the drivetrain 112 (and therefore the measurement of the control surface position of the flight control surface 22) can be used in closed-loop feedback routines that are crucial to the proper operation of the flight control surface 22. Therefore, in some examples, and as described in more detail herein, the skew detection system 130 is configured to detect the drivetrain position of the drivetrain 112. In this example, the drivetrain position may include and / or the rotational position of the drivetrain 112, such as relative to the nominal and / or initial rotational position.

[0035] The drivetrain 112 may include and / or any of a variety of configurations such that the drivetrain 112 is operable to selectively and uniformly actuate each control surface actuator 120. In some examples, and as... Figure 2 As schematically illustrated, the drivetrain 112 includes one or more torque tubes 114 operatively coupled to each other and rotating at least substantially uniformly. In some such examples, at least one control surface actuator 120 is operatively coupled to each of a corresponding pair of torque tubes 114 to operatively couple the corresponding pair of torque tubes 114 to each other.

[0036] As described herein, the flight control surface actuation system 100 can be configured to detect skewness in the flight control surface 22 in any of a variety of ways and / or by utilizing any of a variety of structures and / or processes. In some examples, and as... Figures 2-5As schematically illustrated, the flight control surface actuation system 100 includes a controller 102 configured to generate a skew condition signal 104 indicating the presence and / or amount of skewness in the flight control surface 22. In this example, and as described herein, the controller 102 may be configured to generate the skew condition signal based on any of a variety of inputs indicating the state or condition of the flight control surface 22.

[0037] In some examples, such as Figure 2-5 The skew detection system 130 is schematically illustrated and described in more detail herein, configured to generate a skew detection signal 132 that at least partially represents the skew condition of the flight control surface 22 (e.g., the presence and / or amount of skew condition) and / or transmit the skew detection signal 132 to the controller 102. In this example, the controller 102 may be configured to generate a skew condition signal 104 based at least partially on the skew detection signal 132. In other words, in this example, and as described in more detail herein, the skew detection signal 132 may include and / or represent the configuration and / or operating state of a portion of the flight control surface actuation system 100 (e.g., the drivetrain 112, the flight control surface 22, and / or any component thereof). In contrast, the skew condition signal 104 may include and / or identify the operating condition of the flight control surface 22 (e.g., skew condition and / or nominal configuration), as notified by and / or determined based on the skew detection signal 132.

[0038] In some examples, such as Figures 2-5 As schematically illustrated, the vehicle 10 also includes a flight control unit 80, which is configured to at least partially control the operation of the vehicle 10 and / or the flight control surface 22. In these examples, and as... Figures 2-5 As schematically illustrated, controller 102 can be configured to transmit a yaw condition signal 104 to flight control unit 80. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, and as... Figure 2-5 As schematically illustrated, the flight control unit 80 can be configured to generate a transmission control signal 82 and transmit it to the power drive unit 110 to at least partially control the operation of the flight control surface 22. In some examples, the flight control unit 80 generates the transmission control signal 82 at least partially based on a yaw condition signal 104. Although Figures 2-5The schematic illustrations show that controller 102 and flight control unit 80 are distinct from each other, but this is not necessary for all examples of flight control surface actuation system 100, and the following aspects are also within the scope of this disclosure: controller 102 includes at least a portion of flight control unit 80, and / or vice versa. As a more specific example, controller 102 and flight control unit 80 may refer to corresponding software, processes, modules, automated commands, etc., associated with shared equipment and / or a computer.

[0039] In some examples, such as Figure 2-5 As schematically illustrated and discussed in more detail below, controller 102 and / or flight control unit 80 are configured to generate a control surface stop signal 84 and transmit the control surface stop signal 84 to the power drive unit 110. In some such examples, the control surface stop signal 84, such as in response to detecting a skew condition in the flight control surface 22, commands the power drive unit 110 to stop generating torque in the transmission system 112. In some such examples, the transmission control signal 82 includes and / or the control surface stop signal 84.

[0040] Controller 102 and / or flight control unit 80 may each be any suitable one or more devices configured to perform the respective functions discussed herein. For example, each of controller 102 and / or flight control unit 80 may include one or more of an electronic controller, dedicated controller, special purpose controller, personal computer, special purpose computer, display device, logic device, memory device, and / or memory device having a non-transitory computer-readable medium suitable for storing computer-executable instructions for implementing aspects of the system and / or method according to this disclosure. Additionally or alternatively, controller 102 and / or flight control unit 80 may each include, or be configured to read, a non-transitory computer-readable storage device or memory for implementing methods or method steps according to this disclosure, a medium for storing computer-executable instructions, or software. Examples of such media include CD-ROMs, magnetic disks, hard disk drives, flash memory, etc. As used herein, storage devices or memories, apparatuses, and media having computer-executable instructions according to this disclosure and computer-implemented methods and other methods are considered to be within the scope of patentable subject matter under Title 35, Section 101 of the United States Code.

[0041] The skew detection system 130 can be configured to generate a skew detection signal 132 based on any of the various detections and / or measurements facilitated and / or enabled by the flight control surface actuation system 100. In some examples, and as... Figures 2-6As schematically illustrated, the skew detection system 130 includes a skew tether 134 operatively coupled to each of a plurality of control surface segments 40 of the flight control surface 22. In other words, in these examples, and as... Figures 2-6 The schematic diagram illustrates that the flight control surface 22 includes a plurality of control surface segments 40, such that the yaw tether 134 is operatively coupled to each control surface segment 40 of the plurality of control surface segments 40, which is a subset 42 of yaw tethers. In this example, and as... Figures 2-6 As schematically illustrated, the skew detection system 130 also includes a detection mechanism assembly (DMA) 140, which is configured to detect the tether displacement 136 of the skewed tether 134 (e.g., Figures 4-6 (Illustrative illustration) and generate a tether displacement signal 142 that at least partially represents the tether displacement 136. Figures 4-5 (Illustrative illustration). In this example, the skew detection signal 132 may include and / or the tether displacement signal 142.

[0042] The skew tether 134 may include and / or be any of a variety of structures, such as flexible tethers and / or flexible cables. The skew tether subset 42 may represent any suitable subset of the control surface segments 40. For example, the skew tether subset 42 may include each control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22, or may include all control surface segments 40 less than the flight control surface 22.

[0043] In some examples, the skew 134 is operatively coupled to each control surface segment 40 of the skew tether subset 42 such that, when the flight control surface 22 is in its nominal state, the skew 134 moves at least substantially in sync with the skew tether subset 42 as the flight control surface 22 changes between a retracted position and an extended position. For example, as described herein... Figures 2-5 As schematically illustrated, the skewed tether 134 can be operatively coupled to the DMA 140, and the skewed tether 134 can be fixedly coupled at the tether anchor 60 to at least one control surface segment 40 of the skewed tether subset 42. In this example, the skewed tether 134 can extend between the tether anchor 60 and the DMA 140 such that the skewed tether 134 is operatively supported by the skewed tether subset 42.

[0044] In some examples, and such as Figures 2-5As schematically illustrated, DMA 140 is operatively coupled to and / or supported by a corresponding control surface segment 40 of the skewed tether subset 42, while tether anchor 60 is operatively coupled to and / or supported by different corresponding control surface segments 40 of the skewed tether subset 42. Although Figure 2-5 The schematic illustration shows an example in which the DMA 140 is positioned close to the fuselage 12 relative to the tether anchor 60, but this is not necessary for all examples of the skew detection system 130, and the following aspect is also within the scope of this disclosure: the tether anchor 60 is positioned close to the fuselage 12 relative to the DMA 140.

[0045] In some examples, and such as Figures 2-6 As schematically illustrated, the skew 134 is operatively coupled to a first segment end 46 and / or a second segment end 48 of each control surface segment 40 of the skew tether subset 42. More specifically, and as... Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 As schematically illustrated, each control surface segment 40 of the skewed tether subset 42 may include at least one tether guide 62, such as one that may be associated with and / or positioned near the first segment end 46 or the second segment end 48, and a skewed tether 134 may be slidably accommodated within and / or coupled to each tether guide 62. In other words, in this example, the skewed tether 134 may be positioned via each tether guide 62 at the tether anchor 60 ( Figure 2 and Figure 4 (Illustrated schematically in the diagram) and extends between DMA140. The tether guide device 62 may include and / or any of a variety of structures suitable for guiding and / or holding the skewed tether 134, examples of which include grooves, channels, eyelets, etc.

[0046] Figures 2-3 The schematic diagram illustrates an example where the flight control surface 22 is in its nominal state, such that as the flight control surface 22 is in the retracted position ( Figure 2 ) and extended position ( Figure 3 During the transition between these phases, the skewed tether 134 remains at least substantially stationary relative to each control surface segment 40 of the skewed tether subset 42. In contrast, and as discussed, Figure 4 This schematically illustrates an example where the flight control surface 22 is tilted. Specifically, and as... Figure 4As schematically illustrated, when the flight control surface 22 is in a skewed state, misalignment of at least one control surface segment 40 relative to at least one other control surface segment 40 can produce and / or correspond to an increased separation distance between the respective tether guides 62 of adjacent control surface segments 40 (relative to the corresponding separation distance when the flight control surface 22 is in a nominal state). Therefore, this increased separation distance can increase the path distance between the tether anchor 60 and the DMA 140 and along each tether guide 62 extending through the skewed tether 134. Since the skewed tether 134 is at least substantially fixed at the tether anchor 60, the onset of a skewed state requires the skewed tether 134 to move (e.g., translate) relative to the DMA 140 by a tether displacement 136, such as corresponding to an increased separation distance between adjacent tether guides 62. In this way, measuring the position of the skewed tether 134 relative to the DMA 140, such as by measuring the tether displacement 136, makes it possible to identify a skewed state in the flight control surface 22. More specifically, and as previously described, DMA140 is configured to generate a tether displacement signal 142 that at least partially represents the tether displacement 136, such that the tether displacement signal 142 can be used to identify the presence and / or amount of skewness. In particular, in Figure 4 In the example, when the flight control surface 22 is in a free-rotating tilt state, the measurement of the tether displacement 136 makes it possible to identify the tilt state in the flight control surface 22.

[0047] DMA 140 can be configured to generate tether displacement signal 142 in any of a variety of ways. In some prior art examples utilizing a tether similar to skewed tether 134 and / or a DMA similar to DMA 140, such prior art DMAs can be configured to measure changes in the position of the skewed tether via a proximity sensor (such as a proximity sensor that measures the proximity between the sensor and a target moving relative to the sensor). In some such prior art examples, the target is coupled and / or fixed to the prior art skewed tether, and the prior art DMA senses the position of the prior art tether via a measurement of the proximity of the target to the sensor. However, in such prior art systems, the proximity sensor can only detect whether the separation distance separating the target and the sensor is less than a predetermined threshold minimum sensing distance and / or greater than a predetermined threshold maximum sensing distance. Therefore, such prior art systems are typically configured to indicate that the measured displacement of the prior art skewed tether relative to the prior art DMA corresponds to a skew condition on the associated flight control surface only if the tether displacement is greater than the predetermined threshold maximum sensing distance. Furthermore, in such prior art examples, the prior art DMA can be configured such that a predetermined threshold maximum sensing distance is large enough to distinguish skew conditions from other operating conditions that can produce displacement of the prior art skewed tether relative to the prior art DMA (such as wing bending, thermal effects, and / or natural stretching of the prior art skewed tether during its operating life). Therefore, such prior art systems may fail to detect small amounts of skew conditions (e.g., tether displacement less than the predetermined threshold maximum sensing distance) and / or the onset of skew conditions that increase in magnitude. Additionally, in some prior art examples, the proximity sensor may exhibit a hysteresis effect, causing the predetermined threshold minimum sensing distance to be smaller than the predetermined threshold maximum sensing distance, thus requiring a larger predetermined threshold maximum sensing distance (and therefore low sensitivity to skew condition measurements) to produce a definite displacement measurement relative to systems that can directly measure tether displacement.

[0048] In some examples, and compared to prior art tether / DMA systems, the DMA 140 according to this disclosure is configured such that the tether displacement signal 142 indicates that the tether displacement 136 is any one of a plurality of values, such as any one of a series of values. In such examples, the DMA 140 may be described as an analog sensor, and / or as an amount that enables the analog measurement of the tether condition of the flight control surface 22. In this way, the tether detection system 130, including the tether 134 and DMA 140 according to this disclosure, can improve upon prior art tether detection systems by enabling a more precise determination of the tether displacement 136, thereby enabling a more precise determination of the presence and / or amount of tether condition in the flight control surface 22. Additionally or alternatively, such a system can enable the determination of a tether displacement 136 that is smaller in amount than that of a prior art tether / DMA system, thus enabling the identification of relatively small tether conditions. In this way, the skew detection system 130 according to this disclosure can detect a skew condition before it develops to the point of driving an undesirable force onto the flight control surface 22 and / or the wing 20.

[0049] DMA 140 may include any of a variety of structures and / or mechanisms for enabling analog sensing of the cable displacement 136. In some examples, and as... Figures 2-6 As schematically illustrated, DMA 140 includes an analog position sensor 144 for detecting tether displacement 136. In these examples, the analog position sensor 144 may include and / or any suitable sensor for generating an analog measurement of the tether displacement 136, examples of which include a rotary position sensor, a rotary power transformer, a linear variable differential transformer, a rotary variable differential transformer, and / or a resolver. In some such examples, the analog position sensor 144 is configured to generate a tether displacement signal 142 and / or transmit the tether displacement signal 142 to the controller 102.

[0050] Figure 6 The schematic illustration shows an example of a portion of the flight control surface actuation system 100, including DMA 140 and skew tether 134, combined with a portion of the flight control surface 22. Specifically, Figure 6 The schematic diagram illustrates a portion of the flight control surface 22, which includes a pair of control surface segments 40, each of which is a member of a skew tether subset 42 of the flight control surface 22, and each of the pair of control surface segments 40 is in an extended configuration. Figure 6As schematically illustrated, the skew tether 134 can be operatively coupled to the DMA 140 such that as the skew tether 134 is pushed from its nominal position (schematically illustrated in solid lines) to its displaced position (schematically illustrated in dashed lines) (e.g., due to skew conditions in another portion of the flight control surface 22), the analog position sensor 144 detects the tether displacement 136. In some examples, and as... Figure 6 As schematically illustrated herein, the skewed tether 134 is directly coupled to the analog position sensor 144, such that displacement of the skewed tether 134 (e.g., relative to control surface segment 40 and / or another portion of DMA 140) produces a corresponding displacement and / or movement of the analog position sensor 144. Therefore, measurement of the corresponding displacement and / or movement of the analog position sensor 144 enables DMA 140 to generate a simulated measurement of the tether displacement 136, as described herein.

[0051] In some examples, the skew detection system 130 may additionally or alternatively be configured to detect the presence and / or amount of skew in the flight control surface 22 at least in part by measuring the segment end position of at least one segment end 44 of a corresponding control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22. More specifically, in some examples, and as... Figures 2-5 and Figure 7 As schematically illustrated, the skewing detection system 130 includes a hybrid sensing actuator 150, which comprises: a gear train 152 operatively coupled to a drive train 112; and an actuator output 154 operatively coupled to a corresponding segment end 44 of a corresponding control surface segment 40 to drive the corresponding segment end 44 between a retracted position and an extended position. In this example, and as... Figures 2-5 and Figure 7 As schematically illustrated, the hybrid sensing actuator 150 also includes an actuator output position sensor 156, which is configured to generate an actuator output position signal 158 indicating the position of the actuator output 154.

[0052] In some examples, and such as Figures 2-5 and Figure 7As schematically illustrated, at least one control surface actuator 120 of a flight control surface actuation system 100 includes and / or a hybrid sensing actuator 150. In other words, each and / or any control surface actuator 120 of the flight control surface actuation system 100 may be a hybrid sensing actuator 150. As a more specific example, the flight control surface actuation system 100 may include a plurality of control surface actuators 120, and some and / or all of the plurality of control surface actuators 120 may each include and / or a hybrid sensing actuator 150. In this way, a hybrid sensing actuator 150 may be described as an example of a control surface actuator 120. Similarly, a hybrid sensing actuator 150 may include and / or exhibit any structure, components, and / or function of any other control surface actuator 120, and vice versa. For example, an actuator output 154 of a hybrid sensing actuator 150 may be described as an example representing an actuator output 126. As another example, and as Figure 7 As schematically illustrated, each control surface actuator 120 of the flight control surface actuation system 100 may include a corresponding gear train 152. In the example where the skew detection system 130 includes a hybrid sensing actuator 150, and as... Figures 2-5 As illustrated schematically, the skew detection signal 132 may include and / or the actuator output position signal 158.

[0053] The hybrid sensing actuator 150 can exhibit any of a variety of structures and / or configurations for indicating the position of the actuator output 154 using the actuator output position sensor 156. For example, in some examples, the actuator output position sensor 156 is directly coupled to the actuator output 154. As used herein, and similar to actuator output 126, actuator output 154 is intended to refer to and / or include any suitable structure and / or mechanism for transmitting the mechanical output of the hybrid sensing actuator 150 (and / or any other corresponding control surface actuator 120) to the control surface segment 40 and / or its segment end 44. As an example, actuator output 154 may include and / or a pinion, lead screw, jack screw, rotary link, linear link, etc. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "position," as used to describe the state and / or configuration of actuator output 154, is intended to refer to any of a variety of states and / or configurations corresponding to the segment end position of the corresponding segment end 44 driven by actuator output 154. In this way, and as used herein, the position of actuator output 154 can generally be understood as directly corresponding to the segment end position of the corresponding segment end 44.

[0054] In some examples, the position of actuator output 154 is its rotational position. For example, gear train 152 may be configured to transmit torque from drive train 112 to actuator output 154 to drive the corresponding segment end 44 between a retracted position and an extended position. In some such examples, gear train 152 is configured to rotate actuator output 154 in response to rotation of drive train 112. More specifically, in such examples, gear train 152 may be configured to rotate actuator output 154 at a rotational speed less than that of drive train 112. For example, drive train 112 may be configured to rotate at a rotational speed of several hundred revolutions per minute (RPM), and gear train 152 may have an efficient gear ratio such that actuator output 154 rotates less than one full revolution as hybrid sensing actuator 150 drives the corresponding segment end 44 between the retracted and extended positions.

[0055] While this disclosure generally relates to examples of actuator output position sensor 156 detecting the rotational position of actuator output 154, not all examples of skew detection system 130 and / or hybrid sensing actuator 150 require this. For example, in other examples, actuator output position sensor 156 may be configured to detect the linear position of actuator output 154, and / or actuator output position signal 158 may be configured to indicate the linear position of actuator output 154.

[0056] The hybrid sensing actuator 150 can be used in conjunction with any suitable segment end 44 of any suitable control surface segment 40 of the flight control surface 22. In some examples, the hybrid sensing actuator 150 can be used in the region of the wing 20 where size and / or space constraints limit the use of alternative skew detection mechanisms. As a more specific example, and as... Figure 2 and Figure 5 As schematically illustrated, one or more control surface segments 40 of the flight control surface 22 may include an outer control surface segment 50 on the distal side of the fuselage 12 (e.g., relative to each other control surface segment 40), which may further include an outer segment end 52 on the distal side of the fuselage 12 and an inner segment end 54 on the proximal side of the fuselage 12 relative to the outer segment end 52. In this example, and as... Figure 2 and Figure 5 As schematically illustrated, one of the first segment end 46 and the second segment end 48 of the outer control surface segment 50 is an outer segment end 52, and the other of the first segment end 46 and the second segment end 48 of the outer control surface segment 50 is an inner segment end 54. In some such examples, and as... Figure 2 and Figure 5As schematically illustrated, the hybrid sensing actuator 150 is operatively coupled to the outer section end 52 of the outer control surface section 50, such as a region that may correspond to the wing 20, where spatial constraints limit the use of alternative conventional skew detection systems.

[0057] In some examples, detecting the position of the actuator output 154 using the actuator output position sensor 156 enables and / or helps determine multiple aspects of the flight control surface actuation system 100. For example, the hybrid sensing actuator 150 can be configured such that the actuator output position signal 158 at least partially represents the drivetrain position of the transmission 112. In other words, in this example, since the position of the actuator output 154 (via the effective gear ratio of the gear train 152) directly corresponds to the drivetrain position of the transmission 112, measuring the position of the actuator output 154 enables the determination of the drivetrain position of the transmission 112. This configuration can be preferred over prior art systems where the drivetrain position of a prior art transmission is measured via a position sensor directly coupled to the transmission. For example, in such prior art systems, the prior art position sensor may be coupled to the prior art transmission via an input shaft dynamic seal that may experience wear due to the relatively high rotational speed of the prior art transmission relative to the dynamic seal. In contrast, because the actuator output position sensor 156 according to this disclosure is operatively coupled to the actuator output 154, rather than the drivetrain 112 (not via the gear train 152), the dynamic seal that separates a portion of the actuator output 154 from a portion of the actuator output position sensor 156 can experience reduced wear due to the relatively lower rotational speed of the actuator output 154 compared to the rotational speed of the drivetrain 112.

[0058] In some examples, the actuator output position sensor 156 may be additionally or alternatively configured to help identify skew conditions within the flight control surface 22. Specifically, because the actuator output position sensor 156 measures the position of the actuator output 154, which in turn corresponds to the segment end position of the corresponding segment end 44 of the corresponding control surface segment 40, the actuator output position sensor 156 can help determine the segment configuration of the corresponding control surface segment 40. As a more specific example, and as... Figures 2-5 and Figure 7 As schematically illustrated, the skew detection system 130 may include a segment end skew sensor 190, configured to detect the segment end position of a corresponding segment end 44 of a control surface segment 40. In this example, and as... Figures 2-5As schematically illustrated, the segment end skew sensor 190 is configured to generate and transmit a segment end skew signal 192 that at least partially represents the segment end position of the corresponding segment end 44. In some such examples, and as... Figures 2-5 and Figure 7 As schematically illustrated, the segment end tilt sensor 190 and the hybrid sensing actuator 150 operate to at least partially detect the respective segment end positions of the respective segment ends 44 of the common (e.g., identical) control surface segment 40. For example, and as... Figures 2-5 and Figure 7 As schematically illustrated, the hybrid sensing actuator 150 can be configured to detect the segment end position of a first segment end 46 of the control surface segment 40, and the segment end skew sensor 190 can be configured to detect the segment end position of a second segment end 48 of the control surface segment 40, and vice versa. In this example, a comparison of the corresponding segment end positions detected by the hybrid sensing actuator 150 and the segment end skew sensor 190 (such as a comparison via actuator output position signal 158 and segment end skew signal 192) can enable the determination of the presence and / or amount of skew in the control surface segment 40. For example, when the actuator output position signal 158 and the segment end skew signal 192 indicate that the first segment end 46 and the second segment end 48 are at different segment positions, the skew detection system 130 can indicate that the flight control surface 22 is skewed because the control surface segment 40 has a segment configuration different from the target configuration. In these examples, the segment end tilt sensor 190 may include and / or any of the various sensors described herein for sensing the position of the segment end, including position sensors, rotary position sensors, linear position sensors and / or proximity sensors.

[0059] Figure 7 The schematic illustration depicts an example of a portion of the flight control surface actuation system 100, including a hybrid sensing actuator 150, combined with a portion of the flight control surface 22. Specifically, Figure 7 The schematic diagram illustrates a portion of the flight control surface 22, which includes a pair of control surface segments 40, each in a retracted configuration. Figure 7 In the example, each segment end 44 of each control surface segment 40 is operatively coupled to a corresponding control surface actuator 120, one of which is a hybrid sensing actuator 150. Specifically, and as... Figure 7 As schematically illustrated, each control surface actuator 120 includes a corresponding gear train 152 operatively coupled to a corresponding actuator output 126 to drive the corresponding segment end 44 between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. Figure 7 In the example, the skew detection system 130 includes a plurality of segment end skew sensors 190, each segment end skew sensor 190 being configured to detect the segment end position of a corresponding segment end 44 as described herein and / or in any conventional manner. However, contrary to each segment end skew sensor 190, and as... Figure 7 As schematically illustrated, the actuator output position sensor 156 of the hybrid sensing actuator 150 can be directly coupled to the actuator output 154 of the hybrid sensing actuator 150 to detect the position of the actuator output 154, thereby enabling the detection of both the segment end position of the corresponding segment end 44 and the transmission position of the transmission system 112, as described herein.

[0060] In some examples, the actuator output position sensor 156 can be configured to help identify skew conditions within the flight control surface 22 via comparison with control surface segment 40 (a control surface segment 40 other than the corresponding control surface segment 40 associated with the hybrid sensing actuator 150). As an example, Figure 8 An example of a vehicle 10 is schematically illustrated. The vehicle 10 includes a first wing 20 and a second wing 30 extending from a fuselage 12, such that the first wing 20 includes a first flight control surface 22, and the second wing 30 includes a second flight control surface 32. In this way, Figure 8 The first wing 20, the first flight control surface 22 and / or any of its components may include and / or Figures 2-7 The wings 20, flight control surfaces 22 and / or any of their components.

[0061] like Figure 8 As schematically illustrated herein, each of the first flight control surface 22 and the second flight control surface 32 includes one or more corresponding control surface segments 40. Figure 8 In the example, the flight control surface actuation system 100 is a first flight control surface actuation system 100 having a first skew detection system 130, and the vehicle 10 further includes a second flight control surface actuation system 106 for operating a second flight control surface 32. Figure 8 As schematically illustrated, the second flight control surface actuation system 106 includes a second skew detection system 160.

[0062] The second flight control surface actuation system 106 and / or the second skew detection system 160 may include any suitable system, structure, and / or components, such as those similar, analogous, and / or identical to those of the first flight control surface actuation system 100 and / or the first skew detection system 130. For example, and as... Figure 8As schematically illustrated, the second skew detection system 160 may include a second skew tether 164 and a second DMA 170, the second DMA 170 being configured to generate a second tether displacement signal 172 that at least partially represents a second tether displacement 166 of the second skew tether 164. In this example, the skew tether 134, tether displacement 136, DMA 140, and / or tether displacement signal 142 may be referred to as the first skew tether 134, the first tether displacement 136, the first DMA 140, and / or the first tether displacement signal 142, respectively. In this example, the second skew tether 164, the second tether displacement 166, the second DMA 170, and / or the second tether displacement signal 172 may share any and / or all applicable structural and / or functional attributes with the first skew tether 134, the first tether displacement 136, the first DMA 140, and / or the first tether displacement signal 142, respectively.

[0063] Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the first flight control surface actuation system 100 may share one or more components with the second flight control surface actuation system 106. As a more specific example, and as... Figure 8 As schematically illustrated, the controller 102 and / or power drive unit 110 described above, in conjunction with the first flight control surface actuation system 100, may be included in each of the first flight control surface actuation system 100 and the second flight control surface actuation system 106 and / or shared between the first flight control surface actuation system 100 and the second flight control surface actuation system 106.

[0064] exist Figure 8 In this example, the second skew detection system 160 is configured to detect skew conditions in the second flight control surface 32 and generate a second skew detection signal 162 representing the skew conditions of the second flight control surface 32. In this example, and as... Figure 8 As schematically illustrated, controller 102 can be configured to receive a first skew detection signal 132 from a first skew detection system 130 and a second skew detection signal 162 from a second skew detection system 160. Therefore, in this example, controller 102 can be configured to generate a skew condition signal 104 based at least in part on each of the first skew detection signal 132 and the second skew detection signal 162, such as via a comparison of the first skew detection signal 132 and the second skew detection signal 162.

[0065] In some examples, and such as Figure 8As schematically illustrated, the second skew detection system 160 includes a second hybrid sensing actuator 180 having a second actuator output 184 and a second actuator output position sensor 186 configured to generate a second actuator output position signal 188 indicating the position of the second actuator output 184. In this example, the hybrid sensing actuator 150 of the first skew detection system 130 can be described as a first hybrid sensing actuator 150, and the actuator output position signal 158 can be described as a first actuator output position signal 158. In this example, the second hybrid sensing actuator 180 may include and / or exhibit any components, features, functions, etc., of the hybrid sensing actuator 150 of the first skew detection system 130. Figure 8 In this example, the first hybrid sensing actuator 150 is operatively coupled to the outer segment end 52 of the outer control surface segment 50 of the first flight control surface 22, and similarly, the second hybrid sensing actuator 180 is operatively coupled to the outer segment end 52 of the outer control surface segment 50 of the second flight control surface 32. In this way, the first hybrid sensing actuator 150 and the second hybrid sensing actuator 180 can be described as being symmetrically arranged relative to the fuselage 12. Furthermore, in this example, the comparison of the first actuator output position signal 158 and the second actuator output position signal 188 can enable and / or aid in identifying skew conditions in the first flight control surface 22 (and / or the second flight control surface 32). For example, in Figure 8 In the example, the first actuator output position signal 158 can indicate that the outer segment end 52 of the outer control surface section 50 of the first flight control surface 22 is in a retracted position (or in a position other than the deployed position), while the second actuator output position signal 188 can indicate that the outer segment end 52 of the outer control surface section 50 of the second flight control surface 32 is in the deployed position. Therefore, this inconsistency can indicate that the first flight control surface 22 is tilted.

[0066] In some examples, and such as Figures 2-5 and Figure 8 As schematically illustrated herein, a skew detection system 130 (e.g., a first skew detection system 130 and / or a second skew detection system 160) according to this disclosure may include a hybrid sensing actuator 150 in conjunction with the skew tether 134 and DMA 140 described herein. For example, Figure 8 The illustration schematically depicts an example where the first skew detection system 130 and the second skew detection system 160 each include a first hybrid sensing actuator 150 and a second hybrid sensing actuator 180, and each of the first skew detection system 130 and the second skew detection system 160 further includes a corresponding skew tether 134 and a corresponding DMA 140. Figure 8In this example, each of the first flight control surface 22 and the second flight control surface 32 is commanded to be in an extended position (e.g., by flight control unit 80), and the first flight control surface 22 is in a skewed state because each of the two control surface segments 40 is in a segment configuration that does not match the target configuration (i.e., the extended configuration). In this example, as described above, the presence and / or amount of skew of the first flight control surface 22 can be determined by comparing the first actuator output position signal 158 and the second actuator output position signal 188 and / or by measuring the tether displacement 136 via the DMA 140 of the first skew detection system 130.

[0067] In some examples, the hybrid sensing actuator 150 and the skew tether 134 may be associated with a common (e.g., identical) control surface segment 40. For example, and as... Figures 2-5 As schematically illustrated, the skew cable 134 can be operatively coupled to the inner segment end 54 of the outer control surface segment 50. Figure 2 and Figure 5 (as indicated by the center marker), and the hybrid sensing actuator 150 can be operatively coupled to the outer segment end 52 of the outer control surface segment 50. However, this is not necessary. For example, and as shown in the diagram... Figure 8 As illustrated schematically, the following aspects are also within the scope of this disclosure: the hybrid sensing actuator 150 can be operatively coupled to a control surface segment 40 that is not in the skewed tether subset 42 of the control surface segment 40.

[0068] Figure 9 The flowchart illustrates a method 200 according to this disclosure, which utilizes a flight control surface actuation system to operate the flight control surfaces of a vehicle's wing. Examples of the vehicle, wing, flight control surface, and / or flight control surface actuation system used in method 200 are disclosed herein with reference to vehicle 10, wing 20, flight control surface 22, and / or flight control surface actuation system 100. Figure 9 As shown, method 200 includes detecting skewness in the flight control surface at 210 using a flight control surface actuation system. The detection of skewness at 210 can be performed using the systems and components disclosed herein in any of a variety of ways.

[0069] In some examples, and such as Figure 9As shown, detecting a skew condition at 210 includes generating a skew detection signal at 220 and a skew condition signal at 250. In this example, generating the skew detection signal at 220 is performed using at least a portion of a skew detection system (such as the skew detection system 130 described herein), while generating the skew condition signal at 250 is performed using a controller and at least partially based on the skew detection signal. Examples of the controller, skew condition signal, and / or skew detection signal used in method 200 are disclosed herein with reference to controller 102, skew condition signal 104, and / or skew detection signal 132, respectively.

[0070] In some more specific examples, and such as Figure 9 As shown, generating a skew detection signal at 220 includes generating a tether displacement signal at 222. In this example, generating the tether displacement signal at 222 is performed using a DMA (such as the DMA 140 described herein). An example of the tether displacement signal used in method 200 is disclosed herein with reference to tether displacement signal 142. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, and as... Figure 9 As shown, generating a skew detection signal at 220 includes generating an actuator output position signal at 224. In this example, generating the actuator output position signal at 224 is performed using an actuator output position sensor (such as actuator output position sensor 156 of the hybrid sensing actuator 150 described herein). An example of the actuator output position signal used in method 200 is described herein with reference to actuator output position signal 158.

[0071] Generating a skew condition signal at 250 may include generating a skew condition signal that represents any of a variety of characteristics and / or details regarding the skew condition of the flight control surface. In some examples, generating a skew condition signal at 250 includes generating an indication of the current condition of the flight control surface, such as identifying whether the flight control surface is in a skew condition or a nominal condition, as described herein. Additionally or alternatively, generating a skew condition signal at 250 may include generating an indication of the amount of skew condition signal in the flight control surface. For example, in an example where a control surface segment of the flight control surface is misaligned with the control surface axis of the flight control surface, generating a skew condition signal at 250 may include generating a skew condition signal that indicates the flight control surface is in a skew condition due to the misalignment of the control surface segment. Additionally or alternatively, in such an example, generating a skew condition signal at 250 may include generating an amount of skew condition signal that indicates a skew condition corresponding to an angular deviation between the control surface segment and the control surface axis. In other examples, the amount of skewness of the flight control surface may correspond to and / or be equal to the tether displacement of the skewed tether associated with the flight control surface. Examples of control surface segments, control surface axes, skewed tethers, and / or tether displacements that may be used in conjunction with method 200 are described herein with reference to control surface segment 40, control surface axis 24, skewed tether 134, and / or tether displacement 136, respectively.

[0072] Similarly, in some examples, and as Figure 9 As shown, detecting a skew condition at 210 includes detecting the presence of a skew condition on the flight control surface at 230 and / or the amount of a skew condition on the flight control surface at 240. As a more specific example, such as in an example where the skew condition signal represents the displacement of a skewed tether, detecting the presence of a skew condition at 230 and / or the amount of a skew condition at 240 may include detecting a tether displacement signal indicating that the tether displacement is greater than a predetermined threshold displacement. Examples of tether displacement signals that can be used in conjunction with method 200 are described herein with reference to tether displacement signal 142.

[0073] As a more specific example, in which the skew detection system utilizes the skew tether described herein, detecting the presence of a skew condition at 230 may include detecting the flight control surface as skewed only if the tether displacement of the skew tether is greater than a displacement that can be explained by nominal operating factors (such as wing bending, thermal effects, skew tether tension, etc.). In this way, comparing the tether displacement with a predetermined tether displacement ensures that detecting the presence of a skew condition at 230 accurately identifies the skew condition. Furthermore, in this example, detecting the presence of a skew condition at 230 may include detecting the flight control surface as skewed only if the tether displacement of the skew tether remains greater than the predetermined tether displacement for a period exceeding a predetermined dwell time interval. In this way, detecting the presence of a skew condition at 230 may include distinguishing the skew condition from operating factors that cause instantaneous skew tether displacement.

[0074] In some examples, generating a skew condition signal at 250 includes generating the skew condition signal at least in part based on an actuator output position signal generated by a hybrid sensing actuator of the flight control surface actuation system. Examples of hybrid sensing actuators and / or actuator output position signals that can be utilized in method 200 are described herein with reference to hybrid sensing actuator 150 and / or skew condition signal 104, respectively. In some more specific examples, and as discussed above, the hybrid sensing actuator is operatively coupled to a first segment end or a second segment end of a corresponding control surface segment, and the hybrid sensing actuator is configured to generate an actuator output position signal that at least in part represents the segment end position to which the hybrid sensing actuator is operatively coupled. Examples of the first segment end, second segment end, and / or actuator output position signals used in method 200 are described herein with reference to first segment end 46, second segment end 48, and / or actuator output position signal 158, respectively. In some such examples, the skew detection system is also configured to detect the segment end position (e.g., a first segment end or a second segment end) opposite the end coupled to the hybrid sensing actuator, such as via a segment end skew sensor (e.g., segment end skew sensor 190 as described herein). In some such examples, and as... Figure 9As shown, generating a skew condition signal at 250 includes comparing at 258 the segment end positions of a first segment end and a second segment end of a corresponding surface segment to which the hybrid sensing actuator is operatively coupled. As a more specific example, generating a skew condition signal at 250 may include generating a skew condition signal indicating that the flight control surface is in a skew condition when the difference between the corresponding segment end positions of the first and second segment ends is greater than a threshold operating segment end offset. In this example, the threshold operating segment end offset may be determined and / or selected to be sufficiently large to distinguish the skew condition from other operating conditions that could result in different segment positions for the first and second segment ends.

[0075] In some examples, generating the skew condition signal at 250 involves comparing sensor signals associated with each of a pair of wings. Specifically, in some examples, the vehicle includes a first wing having a first flight control surface configured to operate via a first flight control surface actuation system and a second wing having a second flight control surface configured to operate using a second flight control surface actuation system. Examples of the first wing, first flight control surface, and / or first flight control surface actuation system that can be used in conjunction with method 200 are described herein with reference to first wing 20, first flight control surface 22, and / or first flight control surface actuation system 100, respectively. Similarly, examples of the second wing, second flight control surface, and / or second flight control surface actuation system that can be used in conjunction with method 200 are described herein with reference to second wing 30, second flight control surface 32, and / or second flight control surface actuation system 106, respectively. In this example, the first flight control surface actuation system may include a first skew detection system, such as the skew detection system 130 described herein, configured to generate a first skew detection signal, such as the first skew detection signal 132 described herein. Similarly, in this example, the second flight control surface actuation system may include a second skew detection system, such as the second skew detection system 160 described herein, configured to generate a second skew detection signal, such as the second skew detection signal 162 described herein. More specifically, in this example, and as described herein, the second skew detection system is configured to detect a skew condition in the second flight control surface, and the second skew detection signal represents the skew condition of the second flight control surface. In some of these examples, and as discussed in more detail below, generating the skew condition signal at 250 includes generating it at least partially based on each of the first skew detection signal and the second skew detection signal. More specifically, in some of these examples, and as... Figure 9 As shown, generating a skew condition signal at 250 includes comparing a first skew detection signal and a second skew detection signal at 252.

[0076] In some examples, comparing the first skew detection signal and the second skew detection signal at 252 includes comparing the corresponding skew displacements of the corresponding skew tethers associated with each of the first and second flight control surfaces. More specifically, in some examples, the first skew detection signal includes and / or a first tether displacement signal indicating a first tether displacement of the first skew tether of the first skew detection system, and the second skew detection signal includes and / or a second tether displacement signal indicating a second tether displacement of the second skew tether of the second skew detection system. In some such examples, the first skew detection system includes a first DMA for generating the first skew detection signal, and the second skew detection system includes a second DMA for generating the second skew detection signal. In some such examples, and as... Figure 9 As shown, comparing the first skew detection signal and the second skew detection signal at 252 includes and / or comparing the first tether displacement signal and the second tether displacement signal at 254. Examples of the first skew tether, first tether displacement, first tether displacement signal, first DMA 140, second skew tether 164, second tether displacement 166, second tether displacement signal 172, and / or second DMA 170 that can be used in conjunction with method 200 are described herein with reference to the first skew tether 134, first tether displacement 136, first tether displacement signal 142, first DMA 140, second skew tether 164, second tether displacement 166, second tether displacement signal 172, and / or second DMA.

[0077] Comparing the first tether displacement signal and the second tether displacement signal at 254 can include any of the comparisons in various ways. In some examples, comparing the first tether displacement signal and the second tether displacement signal at 254 includes calculating the tether displacement difference between the first tether displacement and the second tether displacement and comparing the tether displacement difference with a threshold tether displacement difference. As a more specific example, generating a skew condition signal at 250 can include generating a skew condition signal indicating the presence of a skew condition in the first flight control surface in response to the comparison of the first tether displacement signal and the second tether displacement signal at 254 indicating that the first tether displacement exceeds the second tether displacement by at least the threshold tether displacement difference. For example, in an operational situation where each of the first and second wings is bent, such bending, such as in response to a common aerodynamic load shared by the two wings, can produce displacements of the first skew tether and the second skew tether relative to the first DMA and the second DMA, respectively. Therefore, in this case, even when there is no skew condition in the first or second flight control surface, the first tether displacement distance and the second tether displacement distance can each be non-zero. However, in this case, the tether displacement difference can remain less than the threshold tether displacement difference. Therefore, comparing the first and second tether displacement signals at 254 can help distinguish the measured tether displacement associated with the skew condition from the measured tether displacement caused by external forces affecting both the first and second wings. Thus, in this example, the threshold tether displacement distance can be determined and / or selected at least in part based on the expected amount or the expected variance of the tether displacement attributable to factors other than the skew condition.

[0078] In some examples, comparing the first skew detection signal and the second skew detection signal at 252 includes comparing the skew detection signal associated with the respective hybrid sensing actuator. More specifically, in some examples, the first skew detection signal includes and / or is a first actuator output position signal generated by the first hybrid sensing actuator of the first skew detection system, and the second skew detection system includes a second hybrid sensing actuator configured to generate a second actuator position signal such that the second skew detection signal includes and / or is the second actuator position signal. In such an example, the first hybrid sensing actuator includes a first actuator output position sensor for generating a first actuator output position signal representing the position of the first actuator output. Similarly, in such an example, the second hybrid sensing actuator includes a second actuator output position sensor for generating a second actuator output position signal representing the position of the second actuator output. In some such examples, and as... Figure 9As shown, comparing the first skew detection signal and the second skew detection signal at 252 includes comparing the first actuator output position signal and the second actuator output position signal at 256. Examples of the first hybrid sensing actuator, first actuator output, first actuator output position sensor, and / or first actuator output position signal used in method 200 are described herein with reference to the first hybrid sensing actuator 150, the first actuator output 154, the first actuator output position sensor 156, and / or the first actuator output position signal 158, respectively. Examples of the second hybrid sensing actuator, second actuator output, second actuator output position sensor, and / or second actuator output position signal used in method 200 are described herein with reference to the second hybrid sensing actuator 180, the second actuator output 184, the second actuator output position sensor 186, and / or the second actuator output position signal 188, respectively.

[0079] In some more specific examples, a first hybrid sensing actuator is operatively coupled to a first corresponding control surface segment of a first flight control surface (such as control surface segment 40 described herein), and a second hybrid sensing actuator is operatively coupled to a second corresponding control surface segment of a second flight control surface (such as control surface segment 40 described herein). In some examples, the first and second corresponding control surface segments are arranged at least substantially symmetrically with respect to the fuselage. For example, the first corresponding control surface segment may be an outer control surface segment of the first flight control surface (such as outer control surface segment 50), and the second corresponding surface segment may be an outer control surface segment of the second flight control surface (such as outer control surface segment 50). As a more specific example, and as described above... Figure 8 As discussed in the context, the first hybrid sensing actuator may be operatively coupled to an outer segment end (such as outer segment end 52 as described herein) of a first corresponding control surface segment, and the second hybrid sensing actuator may be operatively coupled to an outer segment end (such as outer segment end 52 as described herein) of a second corresponding control surface segment. However, not all examples of method 200 require this configuration. For example, the first corresponding control surface segment and the second corresponding control surface segment may be any of a variety of corresponding control surface segments, such as corresponding inner control surface segments of a first flight control surface and a second flight control surface. In some such examples, comparing the first actuator output position signal and the second actuator output position signal at 256 includes calculating the actuator output difference between the positions of the first actuator output and the second actuator output and comparing the actuator output difference with a threshold actuator output difference.

[0080] Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, generating a skew condition signal at 250 may include indicating the presence of a skew condition if the position output by the first actuator changes faster or slower than the position output by the second actuator. More specifically, in some examples, generating a skew condition signal at 250 includes generating a skew condition signal indicating the presence of a skew condition in the first flight control surface in response to a comparison at 256 between the first actuator output position signal and the second actuator output position signal indicating that the position output by the second actuator changes faster than the position output by the first actuator. In particular, this situation may occur where each of the first and second hybrid sensing actuators receives a corresponding torque for transitioning a corresponding control surface segment between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, but the first hybrid sensing actuator has stopped transmitting torque to the first actuator output, potentially resulting in a skew condition in the first flight control surface.

[0081] In some examples, and such as Figure 9 As shown, method 200 further includes detecting, at 260, at least in part, the drivetrain position of the flight control surface actuation system (such as drivetrain 112 of flight control surface actuation system 100) based on an actuator output position signal generated by the hybrid sensing actuator. More specifically, in some examples, and as discussed above in conjunction with the hybrid sensing actuator 150, the hybrid sensing actuator is configured to detect and / or measure the position of the corresponding actuator output (such as actuator output 154) to inform the determination of skew conditions in the flight control surface and / or indicate the position of the drivetrain. Thus, in some such examples, the actuator output position signal generated by the hybrid sensing actuator indicates the rotational position of the actuator output, such as, which can be measured in revolutions relative to an initial and / or nominal state. In some such examples, and as... Figure 9 As shown, detecting the drivetrain position at 260 includes calculating the drivetrain position at 262 at least in part based on the rotational position output by the actuator and / or the gear ratio of the gear train (such as gear train 152) of the hybrid sensing actuator. More specifically, in this example, and as discussed, the rotational position output by the actuator can be directly correlated with the rotational position of the drivetrain via the effective gear ratio of the gear train. Therefore, in this example, calculating the drivetrain position at 262 may include multiplying the rotational position output by the actuator by the effective gear ratio of the gear train. In various examples, the method 200 and / or its steps, including signal and / or information manipulation, such as calculating the drivetrain position at 262 and / or multiplying the rotational position output by the actuator by the gear ratio of the drivetrain, can be performed by the controller of the flight control surface actuation system.

[0082] In some examples, method 200 also includes one or more steps for operating the flight control surface, such as modifying the operational configuration of the flight control surface. More specifically, in some examples, and as... Figure 9 As shown, method 200 also includes switching the flight control surface between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration at 270. In some such examples, the switching of the flight control surface between the retracted and extended configurations is performed at least in part by a flight control unit (such as flight control unit 80 of vehicle 10). In some examples, and as... Figure 9 As shown, changing the flight control surface at 270 includes transmitting torque at 272 to each of a plurality of control surface actuators associated with the flight control surface, thereby actuating each control surface actuator to change each of the respective plurality of segment ends of each corresponding control surface segment between a retracted position and an deployed position. In some examples, transmitting torque to each control surface actuator at 272 includes generating torque in the drivetrain of the flight control surface actuation system, such as utilizing a power drive unit of the flight control surface actuation system. Examples of control surface actuators used in method 200 are described herein with reference to control surface actuator 120 and / or hybrid sensing actuator 150. Examples of segment ends used in method 200 are described herein with reference to segment end 44, first segment end 46, second segment end 48, outer segment end 52 and / or inner segment end 54. Examples of power drive units used in method 200 are described herein with reference to power drive unit 110.

[0083] As discussed, the flight control surface actuation system 100 and method 200 according to this disclosure are generally designed to detect skew conditions in the flight control surface, allowing for appropriate modifications to the vehicle's operation to account for the skew conditions. Therefore, in some examples, a change in the flight control surface is performed at 270 only if the skew condition signal indicates that the flight control surface is in a nominal condition and / or if the amount of skew condition indicated by the skew condition signal is less than a threshold operational skew amount. In other words, the flight control surface actuation system can be configured to switch the flight control surface between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration only if the flight control surface is not in a skew condition, or only if the amount of skew condition is less than a predetermined threshold operational skew amount. In this way, the flight control surface actuation system can be configured to avoid exacerbating skew conditions, such as by continuing to drive one end of a control surface segment while restricting movement of another end of the control surface segment, which could lead to a blockage.

[0084] In some examples, and such as Figure 9As shown, method 200 additionally or alternatively includes at least partially disabling the flight control surfaces at 280, such as in response to the detection of a skew condition. Thus, in these examples, at least partially disabling the flight control surfaces at 280 is performed in response to a skew condition signal indicating that the flight control surfaces are in a skew condition and / or the amount of skew in the flight control surfaces is greater than a threshold operational skew amount. At least partially disabling the flight control surfaces at 280 may include any of various steps and / or processes, such as to protect the flight control surfaces and / or the wings from damage. In some examples, at least partially disabling the flight control surfaces at 280 includes stopping the transmission of torque to each control surface actuator at 272, such as by commanding the power drive unit to stop transmitting torque to the transmission system. More specifically, in some examples, and as... Figure 9 As shown, at least partially disabling the flight control surface at 280 includes generating a control surface stop signal (such as control surface stop signal 84 as described herein) at 282 and transmitting the control surface stop signal to the power drive unit to stop the generation of torque in the transmission system. In this example, generating the control surface stop signal at 282 can be performed by the controller and / or flight control unit.

[0085] In some examples, at least partially disabling the flight control surface at 280 additionally or alternatively includes changing the flight control surface toward a configuration that mitigates or eliminates skewness. As a more specific example, detecting the presence of skewness at 230 and / or the amount of skewness detected at 240 may indicate that skewness was initially detected, or that the amount of skewness detected increased, as the flight control surface changed toward an extended configuration. Therefore, in some such examples, at least partially disabling the flight control surface at 280 includes changing the flight control surface toward a retracted configuration and / or changing it to a retracted configuration. As another example, detecting the presence of skewness at 230 and / or the amount of skewness detected at 240 may indicate that skewness was initially detected, or that the amount of skewness detected increased, as the flight control surface changed toward a retracted configuration. Therefore, in some such examples, at least partially disabling the flight control surface at 280 includes changing the flight control surface toward an extended configuration and / or changing it to an extended configuration. In this example, changing the flight control surface toward a retracted or extended configuration can be operated to enhance the alignment between the control surface segments of the flight control surface, thereby reducing the amount of skew and / or restoring the flight control surface to the nominal configuration.

[0086] The following paragraphs describe illustrative, non-exclusive examples of the inventive subject matter according to this disclosure:

[0087] A1. A flight control surface actuation system (100) for operating a flight control surface (22) of a wing (20) of a vehicle (10), the flight control surface (22) comprising one or more control surface segments (40), and the flight control surface actuation system (100) comprising:

[0088] A control surface actuator (120) operatively coupled to a corresponding control surface segment (40) of the one or more control surface segments (40) and configured to switch the corresponding control surface segment (40) in a plurality of segment configurations defined between and including retracted and extended configurations, optionally wherein the control surface actuator (120) includes an actuator output (126) operatively coupled to the corresponding control surface segment (40); and

[0089] A skew detection system (130) is configured to detect skew conditions in the flight control surface (22).

[0090] A2. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A1 further includes one or both of the following:

[0091] (i) a drivetrain (112) operably coupled to and configured to actuate the control surface actuator (120); and

[0092] (ii) A power drive unit (110) configured to generate torque in the transmission system (112) to selectively actuate the control surface actuator (120).

[0093] A3. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A2, wherein the skew detection system (130) is configured to detect the drive position of the drive system (112), wherein the drive position includes, and optionally is, the rotational position of the drive system (112).

[0094] A4. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A2-A3, wherein the drivetrain (112) includes one or more torque tubes (114) configured to rotate at least substantially uniformly.

[0095] A5. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A4, wherein the one or more torque tubes (114) comprise a plurality of torque tubes (114); and wherein the control surface actuator (120) is operatively coupled to each of a corresponding pair of torque tubes (114) among the plurality of torque tubes (114).

[0096] A6. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A5, wherein the flight control surface (22) is configured to change between a plurality of control surface positions defined between a retracted position and an extended position, and including a retracted position and an extended position, wherein in the retracted position each of the one or more control surface segments (40) is in the retracted configuration, and in the extended position each of the one or more control surface segments (40) is in the extended configuration.

[0097] A7. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A6, wherein the control surface actuator (120) is one of a plurality of control surface actuators (120) of the flight control surface actuation system (100); wherein each of the plurality of control surface actuators (120) is operatively coupled to a corresponding segment end (44) of a corresponding control surface segment (40) of one or more control surface segments (40) and is configured to change the corresponding segment end (44) in a plurality of segment end positions defined between and including a retracted position and an deployed position; and optionally, wherein a drive system (112) is operatively coupled to each of the plurality of control surface actuators (120) and is and configured to actuate each of the plurality of control surface actuators (120).

[0098] A8. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A7, wherein the corresponding control surface segment (40) is in the retracted configuration when each corresponding segment end (44) of the corresponding control surface segment (40) is in the retracted position; and wherein the corresponding control surface segment (40) is in the extended configuration when each corresponding segment end (44) of the corresponding control surface segment (40) is in the deployed position.

[0099] A9. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A7-A8, wherein the corresponding segment end (44) is either the first segment end (46) of the corresponding control surface segment (40) or the second segment end (48) of the corresponding control surface segment (40) opposite to the first segment end (46) of the corresponding control surface segment (40).

[0100] A10. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A7-A9, wherein as the flight control surface (22) changes between the retracted position and the extended position, and when the flight control surface (22) is in the nominal condition, each corresponding segment end (44) of each of the one or more control surface segments (40) is configured to move at least substantially in sync with each other corresponding segment end (44) of each of the one or more control surface segments (40); and wherein when the flight control surface (22) is in the skewed condition, at least one corresponding segment end (44) of at least one of the one or more control surface segments (40) has a segment end position different from the segment end position of at least one other corresponding segment end (44) of at least one of the one or more control surface segments (40).

[0101] A11. According to the flight control surface actuation system (100) described in paragraph A10, when subordinate to paragraph A6, wherein as the flight control surface (22) changes between the retracted position and the extended position, and when the flight control surface (22) is in the nominal state, the first segment end (46) and the second segment end (48) of each corresponding control surface segment (40) of the one or more control surface segments (40) are configured to move at least substantially uniformly.

[0102] A12. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A11 further includes a controller (102) configured to generate a skew condition signal (104) representing one or both of the following:

[0103] (i) The skew condition exists in the flight control surface (22); and

[0104] (ii) The amount of skewness in the flight control surface (22).

[0105] A13. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A12, wherein the skew detection system (130) is configured to generate a skew detection signal (132) that at least partially represents the skew condition of the flight control surface (22).

[0106] A14. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A13, when subordinate to paragraph A12, wherein the skew detection system (130) is configured to transmit the skew detection signal (132) to the controller (102).

[0107] A15. The flight control surface actuation system (100) described in any of paragraphs A13-A14, when subordinate to paragraph A12, wherein the skew condition signal (104) is at least partially based on the skew detection signal (132).

[0108] A16. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A12-A15, wherein the vehicle (10) further includes a flight control unit (80) configured to at least partially control the operation of the vehicle (10); and wherein the controller (102) is configured to transmit the skew condition signal (104) to the flight control unit (80).

[0109] A17. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A16, wherein the flight control unit (80) is configured to generate a transmission control signal (82) and transmit it to the power drive unit (110) to at least partially control the operation of the flight control surface (22).

[0110] A18. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A12-A17, wherein one or both of the controller (102) and / or flight control unit (80) are configured to generate and transmit a control surface stop signal (84) to stop the generation of said torque in the drivetrain (112).

[0111] A19. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A18, wherein the transmission control signal (82) includes, and optionally, the control surface stop signal (84).

[0112] A20. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A19, wherein each of the plurality of segment configurations defines a target orientation of the one or more control surface segments (40); and wherein, when the flight control surface (22) is in the skewed state, at least one of the one or more control surface segments (40) defines a skewed orientation different from the target orientation.

[0113] A21. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A20, wherein the skew orientation is at least one of the following:

[0114] (i) Rotate relative to the target orientation;

[0115] (ii) Insufficient expansion relative to the target orientation; and

[0116] (iii) The expansion is at least partially overdone relative to the target orientation.

[0117] A22. The flight control surface actuation system (100) described in any of paragraphs A1-A21, when subordinate to paragraph A7, wherein, when the flight control surface (22) is in the tilted state, the end position of at least one end (44) of at least one control surface segment (40) of the one or more control surface segments (40) is closer to the retracted position relative to the end position of at least one other end (44) of at least one control surface segment (40) of the one or more control surface segments (40).

[0118] A23. The flight control surface actuation system (100) described in any of paragraphs A1-A22, when subordinate to paragraph A7, wherein the plurality of control surface actuators (120) comprises: a first control surface actuator (122) operably coupled to the first segment end (46) of the corresponding control surface segment (40); and a second control surface actuator (124) operably coupled to the second segment end (48) of the corresponding control surface segment (40); and wherein, when the flight control surface (22) is in the skewed state, one or both of the first control surface actuator (122) and the second control surface actuator (124) are at least partially unable to operably change the corresponding segment end (44) between the retracted position and the deployed position.

[0119] A24. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A23, wherein the flight control surface (22) extends along and defines the control surface axis (24); wherein when the flight control surface (22) is in the nominal condition, each of the one or more control surface segments (40) extends at least substantially parallel to the control surface axis (24); and wherein when the flight control surface (22) is in the skewed condition, at least one of the one or more control surface segments (40) is not parallel to one or both of the control surface axis (24) and at least one other control surface segment (40).

[0120] A25. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A24, wherein the flight control surface (22) is located near the leading edge (70) of the wing (20) and optionally at least partially defines the leading edge (70) of the wing (20).

[0121] A26. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A25, wherein the flight control surface (22) includes and optionally is a leading-edge flight control surface, wherein the leading-edge flight control surface is either a slat or a Kruger panel.

[0122] A27. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A26, wherein each of the one or more control surface segments (40) includes, and optionally, a leading-edge flight control surface.

[0123] A28. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A27, wherein the flight control surface (22) is located near the trailing edge (72) of the wing (20) and optionally at least partially defines the trailing edge (72) of the wing (20).

[0124] A29. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A28, wherein the flight control surface (22) includes, and optionally is, one or more of flaps, flaperons, and ailerons.

[0125] A30. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A1-A29, wherein each of the one or more control surface segments (40) includes, and optionally, one or more of flaps, flaperons, and ailerons.

[0126] A31. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any one of paragraphs A1-A30, wherein the one or more control surface segments (40) comprise a plurality of control surface segments (40); and wherein the skew detection system (130) comprises:

[0127] A skewed tether (134) operably coupled to each control surface segment (40) of a subset (42) of skewed tethers of the plurality of control surface segments (40); and

[0128] A detection mechanism component (DMA) (140) is configured to detect the tether displacement (136) of the skewed tether (134) relative to a nominal configuration of the skewed tether (134) and generate a tether displacement signal (142) that at least partially represents the tether displacement (136).

[0129] The DMA (140) is configured such that the tether displacement signal (142) indicates that the tether displacement (136) is any one of a plurality of values, optionally any one of a consecutive plurality of values.

[0130] A32. According to the flight control surface actuation system (100) described in paragraph A31, when subordinate to paragraph A13, the skew detection signal (132) includes, and optionally, the tether displacement signal (142).

[0131] A33. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A31-A32, wherein the skew tether (134) comprises, and optionally is, a flexible tether, optionally a flexible cable.

[0132] A34. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A31-A33, wherein the skew tether subset (42) includes each of the plurality of control surface segments (40).

[0133] A35. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A31-A33, wherein the skew tether subset (42) comprises fewer than all of the plurality of control surface segments (40).

[0134] A36. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A31-A35, wherein the skew tether (134) is operatively coupled to one or both of the first segment end (46) and the second segment end (48) of each control surface segment (40) of the skew tether subset (42).

[0135] A37. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A31-A36, wherein at least one control surface segment (40) of the skew tether subset (42) includes at least one tether guide (62); and wherein the skew tether (134) is slidably coupled to each of the at least one tether guide (62).

[0136] A38. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A31-A37, wherein the skew tether (134) is operatively coupled to the DMA (140).

[0137] A39. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A31-A38, wherein the skew tether (134) is fixedly coupled at a tether anchor (60) to at least one control surface segment (40) of the skew tether subset (42).

[0138] A40. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A39, wherein the skew tether (134) extends between the tether anchor (60) and the DMA (140).

[0139] A41. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A31-A40, wherein the DMA (140) includes an analog position sensor (144) for detecting the tether displacement (136).

[0140] A42. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A41, wherein the analog position sensor (144) comprises, and optionally is, one or more of a rotary position sensor, a rotary power transformer, a linear variable differential transformer, a rotary variable differential transformer, and a resolver.

[0141] A43. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A41-A42, wherein the analog position sensor (144) is configured to generate the tether displacement signal (142), and optionally wherein the analog position sensor (144) is configured to transmit the tether displacement signal (142) to the controller (102).

[0142] A44. The flight control surface actuation system (100) described in any of paragraphs A1-A43, when subordinate to paragraph A7, wherein the skew detection system (130) includes a hybrid sensing actuator (150) comprising:

[0143] A gear train (152) is operatively coupled to the transmission system (112);

[0144] An actuator output (154) operatively coupled to the corresponding segment end (44) of the corresponding control surface segment (40) to drive the corresponding segment end (44) between the retracted position and the deployed position; and

[0145] An actuator output position sensor (156) is configured to generate an actuator output position signal (158) that indicates the position of the actuator output (154), and optionally indicates one or both of the rotational position and the linear position of the actuator output (154).

[0146] Optionally, the control surface actuator (120) is the hybrid sensing actuator (150); and optionally, the actuator output (154) of the hybrid sensing actuator (150) is the actuator output (126) of the control surface actuator (120).

[0147] A45. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A44, when subordinate to paragraph A7, includes, and optionally, the hybrid sensing actuator (150) among the plurality of control surface actuators (120).

[0148] A46. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A44-A45, wherein the skew detection signal (132) includes, and optionally, the actuator outputs a position signal (158).

[0149] A47. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A44-A46, wherein the actuator output (154) comprises, and optionally is, one or more of a pinion, a lead screw, a jack screw, a rotary link, and a linear link.

[0150] A48. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A44-A47, wherein the actuator output position sensor (156) is directly coupled to the actuator output (154).

[0151] A49. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A44-A48, wherein the gear train (152) is configured to transmit torque from the drive train (112) to the actuator output (154).

[0152] A50. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A44-A49, wherein the gear train (152) is configured to rotate the actuator output (154) in response to rotation of the drive train (112), optionally rotating the actuator output (154) at a speed less than that of rotation of the drive train (112).

[0153] A51. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A44-A50, when subordinate to paragraph A3, wherein the hybrid sensing actuator (150) is configured such that the actuator output position signal (158) at least partially represents the position of the drivetrain, optionally wherein the actuator output position signal (158) at least partially represents the rotational position of the drivetrain (112).

[0154] A52. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A44-A51, wherein the skew detection system (130) further includes a segment end skew sensor (190) configured to detect the segment end position of a corresponding segment end (44) of the corresponding control surface segment (40); wherein the segment end skew sensor (190) is configured to generate and transmit a segment end skew signal (192) that at least partially represents the segment end position of the corresponding segment end (44); wherein the corresponding segment end (44) is one of a first segment end (46) and a second segment end (48) of the corresponding control surface segment (40); and wherein the actuator output (154) of the hybrid sensing actuator (150) is operatively coupled to the other of the first segment end (46) and the second segment end (48) of the corresponding control surface segment (40).

[0155] A53. According to the flight control surface actuation system (100) described in paragraph A52, when subordinate to paragraph A13, the skew detection signal (132) includes the segment end skew signal (192).

[0156] A54. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A52-A53, wherein the section end tilt sensor (190) comprises, and optionally is, one or more of a position sensor, a rotational position sensor, a linear position sensor, and a proximity sensor.

[0157] A55. A flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A44-A54, wherein the vehicle (10) further includes a fuselage (12); wherein the wing (20) extends from the fuselage (12); wherein the one or more control surface segments (40) include an outer control surface segment (50) distal to the fuselage (12); wherein one of the first segment end (46) and the second segment end (48) of the outer control surface segment (50) is an outer segment end (52) distal to the fuselage (12); wherein the other of the first segment end (46) and the second segment end (48) of the outer control surface segment (50) is an inner segment end (54) adjacent to the fuselage (12) relative to the outer segment end (52); and wherein the hybrid sensing actuator (150) is operatively coupled to the outer segment end (52) of the outer control surface segment (50).

[0158] A56. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any of paragraphs A44-A55, wherein the skew detection system (130) further includes a skew tether (134) and a DMA (140).

[0159] A57. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to paragraph A56, wherein the skew tether (134) is operatively coupled to the inner section end (54) of the outer control surface section (50).

[0160] A58. A flight control surface actuation system (100) as described in any of paragraphs A1-A57, which is combined with the flight control surface (22).

[0161] B1. A vehicle (10) comprising:

[0162] Fuselage (12);

[0163] A wing (20) extending from the fuselage (12) and including a flight control surface (22) having one or more control surface segments (40); and

[0164] The flight control surface actuation system (100) for operating the flight control surface (22) as described in any of paragraphs A1-A58.

[0165] B2. The vehicle (10) described in paragraph B1, wherein the vehicle (10) is an aircraft, optionally a fixed-wing aircraft.

[0166] B3. The vehicle (10) according to any paragraph B1-B2, wherein the wing (20) is a first wing (20); wherein the flight control surface (22) is a first flight control surface (22); wherein the flight control surface actuation system (100) is a first flight control surface actuation system (100); wherein the skew detection system (130) is a first skew detection system (130); wherein the skew detection signal (132) is a first skew detection signal (132); wherein the vehicle (10) further includes extending from the fuselage (12) and including having one or more The second wing (30) of the second flight control surface (32) of the control surface segment (40), and the second flight control surface actuation system (106) for operating the second flight control surface (32); wherein the second flight control surface actuation system (106) includes a second skew detection system (160) configured to detect skew conditions in the second flight control surface (32); wherein the second skew detection system (160) is configured to generate a second skew detection signal (162) representing the skew conditions of the second flight control surface (32).

[0167] B4. The vehicle (10) according to paragraph B3, wherein the second skew detection system (160) includes a second hybrid sensing actuator (180) having a second actuator output (184) and a second actuator output position sensor (186), the second actuator output position sensor (186) being configured to generate a second actuator output position signal (188) indicating the position of the second actuator output (184).

[0168] B5. The vehicle (10) according to paragraph B3, wherein the controller (102) is configured to receive the first skew detection signal (132) from the first skew detection system (130) and the second skew detection signal (162) from the second skew detection system (160).

[0169] B6. The vehicle (10) according to paragraph B5, wherein the controller (102) is configured to generate the skew condition signal (104) at least in part based on each of the first skew detection signal (132) and the second skew detection signal (162).

[0170] C1. A method (200) for operating a flight control surface (22) of a wing (20) of a vehicle (10) using a flight control surface actuation system (100) as described in any of paragraphs A1-A58, the method comprising:

[0171] The skewness in the flight control surface (22) is detected (210) using the flight control surface actuation system (100).

[0172] C2. According to the method (200) in paragraph C1, wherein detecting the skew condition (210) includes:

[0173] The skew detection signal (132) is generated (220) using at least a portion of the skew detection system (130); and

[0174] A skew condition signal (104) is generated (250) using the controller (102) and at least in part based on the skew detection signal (132).

[0175] C3. The method (200) according to paragraph C2, wherein generating (220) the skew detection signal (132) includes, and optionally, one or both of the following:

[0176] (i) Generate (222) tether displacement signal (142) using DMA (140); and

[0177] (ii) Generate (224) actuator output position signal (158) using actuator output position sensor (156).

[0178] C4. The method (200) according to any of paragraphs C2-C3, wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes generating such that the skew condition signal (104) includes one or both of the following:

[0179] (i) An indication of the current condition of the flight control surface (22), optionally wherein the current condition of the flight control surface (22) is one of the skew condition or the nominal condition; and optionally, wherein the indication of the current condition of the flight control surface (22) is an indication that the skew condition exists in the flight control surface (22); and

[0180] (ii) An indication of the amount of the skewness in the flight control surface (22).

[0181] C5. The method (200) according to any of paragraphs C1-C4, wherein detecting (210) the skew condition includes one or both of the following:

[0182] (i) Detecting the presence of the skewness in the flight control surface (22) as described in (230); and

[0183] (ii) Detect (240) the amount of the skewness in the flight control surface (22).

[0184] C6. The method (200) according to paragraph C5, wherein detecting (230) the presence of the skew condition and detecting (240) the amount of the skew condition, or both, includes detecting the tether displacement signal (142) indicating a tether displacement (136) greater than a predetermined threshold displacement.

[0185] C7. The method (200) according to any of paragraphs C2-C6, wherein the wing (20) is a first wing (20); wherein the flight control surface actuation system (100) is a first flight control surface actuation system (100); wherein the skew detection system (130) is a first skew detection system (130); wherein the skew detection signal (132) is a first skew detection signal (132); wherein the vehicle (10) further includes a second wing (30) having a second flight control surface (32) and a second flight control surface actuation system for operating the second flight control surface (32). 106); wherein the second flight control surface actuation system (106) includes a second skew detection system (160) configured to detect skew conditions in the second flight control surface (32); wherein the second skew detection system (160) is configured to generate a second skew detection signal (162) representing the skew conditions of the second flight control surface (32); wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes generating at least in part based on each of the first skew detection signal (132) and the second skew detection signal (162).

[0186] C8. The method (200) according to paragraph C7, wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes comparing (252) the first skew detection signal (132) and the second skew detection signal (162).

[0187] C9. According to the method (200) in paragraph C8, wherein the first skew detection signal (132) includes, and optionally is, a tether displacement signal (142); wherein the tether displacement (136) is a first tether displacement (136); wherein the tether displacement signal (142) is a first tether displacement signal (142); wherein the skewed tether (134) is a first skewed tether (134); wherein the DMA (140) is a first DMA (140); wherein the second skew detection system (160) includes a second skewed tether (164) and a second DMA. A(170), the second DMA(170) is configured to detect the second tether displacement (166) of the second skewed tether (164) relative to the nominal configuration of the second skewed tether (164), and generate a second tether displacement signal (172) that at least partially represents the second tether displacement (166); and wherein comparing (252) the first skew detection signal (132) and the second skew detection signal (162) includes, and optionally, comparing (254) the first tether displacement signal (142) and the second tether displacement signal (172).

[0188] C10. The method (200) according to paragraph C9, wherein comparing (254) the first tether displacement signal (142) and the second tether displacement signal (172) includes calculating the tether displacement difference between the first tether displacement (136) and the second tether displacement (166) and comparing the tether displacement difference with a threshold tether displacement difference.

[0189] C11. The method (200) according to paragraph C10, wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes generating such that, in response to a comparison (254) of the first tether displacement signal (142) and the second tether displacement signal (172) indicating that the first tether displacement (136) exceeds the second tether displacement (166) by at least the threshold tether displacement difference, the skew condition signal (104) indicates the presence of the skew condition in the first flight control surface (22).

[0190] C12. The method (200) according to any one of paragraphs C2-C11, wherein the flight control surface actuation system (100) includes a hybrid sensing actuator (150); and wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) at least in part based on the actuator output position signal (158).

[0191] C13. According to the method (200) in paragraph C12, wherein the hybrid sensing actuator (150) is operatively coupled to one of a first segment end (46) and a second segment end (48) of the corresponding control surface segment (40); wherein the actuator outputs a position signal (158) that at least partially represents the segment end position of one of the first segment end (46) and the second segment end (48); wherein the skew detection system (130) is configured to detect the segment end position of the other of the first segment end (46) and the second segment end (48); wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes comparing (258) the segment end position of the first segment end (46) and the segment end position of the second segment end (48) of the corresponding control surface segment (40).

[0192] C14. According to the method (200) in paragraph C13, wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes generating such that the skew condition signal (104) indicates that the flight control surface (22) is in the skew condition when the difference between the segment end position of the first segment end (46) and the segment end position of the second segment end (48) is greater than a threshold operating segment end offset.

[0193] C15. The method (200) according to any one of paragraphs C12-C14, wherein the first skew detection signal (132) includes, and optionally is, an actuator output position signal (158); wherein the hybrid sensing actuator (150) is a first hybrid sensing actuator (150); wherein the actuator output (154) is a first actuator output (154); wherein the actuator output position sensor (156) is a first actuator output position sensor (156); wherein the actuator output position signal (158) is a first actuator output position signal (158) indicating the position of the first actuator output (154). The second skew detection system (160) includes a second hybrid sensing actuator (180) having a second actuator output (184) and a second actuator output position sensor (186), the second actuator output position sensor (186) being configured to generate a second actuator output position signal (188) indicating the position of the second actuator output (184); and wherein comparing (252) the first skew detection signal (132) and the second skew detection signal (162) includes, and optionally, comparing (256) the first actuator output position signal (158) and the second actuator output position signal (188).

[0194] C16. According to the method (200) in paragraph C15, wherein the first hybrid sensing actuator (150) is operatively coupled to a first corresponding control surface segment (40) of the first flight control surface (22); and wherein the second hybrid sensing actuator (180) is operatively coupled to a second corresponding control surface segment (40) of the second flight control surface (32).

[0195] C17. According to the method (200) in paragraph C16, wherein the first corresponding control surface section (40) and the second corresponding control surface section (40) are arranged at least substantially symmetrically with respect to the fuselage (12).

[0196] C18. The method (200) according to any of paragraphs C16-C17, wherein each of the first corresponding control surface segment (40) and the second corresponding control surface segment (40) is an outer control surface segment (50).

[0197] C19. The method (200) according to any one of paragraphs C16-C18, wherein the first hybrid sensing actuator (150) is operatively coupled to the outer segment end (52) of the first corresponding control surface segment (40); and wherein the second hybrid sensing actuator (180) is operatively coupled to the outer segment end (52) of the second corresponding control surface segment (40).

[0198] C20. The method (200) according to any one of paragraphs C15-C19, wherein comparing (256) the first actuator output position signal (158) and the second actuator output position signal (188) comprises:

[0199] (i) Calculate the actuator output difference between the position of the first actuator output (154) and the position of the second actuator output (184); and

[0200] (ii) Compare the actuator output difference with the threshold actuator output difference.

[0201] C21. The method (200) according to any one of paragraphs C15-C20, wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes generating such that, in response to a comparison (256) of the first actuator output position signal (158) and the second actuator output position signal (188) indicating that the position of the second actuator output (184) changes faster than the position of the first actuator output (154), the skew condition signal (104) indicates the presence of the skew condition in the first flight control surface (22).

[0202] C22. The method (200) according to any one of paragraphs C1-C21 further includes detecting (260) the position of the drivetrain; wherein the detection (260) of the position of the drivetrain is based at least in part on an actuator output position signal (158).

[0203] C23. The method (200) according to paragraph C22, wherein the actuator output position signal (158) indicates the rotational position of the actuator output (154), optionally measured in revolutions; and wherein detecting (260) the transmission position includes optionally using the controller (102) to calculate (262) the transmission position based at least in part on one or both of the rotational position of the actuator output (154) and the gear ratio of the gear train (152).

[0204] C24. According to the method (200) in paragraph C23, wherein calculating (262) the position of the transmission system includes multiplying the rotational position of the actuator output (154) by the gear ratio of the gear system (152) using the controller.

[0205] C25. The method (200) according to any of paragraphs C1-C24 further includes switching (270) the flight control surface (22) between the retracted configuration and the extended configuration.

[0206] C26. The method (200) according to paragraph C25, wherein the transition (270) of the flight control surface (22) is performed at least in part by the flight control unit (80).

[0207] C27. According to the method (200) of any of paragraphs C25-C26, when subordinate to paragraph A7, wherein the transformation (270) of the flight control surface (22) includes transmitting (272) torque to each of the plurality of control surface actuators (120) to transform each corresponding segment end (44) of each corresponding control surface segment (40) between the retracted position and the deployed position.

[0208] C28. The method (200) according to paragraph C27, wherein transmitting (272) the torque to each control surface actuator (120) includes generating the torque in the transmission system (112) using the power drive unit (110).

[0209] C29. The method (200) according to any one of paragraphs C27-C28, wherein the transformation (270) of the flight control surface (22) is performed only if one or both of the following are true:

[0210] (i) The skew condition signal (104) indicates that the flight control surface (22) is in the nominal condition; and

[0211] (ii) The skew condition signal (104) indicates that the amount of skew in the flight control surface (22) is less than a threshold operational skew amount.

[0212] C30. The method described in any of paragraphs C2-C29 (200) further includes:

[0213] The flight control surface (22) is at least partially disabled (280);

[0214] The flight control surface (22) is at least partially disabled (280) in response to one or both of the following:

[0215] (i) The skew condition signal (104) indicates that the flight control surface (22) is in the skew condition; and

[0216] (ii) The skew condition signal (104) indicates that the amount of skew in the flight control surface (22) is greater than a threshold operational skew amount.

[0217] C31. The method (200) according to paragraph C30, wherein at least partially disabling (280) the flight control surface (22) includes one or both of the following:

[0218] (i) Stop transmitting the torque (272) to each control surface actuator (120);

[0219] (ii) Orienting the flight control surface (22) toward the retracted configuration, and optionally, switching to the retracted configuration; and

[0220] (iii) The flight control surface (22) is turned toward the extended configuration, and optionally turned to the extended configuration.

[0221] C32. The method (200) according to paragraph C31, wherein at least partially disabling (280) the flight control surface (22) includes generating (282) a control surface stop signal (84) and transmitting the control surface stop signal (84) to the power drive unit (110) to stop the generation of the torque in the transmission system (112).

[0222] C33. The method (200) according to paragraph C32, wherein the generation (282) of the control surface stop signal (84) is performed by one or both of the controller (102) and the flight control unit (80).

[0223] As used herein, when modifying degree or relation, the phrase "at least substantially" includes not only the stated "substantially" degree or relation, but also the full range of the stated degree or relation. Substantially can include at least 75% of the stated degree or relation. For example, a first direction at least substantially parallel to a second direction includes a first direction within an angular deviation of 22.5° relative to the second direction, and also includes the same first direction as the second direction.

[0224] As used herein, when modifying the action, movement, configuration, or other activity or characteristics of one or more components, the terms "selective" and "selectively" mean that a particular action, movement, configuration, or other activity is a direct or indirect result of one or more dynamic processes, as described herein. Thus, the terms "selective" and "selectively" can characterize activities that are a direct or indirect result of a user's manipulation of the device or one or more components thereof, or they can characterize processes that occur automatically, such as those via the mechanisms disclosed herein.

[0225] As used herein, the terms “suitable” and “configured to” mean that an element, component, or other subject matter is designed and / or intended to perform a given function. Therefore, the use of the terms “suitable” and “configured to” should not be construed as meaning that a given element, component, or other subject matter is merely “capable” of performing a given function, but rather that the element, component, and / or other subject matter is specifically selected, created, implemented, utilized, programmed, and / or designed to perform that function. Also within the scope of this disclosure, elements, components, and / or other subject matter described as suitable for performing a particular function may additionally or alternatively be described as configured to perform that function, and vice versa. Similarly, subject matter described as configured to perform a particular function may additionally or alternatively be described as operable to perform that function.

[0226] As used herein, the term “and / or” placed between the first entity and the second entity means one of the following: (1) the first entity, (2) the second entity, and (3) the first entity and the second entity. Multiple entities listed using “and / or” shall be interpreted in the same way as “one or more” of the entities thus connected. Other entities may optionally exist (whether related to or unrelated to the explicitly stated entities) in addition to those expressly specified in the “and / or” clause. Thus, as a non-restrictive example, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “including,” a reference to “A and / or B” may in one example refer only to A (optionally including entities other than B); in another example refer only to B (optionally including entities other than A); and in yet another example refer to both A and B (optionally including other entities). These entities may refer to elements, actions, structures, steps, operations, values, etc.

[0227] As used herein, the phrase "at least one" referring to a list of one or more entities should be understood as meaning at least one entity selected from any one or more entities in the entity list, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every entity specifically listed in the entity list, nor excluding any combination of entities in the entity list. This limitation also allows for the optional presence of entities other than those specifically identified in the entity list referred to by the phrase "at least one," whether or not these entities are related to the specifically identified entities. Thus, as a non-limiting example, "at least one of A and B" (or, equivalently, "at least one of A or B," or equivalently, "at least one of A and / or B") in one embodiment may refer to at least one A (optionally including more than one A) without B (and optionally including entities other than B); in another embodiment, it may refer to at least one B (optionally including more than one B) without A (optionally including entities other than A); and in yet another embodiment, it may refer to at least one A (optionally including more than one A) and at least one B (optionally including more than one B) (and optionally including other entities). In other words, the phrases “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and / or” are open-ended expressions that can be both conjunction and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and / or C” can mean a single A, a single B, a single C, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, A, B, and C together, and optionally, any of the above combined with at least one other entity.

[0228] As used herein, the phrases “for example,” “as an example,” and / or the simple term “example” when referenced to one or more components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and / or methods according to this disclosure are intended to convey illustrative, non-exclusive examples of the described components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and / or methods according to this disclosure. Therefore, the described components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and / or methods are not intended to be limiting, claiming, or exclusive / extensive; and other components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and / or methods (including structurally and / or functionally similar and / or equivalent components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and / or methods) are also within the scope of this disclosure.

[0229] In this disclosure, several illustrative non-exclusive examples have been discussed and / or presented in the context of flowcharts or diagrams, wherein methods are shown and described as a series of blocks or steps. Unless expressly stated in the accompanying specification, it is within the scope of this disclosure that the order of blocks may differ from the order illustrated in the flowcharts, including two or more blocks (or steps) occurring in different orders, simultaneously, and / or repeatedly. Also within the scope of this disclosure, blocks or steps may be implemented as logic, and may be described as implementing blocks or steps as logic. In some applications, these blocks or steps may represent statements and / or actions performed by functionally equivalent circuitry or other logic devices. The illustrated blocks may (but are not required to) represent executable instructions that cause a computer, processor, and / or other logic device to respond, perform actions, change state, generate output or display, and / or make decisions.

[0230] Not all apparatuses, systems, and methods according to this disclosure require all the disclosed elements of the apparatuses and systems disclosed herein, as well as the steps of the methods disclosed herein. Furthermore, this disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various elements and steps disclosed herein. Moreover, one or more of the various elements and steps disclosed herein may define a separate and independent inventive subject matter that is independent of and separate from the overall disclosed apparatus, system, or method. Therefore, such inventive subject matter does not need to be associated with the specific apparatus, system, and method explicitly disclosed herein, and such inventive subject matter may find utility in apparatuses, systems, and / or methods not explicitly disclosed herein.

[0231] It is believed that the above disclosures encompass several different inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions is disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated herein should not be considered limiting, as many variations are possible. The subject matter of this invention includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various elements, features, functions, and / or characteristics disclosed herein. Similarly, if a claim recites "a" or "first" element or its equivalent, such a claim should be understood to include the incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.

[0232] It is believed that the appended claims specifically point to certain combinations and sub-combinations that are novel and non-obvious to one of the disclosed inventions. Inventions embodied in other combinations and sub-combinations of features, functions, elements, and / or characteristics may be claimed by amending these claims or by presenting new claims in this application or related applications. Such amended or new claims, whether referring to different or the same invention, and regardless of whether their scope differs from, is broader in, narrower in, or equal to that of the original claims, are also considered to be included within the subject matter of the invention disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A flight control surface actuation system (100) for operating a flight control surface (22) of a wing (20) of a vehicle (10), the flight control surface (22) comprising one or more control surface segments (40), and the flight control surface actuation system (100) comprising: A control surface actuator (120) is operatively coupled to a corresponding control surface segment (40) of the one or more control surface segments (40) and is configured to switch the corresponding control surface segment (40) in a plurality of segment configurations defined between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, and including the retracted configuration and the extended configuration; as well as A skew detection system (130) is configured to detect skew conditions in the flight control surface (22); The skew detection system is configured to generate a skew detection signal (132) that at least partially represents the skew condition of the flight control surface (22). The skew detection system (130) mentioned above includes: A skewed tether (134) operably coupled to each control surface segment (40) of a subset (42) of skewed tethers of the one or more control surface segments (40); and The detection mechanism component, namely DMA (140), is configured to detect the tether displacement (136) of the skewed tether (134) relative to a nominal configuration of the skewed tether (134), and generate a tether displacement signal (142) that at least partially represents the tether displacement (136); wherein the DMA (140) includes an analog position sensor (144) for detecting the tether displacement (136). The skew detection signal (132) includes the tether displacement signal (142); the DMA (140) is configured such that the tether displacement signal (142) indicates that the tether displacement (136) is any one of a series of values; the analog position sensor (144) is configured to generate the tether displacement signal (142), and also includes a controller (102) configured to generate a skew condition signal (104) indicating the presence of the skew condition on the flight control surface (22) and the amount of the skew condition on the flight control surface (22).

2. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the analog position sensor (144) comprises one or more of a rotary position sensor, a rotary power transformer, a linear variable differential transformer, a rotary variable differential transformer, and a resolver.

3. The flight control surface actuation system (100) of claim 1, comprising a flight control surface (22), the flight control surface comprising one or more control surface segments (40), and wherein the control surface actuator (120) is one of a plurality of control surface actuators (120) of the flight control surface actuation system (100); wherein each of the plurality of control surface actuators (120) is operatively coupled to a corresponding segment end (44) of the corresponding control surface segment (40) of the one or more control surface segments (40), and is configured to change the corresponding segment at multiple segment end positions. End (44), the plurality of segment end positions are defined between and include the retracted position and the unfolded position; wherein the respective segment end (44) is one of the first segment end (46) of the corresponding control surface segment (40) or the second segment end (48) of the corresponding control surface segment (40) opposite to the first segment end (46) of the corresponding control surface segment (40); and wherein the skew tether (134) is operatively coupled to one or both of the first segment end (46) and the second segment end (48) of each control surface segment (40) of the skew tether subset (42).

4. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the flight control surface actuation system (100) is combined with the flight control surface (22).

5. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to claim 3, wherein at least one control surface segment (40) of the skew tether subset (42) includes at least one tether guide (62); and wherein the skew tether (134) is slidably coupled to each of the at least one tether guide (62).

6. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to claim 3 or 5, wherein the skew tether (134) is fixedly coupled at a tether anchor (60) to at least one control surface segment (40) of the skew tether subset (42).

7. The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to claim 3 further includes: (i) A drivetrain (112) operatively coupled to the control surface actuator (120) and configured to actuate the control surface actuator (120). as well as (ii) A power drive unit (110) configured to generate torque in the transmission system (112) to selectively actuate the control surface actuator (120).

8. A vehicle (10) comprising: fuselage (12); A wing (20) extending from the fuselage (12) and including a flight control surface (22) having one or more control surface segments (40); and The flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any one of claims 1-7 is used to operate the flight control surface (22). The flight control surface actuation system (100) includes a controller (102) configured to generate a skew condition signal (104) representing one or both of the following: (i) the presence of the skew condition in the flight control surface (22); and (ii) The amount of the skewness in the flight control surface (22).

9. The vehicle (10) according to claim 8, wherein the wing (20) is a first wing (20); wherein the flight control surface (22) is a first flight control surface (22); wherein the flight control surface actuation system (100) is a first flight control surface actuation system (100); wherein the skew detection system (130) is a first skew detection system (130); wherein the first skew detection system (130) is configured to generate a first skew detection signal (132) that at least partially represents the skew condition of the first flight control surface (22); wherein the skew tether (134) is A first tether (134); wherein the DMA (140) is a first DMA (140); wherein the tether displacement signal (142) is a first tether displacement signal (142); wherein the vehicle (10) further includes a second wing (30) and a second flight control surface actuation system (106), the second wing (30) extending from the fuselage (12) and including a second flight control surface (32) having one or more control surface segments (40), the second flight control surface actuation system (106) for operating the second flight control surface (32); wherein the second flight control surface actuation The system (106) includes a second skew detection system (160) configured to detect skew conditions in the second flight control surface (32); wherein the second skew detection system (160) is configured to generate a second skew detection signal (162) representing the skew conditions of the second flight control surface (32); wherein the controller (102) is configured to receive the first skew detection signal (132) from the first skew detection system (130) and receive the second skew detection signal (162) from the second skew detection system (160); wherein the second The skew detection system (160) includes a second skew tether (164) and a second DMA (170), the second DMA (170) being configured to detect a second tether displacement (166) of the second skew tether (164) relative to a nominal configuration of the second skew tether (164) and generate a second tether displacement signal (172) that at least partially represents the second tether displacement (166); and wherein the controller (102) is configured to generate the skew condition signal (104) based at least partially on each of the first tether displacement signal (142) and the second tether displacement signal (172).

10. The vehicle (10) according to claim 9, wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes comparing (252) the first skew detection signal (132) and the second skew detection signal (162).

11. A method (200) for operating the flight control surface (22) of the wing (20) of a vehicle (10) using a flight control surface actuation system (100), the method comprising: The skewness in the flight control surface (22) is detected (210) using the flight control surface actuation system (100); The detection of the skew condition (210) includes: The detection mechanism component (DMA) of the flight control surface actuation system (100) generates (222) a tether displacement signal (142); and The controller (102) of the flight control surface actuation system (100) generates (250) a skew condition signal (104) based at least in part on the tether displacement signal (142), the skew condition signal (104) including an indication of the amount of skew in the flight control surface (22); and The flight control surface actuation system (100) therein is the flight control surface actuation system (100) according to any one of claims 1-7.

12. The method (200) of claim 11, wherein detecting (210) the skew condition includes detecting (240) the amount of the skew condition in the flight control surface (22); and wherein detecting (240) the amount of the skew condition includes detecting the tether displacement signal (142) indicating a tether displacement (136) greater than a predetermined threshold displacement.

13. The method (200) according to claim 11, wherein the wing (20) is a first wing (20); wherein the flight control surface actuation system (100) is a first flight control surface actuation system (100); wherein the skew detection system (130) is a first skew detection system (130); wherein the skew tether (134) is a first skew tether (134); wherein the DMA (140) is a first DMA (140); wherein the tether displacement is a first tether displacement; wherein the tether displacement signal (142) is a first tether displacement signal (142); wherein the vehicle (10) further comprises a second wing (30) having a second flight control surface (32) and a second flight control surface actuation system (106) for operating the second flight control surface (32); wherein The second flight control surface actuation system (106) includes a second skew detection system (160) configured to detect skew conditions in the second flight control surface (32); wherein the second skew detection system (160) includes a second skew tether (164) and a second DMA (170), the second DMA (170) being configured to detect a second tether displacement (166) of the second skew tether (164) relative to a nominal configuration of the second skew tether (164), and generate a second tether displacement signal (172) that at least partially represents the second tether displacement (166); and wherein generating (250) the skew condition signal (104) includes comparing (254) the first tether displacement signal (142) and the second tether displacement signal (172).

14. The method (200) of claim 13, wherein comparing (254) the first tether displacement signal (142) and the second tether displacement signal (172) includes calculating the tether displacement difference between the first tether displacement (136) and the second tether displacement (166) and comparing the tether displacement difference with a threshold tether displacement difference.

15. The method (200) according to any one of claims 11 to 14, further comprising: At least partially disable (280) the flight control surface (22); The flight control surface (22) is at least partially disabled (280) in response to one or both of the following: (i) The skew condition signal (104) indicates that the flight control surface (22) is in the skew condition; and (ii) The skew condition signal (104) indicates that the amount of skew in the flight control surface (22) is greater than a threshold operational skew amount.

16. The method (200) of claim 15, wherein at least partially disabling (280) the flight control surface (22) comprises one or more of the following: (i) Stop transmitting (272) torque to each control surface actuator (120); (ii) To change the flight control surface (22) toward the retracted configuration; (iii) Transform the flight control surface (22) into the retracted configuration; (iv) Orienting the flight control surface (22) toward the extended configuration; and (v) Transform the flight control surface (22) into the extended configuration.

Images