A three-redundant rotary electromechanical actuator

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of electromechanical control devices, and particularly relates to a three-redundancy rotary electromechanical actuator, which comprises a end cover assembly, a first gear, a differential and a driver assembly. The three-redundancy design of the application can separately drive the middle shaft, and the three redundancies will not produce reverse effects. The non-coaxial driving between the three redundancies solves the problems of high reliability and long service life of the actuator, and reduces the volume of the actuator. Meanwhile, the unique cavity combination structure of the application can further reduce the volume of the actuator and provide reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of electromechanical control device technology, specifically relating to a triple-redundant rotary electromechanical actuator. Background Technology

[0002] The aircraft cockpit is where pilots work during flight, and the cockpit environment is a crucial factor in ensuring pilot safety and combat effectiveness. The cockpit pressure control system mainly consists of actuators, controllers, and valves. Among these, the reliability and lifespan of the actuators are of high importance, thus requiring redundancy design to ensure safe and reliable actuation performance. Therefore, the dissimilar triple-redundant rotary electromechanical actuator, as a new type of safe and reliable electromechanical actuator, is of paramount importance in the application of cockpit pressure regulating and exhaust valves. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a triple-redundant rotary electromechanical actuator, which adopts a triple-redundant design that can drive the central shaft independently, and the triple redundancies do not have reverse influences. The triple-redundant drives are non-coaxial, which solves the problems of high reliability and long life of the actuator, while reducing the size of the actuator.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the specific technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0005] A triplex rotary electromechanical actuator, comprising: End cap assembly; The first gear is installed inside the end cover assembly and is equipped with a central shaft; The differential, installed within the end cover assembly, is used to drive the coaxial rod of the first gear and includes two first worm gear assemblies. The two first worm gear assemblies are driven by two sets of first worm gear assemblies respectively. The worm gears of both sets of first worm gear assemblies are coaxially arranged with the central shaft. The two sets of first worm gear assemblies drive the central shaft based on the first planetary gear-sun gear engagement relationship, and each set of first worm gear assemblies can drive the central shaft to rotate independently. A guide assembly, installed within the end cap assembly, includes a second worm gear assembly and a guide rod; the second worm gear assembly is driven by a second worm gear assembly, and the worm wheel of the second worm gear assembly is coaxially arranged with the guide rod; the second worm gear assembly and the first gear drive the guide rod based on a second planetary gear-sun gear engagement relationship, and both the first gear and the second worm gear assembly can independently drive the guide rod to rotate; Wherein: the central axis and the guide rod are not coaxial and are arranged in parallel.

[0006] Furthermore, the end cap assembly is provided with adjacent first cavities and second cavities; The first gear and the guide assembly are installed in the first cavity, and the head of the guide rod protrudes from the end cap assembly; The differential is installed in the second cavity; one end of the central shaft passes through the second cavity to reach the first cavity and connects to the first gear.

[0007] Furthermore, the two first worm gear assemblies are driven by a first stepper motor and a second stepper motor, respectively; the drive shafts of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are respectively connected to the worm gear transmission of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies. The drive shafts of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are arranged parallel to each other, and the axial directions of the drive shafts of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are both perpendicular to the axial direction of the central shaft. The worms of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies are arranged in parallel, and the axial direction of the worms of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies is perpendicular to the axial direction of the central shaft.

[0008] Furthermore, the second worm gear assembly is driven by a permanent magnet DC motor; the drive end of the permanent magnet DC motor is coaxially fixed with the worm of the second worm gear assembly; the axial direction of the drive shaft of the permanent magnet DC motor is perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide rod.

[0009] Furthermore, the electromechanical actuator also includes a housing assembly and a control board assembly; the housing assembly is disposed adjacent to the first cavity and is used to accommodate the control board assembly; the control board assembly is used to control the first stepper motor, the second stepper motor and the permanent magnet DC motor.

[0010] Furthermore, the permanent magnet DC motor is located on the side of the first cavity away from the housing assembly.

[0011] Furthermore, the electromechanical actuator also includes a commutator assembly; the commutator has a cam mounted on the tail of the guide rod; the cam is used to trigger the commutator assembly; The end cap assembly also includes a third cavity; the third cavity is disposed adjacent to both the first cavity and the second cavity. The tail of the guide rod reaches the third cavity where the cam is mounted; The third cavity houses the tail of the guide rod and the commutator assembly.

[0012] Furthermore, the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are located on the side of the second cavity away from the third cavity.

[0013] Furthermore, the electromechanical actuator also includes a filter assembly; the filter assembly is disposed on the side of the third cavity away from the second cavity.

[0014] Furthermore, the electromechanical actuator also includes a motor cover; the receiving space of the motor cover is connected to the second cavity; the main bodies of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are arranged side by side inside the motor cover.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention can bring the following beneficial effects: This invention adopts a triple redundancy design, and the triple redundancy can drive the guide rod individually or together. This invention adopts a non-coaxial setting, which has the technical advantages of high reliability and long life. This invention employs a rational cavity structure to install motors, gear systems, and supporting devices with varying redundancy, thereby further saving space.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention can bring the following beneficial effects: This invention adopts a triple redundancy design that can drive the central shaft independently, and the triple redundancy does not have a reverse influence between each other. The triple redundancy drives are non-coaxial, which solves the problems of high reliability and long life of the actuator, while reducing the size of the actuator. This invention features a unique cavity assembly structure that can further reduce the size of the actuator and provide reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a front view of a triplex rotary electromechanical actuator according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a top view of a triplex rotary electromechanical actuator according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first worm gear assembly in a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second worm gear assembly in a specific embodiment of the present invention; The components include: 1. End cap assembly; 2. First gear; 3. Double gear; 4. Guide assembly; 5. Second worm gear assembly; 6. Control board assembly; 7. Filter assembly; 8. Switch assembly; 9. Cam; 10. Differential; 11. Motor cover; 12. First stepper motor; 13. First worm gear assembly; 14. Second stepper motor; 15. Housing; 16. Permanent magnet DC motor; 17. Reduction gear system; 18. Second worm gear assembly; 19. Housing assembly; 4a. Small shaft; 4b. Disc spring; 4c. Locking washer; 4d. Nut; 4e. Sealing ring; 4f. Guide rod; 4g. Second gear assembly; 4h. Small... Shaft; 5a, worm gear; 5c, fourth gear; 5b, rivet; 6a, sleeve; 6b, screw; 6c, cover plate; 6d, electrical connector; 6e, ground wire; 8a, consistent switching diode; 10a, first worm gear assembly; 10b, first gear assembly; 10c, actuator; 10d, needle roller bearing; 10e, deep groove ball bearing; 10f, bushing; 10g, shaft; 10h, cylindrical pin; 10i, small shaft; 10j, bushing; 12a, second gear; 12b, end cap; 13a, cylindrical pin; 13b, third gear; 13c, first worm; 10a1, first worm gear; 10a2, second worm gear. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this disclosure from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. This disclosure can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0021] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this disclosure, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number of aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using other structures and / or functionalities besides one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0022] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this disclosure. The drawings only show the components related to this disclosure and are not drawn according to the number, shape and size of the components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0023] Furthermore, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the described aspects can be practiced without these specific details.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, a triple-redundant rotary electromechanical actuator is proposed, such as... Figure 1-4 As shown, it includes: End cap assembly 1; The first gear 2 is installed inside the end cover assembly 1 and is equipped with a central shaft; The differential 10, installed inside the end cover assembly 1, is used to drive the coaxial rod of the first gear 2 and includes two first worm gear assemblies. The two first worm gear assemblies are driven by two sets of first worm gear assemblies 13 respectively. The worm gears of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies are coaxially arranged with the central shaft. The two sets of first worm gear assemblies drive the central shaft based on the first planetary gear-sun gear cooperation relationship, and each set of first worm gear assemblies can drive the central shaft to rotate independently. The actuator assembly 4, installed inside the end cap assembly 1, includes a second worm gear assembly 5 and a guide rod; the second worm gear assembly 5 is driven by a second worm gear assembly, and the worm gear of the second worm gear assembly is coaxially arranged with the guide rod; the second worm gear assembly 5 and the first gear 2 drive the guide rod based on a second planetary gear-sun gear cooperation relationship, and both the first gear 2 and the second worm gear assembly 5 can independently drive the guide rod to rotate; Wherein: the central axis is parallel to the guide rod but not on the same axis.

[0025] In this embodiment, the end cap assembly 1 is provided with adjacent first cavities and second cavities; The first gear 2 and the guide assembly 4 are installed in the first cavity, and the head of the guide rod protrudes from the end cap assembly 1; The differential 10 is installed in the second cavity; one end of the central shaft passes through the second cavity to reach the first cavity and connects to the first gear 2.

[0026] In this embodiment, the two first worm gear assemblies 13 are driven by a first stepper motor 12 and a second stepper motor 14, respectively; the drive shafts of the first stepper motor 12 and the second stepper motor 14 are respectively connected to the worm gear transmission of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies 13. The drive shafts of the first stepper motor 12 and the second stepper motor 14 are arranged parallel to each other, and the axial directions of the drive shafts of the first stepper motor 12 and the second stepper motor 14 are both perpendicular to the axial direction of the central shaft. The worms of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies 13 are arranged in parallel, and the axial direction of the worms of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies 13 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the central shaft.

[0027] In this embodiment, the second worm gear assembly is driven by a permanent magnet DC motor 16; the driving end of the permanent magnet DC motor 16 is coaxially fixed with the worm of the second worm gear assembly; the axial direction of the driving shaft of the permanent magnet DC motor 16 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide rod.

[0028] In this embodiment, the electromechanical actuator further includes a housing 15 assembly and a control board assembly 6; the housing 15 assembly is disposed adjacent to the first cavity and is used to accommodate the control board assembly 6; the control board assembly 6 is used to control the first stepper motor 12, the second stepper motor 14 and the permanent magnet DC motor 16.

[0029] The permanent magnet DC motor 16 is located on the side of the first cavity away from the housing 15 assembly.

[0030] In this embodiment, the electromechanical actuator further includes a commutator assembly; the commutator is fitted with a cam 9 based on the tail of the guide rod; the cam 9 is used to trigger the commutator assembly; The end cap assembly 1 is further provided with a third cavity; the third cavity is arranged adjacent to both the first cavity and the second cavity; The tail of the guide rod reaches the third cavity and the cam 9 is mounted thereon; The third cavity houses the tail of the guide rod and the commutator assembly.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first stepper motor 12 and the second stepper motor 14 are disposed on the side of the second cavity away from the third cavity.

[0032] In this embodiment, the electromechanical actuator further includes a filter assembly 7; the filter assembly 7 is disposed on the side of the third cavity away from the second cavity.

[0033] In this embodiment, the electromechanical actuator further includes a motor cover 11; the accommodating space of the motor cover 11 is connected to the second cavity; the main bodies of the first stepper motor 12 and the second stepper motor 14 are arranged side by side inside the motor cover 11.

[0034] This embodiment of a non-similar triplex rotary electric actuator includes an end cover assembly 1, a first gear 2, a double gear 3, a guide assembly 4, a second worm gear assembly 5, a control board assembly 6, a filter assembly 7, a switch assembly 8, a cam 9, a differential 10, a motor cover 11, a first stepper motor 12, a second gear 12a, an end cover 12b, a first worm gear assembly 13, a third gear 13b, a cylindrical pin 13a, a second stepper motor 14, a housing 15, a permanent magnet DC motor 16, a reduction gear system 17, a second worm gear assembly 18, and a housing assembly 19.

[0035] The differential 10 includes two first worm gear assemblies 10a, a first gear assembly 10b, a guide 10c, a bushing 10f, a shaft 10g, a cylindrical pin 10h, a small shaft 10i, and a bushing 10j. The first worm gear assembly 10a is composed of a needle roller bearing 10d and a deep groove ball bearing 10e. The small shaft 10i passes through the guide 10c, the first gear assembly 10b, and the bushing 10j, and is fixed at the other end by a shaft retainer. The shaft 10g is connected to the guide 10c by internal and external splines. The first gear assemblies 10b mesh with each other on the guide 10c and also mesh with the gears on the first worm gear assemblies 10a. The first worm gear assembly 10a and the second worm gear assembly 5 have the same assembly structure, including a worm gear 5a, a fourth gear 5c, and a rivet 5b. The worm gear 5a and the fourth gear 5c are fixed together by the rivet 5b. The first worm gear assembly 13 consists of a first worm gear 13c, a third gear 13b, and a cylindrical pin 13a. The third gear 13b is fixedly connected to the first worm gear 13c through the cylindrical pin 13a, and the third gear 13b meshes with the stepper motor gear 12a. The actuator assembly 4 and the small shaft 4a are fixed together by an interference fit. The small shaft 4a is equipped with a cam 9, a disc spring 4b, a stop washer 4c, and a nut 4d. The cam 9, which is fastened to the tail, can press the switch assembly 8. The switch assembly and the lead wire of the switch are respectively equipped with matching switch diodes 8a, which are used to control the commutation of the brushed permanent magnet DC motor 16. The second gear assembly 4g is installed on the actuator rod 4f through the small shaft 4h. The second gear assembly 4g meshes with the internal gear ring of the double gear 3 and at the same time with the fifth gear 5c on the second worm gear assembly 5. The end of the actuator rod 4f is a spline, and a groove is cut at the front end of the spline to install a sealing ring 4e. The housing assembly 19 is equipped with a control board assembly 6 for controlling two stepper motors via screws 6b, wherein the two control boards are separated by a sleeve 6a; the housing assembly 19 is also equipped with a filter assembly 7, a cover plate 6c, an electrical connector 6d, and a ground wire 6e.

[0036] Housing 15 and housing 19 are connected as a whole by screws. The first stepper motor 12 and the second stepper motor 14 are connected to housing 15 by screws. The motor cover 11 is installed on housing 15 by screws to protect the first stepper motor 12. The stepper motors are meshed with the first worm gear assembly 13 by gears. The two first worm gear assemblies 13 are respectively meshed with the first worm wheel assembly 10a in the differential 10. The central shaft 10g of the differential 10 is connected to the first gear 2 by internal and external splines. The first gear 2 meshes with the external gear ring of the double gear 3. The permanent magnet DC motor 16 and the reduction gear system 17 are installed on housing 15 by screws and mesh with the second worm gear assembly 18 by gears. The second worm gear assembly 18 meshes with the second worm wheel assembly 5. The fifth gear 5c on the second worm wheel assembly 5 meshes with the guide assembly 4.

[0037] The working principle of this invention is: When the first stepper motor 12 is working and the other two motors are not working, the corresponding two sets of worm gears and worms simultaneously reverse and self-lock. The stepper motor drives the second gear 12a to rotate. The second gear 12a meshes with the third gear 13b, which in turn drives the first worm gear assembly 13 to rotate. The first worm gear assembly 13 drives the first worm wheel 10a1 in the differential 10 to rotate. The other second worm wheel 10a2 in the differential 10 is stationary. Therefore, the first worm wheel 10a1 transmits motion to the first gear assembly 10b, which drives the actuator 10c to move. The actuator 10c transmits motion to the shaft 10g through internal and external splines. The shaft 10g drives the first gear 2 to rotate. Then, the first gear 2 meshes with the external gear ring of the double gear 3, which drives the double gear 3 to rotate. Since the second worm gear assembly 5 is stationary, the rotation of the double gear 3 drives the actuator assembly 4 to rotate, outputting torque and motion. When the small shaft 4a rotates, it drives the cam 9 to press the switch assembly 8. Then, the switch feeds back the signal to the control board assembly 6, and the first stepper motor 12 stops rotating. The control board assembly transmits the signal to the host computer. The reverse operation works on the same principle. The second stepper motor 14 is operational, while the other two motors are inactive. Simultaneously, the corresponding two sets of worm gears are self-locked in reverse. When the second stepper motor 14 is operational, its transmission circuit is identical to that of the first stepper motor 12, and both ultimately output the same torque, stroke, and speed.

[0038] When the permanent magnet DC motor 16 is working and the first stepper motor 12 and the second stepper motor 14 are not working, the two sets of worm gears in the differential 10 are locked in reverse, so the central shaft 10g of the differential 10 is stationary, that is, the double gear 3 is stationary. The permanent magnet DC motor 16 drives the planetary reduction gear system 17, which drives the second worm gear assembly 18 to move. The second worm gear assembly 18 drives the second worm wheel assembly 5 to move, and then transmits the motion to the actuator assembly 4, outputting torque and motion. When the small shaft 4a rotates, it drives the cam 9 to press the switch assembly 8, and the permanent magnet DC motor 16 stops rotating. Then the switch feeds back the signal to the host computer. The torque and stroke output by the permanent magnet DC motor are consistent with the torque and stroke output by the two stepper motors, but the speed output by the permanent magnet DC motor is slower.

[0039] When any two motors work simultaneously and the other motor does not work, the motion transmission principle is the same as that of a single motor. At the same time, the motion speed output by the actuator assembly 4 is the superposition value of the two single motors working separately.

[0040] When the three motors work simultaneously, the working principle of transmitting motion is the same as that of a single motor. At the same time, the motion speed output by the actuator assembly 4 is the superposition value of the three single motors working separately.

[0041] The advantages of this invention are: it proposes a non-similar triple redundancy rotary actuator, in which the three transmission paths of the actuator are completely isolated from each other and do not affect each other. It can operate with a single motor, dual motors, or all three motors simultaneously. It also has power-on self-test and fault detection functions, meeting the high reliability and long life requirements of new aircraft component drives.

[0042] One embodiment of the present invention is used in a pressure regulation system of a certain type of aircraft to perform the function of cabin pressure control. By controlling the opening of the disc valve to change the flow area of ​​the valve, the cabin exhaust volume is adjusted, and the cabin pressure is ultimately controlled.

[0043] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A triple-redundant rotary electromechanical actuator, characterized in that, include: End cap assembly; The first gear is installed inside the end cover assembly and is equipped with a central shaft; The differential, installed within the end cover assembly, is used to drive the coaxial rod of the first gear and includes two first worm gear assemblies. The two first worm gear assemblies are driven by two sets of first worm gear assemblies respectively. The worm gears of both sets of first worm gear assemblies are coaxially arranged with the central shaft. The two sets of first worm gear assemblies drive the central shaft based on the first planetary gear-sun gear engagement relationship, and each set of first worm gear assemblies can drive the central shaft to rotate independently. A guide assembly, installed within the end cap assembly, includes a second worm gear assembly and a guide rod; the second worm gear assembly is driven by a second worm gear assembly, and the worm wheel of the second worm gear assembly is coaxially arranged with the guide rod; the second worm gear assembly and the first gear drive the guide rod based on a second planetary gear-sun gear engagement relationship, and both the first gear and the second worm gear assembly can independently drive the guide rod to rotate; The central axis and the guide rod are not coaxial and are arranged in parallel. The two first worm gear assemblies are driven by a first stepper motor and a second stepper motor, respectively; the drive shafts of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are respectively connected to the worm gear transmission of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies. The drive shafts of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are arranged parallel to each other, and the axial directions of the drive shafts of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are both perpendicular to the axial direction of the central shaft. The worms of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies are arranged in parallel, and the axial direction of the worms of the two sets of first worm gear assemblies is perpendicular to the axial direction of the central shaft. The second worm gear assembly is driven by a permanent magnet DC motor; the drive end of the permanent magnet DC motor is coaxially fixed with the worm of the second worm gear assembly; the axial direction of the drive shaft of the permanent magnet DC motor is perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide rod.

2. The electromechanical actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end cap assembly is provided with an adjacent first cavity and a second cavity; The first gear and the guide assembly are installed in the first cavity, and the head of the guide rod protrudes from the end cap assembly; The differential is installed in the second cavity; one end of the central shaft passes through the second cavity to reach the first cavity and connects to the first gear.

3. The electromechanical actuator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The electromechanical actuator further includes a housing assembly and a control board assembly; the housing assembly is disposed adjacent to the first cavity and is used to accommodate the control board assembly; the control board assembly is used to control the first stepper motor, the second stepper motor and the permanent magnet DC motor.

4. The electromechanical actuator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The permanent magnet DC motor is located on the side of the first cavity away from the housing assembly.

5. The electromechanical actuator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The electromechanical actuator further includes a commutator assembly; the commutator has a cam mounted on the tail of the guide rod; the cam is used to trigger the commutator assembly; The end cap assembly also includes a third cavity; the third cavity is disposed adjacent to both the first cavity and the second cavity. The tail of the guide rod reaches the third cavity where the cam is mounted; The third cavity houses the tail of the guide rod and the commutator assembly.

6. The electromechanical actuator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are located on the side of the second cavity away from the third cavity.

7. The electromechanical actuator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The electromechanical actuator further includes a filter assembly; the filter assembly is disposed on the side of the third cavity away from the second cavity.

8. The electromechanical actuator according to claim 7, characterized in that, The electromechanical actuator also includes a motor cover; the receiving space of the motor cover is connected to the second cavity; the main bodies of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor are arranged side by side inside the motor cover.

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