Actuator, system and aircraft

Abstract

The present invention relates to an actuator for an aircraft, in particular an airplane, the actuator having more than two adjustment elements 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Actuator, system and aircraft

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuator for an aircraft, in particular an airplane.

[0002] It is known, particularly in military aviation, that either actuators for an aircraft's control surfaces are installed in the aircraft's fuselage and the actuators' movement is transmitted to the control surfaces by torsion shafts, or large individual actuators are used in the outer area of ​​an aircraft's wing to move the control surfaces. However, the latter method has the drawback of requiring aerodynamically unfavorable wing coverings to house the actuators. Above all, in the case of military aircraft, these coverings negatively impact flight performance and radar signature. In particular, the aircraft's supercruise capability is thus limited.

[0003] In the case of civil aircraft, it is known that fairings are installed in the area of ​​the actuators to aerodynamically protect the aircraft's actuators. However, these fairings are not desirable, particularly for laminar flow flights or laminar airfoil wings, as they disrupt the aerodynamics of the laminar airfoil wing.

[0004] In this context, the present invention aims to improve the aforementioned actuator, particularly with regard to integration into an aircraft, and to mitigate the disadvantages of the prior art with a view to eliminating them completely.

[0005] This objective is achieved by means of the object having the characteristics of independent claim 1. Advantageous improvements of the invention are the subject of the independent claims.

[0006] Consequently, it is provided according to the invention that the actuator has more than two adjustment elements.

[0007] Preferably, the actuator is provided to have more than three, four, five or six or a plurality of adjustment elements. The actuator may, for example, have up to ten, twenty, thirty, forty or one hundred or more adjustment elements.

[0008] The actuator is preferably a hydraulic multi-piston actuator, in electro-hydraulic in particular, especially for an aircraft control surface.

[0009] Preferably, the adjustment elements are made with an identical structure.

[0010] Preferably, the adjustment elements are provided to be hydraulic cylinders.

[0011] The adjustment elements can also be electromechanical adjustment elements or electromechanical actuators.

[0012] Preferably, the actuator has several adjustment elements in the form of hydraulic cylinders or adjustment cylinders and / or has a low construction height.

[0013] Preferably, it is provided that a regulating force, which is produced according to the prior art by a regulating element, in particular hydraulic, is distributed over several regulating elements, in particular hydraulic, which are connected to each other in particular by a fluidic communication technique.

[0014] Preferably, the actuator is provided to have one or more housings, the adjustment elements being disposed in the housing and / or being integrated into the housing and / or respectively having a housing.

[0015] Preferably, the adjustment elements, in particular the hydraulic cylinders, are provided to have a common housing and / or respectively an individual housing.

[0016] Preferably, the housing or at least one of the housings is provided to have a guide sleeve part with at least one guide sleeve, a cylinder part with at least one cylinder and / or a bottom part or is made up of them, in particular the guide sleeve part being connected to the cylinder part and / or the bottom part by one or more pull rods.

[0017] Preferably, the cylinder part and the base part are made as an integral component or as a single piece.

[0018] Preferably, the housing, cylinder part, guide sleeve part and / or base part are made as an additive manufacturing component and / or are manufactured by an additive manufacturing process, for example 3D printing.

[0019] Preferably, each of the adjusting elements is provided to have a piston, with the piston surfaces being compensated or uncompensated. Preferably, the hydraulic cylinders are provided to have compensated or uncompensated piston surfaces.

[0020] Preferably, the actuator is provided to have a regulating element, in particular a valve block, the regulating elements being connected to the regulating element, in particular with a fluidic communication technique, according to a parallel connection, the regulating element being arranged in a modular unit to the remaining parts of the actuator or separately from the remaining parts of the actuator.

[0021] Preferably, an electrical control instruction is transformed by a control element, in particular a valve block, such that three or more control elements connected in parallel, linked to each other by a fluidic communication technique, in particular hydraulic cylinders, are used for the production of a setting force to adjust, for example, a control surface.

[0022] Preferably, the valve block, necessary in particular for piloting or regulating, is made as a separate component and / or is connected to the actuator and / or the adjusting elements, in particular to the hydraulic cylinders, by pipes and / or flexible hoses.

[0023] Preferably, the valve block, necessary in particular for piloting or regulating, is integrated into the actuator. The actuator preferably has a module composed of adjusting elements, in particular hydraulic cylinders.

[0024] Preferably, the adjustment elements are arranged in a row and / or in a plane or in different orientations, in particular alternating in different orientations, or in the same orientation.

[0025] Preferably, the actuator is provided to have a displacement sensor, which is integrated in particular into at least one of the adjustment elements.

[0026] Preferably, it is provided that a displacement sensor is integrated into at least one of the adjustment elements, in particular hydraulic cylinders, which can be used in particular for detecting the position of the component, in particular the control surface.

[0027] The present invention also relates to a system for an aircraft, in particular an airplane, with an actuator according to the invention.

[0028] Preferably, the system is provided to have a component and the actuator is made and arranged to move the component or parts of the component.

[0029] Preferably, the component is intended to be a flap, in particular a control surface, or a door, in particular a loading door.

[0030] Preferably, the actuator is designed and arranged to move a loading door or a loading portal or another door or portal of the aircraft, a high-lift surface and / or a tail flap.

[0031] The actuator is preferably made for the movement and / or piloting of aircraft control surfaces.

[0032] The system is preferably an electric flight control system.

[0033] The control surface can be a primary control surface or a secondary control surface.

[0034] Preferably, the hydraulic surface required to move the control surface is distributed over several control elements in the form of small hydraulic cylinders, particularly arranged side by side, the individual small hydraulic cylinders being connected to each other by a fluidic communication technique and being controllable by a control element. common electrically operated, in particular a valve block or a control valve.

[0035] Preferably, an electrical control signal from a central control unit or an electric flight control computer is transmitted to all control elements, for example, hydraulic cylinders, from the actuator via a common control element, in particular a hydraulic one, or a valve block or control valve. The electrical control signal is preferably converted by the common hydraulic control element into a hydraulic control signal. Preferably, the control elements aligned with each other then move simultaneously, the force of the individual control elements being cumulative over the control surface.

[0036] Preferably, the component is provided to be fixed at least in part, in particular on one or more articulation points of the component, on the housing or a housing of the actuator.

[0037] Preferably, one or more articulation points of the control surface are provided to be fixed on the housing and / or on at least one of the housings or on sockets of the housing and / or at least one of the housings.

[0038] Preferably, the system is provided to have a wing and at least part of the actuator forms a constituent element of the wing or at least part of the actuator or the whole of the actuator is disposed in the wing.

[0039] Preferably, the common housing or housings are provided to form an integral component of an aircraft wing. For example, the surface of the housing or at least one of the housings may form at least part of a wing surface, or the housing and / or at least one of the housings may be designed to receive forces acting on the wing, for example, wing bending forces. The wing is preferably a laminar flow wing and / or has a laminar flow profile.

[0040] Preferably, the system is provided to have a structure, the actuator and / or the adjustment elements being connected in a rigid and / or fixed manner or in an articulated manner to the structure, in particular to a wing, and / or to the component.

[0041] Preferably, the adjustment elements are arranged and connected to the component in such a way that during a movement of the component in a first direction, at least one of the adjustment elements exerts a pulling force and at least one of the adjustment elements exerts a pressing force on the component.

[0042] Preferably, it is provided that during a movement of the component in a second direction, the adjusting elements, which exert a tensile force on the component during the movement of the component in the first direction, exert a compressive force on the component and the adjusting elements, which exert a pressure force on the component when moving the component in the first direction, exert a tensile force on the component.

[0043] Preferably, the adjustment elements, in particular the hydraulic cylinders, arranged side by side, are positioned and connected to the moving component in such a way that, during movement of the moving component, at least one of the adjustment elements, in particular the hydraulic cylinders, exerts a pulling force and at least one of the adjustment elements, in particular the hydraulic cylinders, exerts a pressing force on the component. It is conceivable that the adjustment elements, in particular the hydraulic cylinders, are arranged in such a way that, relative to the adjustment elements alternately in the row, they exert a pulling force and then a pressing force on the component during movement of the component.

[0044] In other words, the exercise of a tensile force by at least one of the adjustment elements and the exercise of a pressure force by at least one of the adjustment elements result in a displacement of the component.

[0045] The chambers or cylinders of the hydraulic cylinders are connected in this frame to each other preferably in a cross pattern.

[0046] Thus, advantageously, the same piston surfaces result for both directions of movement of the component, even when the hydraulic cylinders are made with non-compensated piston surfaces.

[0047] Preferably, it is planned to integrate a hydraulic actuation system with the actuator or consisting of the actuator in an extremely narrow installation space in terms of construction height, as is the case for example in modern military aircraft or civil aircraft with high aspect ratio wings and a laminar flow profile or with laminar profile wings.

[0048] It is also conceivable that the adjustment elements are arranged and connected to the component in such a way that during a movement of the component in a first direction, all the adjustment elements exert a tensile force or a pressure force on the component.

[0049] The present invention also relates to an aircraft, in particular an airplane, with an actuator according to the invention and / or with a system according to the invention.

[0050] It should be emphasized here that the terms "a" and "an" do not necessarily refer precisely to one of the elements, even though this is a possible realization, but can also designate a multitude of the elements. The use of the plural similarly includes the presence of the element in question in the singular, and conversely, the singular also includes several of the elements in question. Furthermore, all the features of the invention described herein can be combined with each other or can be claimed in isolation from each other.

[0051] Other advantages, features, and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments by referring to the figures, in which identical or similar components are designated by the same reference numbers. These include: [Fig.1]: a perspective view of an embodiment of an actuator according to the invention. [Fig.2]: an exploded view of parts of an embodiment of an actuator according to the invention. [Fig.3]: a semi-transparent perspective of an adjustment element of an embodiment of an actuator according to the invention. [Fig.4]: a perspective cross-section of an adjustment element of an embodiment of an actuator according to the invention. [Fig.5]: a schematic cross-section of an embodiment of a system according to the invention. [Fig.6]: a schematic cross-section of an embodiment of a system according to the invention.

[0052] Figure 1 represents the actuator with a plurality of adjustment elements. In the embodiment shown, the actuator has twelve adjustment elements. It is conceivable, and the invention includes, the actuator having more or fewer than twelve adjustment elements.

[0053] The actuator has a housing 10, the adjustment elements 1 being arranged in an integrated manner.

[0054] The housing 10 has a cylinder portion 11, a base portion 12, and a guide sleeve portion 13, as shown in [Fig. 2]. Cylinders or cylinder sleeves are arranged side by side in an aligned manner within the cylinder portion 11. Guide sleeves are arranged side by side within the guide sleeve portion 13. When assembling the cylinder portion 11 and the guide sleeve portion 13, the cylinders and guide sleeves are aligned with each other. The adjustment elements 1 are hydraulic cylinders.

[0055] The structure of a hydraulic cylinder of the actuator is shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0056] The hydraulic cylinder has a piston rod 2 with a round bearing 3.

[0057] The piston rod 2 extends through a guide sleeve of the guide sleeve part 13. The piston is disposed in a cylinder of the cylinder part 11. The cylinder is closed by the bottom part 12 and the guide sleeve part 13.

[0058] The actuator or housing 10 has pull rods 14, the pull rods 14 connecting the bottom part 12 and the guide sleeve part 13, as can be seen in [Fig.3].

[0059] The traction rods 14 extend through the cylinder part 11, the passage of the traction rods being sealed by sealing joints 15 for example in the form of O-rings.

[0060] A bearing strip 4, which for example has Teflon and / or bronze, and a sealing ring 5 for example in the form of an O-ring are arranged between the piston and the walls of the cylinder.

[0061] A sealing gasket 110, in particular printed, is disposed between the cylinder part 11 and the bottom part 12 and between the cylinder part 11 and the guide sleeve part 13. One of the sealing gaskets 110 is disposed between a shoulder of the cylinder part 11 and a shoulder of the guide sleeve part 13 and the other sealing gasket 110 is disposed between a shoulder of the cylinder part 11 and a shoulder of the bottom part 12, as can be seen in [Fig.4].

[0062] A sealing ring 120, for example in the form of an O-ring, is disposed between the cylinder part 11 and the bottom part 12, and a sealing ring 120, for example in the form of an O-ring, is disposed between the cylinder part 11 and the guide sleeve part 13, as can be seen in [Fig.4].

[0063] A bearing strip 4, which has for example Teflon and / or bronze, and two sealing rings 5 ​​for example respectively in the form of an O-ring are arranged between the piston rod 3 and the guide sleeve, as can be seen in [Fig.4],

[0064] The adjustment elements in the form of hydraulic cylinders are arranged in a row in a plane in said embodiment and have uncompensated piston surfaces.

[0065] Among other things, because several cylinders or cylinder bushings are arranged in the cylinder part 11 and / or several guide bushings are arranged side by side in a row in the guide bushing part 13, a plurality of, for example, twelve of the described hydraulic cylinders are integrated into the actuator.

[0066] Fig. 5 illustrates a possible arrangement of control elements 1 of an actuator in the form of hydraulic cylinders for an embodiment of a system with a control surface 100, some of the control elements 1 exerting a pulling force and the other control elements 1 exerting a pressing force on the control surface 100 during a movement of the control surface 100 around a point of rotation 101.

[0067] The actuator housing 10 is connected to a wing structure 200, which has the control surface 100. The actuator is thus arranged in the wing.

[0068] The adjustment elements 1 are arranged in a row, alternating between a first and a second orientation. The first adjustment element 1 in the row has the first orientation, the second adjustment element 1 in the row has the second orientation, the third adjustment element 1 in the row has the first orientation again, and so on. Any arrangement of the adjustment elements 1 with the orientations is also possible. Two adjacent adjustment elements 1 can thus have the same orientation, for example, the first orientation, while two adjacent adjustment elements 1 following one another in the row have a different orientation, for example, the second orientation, and so on.

[0069] The adjustment elements 1 with the first orientation are oriented, for example, downwards, and the adjustment elements 1 with the second orientation are oriented, for example, upwards. An adjustment element 1 in the first orientation is arranged, for example, at an angle of -20° to the wing chord, and an adjustment element 1 in the second orientation is arranged, for example, at an angle of +20° to the wing chord.

[0070] During a downward movement of the control surface 100, for example a clockwise rotation of the control surface 100 on the [Fig.5], the adjustment elements 1 with the first orientation exert a downward pulling force on the control surface 100 and the adjustment elements 1 with the second orientation exert an upward pushing force on the control surface 100.

[0071] During a movement of the control surface 100 upwards, for example a rotation of the control surface 100 in the counterclockwise direction on the [Fig.5], the adjustment elements 1 with the first orientation exert downwards a pressure force on the control surface 100 and the adjustment elements 1 with the second orientation exert upwards a traction force on the control surface 100.

[0072] During a corresponding control of the adjustment elements 1, a corresponding displacement of the control surface 100 is thus carried out.

[0073] The adjustment elements 1 or the piston rods 3 of the adjustment elements 1 are articulated respectively either directly or via articulation rods on the control surface.

[0074] The actuator housing 10 can be connected to the structure 200 by screws.

[0075] Figure 6 illustrates a possible arrangement of adjustment elements 1 of an actuator in the form of hydraulic cylinders for an embodiment of a system with a control surface 100, all the adjustment elements being oriented in the same direction, downwards on the [Fig. 6]. The adjustment elements 1 thus exert force during a movement of the control surface 100 around a point of rotation 101 respectively, depending on the displacement of the control surface 100, exerts a tensile force or a pressure force on the control surface. During a displacement of the control surface 100, in which the control surface rotates around the rotation point 101 in a clockwise direction, the adjustment elements 1 exert a tensile force on the control surface 1, and during a displacement of the control surface 100, in which the control surface rotates around the rotation point 101 in a counterclockwise direction, the adjustment elements 1 exert a pressure force on the control surface 1.

[0076] The actuator housing 10 is connected to a wing structure 200, which has the control surface 100. The actuator is thus arranged in the wing.

[0077] Compared to [Fig. 5], the pivot point 101 is thus moved upwards in [Fig. 6], and only downward-facing adjustment elements 1 are present. The adjustment elements 1 are thus articulated, in [Fig. 5], respectively at the top or bottom of the control surface 100. The lever arm indicated by dashed lines in [Fig. 6] relative to the pivot point 101 is thus greater in [Fig. 6] than in [Fig. 5].

[0078] The control surface 100 is arranged separately from the wing structure 200 on [Fig.5] and [Fig.6].

Claims

Demands

1. Actuator for an aircraft, in particular an airplane, characterized in that the actuator has more than two adjusting elements.

2. Actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjusting elements are made with an identical structure.

3. Actuator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adjusting elements are hydraulic cylinders.

4. An actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuator has one or more housings, in which the adjusting elements are arranged in the housing and / or are integrated into the housing and / or each have a housing.

5. Actuator according to claim 4, characterized in that the housing or at least one of the housings has or is made up of a guide sleeve part with at least one guide sleeve, a cylinder part with at least one cylinder and / or a bottom part, in particular wherein the guide sleeve part is connected to the cylinder part and / or the bottom part by one or more pull rods.

6. Actuator according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the housing, the cylinder part, the guide sleeve part and / or the base part are made as an additively manufactured compound and / or are manufactured by an additive manufacturing process, for example by 3D printing.

7. Actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the adjusting elements has a piston, in which the piston surfaces are compensated or are not compensated.

8. An actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuator has a regulating element, in particular a valve block, in which the regulating elements are connected to the regulating element, in particular by a fluidic communication technique, in a parallel branch, in which the regulating member is arranged in a modular unit with the remaining parts of the actuator or separately from the remaining parts of the actuator.

9. An actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting elements are arranged in a row and / or a plan or in different orientations, in particular alternating in different orientations, or in the same orientations.

10. An actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuator has a displacement sensor, which is integrated in particular into at least one of the adjustment elements.

11. System for an aircraft, in particular an airplane, with an actuator according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. System according to claim 11, characterized in that the system has a component and the actuator is made and arranged to move the component or parts of the component.

13. 13. System according to any one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the component is a flap, in particular a control surface, or a door, in particular a loading door.

14. System according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the component at least in part, in particular one or more articulation points of the component, is fixed on the housing or a housing of the actuator.

15. System according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the system comprises a wing and at least a part of the actuator forms a constituent element of the wing or at least a part of the actuator or the whole of the actuator is disposed in the wing.

16. System according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the system has a structure in which the actuator and / or the control elements are connected in a fixed and / or immovable or articulated manner to the structure and / or the component.

17. System according to any one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that the adjustment elements are arranged and are connected to the component in such a way that during a movement of the component in a first direction, at least one of the adjustment elements exerts a pulling force and at least one of the adjustment elements exerts a pressing force on the component.

18. A system according to claim 17, characterized in that during a movement of the component in a second direction, the adjusting elements exert a tensile force on the component; during the movement of the component in the first direction, they exert a compressive force on the component; and during the movement of the component in the first direction, the adjusting elements exert a compressive force on the component. movement of the component in the first direction exerts a tensile force on the component.

19. System according to any one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that the adjustment elements are arranged and are connected to the component in such a way that during a movement of the component in a first direction, all the adjustment elements exert a pulling force or a pressing force on the component.

20. Aircraft, in particular airplane, with an actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 10 and / or a system according to any one of claims 11 to 19.

Images