Actuator, actuator control method, and actuator control program

Abstract

To provide an actuator, a method of controlling the actuator, and a program for controlling the actuator which can continue control of a rudder face even when the actuator fails.SOLUTION: An actuator includes a first piston 11 connected to an airframe 1, a second piston 21 connected to a rotor blade 2 and moving in a direction opposite from the first piston, and a control unit for determining a stroke by the sum of a moving quantity of the first piston 11 and a moving quantity of the second piston 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuator, an actuator control method, and an actuator control program. [Background technology]

[0002] An aircraft is provided with actuators that control the position of control surfaces. In the actuator described in Patent Document 1, multiple actuators are arranged in parallel to provide redundancy. If one actuator sticks and fails, the other actuators support the control surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0055965 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, if the actuator controlling the control surfaces becomes stuck and fails, the stability of the aircraft is ensured by aligning the position of the control surfaces on the opposite side of the aircraft to the position of the failed actuator. However, this generates drag, which consumes extra fuel. Therefore, it is necessary to continue controlling the control surfaces even if the actuator fails. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The actuator that solves the above problem is: a first cylinder; a second cylinder fixed integrally to the first cylinder; and a second cylinder protruding from the first cylinder. a first piston connected to the aircraft; protruding from the second cylinder, a second piston connected to the control surface and moving in the opposite direction to the first piston; The movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston can be determined separately, a control unit that determines a stroke based on the sum of the movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston. When the first piston or the second piston is stuck, the control unit moves a piston that is not stuck so as to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck piston of the first piston or the second piston, and then moves the piston that is not stuck so as to approach a required stroke. do.

[0006] According to the above configuration, the stroke is determined by the sum of the movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston, so even if the first piston or the second piston sticks, the stroke can be controlled by moving the piston that is not stuck. Therefore, even if the actuator breaks down, the control of the control surface can be continued.

[0007] In the above actuator, when the first piston or the second piston is stuck, it is preferable that the control unit moves the other of the first piston and the second piston that is not stuck to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck piston, and then moves the other piston to approach the required stroke.

[0008] In the actuator, it is preferable that the control unit determines the stroke by making the amount of movement of the first piston and the amount of movement of the second piston the same. In the actuator, the first piston and the second piston are preferably arranged in parallel.

[0009] It is preferable that the actuator includes a plurality of pairs of the first piston and the second piston for the same control surface. In the actuator, it is preferable that the control section includes a first control section that controls the movement of the first piston, and a second control section that controls the movement of the second piston.

[0010] For the above actuator, it is preferable that the first control unit acquires status information of the second piston and controls the movement of the first piston, and the second control unit acquires status information of the first piston and controls the movement of the second piston.

[0011] A method for controlling an actuator that solves the above problem includes: a first cylinder; a second cylinder fixed integrally to the first cylinder; and a second cylinder protruding from the first cylinder. a first piston connected to the aircraft; protruding from the second cylinder,a second piston connected to the control surface and moving in the opposite direction to the first piston; The movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston can be determined separately, a control unit that controls the first piston and the second piston, the control unit comprising: a determining step of determining a stroke based on a sum of a movement amount of the first piston and a movement amount of the second piston; and controlling the first piston and the second piston so that the stroke is the stroke determined in the determining step. When the first piston or the second piston is stuck, the piston that is not stuck is moved to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck piston of the first piston or the second piston, and then the piston that is not stuck is moved so as to approach a required stroke. and a control step of:

[0012] According to the above method, the stroke is determined by the sum of the movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston, so even if the first piston or the second piston sticks, the stroke can be controlled by moving the piston that is not stuck. Therefore, even if the actuator fails, the control of the control surface can be continued.

[0013] The actuator control program that solves the above problem is: a first cylinder; a second cylinder fixed integrally to the first cylinder; and a second cylinder protruding from the first cylinder. a first piston connected to the aircraft; protruding from the second cylinder, a second piston connected to the control surface and moving in the opposite direction to the first piston; The movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston can be determined separately, a control unit that controls the first piston and the second piston, the control program including: a determination step of determining a stroke based on a sum of a movement amount of the first piston and a movement amount of the second piston; and controlling the first piston and the second piston so that the stroke is the stroke determined in the determination step. When the first piston or the second piston is stuck, the piston that is not stuck is moved to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck piston of the first piston or the second piston, and then the piston that is not stuck is moved so as to approach a required stroke. and a control step of causing the computer to execute the steps.

[0014] According to the program, the stroke is determined by the sum of the movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston, so even if the first piston or the second piston sticks, the stroke can be controlled by moving the piston that is not stuck. Therefore, even if the actuator fails, the control of the control surface can be continued. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, even if an actuator fails, control of the control surface can be continued. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an aircraft rotor blade equipped with an actuator; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of an actuator. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the actuator. [Figure 4] Schematic diagram showing the operation of an actuator. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing the control of an actuator. [Figure 6] Schematic diagram showing the operation of an actuator. [Figure 7] Schematic diagram showing the operation of an actuator. [Figure 8] Schematic diagram showing the operation of an actuator. [Figure 9] Schematic diagram showing the operation of an actuator. [Figure 10] Schematic diagram showing the operation of an actuator. [Figure 11] Schematic diagram showing the operation of an actuator. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a second embodiment of the actuator. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a modified example of the actuator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] (First embodiment) A first embodiment of the actuator will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 10. The actuator is applied to a drive device that drives a moving surface of an aircraft.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, an aircraft fuselage 1 is provided with a rotor blade 2. Two sets of drive units, a first drive unit 3 and a second drive unit 4, are provided between the fuselage 1 and the rotor blade 2. The first drive unit 3 is connected to the fuselage 1 and the rotor blade 2. Similarly, the second drive unit 4 is connected to the fuselage 1 and the rotor blade 2. The first drive unit 3 and the second drive unit 4 drive the rotor blade 2. The rotor blade 2 rotates up and down around a rotation axis P. The first drive unit 3 and the second drive unit 4 correspond to actuators.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first drive unit 3 includes a first actuator 10 and a second actuator 20. In the drawings, the first actuator 10 is referred to as "ACT1," and the second actuator 20 is referred to as "ACT2." The first actuator 10 and the second actuator 20 are hydraulic cylinders. The first actuator 10 and the second actuator 20 are arranged in parallel. The first actuator 10 includes a first piston 11 and a first cylinder 12. The first piston 11 protrudes from the first cylinder 12 and is displaced in the axial direction of the first cylinder 12. The tip of the first piston 11 is connected to the aircraft body 1. The second actuator 20 includes a second piston 21 and a second cylinder 22. The second piston 21 protrudes from the second cylinder 22 and is displaced in the axial direction of the second cylinder 22. The tip of the second piston 21 is connected to the rotor blade 2. The surface of the moving surface 2 is a control surface, and the second piston 21 is connected to the moving surface 2, thereby connecting the second piston 21 to the control surface. Therefore, the second piston 21 moves in the opposite direction to the first piston 11. The first piston 11 and the second piston 21 are arranged in parallel.

[0020] The first cylinder 12 and the second cylinder 22 are fixed together and move relative to the airframe 1. When the first piston 11 of the first actuator 10 protrudes from the first cylinder 12, the first cylinder 12 moves in a direction away from the airframe 1. When the second piston 21 of the second actuator 20 protrudes from the second cylinder 22, the position of the second cylinder 22 does not change, and the tip of the second piston 21 rotates the rotor blade 2.

[0021] The second drive unit 4 includes a third actuator 30 and a fourth actuator 40. In the drawings, the third actuator 30 is indicated as "ACT3" and the fourth actuator 40 is indicated as "ACT4." The third actuator 30 and the fourth actuator 40 are hydraulic cylinders. The third actuator 30 and the fourth actuator 40 are arranged in parallel. The third actuator 30 includes a third piston 31 and a third cylinder 32. The third piston 31 protrudes from the third cylinder 32 and is displaced in the axial direction of the third cylinder 32. The tip of the third piston 31 is connected to the aircraft body 1. The fourth actuator 40 includes a fourth piston 41 and a fourth cylinder 42. The fourth piston 41 protrudes from the fourth cylinder 42 and is displaced in the axial direction of the fourth cylinder 42. The tip of the fourth piston 41 is connected to the rotor blade 2. The surface of the moving surface 2 is a control surface, and the fourth piston 41 is connected to the moving surface 2, thereby connecting the fourth piston 41 to the control surface. Therefore, the fourth piston 41 moves in the opposite direction to the third piston 31. The third piston 31 and the fourth piston 41 are arranged in parallel.

[0022] The third cylinder 32 and the fourth cylinder 42 are fixed together and move relative to the airframe 1. When the third piston 31 of the third actuator 30 protrudes from the third cylinder 32, the third cylinder 32 moves in a direction away from the airframe 1. When the fourth piston 41 of the fourth actuator 40 protrudes from the fourth cylinder 42, the position of the fourth cylinder 42 does not change, and the tip of the fourth piston 41 rotates the rotor blade 2.

[0023] Next, the electrical configuration of the first driving device 3 and the second driving device 4 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 , the control unit 50 includes a calculation unit, a communication interface unit, a volatile storage unit, and a nonvolatile storage unit. The calculation unit is a computer processor that controls the first drive device 3 and the second drive device 4 according to a control program stored in the nonvolatile storage unit (storage medium). The calculation unit may implement at least a portion of its processing using a circuit such as an ASIC. The control program may be executed by one or more computer processors. The control unit 50 may be configured as one or more processors that execute various processes according to a computer program (software). The processing executed by the control unit 50, i.e., the processor, includes an actuator control method. The actuator control method includes a determination step and a control step, which will be described later. The control unit 50 may also be configured as a circuit including one or more dedicated hardware circuits, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a combination thereof, that execute at least a portion of the various processes. The processor includes a CPU and memories such as RAM and ROM. The memory stores program code or instructions configured to cause the CPU to execute the processes. The memory or computer-readable medium includes any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. The programs stored on the computer-readable medium include an actuator control program. The actuator control program causes a computer to perform the decision steps and the control steps.

[0024] The first actuator 10 is equipped with a first electrohydraulic servo valve (EHSV) 13. In the drawing, the first EHSV 13 is referred to as "EHSV1." The first EHSV 13 drives and controls the first actuator 10. The first EHSV 13 is electrically connected to a control unit 50. The control unit 50 outputs a control signal to the first EHSV 13 to control the first actuator 10. The first EHSV 13 drives and controls in accordance with the control signal. The first actuator 10 is provided with a sensor (not shown) such as an LVDT (differential voltage transformer) that detects the position of the first piston 11. The sensor provided in the first actuator 10 outputs a position signal including position information of the first piston 11 to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 checks for the presence or absence of an abnormality using the position information, etc., and then controls the movement of the first piston 11.

[0025] A second electrohydraulic servo valve (EHSV) 23 is attached to the second actuator 20. In the drawing, the second EHSV 23 is referred to as "EHSV2." The second EHSV 23 drives and controls the second actuator 20. The second EHSV 23 is electrically connected to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 outputs a control signal to the second EHSV 23 to control the second actuator 20. The second EHSV 23 drives and controls in accordance with the control signal. The second actuator 20 is provided with a sensor (not shown) such as an LVDT that detects the position of the second piston 21. The sensor provided in the second actuator 20 outputs a position signal including position information of the second piston 21 to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 checks for the presence or absence of an abnormality using the position information, etc., and then controls the movement of the second piston 21.

[0026] The third actuator 30 is equipped with a third electrohydraulic servo valve (EHSV) 33. In the drawing, the third EHSV 33 is indicated as "EHSV3." The third EHSV 33 drives and controls the third actuator 30. The third EHSV 33 is electrically connected to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 outputs a control signal to the third EHSV 33 to control the third actuator 30. The third EHSV 33 drives and controls the third actuator 30 in accordance with the control signal. The third actuator 30 is provided with a sensor (not shown) such as an LVDT that detects the position of the third piston 31. The sensor provided in the third actuator 30 outputs a position signal including position information of the third piston 31 to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 checks for the presence or absence of an abnormality using the position information, etc., and then controls the movement of the third piston 31.

[0027] The fourth actuator 40 is equipped with a fourth electrohydraulic servo valve (EHSV) 43. In the drawing, the fourth EHSV 43 is indicated as "EHSV4." The fourth EHSV 43 drives and controls the fourth actuator 40. The fourth EHSV 43 is electrically connected to a control unit 50. The control unit 50 outputs a control signal for controlling the fourth actuator 40 to the fourth EHSV 43. The fourth EHSV 43 drives and controls in accordance with the control signal. The fourth actuator 40 is provided with a sensor (not shown) such as an LVDT that detects the position of the fourth piston 41. The sensor provided in the fourth actuator 40 outputs a position signal including position information of the fourth piston 41 to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 checks for the presence or absence of an abnormality using the position information, etc., and then controls the movement of the fourth piston 41.

[0028] Next, the operation of the first driving device 3 and the second driving device 4 configured as above will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in Figure 4, the control unit 50 controls the stroke of the first drive unit 3 so that it is the same as the stroke of the second drive unit 4. The first actuator 10, the second actuator 20, the third actuator 30, and the fourth actuator 40 are movable within ±25 mm. The maximum stroke of the first drive unit 3 is ±50 mm, which is the sum of the movement amount of the first actuator 10 and the movement amount of the second actuator 20. Similarly, the maximum stroke of the second drive unit 4 is ±50 mm, which is the sum of the movement amount of the third actuator 30 and the movement amount of the fourth actuator 40.

[0029] 5, the control unit 50 determines the strokes of the first drive device 3 and the second drive device 4 (step S11). That is, the control unit 50 determines the stroke of the first drive device 3 by the sum of the movement amount of the first piston 11 and the movement amount of the second piston 21. The control unit 50 determines the stroke of the second drive device 4 by the sum of the movement amount of the third piston 31 and the movement amount of the fourth piston 41. Note that step S11 corresponds to the determination step.

[0030] Next, the control unit 50 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the first drive device 3 and the second drive device 4 (step S12). That is, the control unit 50 determines whether or not there is an abnormality, such as sticking, in the first piston 11, the second piston 21, the third piston 31, and the fourth piston 41 using position information and the like.

[0031] If the control unit 50 determines that there is no abnormality in the first drive unit 3 and the second drive unit 4 (step S12: NO), it sets the movement amount of each piston to half the determined stroke (step S13). Next, the control unit 50 controls each actuator according to the set movement amount of each piston (step S14). Note that step S13 corresponds to the determination step, and step S14 corresponds to the control step.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4, under normal conditions when no failure occurs, the control unit 50 determines the stroke of the first drive device 3 by making the amount of movement of the first piston 11 equal to the amount of movement of the second piston 21. That is, the control unit 50 sets half of the stroke of the first drive device 3 as the amount of movement of the first piston 11, and the remaining half of the stroke as the amount of movement of the second piston 21. When the stroke of the first drive device 3 is set to 50 mm, the control unit 50 sets the amount of movement of the first piston 11 to 25 mm and the amount of movement of the second piston 21 to 25 mm. Similarly, when the stroke of the first drive device 3 is set to -50 mm, the control unit 50 sets the amount of movement of the first piston 11 to -25 mm and the amount of movement of the second piston 21 to -25 mm.

[0033] Under normal conditions when no malfunction occurs, the control unit 50 determines the stroke of the second drive unit 4 by making the movement amount of the third piston 31 equal to the movement amount of the fourth piston 41. That is, the control unit 50 sets half of the stroke of the second drive unit 4 as the movement amount of the third piston 31, and the remaining half of the stroke as the movement amount of the fourth piston 41. When the stroke of the second drive unit 4 is set to 50 mm, the control unit 50 sets the movement amount of the third piston 31 to 25 mm and the movement amount of the fourth piston 41 to 25 mm. Similarly, when the stroke of the second drive unit 4 is set to -50 mm, the control unit 50 sets the movement amount of the third piston 31 to -25 mm and the movement amount of the fourth piston 41 to -25 mm.

[0034] 5, when the control unit 50 determines that there is an abnormality in the first drive device 3 and the second drive device 4 (step S12: YES), it sets the movement amount of the pistons that are not abnormal according to the number and position of the abnormal pistons (step S15). Note that step S15 corresponds to a determination step.

[0035] For example, if the control unit 50 determines that only one piston is abnormal, it fixes the movement amount of the piston that protrudes in the same direction as the abnormal piston to the movement amount of the abnormal piston. That is, if the first piston 11 or the second piston 21 is stuck, the control unit 50 fixes the movement amount of the third piston 31 or the fourth piston 41 that protrudes in the same direction as the stuck piston of the first piston 11 or the second piston 21 to the movement amount of the stuck piston. Then, the control unit 50 moves the non-stuck piston of the first piston 11 or the second piston 21 to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck piston.

[0036] Next, the control unit 50 sets the movement amount of the piston that protrudes in the opposite direction to the abnormal piston as the remainder of the stroke. That is, the control unit 50 subtracts the movement amount of the stuck piston from the determined stroke to set the movement amount of the piston that protrudes in the opposite direction to the stuck piston. Then, the control unit 50 proceeds to step S14.

[0037] As shown in Figure 6, the first piston 11, the second piston 21, the third piston 31, and the fourth piston 41 have all moved +5 mm. The first piston 11 is stuck in this position after moving +5 mm. This is indicated by an "x" in the figure. In this state, if the second piston 21, the third piston 31, and the fourth piston 41 are all moved by the same amount, the first drive unit 3 will move +5 mm more, resulting in a difference in stroke between the first drive unit 3 and the second drive unit 4.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7 , the control unit 50 fixes the movement amount of the third piston 31 to +5 mm, which is the movement amount of the stuck first piston 11. This causes the movement amount of the first piston 11 located closer to the aircraft body 1 to match the movement amount of the third piston 31, thereby compensating for the movement amount of the stuck first piston 11. The control unit 50 also sets the initial positions of the second piston 21 and the fourth piston 41 to −5 mm. This causes the sum of the +5 mm movement amount of the first piston 11 and the −5 mm movement amount of the second piston 21 to be zero. Similarly, the sum of the +5 mm movement amount of the third piston 31 and the −5 mm movement amount of the fourth piston 41 to be zero. Therefore, the initial positions of the first drive unit 3 and the second drive unit 4 can be set to zero.

[0039] The control unit 50 then controls the drive of the second actuator 20 so that the movement amount of the second piston 21 is ±20 mm, and controls the drive of the fourth actuator 40 so that the movement amount of the fourth piston 41 is ±20 mm. This ensures a stroke of ±20 mm for the first drive unit 3 and the second drive unit 4. Therefore, even if the first piston 11 sticks, the drive of the rotor blade 2 can continue.

[0040] For example, if the control unit 50 determines that two pistons of different drive units are abnormal, it sets the movement amount of the piston that protrudes in the opposite direction to the abnormal piston as the remainder of the stroke. That is, when the first piston 11 or the second piston 21 is stuck, the control unit 50 moves the other piston that is not stuck so as to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck piston of the first piston 11 or the second piston 21. Similarly, when the third piston 31 or the fourth piston 41 is stuck, the control unit 50 moves the other piston that is not stuck so as to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck piston of the third piston 31 or the fourth piston 41.

[0041] As shown in Figure 8, the first piston 11, the second piston 21, the third piston 31, and the fourth piston 41 have moved +5 mm. The first piston 11 and the third piston 31 are stuck in a state where they have moved +5 mm. This is indicated by an "x" in the figure. In this state, if the second piston 21 and the fourth piston 41 are moved by the same amount, the strokes of the first drive unit 3 and the second drive unit 4 will be shifted by +5 mm.

[0042] 9, the control unit 50 sets the initial position of the second piston 21 and the initial position of the fourth piston 41 to −5 mm. By doing so, the sum of the movement amount of the first piston 11, +5 mm, and the movement amount of the second piston 21, −5 mm, becomes zero. Similarly, the sum of the movement amount of the third piston 31, +5 mm, and the movement amount of the fourth piston 41, −5 mm, becomes zero. Therefore, the initial positions of the first drive device 3 and the second drive device 4 can be set to zero.

[0043] The control unit 50 then controls the drive of the second actuator 20 so that the movement amount of the second piston 21 is ±20 mm, and controls the drive of the fourth actuator 40 so that the movement amount of the fourth piston 41 is ±20 mm. This ensures a stroke of ±20 mm for the first drive unit 3 and the second drive unit 4. Therefore, even if the first piston 11 sticks, the drive of the rotor blade 2 can continue.

[0044] If the amount of movement of the stuck first piston 11 differs from the amount of movement of the stuck third piston 31, the control unit 50 fixes the amount of movement of the second piston 21 to the amount of movement of the stuck first piston 11, and fixes the amount of movement of the fourth piston 41 to the amount of movement of the stuck third piston 31. Thus, the amount of movement of the first drive device 3 and the amount of movement of the second drive device 4 can be fixed to zero.

[0045] For example, if the control unit 50 determines that two pistons of the same drive unit are abnormal, it fixes the movement amount of the piston that protrudes in the same direction as the abnormal piston to the movement amount of the abnormal piston. That is, when the first piston 11 and the second piston 21 are stuck, the control unit 50 moves the third piston 31 and the fourth piston 41 to compensate for the movement amount of the first piston 11 and the second piston 21. Similarly, when the third piston 31 and the fourth piston 41 are stuck, the control unit 50 moves the first piston 11 and the second piston 21 to compensate for the movement amount of the third piston 31 and the fourth piston 41. Then, the control unit 50 proceeds to step S14.

[0046] figure 10 As shown in the figure, the first piston 11, the second piston 21, the third piston 31, and the fourth piston 41 have moved +5 mm. The first piston 11 and the second piston 21 are stuck in a state where they have moved +5 mm. This is indicated by an "x" in the figure. If the third piston 31 and the fourth piston 41 are moved in this state, the strokes of the first drive unit 3 and the second drive unit 4 will be shifted.

[0047] Figure 1 1 As shown in Fig. 1, the control unit 50 fixes the amount of movement of the third piston 31 to +5 mm, which is the amount of movement of the stuck first piston 11, and fixes the amount of movement of the fourth piston 41 to +5 mm, which is the amount of movement of the stuck second piston 21. This makes it possible to match the stroke of the first drive unit 3 and the stroke of the second drive unit 4. This prevents torsional force from being applied to the rotor blade 2. In this case, since the rotor blade 2 cannot be moved, it is desirable to fix the amount of movement of the rotor blade that is symmetrical to the rotor blade 2 relative to the airframe 1 to +10 mm.

[0048] For example, if the control unit 50 determines that three pistons are abnormal, it sets the movement amount of the normal pistons so that the stroke of the first drive device 3 matches the stroke of the second drive device 4. In other words, if the first piston 11, the second piston 21, and the third piston 31 are stuck, it sets the movement amount of the fourth piston 41 so that the stroke, which is the sum of the movement amounts of the first piston 11 and the second piston 21, matches the stroke, which is the sum of the movement amounts of the third piston 31 and the fourth piston 41. Then, the control unit 50 proceeds to step S14.

[0049] Next, the effects of the first embodiment will be described. (1) The stroke of the first drive unit 3 (second drive unit 4) is determined by the sum of the movement amount of the first piston 11 (third piston 31) and the movement amount of the second piston 21 (fourth piston 41). Therefore, even if the first piston 11 (third piston 31) or the second piston 21 (fourth piston 41) is stuck, the stroke can be controlled by the movement of the piston that is not stuck. Therefore, even if a part of the first drive unit 3 (second drive unit 4) fails, it is possible to continue control of the control surfaces of the moving surface 2.

[0050] (2) The stroke of the first drive unit 3 can be brought to the neutral position by moving the second piston 21, which is not stuck, so as to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck first piston 11. Then, the stroke of the first drive unit 3 can be brought closer to the required stroke of the first drive unit 3 by moving the second piston 21, which is not stuck, from the neutral position.

[0051] (3) During normal control, the movement amount of the first piston 11 and the movement amount of the second piston 21 can be made the same, and they can be controlled with the same control amount that determines the stroke of the first drive unit 3. Furthermore, even if one piston becomes stuck at the fully extended position, the stroke can be returned to the neutral position by moving the other piston to the retracted position.

[0052] (4) The first piston 11 and the second piston 21 are arranged in parallel. Therefore, the space in which the first piston 11 and the second piston 21 are arranged can be made shorter than the stroke range of the first drive device 3.

[0053] (5) Since a plurality of pairs of the first piston 11 and the second piston 21 are provided, redundancy in the drive system can be ensured. (Second embodiment) A second embodiment of the actuator will be described below with reference to Fig. 12. The actuator of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes two control units. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0054] 12, the first driving device 3 and the second driving device 4 are provided with a first control unit 51 and a second control unit 52 that drive and control the first driving device 3 and the second driving device 4. That is, the first control unit 51 controls the movement of the first piston 11 and the third piston 12. 31 The second control unit 52 controls the movement of the second piston 21 and the movement of the fourth piston 22. 41 The first control unit 51 drives and controls the movement of the first actuator 10 and the third actuator 30. The first control unit 51 outputs control signals to the first EHSV 13 and the third EHSV 33. The first control unit 51 acquires position signals from sensors provided in each actuator. The second control unit 52 drives and controls the movement of the second actuator 20 and the fourth actuator 40. The second control unit 52 outputs control signals to the second EHSV 23 and the fourth EHSV 43. The second control unit 52 acquires position signals from sensors provided in each actuator. The first control unit 51 and the second control unit 52 input and output control signals to each other. That is, the first control unit 51 checks for the presence or absence of an abnormality using position information, etc., of the second piston 21 (fourth piston 41), and then controls the movement of the first piston 11 (third piston 31). Furthermore, the second control unit 52 checks for the presence or absence of an abnormality using position information of the first piston 11 (third piston 31), and then controls the movement of the second piston 21 (fourth piston 41).

[0055] Next, the effects of the second embodiment will be described. In addition to the effects (1) to (5) of the first embodiment, the second embodiment has the following effects. (6) The first control unit 51 and the second control unit 52 are provided, so that redundancy of the control system can be ensured.

[0056] (7) By directly acquiring the status information of the piston whose movement is not controlled by the first control unit 51 and the second control unit 52, the piston can be controlled without relying on other control units, thereby ensuring redundancy of the control system.

[0057] (Other embodiments) The above-described embodiments can be modified as follows: The above-described embodiments and the following modifications can be combined with each other within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0058] In the above embodiments, two actuators, each including a piston and a cylinder, are used as a set. However, two pistons may be provided in the same housing. For example, as shown in FIG. 13 , an actuator 60 includes a first piston 61 protruding leftward in the figure and a second piston 62 protruding rightward in the figure. The actuator 60 includes a partition wall 64 provided in the center of a housing 63. The partition wall 64 divides the housing 63 into left and right halves. The first piston 61 is provided inside the left side of the housing 63. The first piston 61 includes a first rod 61A and a first partition wall 61B that separates the interior of the housing 63. The second piston 62 is provided inside the right side of the housing 63. The second piston 62 includes a second rod 62A and a second partition wall 62B that separates the interior of the housing 63. The first left chamber 65 includes a first left port 65A. The first right chamber 66 includes a first right port 66A. A second left port 67A is provided in the second left chamber 67. A first right port 68A is provided in the second right chamber 68. The first piston 61 and the second piston 62 are driven and controlled by the working fluid flowing through each chamber.

[0059] In each of the above embodiments, the moving surface 2 may be any of an aileron, a horizontal stabilizer, and a rudder. In the case of a rudder, since the rudder is not located in a position that is line-symmetrical to the rudder with respect to the aircraft body 1, it is not necessary to take into account the control of the moving surface that is line-symmetrical to the moving surface 2 with respect to the aircraft body 1.

[0060] In the above embodiments, the axis of the first piston 11 of the first actuator 10 and the axis of the second piston 21 of the second actuator 20 are arranged parallel to each other. However, the axis of the first piston 11 of the first actuator 10 and the axis of the second piston 21 of the second actuator 20 may be arranged coaxially.

[0061] In the above embodiments, the amount of movement of the first piston 11 of the first actuator 10 of the first drive device 3 and the amount of movement of the second piston 21 of the second actuator 20 are controlled to be the same during normal operation. However, the amount of movement of the first piston 11 and the amount of movement of the second piston 21 may be different, as long as the sum of the amount of movement of the first piston 11 of the first actuator 10 of the first drive device 3 and the amount of movement of the second piston 21 of the second actuator 20 is the stroke of the first drive device 3.

[0062] In the above embodiments, the movement amount of the third piston 31 of the third actuator 30 of the second drive device 4 and the movement amount of the fourth piston 41 of the fourth actuator 40 are controlled to be the same during normal operation. However, the movement amount of the third piston 31 and the movement amount of the fourth piston 41 may be different, as long as the sum of the movement amount of the third piston 31 of the third actuator 30 of the second drive device 4 and the movement amount of the fourth piston 41 of the fourth actuator 40 is the stroke of the second drive device 4.

[0063] In the above embodiments, hydraulic actuators are used as the actuators, but actuators other than hydraulic actuators, such as electric actuators, may also be used as the actuators.

[0064] In each of the above embodiments, if an object is made up of multiple objects, the multiple objects may be integrated, and conversely, if an object is made up of a single object, it may be divided into multiple objects. Regardless of whether the objects are integrated or not, it is sufficient that the object of the invention can be achieved.

[0065] In each of the above embodiments, where multiple functions are provided in a distributed manner, some or all of the multiple functions may be provided in a consolidated manner, and conversely, where multiple functions are provided in a consolidated manner, some or all of the multiple functions may be provided in a distributed manner. Regardless of whether the functions are consolidated or distributed, it is sufficient that the configuration is such that the object of the invention can be achieved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1 aircraft 2 moving blades 3. First drive unit 4. Second drive unit 10 First Actuator 11 First piston 12 No. 1 cylinder 13 1st EHSV 20 Second actuator 21 Second piston 22 No. 2 cylinder 23 2nd EHSV 30 Third Actuator 31 Third piston 32 Third cylinder 33 3rd EHSV 40 4th Actuator 41 4th piston 42 Third cylinder 43 4th EHSV 50 control section 51 First Control Section 52 Second Control Section 60 Actuator 61 First piston 61A First Rod 61B 1st bulkhead 62 Second piston 62A Second Rod 62B 2nd bulkhead 63 Case 64 Bulkhead 65 First Left Chamber 65A 1st left port 66 First Right Chamber 66A 1st right port 67 Second Left Chamber 67A Second left port 68 Second Right Chamber 68A Second right port

Claims

1. A first cylinder; a second cylinder fixed integrally to the first cylinder; a first piston protruding from the first cylinder and connected to a machine body; a second piston protruding from the second cylinder, connected to a control surface, and moving in the opposite direction to the first piston; a control unit that is capable of determining a movement amount of the first piston and a movement amount of the second piston, and that determines a stroke by the sum of the movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston, When the first piston or the second piston is stuck, the control unit moves a piston that is not stuck so as to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck piston of the first piston or the second piston, and then moves the piston that is not stuck so as to approach a required stroke. Actuator.

2. The control unit determines the stroke by making the movement amount of the first piston equal to the movement amount of the second piston. The actuator of claim 1 .

3. The first piston and the second piston are arranged in parallel.

3. The actuator according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A plurality of pairs of the first piston and the second piston are provided for the same control surface. The actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The control unit includes: a first control unit that controls movement of the first piston; a second control unit that controls the movement of the second piston; The actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the first control unit acquires state information of the second piston and controls movement of the first piston; The second control unit acquires state information of the first piston and controls the movement of the second piston. The actuator according to claim 5 .

7. A first cylinder; a second cylinder fixed integrally to the first cylinder; a first piston protruding from the first cylinder and connected to a machine body; a second piston protruding from the second cylinder, connected to a control surface, and moving in the opposite direction to the first piston; a control unit that is capable of determining a movement amount of the first piston and a movement amount of the second piston, and that controls the first piston and the second piston, a determining step of determining a stroke based on the sum of the movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston; a control step of controlling the first piston and the second piston so as to achieve the stroke determined in the determining step, and, when the first piston or the second piston is stuck, moving a piston that is not stuck so as to compensate for the movement amount of the stuck piston of the first piston or the second piston, and then moving the piston that is not stuck so as to approach a required stroke. A method for controlling the actuator.

8. A first cylinder; a second cylinder fixed integrally to the first cylinder; a first piston protruding from the first cylinder and connected to a machine body; a second piston protruding from the second cylinder, connected to a control surface, and moving in the opposite direction to the first piston; a control unit that is capable of determining a movement amount of the first piston and a movement amount of the second piston, and that controls the first piston and the second piston, a determining step of determining a stroke based on the sum of the movement amount of the first piston and the movement amount of the second piston; a control step of controlling the first piston and the second piston so as to achieve the stroke determined in the determining step, and, when the first piston or the second piston is stuck, moving one of the first piston and the second piston that is not stuck so as to compensate for the amount of movement of the stuck piston, and then moving the other piston so as to approach a required stroke. Actuator control program.

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