Redundant Aircraft Control Surface Actuation Against Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electric actuator systems for aircraft control surfaces have complex driving force transmission paths, leading to reliability issues due to jamming, which complicates the structure and increases weight and size.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft steering system with a redundant configuration using a first electromechanical actuator attached to the wing main body and a second rotary actuator integrated with the flight control surface, where the actuators are coupled through a control surface arm member, allowing either actuator to drive the control surface, thus simplifying the configuration and avoiding increased size and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple electric motors are used to create redundant driving force transmission paths, then reliability against jamming is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the driving function into two independent actuators (first actuator on wing main body, second actuator on flight control surface) that can operate separately. Each actuator has its own driving force transmission path, so jamming in one path does not affect the other, achieving redundancy without requiring a single complex multi-motor system.
Solution Approach 2:
The control surface arm member acts as an intermediary that transmits the output of the first actuator to the flight control surface while the second actuator is directly attached to the flight control surface. This intermediary structure allows both actuators to work independently on the same control surface without requiring complex integrated transmission paths.
2Reliability
If multiple electric motors are used to create redundant driving force transmission paths, then reliability against jamming is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple motors in a single complex actuator, the system segments the actuation function into two separate, simpler actuators. The first actuator is attached to the wing main body and the second actuator is attached to the flight control surface itself, allowing each to be lighter and more compact while collectively providing redundant functionality.
3Reliability
If multiple electric motors are used to create redundant driving force transmission paths, then reliability against jamming is improved, but size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The redundant actuation function is segmented into two separate actuators positioned at different locations (wing main body and flight control surface). This segmentation allows each actuator to be compact and fit within existing structural spaces, avoiding the need for a single large multi-motor assembly.
4Temperature
If the second actuator is integrated with the flight control surface, then heat release efficiency is improved, but the actuator structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The second actuator is merged with the flight control surface by directly attaching it to the flight control surface. The flight control surface itself serves as the heat dissipation structure, eliminating the need for separate heat sinks or cooling systems. This merging achieves efficient heat release while actually simplifying the overall structure rather than complicating it.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
An aircraft steering system (10A) includes: a first actuator (21) attached to a wing main body (11); a horn arm (13) configured to transmit an output of the first actuator (21) to a flight control surface (12); and a second actuator (22) that is a rotary actuator and attached to the flight control surface (12). At least one of the first actuator (21) and the second actuator (22) is an electromechanical actuator (EMA). A first end of the horn arm (13) is coupled to an output terminal (21a) of the first actuator (21), and a second end of the horn arm (13) is fixed to an output terminal (22a) of the second actuator (22). The second actuator (22) is attached to the flight control surface (12) such that a turning axis of the output terminal (22a) is parallel to or coincides with a fulcrum axis (hinge line) of the flight control surface (12).