Aircraft Actuator Assembly for Nonlinear Control Surface Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Historical actuator assemblies for aircraft control surfaces are heavy, complex, and offer excessive degrees of freedom, making them inefficient for nonlinear motion control.
Innovation Solution
The actuator assembly comprises a base structure, an actuated arm, a drive assembly, a linear actuator, and a joint with multiple axes of rotation, allowing the actuated arm to pivot relative to the base structure and move control surfaces through a defined range-of-motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If historical actuator assemblies use linear actuators with universal joints and gimbal joints to enable nonlinear motion of control surfaces, then the control surface can be moved in a nonlinear fashion, but the system becomes heavy, complicated, and provides excessive degrees of freedom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the universal joint and gimbal joint from the system, extracting only the essential linear actuator components (actuator shaft, actuated body, and mounting structure) needed to achieve control surface motion. This eliminates unnecessary degrees of freedom while maintaining the required nonlinear motion capability through direct pivotal coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using multiple joints to enable nonlinear motion, the patent inverts the approach by using a single linear actuator with pivotal couplings at both ends. The linear actuator's axis of rotation is deliberately spaced apart from the control surface's pivot axis, creating the nonlinear motion effect through geometric arrangement rather than mechanical joints.
2Adaptability or versatility
If historical actuator assemblies use multiple joints (universal joint and gimbal joint) to connect the linear actuator to the control surface, then nonlinear motion is achieved, but the weight of the actuator assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the heavy universal joint and gimbal joint components from the actuator assembly, retaining only the essential linear actuator and pivotal coupling mechanisms. This extraction of unnecessary components directly reduces the overall weight while preserving the nonlinear motion function through alternative geometric arrangement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If historical actuator assemblies use universal joints and gimbal joints to provide degrees of freedom for motion, then the control surface can move nonlinearly, but the number of degrees of freedom becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the universal joint and gimbal joint that provide excessive degrees of freedom, keeping only the single degree of freedom provided by the linear actuator. The nonlinear motion is achieved not through multiple rotational degrees of freedom but through the geometric relationship between the linear actuator's axis and the control surface's pivot axis.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces complexity and weight while providing precise control over control surfaces, enhancing motion efficiency and reducing wear on components.
Implementation Method 1
The actuator shaft and the actuated body are configured such that the actuated body operatively translates linearly along a length of the actuator shaft responsive to rotation of the actuator shaft about the actuator shaft axis of rotation
Implementation Method 2
an actuated arm that is pivotally coupled to the base structure via a base mount
Implementation Method 3
The joint defines a plurality of joint axes of rotation. The plurality of joint axes of rotation is spaced apart from the actuator shaft axis of rotation
Data Source
AI summary
Actuator assemblies and methods of utilizing the same are disclosed herein. The actuator assemblies include a base structure and an actuated arm that are pivotally coupled to the base structure. The actuator assemblies also include a drive assembly that is operatively attached to the base structure and includes an output shaft. The actuator assemblies further include a linear actuator that includes an actuator shaft and an actuated body. The actuator shaft is coupled to and configured to rotate with the output shaft about an actuator shaft axis of rotation. The actuator assemblies also include a linkage that is pivotally coupled to the actuated arm. In addition, the linkage is operatively attached to the actuated body via a joint. The joint defines a plurality of joint axes of rotation that are spaced apart from the actuator shaft axis of rotation of the actuator shaft.