Aircraft Control Surface Actuator with Parallel Drive Shaft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft flight control systems occupy significant space and interfere with the thin wing structure, making it difficult to actuate control surfaces efficiently in thin-wing aircraft designs without compromising the structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A compact actuating device with a rotating frame, connecting rod, and slider mechanism that converts translational displacement into rotational movement, allowing the drive shaft to be parallel to the wing spar and enabling control surface actuation with a substantial angle of travel, up to 140 degrees, without interfering with the structural components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional actuating devices (control gear, reducers, cylinders) are used, then control surfaces can be actuated, but the devices occupy significant space and interfere with thin wing structure
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating device is nested within the mechanical unit for displacing the control surface. The drive shaft is received by the mechanical unit, and the connecting rod is received by the drive shaft, creating a compact nested arrangement that fits within the thin wing profile without interfering with structural components
Solution Approach 2:
The drive shaft is oriented parallel to the wing spar (changing the dimensional arrangement from traditional perpendicular or radial orientations), and the connecting rod converts translational displacement along the drive shaft into rotational movement of the control surface, efficiently utilizing the limited space in the thin wing structure
2Volume of moving object
If drive shaft is oriented parallel to wing spar to reduce space, then space efficiency improves, but converting translation to rotation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting rod acts as an intermediary element between the drive shaft and the control surface. It receives translational displacement from the drive shaft and converts it into rotational movement of the control surface, simplifying the overall mechanism while maintaining the space-efficient parallel orientation of the drive shaft
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
The solution provides a space-efficient actuation system that allows for significant control surface travel angles while minimizing interference with the wing structure, reducing the required torque and motor size, and optimizing space usage in thin-wing aircraft.
Implementation Method 1
first connecting means between the slider and the connecting rod in order to convert a displacement in translation of the slider generated by the drive member into a displacement in rotation of the connecting rod
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (4) for actuating a control surface (2) of an aircraft, comprising: —a frame intended to be mounted fixed in relation to a structure of an aircraft, —a bell crank part (7) mobile in rotation in relation to the frame around an axis of rotation (X, X′) and adapted in order to be connected to a mechanical unit (1) for displacement of the control surface (2), —a slider (6) intended to be connected to a drive member (5), the slider (6) being mobile in translation in relation to the frame according to a direction of translation, parallel to the axis of rotation (X, X′) of the bell crank part (7), —first connecting means (61) between the slider (6) and the bell crank part (7) in order to convert a displacement in translation of the slider (6) generated by the drive member (5) into a displacement in rotation of the bell crank part (7), in order to actuate the mechanical unit (1) for displacement of the control surface (2), an input part (53, 16) able to be driven in rotation by the motor, —a control rod mounted fixed in relation to the frame and extending parallel to the axis of rotation (X) of the input part and at a distance from the latter, in order to block in rotation the slider in relation to the frame and authorize a translation of the slider in relation to the frame, the control rod extends through the slider (6). Application specific to the actuating of control surfaces incorporated into a thin airfoil.