Aircraft Coupling with Piezo-Actuated Friction Pads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft control systems rely on heavy and power-intensive magnetically operated clutch-brake devices for coupling and decoupling flight controls from actuators, which is undesirable for weight and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A coupling system using a brake plate with selectively biased friction pads, where the first friction pad is biased by a piezo actuator and a second pad by a resilient member, allowing for varying frictional resistance modes with reduced electrical power consumption, enabling lightweight and efficient coupling and decoupling of vehicle control levers from their actuators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a magnetically operated clutch-brake device is used for coupling and decoupling flight controls from actuators, then reliable coupling and decoupling operation is achieved, but the system becomes heavy and requires considerable electrical power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the magnetic clutch-brake system with a purely mechanical friction-based system. The friction pad directly contacts the brake plate to create frictional resistance, eliminating the need for electromagnetic actuators and complex magnetic field control mechanisms, thereby significantly reducing weight and power consumption while maintaining coupling functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the heavy electromagnetic components (electromagnets, armatures, magnetic field generation systems) from the coupling mechanism, retaining only the essential friction-based coupling function. This extraction of unnecessary components directly addresses the weight and power consumption issues
2Reliability
If a magnetically operated clutch-brake device is used for coupling and decoupling flight controls from actuators, then reliable coupling and decoupling operation is achieved, but the system requires considerable electrical power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the magnetic clutch-brake system with a purely mechanical friction-based system. The friction pad directly contacts the brake plate to create frictional resistance, eliminating the need for electromagnetic actuators and complex magnetic field control mechanisms, thereby significantly reducing weight and power consumption while maintaining coupling functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the heavy electromagnetic components (electromagnets, armatures, magnetic field generation systems) from the coupling mechanism, retaining only the essential friction-based coupling function. This extraction of unnecessary components directly addresses the weight and power consumption issues
3Stability of the object's composition
If the first friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a first force in a non-operational mode, then the control lever remains stable, but the actuator cannot effectively drive the control lever when operational
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic biasing force system where the force applied to the friction pad changes based on operational mode. In non-operational mode, a higher biasing force provides stability, while in operational mode, the biasing force is reduced to allow effective actuator driving. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between stability and actuator effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of biasing force magnitude based on operational state. By varying the biasing force from high (non-operational) to low (operational), the system achieves both stable control lever positioning when not in use and effective actuator-driven movement when operational, without requiring complex mechanical reconfiguration
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 lightweight and energy-efficient means to manage frictional resistance in aircraft control systems, ensuring reliable operation with reduced power requirements and maintaining precise control, while allowing for fail-safe modes and user-selectable operational states.
Implementation Method 1
A first friction pad (64) is operable to be selectively biased against the brake plate (70) by an actuator (62)
Implementation Method 2
A second friction pad (66) is biased into contact with the brake plate (70) by a resilient member (68)
Implementation Method 3
The first friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a first force; in a second mode of operation the first friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a second force
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling comprising a brake plate (70); a first friction pad (64) operable to be selectively biased against the brake plate (70). In a first mode of operation the first friction pad (64) is biased against the brake plate (70) by a first force. In a second mode of operation the first friction pad (64) is biased against the brake plate (70) by a second force. The second force is substantially greater than the first force.