Dual-Drive Control Surface Actuation With Selective Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive arrangements for vehicle control surfaces lack redundancy in case of malfunction or failure, relying on a single drive that can lead to system failure if it malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A drive arrangement with two drives that can be selectively engaged with an output member, allowing independent control and redundancy, using mechanisms such as Hirth joints, friction clutches, epicyclic gearboxes, and strain wave-type gearboxes to ensure continuous operation even if one drive fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single drive is used to manipulate the flight control surface, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to lack of redundancy in case of drive failure
Solution Approach 1:
The drive arrangement is segmented into multiple independent drive units (first drive and second drive), each capable of independently manipulating the flight control surface. This segmentation allows the system to maintain functionality even if one drive fails, thereby improving reliability through redundancy while managing complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
Both the first drive and second drive are designed to perform the same function of manipulating the flight control surface. The engaging means are also universal in that they can selectively connect either drive to the output member, allowing the system to adapt to different operational scenarios and maintain functionality regardless of which drive is active
2Reliability
If engaging means are added to selectively connect drives to the output member, then the reliability is improved through redundancy, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The engaging means are designed to be dynamically controllable, allowing selective connection and disconnection of drives to the output member during operation. This dynamic capability enables the system to switch between drives based on operational requirements or failure conditions, improving reliability while managing complexity through controlled adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The engaging means act as intermediary components between the drives and the output member, facilitating selective connection and disconnection. This intermediary mechanism allows the drives to be coupled or decoupled from the output member as needed, enabling redundancy management without requiring direct permanent connections, thus improving reliability while containing complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A drive arrangement for manipulating a vehicle control surface, comprises: a first drive; a second drive; an output member for connecting to the vehicle control surface; first engaging means for selectively engaging and disengaging the first drive and the output member; and second engaging means for selectively engaging and disengaging the second drive and the output member.