Electromechanical Boost Actuator for Aircraft Flight Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large aircraft require significant mechanical force to move flight controls, which can exceed human capability, and existing hydraulic boost actuator systems are complex, heavy, and power-intensive, necessitating redundancy and reducing payload capacity.
Innovation Solution
An electromechanical boost actuator system with a three-bar linkage mechanism and position sensor that activates electric motors in response to pilot input, ensuring precise control of flight surfaces without hydraulic systems, featuring redundant load paths for reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If hydraulic boost actuator systems are used to provide sufficient mechanical force for large aircraft flight controls, then the required force is achieved, but the system becomes complex, heavy, and power-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the hydraulic system from the boost actuator, replacing it with an electromechanical system. The hydraulic pumps, tubing, valves, and hydraulic cylinders are removed entirely, leaving only the essential electromechanical components (motor, jackscrew, nut) needed to generate the required mechanical force for flight control surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the hydraulic mechanical system with an electromechanical system. Instead of using hydraulic fluid pressure to generate force, the invention uses an electric motor driving a jackscrew mechanism to produce the necessary mechanical force, thereby substituting one mechanical approach with a different mechanical approach that eliminates hydraulic complexity.
2Force
If hydraulic boost actuator systems are used to move flight controls, then sufficient force is provided, but the system weight increases, reducing payload capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heavy hydraulic components (pumps, reservoirs, extensive tubing, valves, and hydraulic cylinders) from the system. By extracting these weight-intensive elements and replacing them with a compact electromechanical assembly, the overall weight of the boost actuator is significantly reduced, thereby increasing payload capacity.
3Ease of operation
If hydraulic pumps are continuously operated to power boost actuators, then flight controls can be moved, but power is continuously consumed from aircraft engines
Solution Approach 1:
The electromechanical boost actuator operates on demand rather than continuously. The electric motor is activated only when the pilot moves the flight control input, providing force during the actual control movement. Once the control surface reaches the desired position, the motor stops, eliminating continuous power consumption associated with hydraulic pump operation.
4Reliability
If hydraulic systems are used for flight control, then sufficient force is available, but redundancy and fault tolerance require additional heavy components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex hydraulic redundancy system involving multiple hydraulic circuits, cross-feed valves, and backup pumps. Instead, the invention achieves fault tolerance through a simpler electromechanical design where the motor can be independently controlled, and the control system can detect and respond to failures without requiring duplicate hydraulic infrastructure.
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
Enables efficient, reliable, and lightweight control of aircraft flight surfaces, reducing the need for hydraulic systems and enhancing payload capacity by leveraging electromechanical actuators with feedback mechanisms for precise positioning and redundancy.
Implementation Method 1
an electric motor that drives a jackscrew, a corresponding nut, or other apparatus for linear motion
Implementation Method 2
A position sensor is attached to and monitors the angular position of the pivoting bar about the fixed pivot location
Data Source
AI summary
An electromechanical boost actuator for aircraft flight control is attached to a mechanical input by a mechanical linkage. The mechanical linkage is also attached to the output shaft of the electromechanical boost actuator. When a pilot or control system manually moves the mechanical input, a position sensor attached to the linkage activates electric motor(s), extending or retracting the output shaft in the direction commanded by the pilot or control system. The motion of the output shaft, acting through the linkage, moves the position sensor to a neutral position, stopping the electric motor(s) and the output shaft when the output shaft reaches the commanded position. Additional linear actuators may inject another control signal in conjunction with the mechanical input.