Helicopter Light Unit Inverse Differential Gear Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional exterior helicopter light units are bulky and heavy, making them difficult to move, especially in adverse conditions such as icy or windy environments, due to the presence of motors near the light head.
Innovation Solution
An exterior helicopter light unit with a movable light head that uses an inverse differential gear assembly to couple two motors, allowing for tilting and rotating of the light head without a motor near the light head, thus eliminating the need for a bulky motor on the light arm and enabling a lighter, more flexible design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a motor is placed near the light head to enable tilting and rotating, then the light head can be actuated, but the structure becomes bulky and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The motor is extracted from the light head assembly and relocated to the helicopter body. Only the gear assembly remains at the light head, which significantly reduces the weight and bulk of the moving light head component while maintaining the actuation capability through the gear mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the motor at the light head and using a gear assembly to transmit motion, the invention inverts the arrangement by placing the gear assembly at the light head and transmitting motion from the motor located at the helicopter body through a connecting rod.
2Ease of operation
If a motor and gear assembly are mounted on the light arm, then the light head can be moved, but the structure becomes bulky and difficult to move in adverse conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The motor is extracted from the light arm structure and mounted on the helicopter body, leaving only the essential gear assembly and connecting rod on the light arm. This extraction reduces the structural complexity and weight of the moving components.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuation system is segmented into two parts: the motor mounted on the helicopter body and the gear assembly mounted on the light arm. This segmentation allows the heavy motor to be stationary while only the lighter gear assembly moves with the light head.
3Weight of moving object
If the light head structure is made lighter to improve movability, then it can be moved more easily, but the structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The motor is extracted from the light head structure, removing the heaviest component from the moving assembly. This allows the light head structure to be optimized for minimal weight while the motor, which requires significant mass for torque generation, remains stationary on the helicopter body.
Data Source
AI summary
An exterior helicopter light unit is disclosed that comprises a movable light head comprising a light source, a first motor and a second motor for actuating the movable light head, and an inverse differential gear assembly coupling the first and second motors to the movable light head in such a way that the first and second motors can tilt and rotate the movable light head in operation.