Aircraft High-Lift Actuation System with Segmented Drive Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current high-lift actuation systems for aircraft are complex and heavy, requiring significant drive power and mechanical components, which hinders independent actuation of outboard and inboard devices, leading to increased weight, noise, and installation costs, while also limiting flexibility in variable camber systems.
Innovation Solution
A high-lift actuation system with independent drive devices for each high-lift surface, featuring local power drive units with interconnecting drivelines and a controller for synchronized or differential motion, eliminating the need for complex differential gearboxes and allowing for separate actuation of inboard and outboard surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a central drive unit with shared transmission shaft system is used to actuate high-lift surfaces, then synchronous deployment of all high-lift surfaces is assured, but system complexity and weight increase due to differential gearboxes, transmission shaft sections, joints, and bearings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the high-lift surface actuation system into separate inboard and outboard segments, each with independent drive units. This segmentation eliminates the need for a complex shared transmission shaft system while allowing independent control of each segment, thereby reducing system complexity and weight while maintaining the ability to achieve synchronous deployment when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical differential gearbox and transmission shaft system with an electronically controlled system. Each drive unit has its own motor and control system, allowing synchronous operation to be achieved through electronic coordination rather than mechanical coupling, significantly reducing the number of mechanical components.
2Power
If a central drive unit is positioned in the fuselage region, then drive power can be transmitted to both wings, but significant drive power and noise are required, and cabin noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the drive power system by placing drive units locally at each wing rather than centralizing them in the fuselage. This distribution of drive units eliminates the need for power transmission through the fuselage region and reduces noise generation in the cabin area, as each drive unit operates independently away from the cabin.
3Adaptability or versatility
If differential gearboxes are used to enable independent outboard device actuation, then variable camber capability is achieved, but system complexity and weight increase due to additional mechanical components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical differential gearbox architecture with an electronically controlled system. Each drive unit has independent motor control that can be programmed to achieve variable camber configurations without requiring additional mechanical components. The electronic control system provides the same adaptability as mechanical differentials but with significantly reduced complexity and weight.
4Adaptability or versatility
If individual drive units with dual motor speed summing arrangement are used, then independent surface actuation is achieved, but system weight increases due to dedicated motor brakes and differential gearboxes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the heavy components of motor brakes and differential gearboxes from the drive unit architecture. By using a simplified independent drive unit design with electronic control, the system achieves independent surface actuation without the weight penalty of these mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical speed summing arrangement and differential gearboxes with electronic control systems that coordinate multiple motors. This substitution eliminates the need for heavy mechanical components while maintaining the ability to independently actuate surfaces and provide redundant control capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A high-lift actuation system for actuating a plurality of high-lift surfaces of an aircraft is disclosed. An exemplary high-lift actuation system includes a centralized drive device for centralized actuation control of an inboard high-lift surface of a first wing and a second wing, respectively, and at least two independent drive devices for individual actuation control of an outboard high-lift surface of the first wing and the second wing, respectively. The centralized drive device may include a central power drive unit (PDU) operably coupled to a common central driveline for driving the inboard high-lift surfaces, and the common central driveline may be separate and spaced apart from a respective driveline of the independent drive devices. The common central driveline may mechanically synchronize movement of the inboard high-lift surfaces, and a controller may electronically coordinate synchronized movement and controlled differential movement of the plurality of high-lift surfaces.