Tilt Propeller Gearbox With Worm Drive to Prevent Backdriving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tilt propeller systems for eVTOL aircraft face challenges in achieving efficient and reliable tilt actuation, particularly in maintaining stability and control during failures, while also minimizing weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a tilt actuation apparatus that includes a tilt actuator with a rotor, a planetary gear set, a worm gear, and a gearbox configuration that provides a high gear reduction ratio and self-locking features to prevent backdriving, ensuring stable and controlled tilt operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tilt actuator system is designed with high gear reduction ratio and self-locking features, then stability and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple gear reduction mechanisms (planetary gear set and worm gear) into a single integrated gearbox assembly. The planetary gear set provides initial gear reduction while the worm gear provides additional reduction and self-locking capability, merging multiple functions into one compact unit that reduces overall system complexity while maintaining high reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The worm gear mechanism provides self-locking capability that automatically prevents backdriving of the tilt actuator without requiring additional locking mechanisms or control systems. This self-service feature maintains stability and control during actuator failures while avoiding the need for complex external locking systems
2Weight of moving object
If a compact tilt actuation system is designed, then weight and volume are reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the planetary gear set and worm gear into a single integrated gearbox, the patent reduces the total number of separate components and their associated mounting requirements. This consolidation decreases overall system weight while the integrated design allows for pre-assembled gear sets that can be manufactured with standard precision tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
The gearbox is designed as a modular integrated unit that can be manufactured and tested separately then installed as one assembly. This segmentation of the manufacturing process from the final system integration allows for controlled precision manufacturing of the gear sets while maintaining a compact overall system weight
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
This solution enhances the stability and control of tilt propellers by providing a compact, lightweight, and fail-safe tilt actuation system that maintains propulsion system orientation even in the event of actuator failures, thereby ensuring safe and efficient flight operations.
Implementation Method 1
a planetary gear set comprising a sun gear, a plurality of planetary gears, a planetary carrier, and a ring gear
Implementation Method 2
a worm gear concentrically coupled to an output of the planetary gear set; a worm wheel meshed with the worm gear
Data Source
AI summary
A tilt actuation apparatus for tilting a propulsion system of an aircraft, the tilt actuation apparatus comprising: a tilt actuator comprising a rotor; a gear set, wherein the rotor is coupled to the gear set, a worm gear concentrically coupled to an output of the gear set, a worm wheel meshed with the worm gear, a gear shaft concentrically coupled to the worm wheel, a pinion concentrically coupled to the gear shaft, and an output shaft coupled to an output of the pinion, the output shaft configured to be fixed to a frame of the aircraft.