Virtual Elliptical Motor Redundancy via Segmented Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electric motor systems for primary flight control surfaces in large commercial aircraft require complex mechanical couplings and redundancy, which are heavy, inefficient, and introduce additional failure modes, reducing system reliability and performance.
Innovation Solution
A fault-tolerant virtual elliptical electric motor with at least five coil elements and a control processor for independent current control, operating in a pure torque sum configuration, allowing the motor to continue operating even if one or more coils or their controllers fail, without the need for speed summing or brake systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex mechanical couplings and speed summing systems are used for motor redundancy, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The motor controller is divided into multiple independent control channels, each capable of controlling a subset of coils. This segmentation allows individual channels to fail independently without affecting the entire system, achieving redundancy through functional division rather than mechanical duplication
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical redundancy systems (speed summing mechanisms, brakes, differential couplings) with an electrical control architecture that achieves fault tolerance through software and control logic. The mechanical system is substituted with an electronic control system that can detect and compensate for failures
2Reliability
If complex mechanical couplings and brake systems are used for motor redundancy, then fault tolerance is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates heavy mechanical components (brakes, speed summing mechanisms, differential gears) by replacing them with an electrical control system. The fault tolerance is achieved through electronic control that can detect coil failures and redistribute torque demands, eliminating the need for physical redundancy mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary mechanical components (brakes, speed summing mechanisms) from the system, keeping only the essential motor and control electronics. This extraction reduces weight while maintaining fault tolerance through intelligent control
3Reliability
If speed summing with brakes and differential is used for redundancy, then failure tolerance is improved, but mechanical efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces inefficient mechanical speed summing and braking systems with direct electrical control of multiple coils. This eliminates mechanical losses from gear meshes, bearing friction, and brake engagement, achieving fault tolerance through electrical torque distribution rather than mechanical power combining
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
The motor achieves reliable operation without redundancy or complex mechanical systems, maintaining performance and reducing failure points, as the remaining coils can compensate for failed ones by increasing torque, ensuring continuous operation without transition time.
Implementation Method 1
at least five coil elements constrained in a stator case; a drive plate supported by a fulcrum for nutating motion and having at least five core segments each associated with a respective one of the at least five coil elements for attraction upon activation
Data Source
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AI summary
A fault tolerant virtual elliptical electric motor has at least five coil elements constrained in a stator case. A drive plate is supported by a fulcrum for nutating motion and has at least five core segments each associated with a respective one of the at least five coil elements for attraction upon activation. A control processor provides independent current control to each of the at least five coil elements for activation responsive to a received position command and a received wobble angle input, inducing the at least five coil elements to operate in a pure torque sum configuration upon the drive plate.