Control surface actuator assemblies, aircraft hydraulic systems including the same, and associated aircraft and methods. A control surface actuator assembly includes a flight control surface operatively coupled to a support structure, a torque-generating hydraulic actuator configured to apply a torque to pivot the flight control surface, and a variable horn radius (VHR) hydraulic actuator configured to vary an actuator moment arm length for pivoting the flight control surface. In some examples, an aircraft hydraulic system includes such control surface actuator assemblies, and an aircraft includes such aircraft hydraulic systems. In some examples, a method of operating one or more flight control surfaces of an aircraft includes controlling a selected flight control surface by adjusting, with a VHR hydraulic actuator, an actuator moment arm length corresponding to the selected flight control surface and pivoting, with a torque-generating hydraulic actuator, the selected flight control surface.

A hydraulic system may include a reservoir of hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic pump, a directional control valve, a hydraulic work loop, a bypass valve, and a hydraulic motor, as well as a plurality of hydraulic conduits interconnecting such components. When excessive hydraulic backpressures are encountered, the system may employ one or more bypass valves and one or more bypass conduits to automatically, and in an on-demand manner, return some or all of the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic motor to the hydraulic reservoir without the hydraulic fluid passing through flow constrictions causing the excessive hydraulic backpressures.

A hydraulic system may include a reservoir of hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic pump, a directional control valve, a hydraulic work loop, a bypass valve, and a hydraulic motor, as well as a plurality of hydraulic conduits interconnecting such components. When excessive hydraulic backpressures are encountered, the system may employ one or more bypass valves and one or more bypass conduits to automatically, and in an on-demand manner, return some or all of the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic motor to the hydraulic reservoir without the hydraulic fluid passing through flow constrictions causing the excessive hydraulic backpressures.

The present application is directed to a system for converting linear motion to rotary motion. The system includes at least first and second cylinders. The first and second cylinders are in fluid communication with each other. The system also includes a first piston. The first piston is slidably disposed in the first cylinder. The system further includes a second piston. The second piston is slidably disposed in the second cylinder. The first and second cylinders contain an incompressible fluid. The first piston is in operative connection with the second piston such that movement of the first piston in a first direction causes movement of the second piston in a second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.

The present application is directed to a system for converting linear motion to rotary motion. The system includes at least first and second cylinders. The first and second cylinders are in fluid communication with each other. The system also includes a first piston. The first piston is slidably disposed in the first cylinder. The system further includes a second piston. The second piston is slidably disposed in the second cylinder. The first and second cylinders contain an incompressible fluid. The first piston is in operative connection with the second piston such that movement of the first piston in a first direction causes movement of the second piston in a second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.

A pneumatic valve drive (1) for a valve (2), in particular for a vacuum valve, which has at least one pneumatic cylinder (3) with at least one piston (4) that is movably mounted in the pneumatic cylinder (3) and at least two cylinder cavities (5, 6) arranged on opposite sides of the piston (4). Each cylinder cavity (5, 6) is connected to at least one pressure source for applying pressure to each cylinder cavity (5, 6). One of the pressure sources is a constant pressure source (7) for applying a constant pressure to the cylinder cavity (5) arranged on one of the sides of the piston, and one of the other pressure sources is a regulated pressure source (8) for applying a variably regulatable pressure to the cylinder cavity (6) arranged on the opposite side of the piston (4).

A pneumatic valve drive (1) for a valve (2), in particular for a vacuum valve, which has at least one pneumatic cylinder (3) with at least one piston (4) that is movably mounted in the pneumatic cylinder (3) and at least two cylinder cavities (5, 6) arranged on opposite sides of the piston (4). Each cylinder cavity (5, 6) is connected to at least one pressure source for applying pressure to each cylinder cavity (5, 6). One of the pressure sources is a constant pressure source (7) for applying a constant pressure to the cylinder cavity (5) arranged on one of the sides of the piston, and one of the other pressure sources is a regulated pressure source (8) for applying a variably regulatable pressure to the cylinder cavity (6) arranged on the opposite side of the piston (4).

A servo brake cylinder for a distributed brake system with an electric motor, a ball screw assembly with a lead screw and a nut, a piston, a cylinder body is disclosed. The electric motor is connected to the ball screw assembly. The piston is installed in the hollow inner space of the cylinder body, slidable axially. The piston has a hole at the center formed by three sections of surfaces including a first cone surface, a cylindrical surface a second cone surface. One end of the lead screw is connected with the nut, and the other end at the tip of the lead screw has three sections of surfaces including a gradually constricting cone surface from the tip followed by a cylindrical surface, further followed by a gradually expanding cone surface. These surface sections at the lead screw and the three sections of the surfaces at the hole of the piston form an inlet valve and an outlet valve between the piston and the lead screw.

A servo brake cylinder for a distributed brake system with an electric motor, a ball screw assembly with a lead screw and a nut, a piston, a cylinder body is disclosed. The electric motor is connected to the ball screw assembly. The piston is installed in the hollow inner space of the cylinder body, slidable axially. The piston has a hole at the center formed by three sections of surfaces including a first cone surface, a cylindrical surface a second cone surface. One end of the lead screw is connected with the nut, and the other end at the tip of the lead screw has three sections of surfaces including a gradually constricting cone surface from the tip followed by a cylindrical surface, further followed by a gradually expanding cone surface. These surface sections at the lead screw and the three sections of the surfaces at the hole of the piston form an inlet valve and an outlet valve between the piston and the lead screw.

A hydraulic forceps system includes: robotic forceps including: a gripper, first piston coupled to the gripper, first cylinder forming first pressure chamber, filled with a hydraulic fluid, together with the first piston, second piston, second cylinder forming a second pressure chamber, filled with hydraulic fluid, together with the second piston, communication passage through which the chambers communicate, motor that drives the second piston via a linear motion mechanism; control device that controls the motor based on a command position for the first piston; and position sensor used for detecting a position of the second piston. The control device includes: an observer that derives an estimated position of the first piston based on the position of the second detected by the sensor; and a position controller that derives a target rotational speed of the motor based on a deviation between the estimated position of the first piston and the command position.