An actuator includes a ball screw, a rod provided at least partially within the ball screw, a ball nut, a ball nut restraint, a first biasing member disposed at least partially between a proximate end of the rod and a proximate end of the ball screw, and a second biasing member disposed at least partially between a distal end of the ball nut and an inner surface of the ball nut restraint.

An actuator comprising: an inner cylinder received in an outer cylinder and a piston received in the inner cylinder that extends from the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, the piston being slideable relative to the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder in response to the application of fluid pressure to cause the piston to extend further from the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder; and an auxiliary drive mechanism operable to cause the inner cylinder to extend from the outer cylinder, wherein the piston moves together with the inner cylinder relative to the outer cylinder.

A ball screw assembly for use in an actuator is provided. The ball to screw assembly may include a ball screw supported for rotation by the actuator. A ball nut may be provided around the ball screw and may be held against rotation with the ball screw by said actuator. A primary load path may be provided between the ball screw and the ball nut for operatively coupling the ball nut with the ball screw. A secondary load path may be provided between the ball screw and the ball nut, wherein the secondary load path can be disengaged during a normal operating mode of the ball screw assembly and the secondary load path can be engaged during a second operating mode of the ball screw assembly.

An exemplary apparatus includes a common movable driving member for actuating a plurality of flight control surfaces; a first power transfer device configured to variably adjust power transfer from the common movable driving member to a first of the plurality of flight control surfaces; and a second power transfer device configured to variably adjust power transfer from the common movable driving member to a second of the plurality of flight control surfaces. The power transferred to the second flight control surface may be adjusted independently of the power transferred to the first flight control surface. Apparatus and methods for actuating flight control surfaces using magneto-rheological fluid or electro-rheological fluid are also disclosed.

The invention relates to an overload clutch for a drive gear mechanism for driving components of an aircraft wing, in particular for driving an outer slat flap of an aircraft wing, with at least one driving and at least one driven clutch body and with at least one torque transmission body arranged therebetween. The invention further relates to a drive gear mechanism with a corresponding overload clutch.

A connection for a lower attachment for a trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator (THSA) for connecting the lower attachment to a flight control surface. The attachment includes: a surface bracket for coupling to the flight control surface, the surface bracket mounted about a gimbal of the lower attachment by a bushing disposed between the gimbal and the surface bracket; a failsafe plate fittingly engaged on a first end of the bushing; and a tightening ring mounted on a second end of the bushing opposite the first end and secured to the surface bracket by at least one contact screw, such that the contact screw is operable to urge the bushing against the failsafe plate.

A check device is provided for a flight actuator primary load path failure detection device of the type that disconnects a position sensor from the primary load path in the event of a primary load path failure. The check device comprises: a mechanical linkage for simulating disconnection of the position sensor by permitting relative movement of at least first and second mechanical parts of the actuator that are unable to move relative to one another in normal use without failure of the primary load path, wherein these first and second mechanical parts, include a first mechanical part with movement detected by the position sensor of the primary load path failure detection device.

An electro hydrostatic actuator (EHA) comprises a hydraulic pump and an electric motor driving the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump comprises an inlet and an outlet for hydraulic fluid and an active fluid flow path arranged therebetween such that, in an active mode of operation when the pump is driven by the electric motor, hydraulic fluid is actively drawn in through the inlet and exhausted out through the outlet. The hydraulic pump further comprises a bypass flow path arranged between the pump inlet and outlet, such that, in a damping mode of operation, hydraulic fluid is able to freely flow between the inlet and outlet in either direction.

An actuator assembly having a primary load path for tightly coupling an actuated surface to a reference structure and a secondary load path having a backlash portion for coupling the actuated surface to the reference structure with backlash, wherein the secondary load path is unloaded during an operative state of the primary load path and loaded during a failure state of the primary load path. The actuator assembly includes at least one sensor configured to sense the failure state of the primary load path when a relative displacement between a portion of the primary load path and a portion of the secondary load path exceeds a predetermined value or is within a predetermined range of values.

An electromechanical actuator (EMA) is provided with redundant load paths for driving the actuator stroke. The EMA includes a rotatable screw, a nut mated with the screw and having an external toothed surface, and a rotatable spline member having a splined surface engaging the external toothed surface of the nut. An actuator rod is coupled to the nut for linear movement with the nut. A first motor is operable to rotate the screw relative to the nut to cause the nut to travel linearly along the screw, and a second motor is operable to rotate the spline member and nut such that the nut travels linearly along the screw. Consequently, the actuator rod moves linearly by operation of the first motor alone, by operation of the second motor alone, and by simultaneous operation of the first and second motors. A no-back device may be incorporated into each load path.