ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY FOR MOVING A MOVABLE WING TIP OF AN AIRCRAFT

Abstract

An actuator assembly for moving a movable aerodynamic surface of an aircraft is disclosed including an input section for introducing an externally provided rotary motion into the actuator assembly, and a geared rotary actuator having at least one actuator slice having a planetary gear with a sun gear couplable to the input section, a fixed gear attachable to a fixed component of the aircraft and an output gear couplable with the movable aerodynamic surface. At least one clutch is connected to the geared rotary actuator and is configured to couple the movable surface with the input section and to selectively decouple the movable surface from the input section, such that it is freely movable.

Claims

1. An actuator assembly for moving a movable aerodynamic surface of an aircraft, comprising: an input section for introducing an externally provided rotary motion into the actuator assembly, and a geared rotary actuator having at least one actuator slice comprising a planetary gear with a sun gear couplable to the input section, a fixed gear attachable to a fixed component of the aircraft and an output gear couplable with the movable aerodynamic surface, wherein at least one clutch is connected to the geared rotary actuator and is configured to couple the movable surface with the input section and to selectively decouple the movable surface from the input section, such that it is freely movable.

2. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the input section comprises an input shaft, which comprises or is coupled with the sun gear.

3. The actuator assembly of claim 2, wherein the input shaft completely extends through the at least one actuator slice, wherein a first end of the input shaft is couplable with a drive unit and wherein a second end of the input shaft is couplable with a brake.

4. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one clutch is arranged upstream of the at least one actuator slice.

5. The actuator assembly of claim 3, wherein two clutches are provided, wherein a first clutch is arranged upstream of the at least one actuator slice in the region of the first end, and wherein a second clutch is arranged downstream, of the at least one actuator slice in the region of the second end, such that the movable surface is decouplable from a brake that is couplable with the second end.

6. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one clutch is arranged in or at the at least one actuator slice, such that the respective output gear is decouplable from the remaining part of the respective planetary gear.

7. The actuator assembly of claim 6, wherein a clutch is arranged at each output gear of each of the at least one actuator slice to selectively decouple the respective output gear from the movable surface.

8. The actuator assembly of claim 6, wherein at least a part of the output gear of each of the at least one actuator slice is movable along a central axis of the geared rotary actuator in a first direction to decouple the respective output gear from the remaining part of the respective planetary gear, and in a second direction to couple the respective output gear to the remaining part of the respective planetary gear.

9. The actuator assembly of claim 8, further comprising a spring unit configured to urge the respective output gear to the second direction.

10. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one clutch comprises a first element and a second element, wherein the first element comprises a first toothing, wherein the second element comprise a second toothing, and wherein the first toothing and the second toothing are configured to engage each other upon flush contact of the elements to transfer a torque.

11. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one clutch actuator is provided to selectively open or close the at least one clutch.

12. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one clutch comprises a bearing (88) having rolling elements to reduce a required clutch actuation force.

13. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein one of the first toothing and the second toothing comprises rollers rotatably supported in one of the first clutch disc and the second clutch disc, wherein the other one of the first toothing and the second toothing is configured to receive the rollers.

14. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein in that the actuator assembly further comprises at least one lug, wherein a first lug is couplable with the fixed component and wherein a second lug is couplable with the movable surface, wherein the at least one clutch is configured to selectively decouple the output gear from the second lug.

15. A wing structure, comprising: a fixed wing portion, a hinge, a movable wing tip portion coupled to the fixed wing portion through the hinge, and at least one actuator assembly, wherein the at least one actuator assembly is coupled with the fixed wing portion and the wing tip portion to selectively move the wing tip portion about the hinge, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a clutch to selectively decouple the wing tip portion from the actuator assembly, such that it freely rotates about the hinge.

16. The wing structure of claim 15, wherein the at least one actuator assembly comprises: an input section for introducing an externally provided rotary motion into the actuator assembly, and a geared rotary actuator having at least one actuator slice comprising a planetary gear with a sun gear couplable to the input section, a fixed gear attachable to a fixed component of the aircraft and an output gear couplable with the movable aerodynamic surface, wherein at least one clutch is connected to the geared rotary actuator and is configured to couple the movable surface with the input section and to selectively decouple the movable surface from the input section, such that it is freely movable.

17. An aircraft, comprising the wing structure of claim 15.

18. An aircraft, comprising a movable aerodynamic surface and the actuator assembly according to the claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Other characteristics, advantages and potential applications of the present invention result from the following description of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the Figures. In this respect, all described and/or graphically illustrated characteristics also form the object of the invention individually and in arbitrary combination regardless of their composition in the individual claims or their references to other claims. Furthermore, identical or similar objects are identified by the same reference symbols in the Figures.

[0031] FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 show various illustrations of a first exemplary embodiment.

[0032] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show a second exemplary embodiment.

[0033] FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show a third exemplary embodiment.

[0034] FIG. 8 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment.

[0035] FIG. 9 shows an aircraft having a wing structure, into which an actuator assembly is integrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0036] FIG. 1 shows an actuator assembly 2 in a schematic view. Here, the actuator assembly 2 comprises a geared rotary actuator 4 having a plurality of actuator slices 6, which comprise a planetary gear. All actuator slices 6 are attached to one another along a central axis 8. An input section 10 is provided for introducing an externally provided rotary motion into the actuator assembly 2. As an example, then input section 10 is coupled to a drive unit 12, which may comprise a redundant arrangement of two motors, a differential gear, and an output shaft. The drive unit 12 is connected to a first shaft 14, which is connected to a first bevel gear 16. In doing so, the drive unit 12 may be placed in a region lateral to the central axis 8. The input section 10 comprises an input shaft 18 that extends along the central axis 8 from a first end 22 to a second end 22. At the second end 22 a second bevel gear 24 is provided, which is connected to a second shaft 26. Here, the brake 28 as well as a system position sensor 30 are arranged.

[0037] The actuator slices 6 are coupled with first lugs 32 couplable with a fixed component 34, such as a wing box, which may comprise stiffening elements such as stringers, spars and skin portions. In this example, the actuator assembly 2 is arranged in a wing structure of an aircraft, which is described further below. Also, output gears (not shown) of the actuator slices 6 are coupled with second lugs 36, which are coupled with a movable surface 38. The surface 38 may be a wing tip portion, which is swivably arranged on the central axis 8, which is thus also a swivel axis. By driving the geared rotary actuator 4, the second lugs 36 swivel the surface 38 about the central axis 8.

[0038] For reducing structural loads in certain conditions it is desirable to decouple the surface 38 from the fixed component 34. For achieving this, it is decouplable from the input section 10, such that it is freely swivable. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a first clutch 40 and a second clutch 42 are provided. The first clutch 40 is arranged in the region of the first end 20. The second clutch 42 is arranged in the region of the second end 22. Both clutches 40 and 42 are adapted to selectively disengage the input shaft 18 from the actuator slices 6. In this exemplary embodiment, the clutches 40 and 42 are arranged upstream of the geared rotary actuator 4, i.e. between the input shaft 18 and the geared rotary actuator 4.

[0039] The arrangement of elements shown in FIG. 1, i.e. gears, gearboxes, brake, drive unit and shaft elements depends on the installation constraints and is not limiting the subject-matter of the invention. It may also be possible to use an arrangement without shafts and gearboxes, e.g. having drive units directly mounted on the geared rotary actuator.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a detail of on actuator slice 6, the input section 10 and the first clutch 40. The input section 10 exemplarily comprises an input gear stage 11, which is coupled to the input shaft 18. The detailed setup of this input gear stage 11 is not crucial for the invention and it may be selected by a skilled person appropriately.

[0041] For transferring torque from the input shaft 18 to the first actuator slice 6, the first clutch 40 comprises a first element in the form of a first clutch disc 46 and a second element in the form of a second clutch disc 48. The second clutch disc 48 is coupled with a sun gear 44 through a hollow shaft 45. A lever 50 is movable by a clutch actuator (not shown herein), which is designed to let the clutch discs 46 and 48 contact or to separate them from each other. The first clutch disc 46 comprises a first toothing 52, while the second clutch disc 48 comprises a second toothing 54. The toothings 52 and 54 are designed to complement each other, such that they mesh with in a torque-transferring manner when the clutch discs 46 and 48 contact each other. Hence, the first clutch 40 can selectively couple the actuator slice 6 with the input shaft 18 or decouple it therefrom.

[0042] For the sake of completeness, the actuator slice 6 comprises a ring gear 56, which meshes with planet gears 58. The planet gears 58 may be supported by a cage 60, which is coupled to the fixed component 34 through the first lug 32. The ring gear 56 constitutes the output gear and comprises the second lug 36 for driving the movable component 38.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows simplified illustrations of the first clutch 40 and the second clutch 42. Here, the first clutch 40 and the second clutch 42 comprise a first clutch disc 46 and a second clutch disc 48. Both clutches 40 and 42 are shown in the disengaged state, where the toothings 52 and 54 are separated from each other. In each of the clutches 40 and 42, a clutch actuator 62 is connected to the clutch lever 50, which exemplarily moved the first clutch disc 46 along the central axis 8. The clutch actuator 62 may be provided in the form of a hydraulic actuators, or an electrical or electromechanical actuators, e.g. in the form of a ball spindle drive with a low gear ratio.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows another actuator assembly 64, which differs from the assembly 2 of FIG. 1. Here, clutches 66 are provided, which may be designed similarly to the first clutch 40 and the second clutch 42. However, in this exemplary embodiment the clutches 66 are fully integrated into a geared rotary actuator 68, i.e. directly in actuator slices 70 to selectively decouple the respective output gears 56 from the surface 38. This is further explained in conjunction with FIG. 5.

[0045] Here, the output gear 56 is arranged inside an output member 57, which is coupled with two first clutch discs 46 at both axial sides. Two second clutch discs 48 can be brought into engagement or disengagement with the first clutch discs 46 for selectively coupling the output gear 56 with the output member 57. For this, the second clutch discs 48 are movable through clutch actuators 62, which are provided as hydraulic actuators and are selectively supplied with hydraulics fluid through a solenoid valve 72. For providing a reversing force, springs 73 are provided. The valve 72 may comprise a very low reaction time in the region of 10 to 20 ms. Thus, upon request, both second clutch discs 48 can rapidly be disengaged from the first clutch discs 46 to disengage the associated output gear 56. All actuators 62 may be attached to the output member 57 and coupled with a flexible hose 74 for receiving hydraulics fluid. Thus, if the output member 57 moves about the central axis 8, the flexible hose 74 compensates a positional offset.

[0046] FIG. 6 shows a still further exemplary embodiment in the form of an actuator assembly 76. Here, a geared rotary actuator 78 has several actuator slices 80 with integrated clutches 82. Here, each output gear 56 comprises a first clutch disc 46, which is engageable or disengageable from a second clutch disc 48. However, different than in FIG. 5, only one axial side of the output gear 56 comprises such an arrangement. This is further explained in conjunction with FIG. 7.

[0047] It becomes apparent that by moving all output gears 56 along the central axis 8 towards the first end 20, the first clutch discs 46 are disengaged from the second clutch discs 48. To reverse this motion, a spring unit 84 is provided in the region of the first end 20, which is compressed during said motion and which expands if an actuation force is removed. A clutch actuator 86 is arranged in the region of the second end 22. As shown in FIG. 7, sleeve bearings 88 are provided on the side of the output gear 56 facing away from the associated first clutch disc 46.

[0048] A component position sensor 90 is directly coupled with the component 38 in addition to the system position sensor 30. Thus, a control unit may gather the exact position of the movable component 38 after it has been decoupled from the input shaft 18.

[0049] FIG. 8 shows an upper part of a sectional view of a further actuator assembly 92, which is a modification of the assembly 64 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Here, the ring gear 56 is separated from the second lugs 36, which are indicated by an arrow onto a first clutch disc 46 of a clutch 93. The first clutch disc 46 as well as the ring gear 56 comprise circumferential grooves 94 and 96 at the same axial position, which enclose a first set of rollers 98 for rotatably supporting the first clutch disc 46 on the ring gear 56. The first toothing 52 is provided for receiving rollers 100, which are rotatably supported on a second clutch disc 48. Exemplarily, this is conducted by a needle bearing 102 held by a bolt 104 pressed or screwed into the second clutch disc 48. The second clutch disc 48 is axially and concentrically supported by a second set of rollers 106 running in axial grooves 108 and 110 provided in the second clutch disc 48 and the ring gear 56. A spring 73 is placed between a flange 112 of the ring gear 56 and the second clutch disc 48 and provides a reversing force to clutch actuators 62. As shown in FIG. 5, a hose 74 is coupled with the clutch actuators 62 to supply hydraulics fluid. In this exemplary embodiment, very short reaction times for engaging or disengaging the clutch 93 can be realized.

[0050] Lastly, FIG. 9 shows an aircraft 114 having a wing structure 116 comprising a fixed wing portion 118, a hinge 120 and a movable wing tip portion 122. For moving the wing tip portion 122, and actuator assembly 2 is provided, wherein the central axis 8 of the actuator assembly 2 is parallel to a longitudinal axis x of the aircraft 114 as an example. However, it may also enclose an angle of up to 10 or 20° with the longitudinal axis. The other actuator assemblies 64, 76 and 92 are also applicable to be integrated into the aircraft 114.

[0051] In addition, it should be pointed out that “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plural number. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that characteristics or steps which have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference characters in the claims are not to be interpreted as limitations.