Actuator position sensor mechanism

Abstract

The system of the present disclosure provides two or more sensors located on two parallel transmission or kinematic paths having different ratios with respect to the actuator position. Each sensor provides a different position measurement output and the difference between the sensor outputs provides a reduced indication of the position of the actuator/moved component. Integrating sensors in the reduction path avoids the need for the reduction gear mechanism.

Claims

1. An actuation system comprising: an actuator assembly comprising an actuator shaft arranged to be rotated or moved linearly in response to an actuator control signal; a position sensor configured to provide an indication of a position of an object moved by rotation or movement of the actuator shaft; and an actuator position measurement assembly comprising: a first path arranged to provide a first output comprising a position of an actuator factored by a first ratio; a second path arranged to provide a second output comprising the position of the actuator factored by a second, different ratio; and a differential gear mechanism arranged to compare the first and second outputs and to provide a difference between the first and second outputs as the input to the position sensor; wherein the actuator shaft is coupled to the first and second paths.

2. The actuation system of claim 1, wherein the actuator shaft is an actuator screw shaft on which is mounted an actuator nut, wherein rotation of the actuator screw shaft causes a relative axial movement of the actuator nut along the shaft.

3. The actuation system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a component to be moved, the component to be moved coupled to the actuator nut.

4. The actuation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator position measurement assembly further includes a third path arranged to provide a third output comprising a position of the actuator factored by a third, different ratio, the comparator providing a difference between the first, second and third outputs to the position sensor device.

5. The actuation system of claim 4, wherein the actuator shaft is an actuator screw shaft on which is mounted an actuator nut, wherein rotation of the actuator screw shaft causes a relative axial movement of the actuator nut along the shaft.

6. The actuation system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a component to be moved, the component to be moved coupled to the actuator nut.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional position measurement system for an actuator assembly.

(2) FIG. 2 is a more detailed schematic diagram of the position sensor gear train of a system such as shown in FIG. 1, with a detail of the coupling device.

(3) FIG. 3 shows the principle of a modified assembly according to the present disclosure.

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an actuator assembly and position determining assembly using the principle shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, conventional systems will first be described. As briefly described above, in a conventional system, the actuator mechanism comprises an actuator screw shaft 10 that rotates in accordance with a position control signal e.g. from a motor or other control. In an aircraft, for example, this control signal could be generated automatically from flight controls, or mechanically by e.g. movement of a lever by a pilot. Rotation of the actuator screw shaft 10 causes axial movement of an actuator nut (not shown) mounted on the shaft. The actuator nut is coupled to the component to be moved e.g. the horizontal stabilizer, so that the control command causes the shaft to rotate which causes the nut to move axially which causes corresponding movement of the stabilizer or other component to be moved. Other types of actuators are, of course, known and the system of the present disclosure can be adapted to determine the position of different types of actuator.

(6) It is necessary, for safe and reliable control, to measure or determine the position of the stabilizer or other moved component during its movement. This is performed in the example shown by a position sensor assembly which determines the position of the actuator nut, and hence the stabilizer, by monitoring the rotation of the actuator screw shaft 10. The position sensor assembly is coupled to the rotating actuator screw shaft e.g. via a gear mechanism comprising an actuator screw shaft gear wheel 20 in intermeshing engagement with a sensor wheel 4 of the sensor assembly. Rotation of the actuator screw shaft therefore causes rotation of the actuator screw shaft gear wheel 20 which in turn causes rotation of the sensor wheel 4. Rotation of the sensor wheel 4 causes rotation of a sensor shaft 40 on which the sensor wheel is mounted. In different types of actuator, position sensor assemblies are coupled to measure movement e.g. linear movement, of actuator parts as an indication of the position of the component being moved by the actuator.

(7) The sensor shaft is therefore coupled to a reduction gear box 3 which, in turn, is connected to a position sensor 1 via a coupling device 2. A preferred coupling device is shown in more detail in the dashed line extract of FIG. 2. This combined reduction train of the reduction gear box and coupling device provides an encoded position indication to the position sensor from which the position sensor 1 can determine the rotation of the actuator screw shaft and, hence, the actuator nut and, hence the component to be moved (not shown). Problems with such conventional systems have been outlined above.

(8) The system of the present disclosure avoids the need for the reduction gear and resolver and simplifies the interface between the actuator output and the position sensor system. The system of the present disclosure provides two or more sensors located at different positions in the actuator's transmission path. Each sensor provides a different position measurement output and the difference between the sensor outputs provides a reduced indication of the position of the actuator/moved component. Integrating sensors in the reduction path avoids the need for the reduction gear mechanism.

(9) The principles of the system of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

(10) FIG. 3 shows the basic principles of operation. The actuator provides a system output 100 indicative of its position. The actuator may be linear, rotational etc. and the system output will therefore be a linear, angular etc. value indicative of actuator position p. This output needs to be provided to the position sensor in a reduced form that the position sensor can use to provide a useful indication of the position of the actuator (and, hence, the moveable component). To do this, two (in this case, although more can be used) outputs p.r.sub.1 200 and p.r.sub.2 300 are taken from two parallel kinematic or transmission paths having a slight ratio difference. The outputs p.r.sub.1 200 and p.r.sub.2 300 are provided to a comparator 400 which provides a position difference p.(r.sub.1−r.sub.2) to a position sensor (not shown). The position sensor may be a dedicated position sensor for the actuator or any other equivalent device and may be e.g. a proportional or an on/off system.

(11) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an example of a position sensing system using the principles described above, for an example angular/rotary actuator. The actuator output position p—here an angle θ—is sensed on a first transmission path (stage 1, 200) at a first position, having a ratio r.sub.1, and also on a second transmission path (stage 2, 300) having a second, different ratio r.sub.2. The two stages each give a slightly different position value, being factored by the different ratios. These are provided to comparator 400 which outputs the difference p(r.sub.1−r.sub.2)—in this case θ(r.sub.1−r.sub.2)—to the position sensor. The position sensor is able to use this smaller (reduced) differential value to output a useful position measurement. The position sensor would not be able to use the large, raw output position θ, as mentioned above; this needs to be reduced.

(12) The same principle can be applied to a linear actuator, where the output would be a linear value.

(13) Thus, by using the parallel kinematic paths with different ratios, and taking the difference between their outputs as a reduced input for the position sensor, the need for reduction gearing and components is avoided.

(14) The same principles could be realised using three or more parallel paths.

(15) Often, actuator position measuring systems are already fitted with a second transmission path e.g. for redundancy. Such redundant paths are often provided in e.g. torque or speed summing actuators. This can, therefore, be used to incorporate this modified position sensing system. If no redundant transmission path exists in a system, this can be easily added.

(16) The present differential system provides information on actuator position with significant gain (reduction) using fewer components than conventional systems. The use of two or more transmission paths can also be useful in providing information on synchronisation of the paths, and will provide indication of failure of a transmission path.

(17) The position sensing system provides a smaller, lighter, simpler and more accurate position measurement system that can be manufactured more easily and at lower cost.

(18) The disclosure has related to an example of a position measuring assembly and actuator assembly used for e.g. controlling the position of a horizontal stabilizer in an aircraft. The system described could, of course, also be used in other applications where a component is to be moved/positioned via an actuator.