UPLOCK PROVIDED WITH RETENTION DETECTION MEANS

Abstract

An uplock for selectively retaining a capture pin of a movable element including a hook, a locking member, and a detector. The hook is movable between a release position and a retaining position. The locking member is movable between a locked position that immobilizes the hook and an unlocked position in which the hook is free. The detector detects whether the hook is in the retaining position and the capture pin is present in the hook. The detector includes a sensor associated with a single target which is movable between two positions The sensor emits a signal which is modified when the target passes from one of the positions to the other. The target is independently in kinematic interaction with the hook and the capture pin.

Claims

1. An uplock for selectively retaining a capture pin (200) of a movable element, the uplock comprising: a hook (3) which is movable between a release position and a position for retaining the capture pin of the movable element; a locking member (10) which is movable between a locked position in which it immobilizes the hook in the retaining position and an unlocked position in which the hook is free to be displaced under the force of the capture pin of the movable element; detection means (30, 31, 32) adapted to detect a situation in which the hook is in the retaining position and the capture pin is present in the hook; characterized in that the detection means comprise a sensor (32) associated with a single target (31) which is movable between two positions so that the sensor emits a signal which is modified when the target passes from one of the positions to the other, the target being independently in kinematic interaction with the hook and the capture pin so that the target is held in one of its positions and can only reach and remain in the other of its positions if the hook is in the retaining position and the capture pin is in fact present in the hook.

2. The uplock as claimed in claim 1, comprising an indicator lever (20) interacting kinematically with the capture pin (200) and movable between a first position indicating the absence of the capture pin in the hook and a second position indicating the presence of the capture pin in the hook, the target (31) being held in one of its positions and only being able to reach and remain in the other position if the locking member (10) is in the locked position and the indicator lever is in the second position indicating the presence of the capture pin in the hook.

3. The uplock as claimed in claim 2, in which the target (31) is carried by a movable support (30) in a manner such that the indicator lever (20), the locking member (10) and the movable support are pivotally mounted about the same pivot axis (X2), the movable support being in kinematic interaction with the locking member and the indicator lever.

4. The uplock as claimed in claim 3, in which the kinematic interaction between the movable support (30) and the locking member (10) and the indicator lever (20) is achieved by means of a bearing surface (37) of the movable support (30) cooperating with respective bearing surfaces (17, 27) of the locking member (10) and of the indicator lever (20).

5. the uplock as claimed in claim 4, in which the bearing surface (37) of the movable support (30) is held in a first angular position (P1) by either of the respective bearing surfaces (17, 27) of the locking member (10) and of the indicator lever (20) when the hook is not locked or the indicator lever is in the first position indicating the absence of the capture pin in the hook, and can only reach a second angular position (P2) if the hook is locked and the indicator lever is in the second position indicating the presence of the capture pin in the hook.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The invention will be better understood in the light of the following detailed description of a particular embodiment of the invention, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front view of an uplock according to a particular embodiment of the invention, illustrated while the hook is in the release position, the capture pin of the movable element approaching the hook, the indicator lever being shown in see-through view and delimited by dashed lines for greater clarity;

[0020] FIG. 2 is an analogous view to that of FIG. 1, illustrating the hook in the locked position while the capture pin is in fact retained by the hook;

[0021] FIG. 3 is an analogous view to that of FIG. 1, illustrating the hook in the locked position while the capture pin has been released from the hook following breakage of a portion thereof;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view at the pivot articulating the locking member, the indicator lever and the movable support, showing their respective bearing surfaces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] With reference to the figures, the uplock of the invention comprises a plate 100 carrying a first pivot 1 and a second pivot 2, defining parallel pivot axes X1 and X2. A hook 3 is mounted on the first pivot 1 about the axis X1 so as to pivot between a release position illustrated in FIG. 1, towards which it is urged by a spring (not shown), and a retaining position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The hook 3 comprises a hooking portion 5 in which a capture pin 200 of a movable element (for example, aircraft landing gear or a cargo hold door) is intended to be retained by the uplock in order to immobilize the movable element 201 (for example in the retracted position for the landing gear, or in the proximated position for the cargo hold door). To this end, the movable element is displaced by a maneuvering actuator and the capture pin 200 follows the trajectory F, forcing the hook 3 towards the locked position in which it retains the capture pin 200. For this purpose, a locking member 10 is pivotally mounted on the second pivot 2 about the axis X2 and comprises a roller 11 which permanently bears on a cam profile 6 of the hook 3. The locking member 10 pivots between an unlocked position illustrated in FIG. 1 and a locked position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, into which it is returned automatically by a spring (not shown) and which it reaches automatically when the hook 3 arrives in the retaining position. In the locked position, the locking member 10 locks the hook 3 in the retaining position. To release the capture pin 200, an unlocking actuator (not shown) urges the locking member 10 towards the unlocked position, which enables the hook 3 to pivot towards the release position, and therefore enables the capture pin 200 to leave the hook 3.

[0024] The uplock further comprises an indicator lever 20, which is also pivotally mounted on the second pivot 2 about the axis X2, and movable between a position indicating the presence of the capture pin 200 in the hook 3, illustrated in FIG. 2, into which it is pushed by the capture pin 200 when the latter approaches the hook 3, and a position indicating the absence of the capture pin 200 in the hook 3, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, towards which the indicator lever 20 is urged by a spring (not shown).

[0025] Finally, the uplock comprises a movable support 30 which is also pivotally mounted on the second pivot 2 about the axis X2. The movable support carries a target 31 which is therefore movable between a position that is remote from a proximity sensor 32 carried by the plate 100, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and a position that is proximate to the proximity sensor 32, as shown in FIG. 2, and towards which the target 31 is urged by a spring (not shown). The proximity sensor 32 produces an electrical signal the characteristics of which change when the target 31 passes from one position to the other, thereby making it possible to distinguish between the two positions of the target 31.

[0026] As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 4, the movable support 30 has an abutment surface 37 which is intended to interact mechanically with facing abutment surfaces, namely an abutment surface 17 formed on the locking member 10, and an abutment surface 27 formed on the indicator lever 20. In the situations illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the abutment surface 37 of the movable support 30 is maintained in an angular position P1 (corresponding to the remote position of the target 31) by at least one of the other abutment surfaces 17, 27 of the locking member 10 or of the indicator lever 20, while it is free to come into the angular position P2 (corresponding to the proximate position of the target 31) in the situation illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0027] The uplock of the invention functions as follows. The initial situation is illustrated in FIG. 1 where the hook 3 is in the release position, the locking member 10 is in the unlocked position and the indicator lever 20 is in its position indicating that there is no capture pin in the hook 3. In this position, the abutment surfaces 17 and 27 of the locking member 10 and of the indicator lever 20 are in the angular position P1 and cooperate with the abutment surface 37 of the movable support 30 in order to keep the target in the remote position of the proximity sensor 32. The movable element is then operated in order to approach its immobilization position. The capture pin 200 then moves in the direction F and pushes the hook 3 towards the retaining position and the indicator lever 20 towards the position indicating the presence of the capture pin 200 in the hook 3. When the hook 3 reaches the retaining position, the locking member 10 automatically moves into the locked position in order to lock the hook 3 in the retaining position. In this position illustrated in FIG. 2, the abutment surfaces 17, 27 of the locking member 10 and of the indicator lever 20 are in the angular position P2, which enables the movable support to pivot until the abutment surface 37 is in the angular position P2, in a manner such that the target 31 is proximate to the proximity sensor 32 the signal from which changes, indicating that the capture pin has been correctly retained by the hook 3.

[0028] In the event that the hook 3 breaks and no longer retains the capture pin 200, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the capture pin 200 can leave the hook 3 (for example under the effect of gravity) while the latter is still immobilized in the retaining position. In so doing, the indicator lever 20 is returned under the effect of its return spring to the position indicating the absence of a capture pin in the hook, in a manner such that its abutment surface 27 is returned to the angular position P1, pushing the abutment surface 37 of the movable support 30 back in a manner such that the target 31 returns to the position remote from the proximity sensor 32. The signal from the latter changes, indicating that the capture pin 200 is no longer retained by the hook 3 even though the latter remains immobilized in the retaining position.

[0029] Thus, and according to an essential feature of the invention, the target 31 can only reach the position proximate to the proximity sensor 32 if, simultaneously, the hook 3 is locked in the retaining position and the capture pin 200 is in fact present in the hook. The provisions of the invention make it possible to implement a logic function AND a mechanical function, requiring the use of only one target and one sensor.

[0030] The invention is not limited to what has just been described, but in contrast encompasses any variation which falls within the scope defined by the claims.

[0031] In particular, although the locking member 10, the indicator lever 20 and the movable support 30 here are all pivotally mounted on the same pivot, which facilitates their cooperation via the abutment surfaces, this configuration is not indispensable, and any other configuration which enables the movable support to move only if the hook is in the retaining position and the capture pin in the hook is conceivable within the scope of the invention. For example, the movable support may be mounted on a separate pivot, or slidably mounted on the uplock, being held in one of its positions by cams carried by the locking member and the indicator lever, the cams moving aside when the locking member and the indicator lever have pivoted.

[0032] Although the movable support here is in kinematic interaction with the hook indirectly via the locking member, and in kinematic interaction with the capture pin indirectly via the indicator lever, the movable support could be operated directly by the hook and/or the capture pin so as to be in direct kinematic interaction with them.

[0033] Finally, although the uplock described uses a proximity sensor which cooperates with a proximate or remote target, it is possible to use other detection technologies, for example a Hall effect sensor or an optical sensor.