WO2007009520A1

WO2007009520A1 - Control surface operating mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2007009520A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/004442
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christian MÄNZ
Original assignee: Airbus Deutschland Gmbh
Priority date: 2005-07-19
Filing date: 2006-05-11
Publication date: 2007-01-25

Abstract

Rudder unit control surfaces (12) are usually driven by several hydraulic cylinders. However, this construction is expensive and implies a weight that cannot be neglected. Therefore, the invention proposes to achieve a pivoting motion of an airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) not indirectly by converting a translatory motion of a hydraulic cylinder into a rotatory motion, but rather to generate the rotatory pivoting motion of the airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) in a direct way. For this purpose, the invention makes use of a drive motor (1), the energy of rotation of which is used for generating the pivoting motion of the airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16).

Description

Control surface operating mechanism

Reference to related applications

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of German Patent Application No. 10 2005 033 697.3 filed July 19, 2005 and of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 60/700,457 filed July 19, 2005, the disclosure of which applications is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the invention

This invention relates in general to the mechanical equipment for maneuvering an airplane. In particular, the invention relates to an innovatively developed control surface operating mechanism for an airplane, as well as the use of a hydraulic motor or servomotor for an airplane control surface operating mechanism.

Technological Background

In known control surface operating mechanisms for airplanes, and in particular in operating mechanisms for the control surface of a rudder unit, control surfaces are usually driven by means of several hydraulic cylinders. However, as hydraulic cylinders are naturally and primarily only capable of generating translatory motions, complex deflecting mechanisms must be provided so that the translatory motions of the hydraulic cylinder can be converted into a pivoting motion of the control surface. However, such deflecting mechanisms imply additional weight and moreover also give rise to additional cost.

Furthermore, as a rule, at least two or three hydraulic cylinders must be provided in order to ensure some kind of fail-safety and redundancy. Again, this produces unnecessary weight, which is of course undesirable in the field of aerospace technology. Apart therefrom, it is required anyway to implement relatively large and heavy duty hydraulic cylinders with a correspondingly high weight of about 100 kg, as for generating the required torques for operating the control surface relatively high power is required. In particular as a large part of the transverse kinetic energy of the hydraulic cylinders cannot be converted directly into rotatory kinetic energy. Altogether, known control surface operating mechanisms are therefore as a rule relatively heavy, and because of the required redundancy of hydraulic cylinders and the necessary deflecting mechanisms often result in additional cost.

Summary of the invention

Amongst other things, it may be an object of the present invention to provide a more cost-effective control surface operating mechanism , implying less weight than a known control surface operating mechanism of corresponding power using hydraulic cylinders.

The present invention is based on the idea to achieve a pivoting motion of an airplane control surface not indirectly by converting a translatory motion into a rotatory motion, but rather by generating the rotatory pivoting motion of the airplane control surface in a direct way. For this purpose, the invention makes use of a drive motor, the energy of rotation of which is used for generating the pivoting motion of the airplane control surface.

Consequently, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a control surface operating mechanism for an airplane control surface pivoting around a rotational axis is proposed, comprising a drive motor, by means of which the pivoting motion of the airplane control surface is caused. By activating the drive motor it is thus possible to generate at least indirectly a pivoting motion of the airplane control surface around its rotational axis. If an indirect generation of a pivoting motion is mentioned, this means that between the drive motor and the airplane control surface various mechanical force transducing and transmitting means, such as a gearing for example, can be arranged.

Since a drive motor can as a rule be operated both in left and right operation, only one drive motor has to be provided so that control surface deflections in both directions (right and left) can be generated. Of course, it is also possible to implement several drive motors for the control surface operating mechanism , on the one hand, so that if necessary the required torque output can be generated, and on the other hand, so that some kind of fail-safety can be ensured.

According to another aspect of the invention, the drive motor with drive shaft is arranged so that the drive shaft coincides with the rotational axis of the airplane control surface for generating the pivoting motion of the airplane control surface. Thereby, the kinetic energy of the drive motor can be converted directly into a pivoting motion of the airplane control surface, without the occurrence of undesirable mechanical losses, e.g. due to friction.

In order to be able to design the drive motor to be as small and light-weight as possible, in view of weight-saving, a gearing can be placed downstream of the drive motor, so that the required torque output for the airplane control surface can be built up. In this case, the gearing is driven by the drive motor, so that the operation of the gearings in turn generates the pivoting motion of the airplane control surface around the rotational axis thereof.

In order to generate as little mechanical loss as possible, e.g. due to friction, in this case, too, the input shaft of the gearing is driven by the drive shaft of the motor, and the output shaft of the gearing is arranged so as to coincides with the rotational axis of the airplane control surface for generating the pivoting motion of the airplane control surface. In this case, the drive motor or the drive shaft thereof could be arranged in a place other than in alignment with the rotational axis of the airplane control surface, as attention should be paid only to the fact that the output shaft of the gearing is aligned with the rotational axis of the airplane control surface.

So as to be able to transmit the rotating motion of the drive shaft of the drive motor or of the output shaft of the gearing to the airplane control surface, the control surface operating mechanism further comprises a force introduction armature, which is arranged either at the drive shaft of the drive motor or at the output shaft of the gearing. On the output or drive shaft side, the force introduction armature can for instance be welded or screwed thereto or otherwise connected in a non-positive way. On the connection side of the force introduction armature with the airplane control surface, the force introduction armature can for instance be bonded, welded, soldered, or connected with the airplane control surface in another non-positive way.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the drive motor is a hydraulic motor. For the energy supply of the hydraulic motor, the latter can be attached to the hydraulic system of an airplane. Generating the pivoting motion of an airplane control surface through a hydraulic motor proves to be particularly suitable because of the small and light-weight construction of adequate hydraulic motors. Moreover, even relatively small sized hydraulic motors can produce tremendous torque output, which in turn contributes to weight-saving. Alternatively, it is however of course also possible to implement for instance an electric servomotor as the drive motor.

As already mentioned before, the control surface operating mechanism according to the invention can pivot any control surface of an airplane. Thus, e.g. rudders, elevators, trimmers, or ailerons can be operated by the control surface operating mechanism according to the invention. However, especially for rudders, it is advantageous to implement the control surface operating mechanism according to the invention, as especially for rudders with the control surface operating mechanism according to the invention great weight-saving with respect to the known version with hydraulic cylinders is possible.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a rudder unit with a fixed center box and a rudder pivotingly connected thereto is proposed, which is controlled by means of the control surface operating mechanism described before. The control surface operating mechanism is then fastened to the fixed center box, e.g. via a moment transmitting joint. At the control surface operating mechanism thus rigidly fastened, a rudder can be fastened as described before at the force introduction armature of the control surface operating mechanism .

According to yet another aspect of the invention, it is proposed to implement a hydraulic motor or servomotor for a control surface operating mechanism , as described before.

Short description of the drawing

Hereafter, the present invention will be further described with reference to the appended drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows possible application points of the control surface operating mechanism according to the invention on an airplane; and

Fig. 2 and 3 show a sectional view of a rudder unit with the control surface operating mechanism according to the invention, wherein respectively the front tail unit skin is cut away. In the figures, identical or corresponding items are identified by identical or corresponding reference numerals. The figures are not to scale, but may represent qualitative proportions.

Detailed description of an exemplary embodiment

Fig. 1 shows an ordinary passenger plane 11, which consists substantially of a fuselage, two wings, two horizontal tails, as well as a rudder unit. The control surface operating mechanism according to the invention is adapted, e.g. to pivot the landing flaps 15 or ailerons 16 mounted at the wings. Furthermore, the control surface operating mechanism according to the invention is adapted to pivot the elevator 14 at the rudder unit, as well as the trimmer 13 arranged thereon. However, in particular, the control surface operating mechanism according to the invention is adapted to pivot the rudder 12 arranged at the rudder unit.

Referring to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the control surface operating mechanism according to the invention will now be described in further detail. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show the section designated as "A" in Fig. 1 in magnified representation, Fig. 3 zooming in even further on this section. Consequently, hereafter, reference is made equally to Fig. 2 and 3.

As can be seen from these figures, at the fuselage 10 of the airplane 11, a center box 8 of a rudder unit is mounted and projects sharply upwards therefrom in the usual way. As can best be seen in Fig. 2, at the center box 8, the front outer skin is cut away, so that the inside of the center box 8 of the rudder unit can be seen. In addition to the center box 8, the rudder unit further comprises a rudder 12, of which here only the rear outer skin 6 can be seen. The rudder 12 is hingedly mounted at the center box 8 via three control surface armatures 7, which in turn are composed of respectively two struts arranged in V-shape to each other, and are welded to the rearward end spar 17 of the center box 8. In the junction area of both struts of the control surface armatures 7 they embody hinge openings 18, wherein the rudder 12 can be hung with corresponding pegs, pins or other appropriate means. Thereby, the rudder 12 can be pivoted around the rotational axis 3.

In order to be able to perform this pivoting operation in a controlled way, a control surface operating mechanism 1, 2 is integrated into the rudder unit 8, 12, with which the rudder 12 can be pivoted. The control surface operating mechanism comprises a drive motor 1 and a toothed gearing 2, the drive motor 1 being fastened via a moment transmitting joint 4 to the center box 8 or the end spar thereof. The drive motor 1 can for instance be a hydraulic motor, which is supplied via hydraulic tubes 9 with hydraulic energy. Although a toothed gearing is sketched in Fig. 2 and 3, which is placed downstream of the drive shaft of the drive motor 1 (not shown), such a toothed gearing 2 can also possibly be omitted for an adequately powerfully dimensioned drive motor 1.

As can be seen clearly from Fig. 2 and 3, the drive motor 2 is arranged so that its drive shaft is aligned with the rotational axis 3 of the rudder 12. In case no toothed gearing 2 should be provided, a force introduction armature 5 could be arranged directly at the drive shaft of the drive motor 1, with which the rotating motion of the drive shaft of the drive motor 1 could be transmitted to the rear outer skin 6 of the rudder 12.

However, in case that as shown in Fig. 2 and 3, a gearing 2 is placed downstream of the drive motor 1, the drive shaft of the drive motor 1 drives the input shaft of the gearing 2, whereby at the output shaft (not shown) of the gearing 2 a drive is generated, which in turn is transmitted via the force introduction armature 5 to the rear outer skin 6 of the rudder 12. As the drive motor 1 can be operated both in right and left operation, it is not necessary to provide two different propulsion systems, as in the case of the usual configuration of a control surface operating mechanism using piston-cylinder assemblies. Instead, all that is required is to provide a drive motor 1, whereby the weight of the control surface operating mechanism and thus the cost thereof can be reduced.

Reference List

1 hydraulic motor

2 (toothed) gearing

3 rotational axis

4 moment transmitting joint

5 force introduction armature

6 rudder (rear outer skin)

7 control surface bearing armatures

8 center box

9 hydraulic tube

10 fuselage

11 airplane

12 rudder

13 trimmer

14 elevator

15 flap

16 aileron

17 end spar

18 hinge

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A control surface operating mechanism for an airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) pivoting around a rotational axis (3), comprising a drive motor (1), through the activation of which a pivoting motion of the airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) around its rotational axis (3) is generated at least indirectly.

2. The control surface operating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the drive motor (1) has a drive shaft, and wherein the drive motor (1) with drive shaft is arranged so that the drive shaft coincides with the rotational axis (3) of the airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) for generating the pivoting motion of the airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16).

3. The control surface operating mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control surface operating mechanism further comprises a gearing

(2), which is driven by the drive motor (1), and through the operation of which the pivoting motion of the airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) around its rotational axis (3) is generated.

4. The control surface operating mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the gearing (2) comprises an input shaft and an output shaft, wherein the drive shaft of the drive motor (1) drives the input shaft of the gearing (2), and the output shaft coincides with the rotational axis (3) of the airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) for generating the pivoting motion of the airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16).

5. The control surface operating mechanism according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the control surface operating mechanism further has a force introduction armature (5), which is arranged at the output shaft of the gearing (2), and which transmits a rotating motion of the output shaft to the airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16).

6. The control surface operating mechanism according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive motor is a hydraulic motor (1).

7. The control surface operating mechanism according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive motor (1) is a servomotor.

8. The control surface operating mechanism operating mechanism according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the airplane control surface is an airplane control surface from the group composed of a rudder (12), an elevator (14), a trimmer (13), and an aileron (16).

9. A rudder unit with a fixed center box (8) and a pivoting rudder (12), which is controlled by a control surface operating mechanism according to any of the preceding claims.

10. Use of a hydraulic motor ( 1 ) or a servomotor for a control surface operating mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 8 for generating a pivoting motion of an airplane control surface (12, 13, 14, 15, 16).