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US 11,892,275 B2Granted
Drive mechanism for control surface actuation
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorStephen Craig Silver
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive mechanism for actuating a control surface of a vehicle that moves through a fluid medium. The mechanism directly translates the rotational motion provided by an input drive to a control surface that is used to direct the vehicle. The mechanism provides both weight and space savings as well as limits, if not eliminates, backlash. The angled drive mechanism may be particularly suited for use in applications such as UAV/UUV, munitions, and other relatively small platforms.
Claims20
A drive mechanism, comprising:
- an input drive that receives rotational input about a drive axis;
- an input drive hole provided in the input drive;
- a control surface;
- a control surface shaft extending from the control surface;
- and
- a control arm extending from the input drive hole;
- wherein rotation of the input drive about the drive axis is transmitted through the control arm to rotate the control surface shaft about a control surface shaft axis;
- and
- wherein the control arm is directly mechanically coupled to the control surface shaft.
6 more elements
A drive mechanism, comprising:
- an input drive that receives rotational input about a drive axis;
- an input drive hole provided in the input drive;
- a control surface;
- a control surface shaft extending from the control surface;
- and
- a control arm extending from the input drive hole;
- wherein rotation of the input drive about the drive axis is transmitted through the control arm to rotate the control surface shaft about a control surface shaft axis;
- and
- wherein the control arm rotates within the input drive hole about a control arm axis as the input drive rotates about the drive axis.
6 more elements
A drive mechanism, comprising:
- an input drive that receives rotational input about a drive axis;
- an input drive hole provided in the input drive;
- a control surface;
- a control surface shaft extending from the control surface;
- and
- a control arm extending from the input drive hole;
- wherein rotation of the input drive about the drive axis is transmitted through the control arm to rotate the control surface shaft about a control surface shaft axis;
- wherein the control arm pivots around a pivot axis through the control surface shaft;
- and
- wherein the pivot axis and the drive central axis are substantially co-planar.
7 more elements
A method of actuating a control surface, comprising:
- providing rotational movement from a motor, about a drive axis;
- rotating an input drive about the drive axis with the rotational movement provided by the motor;
- and
- transmitting the rotational motion of the input drive via a control arm to a control surface shaft extending from the control surface so that the control surface shaft rotates about a control surface shaft axis;
- wherein the control surface shaft axis is substantially perpendicular to the drive axis;
- and
- wherein the control arm is directly mechanically coupled to the control surface shaft.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.