Self-damping actuator
AssigneeWoodward, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Thomas Kopecek, William Muster
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, an actuator apparatus includes an output member configured to actuate between a first positional configuration and a second positional configuration, a source fluid reservoir, a fluid velocity resistor configured to provide a predetermined resistance to fluid flow, a fluid velocity fuse configured to flow fluid flows having a first predetermined range of fluid velocities and to block fluid flows having second predetermined range of fluid velocities, and a fluid actuator assembly configured to urge fluid flow from the source fluid reservoir through the fluid velocity resistor and the fluid velocity fuse based on actuation of the output member.
Claims10
A method of controlling actuator velocity, the method comprising:
- urging movement of an output member mechanically linked to an electromechanical actuator at a first output member velocity;
- urging, by a fluid actuator assembly, based on movement of the output member at the first output member velocity, fluid flow at a first fluid flow velocity through a fluid velocity resistor configured to provide a predetermined resistance to fluid flow;
- urging, by the fluid actuator assembly, based on movement of the output member at the first output member velocity, fluid flow at a second fluid flow velocity through a fluid velocity fuse configured to flow fluid flows having a first predetermined range of fluid velocities at or below a predetermined fluid velocity threshold in a first direction and to block fluid flows having second predetermined range of fluid velocities above the predetermined fluid velocity threshold in the first direction, wherein the second fluid flow velocity is within the first predetermined range of fluid velocities;
- permitting, by the fluid velocity fuse, fluid flow through the fluid velocity fuse based on the second fluid flow velocity being within the first predetermined range of fluid velocities;
- urging movement of the output member at a second output member velocity, different from the first output member velocity;
- urging, by the fluid actuator assembly, based on movement of the output member at the second output member velocity, fluid flow at a third fluid flow velocity through the fluid velocity resistor;
- and
- urging, by the fluid actuator assembly, based on movement of the output member at the second output member velocity, fluid flow at a fourth fluid flow velocity through the fluid velocity fuse, wherein the fourth fluid flow velocity is different from the second fluid flow velocity, and wherein the fourth fluid flow velocity is within the second predetermined range of fluid velocities;
- and
- blocking, by the fluid velocity fuse, fluid flow through the fluid velocity fuse based on the fourth fluid flow velocity being within the second predetermined range of fluid velocities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.