Propulsor brake lock

A propulsor brake lock system, comprising:

• an aircraft propulsor including a propeller having a propeller input shaft coupled thereto;
• a propeller position sensor configured to sense a rotational position of the propeller and supply a propeller position sensor signal indicative thereof;
• a reduction gear assembly including at least an input gear and an output gear, the input gear and output gear rotatable with the propeller input shaft;
• an electric motor coupled to the propeller input shaft and configured to selectively supply torque thereto;
• a brake shaft coupled to, and rotatable with, the output gear;
• a brake assembly coupled to the brake shaft, the brake assembly moveable between a disengaged position, in which the brake shaft may rotate whenever the output gear rotates, and an engaged position, in which the brake shaft is prevented from rotating, thereby preventing rotation of the output gear, the input gear, and the propeller input shaft;
• a motor control in operable communication with the electric motor and with the brake assembly and coupled to receive a brake command and the propeller position signal, the motor control configured to:
• (i) selectively energize, and thereby control the torque supplied by, the electric motor,
• selectively command the brake assembly to move between the disengaged position and the engaged position,
• (ii) process the propeller position signal to determine when the propeller is in a predetermined rotational position, and
• (ii) upon receipt of the brake command, to command the brake assembly to move to the engaged position only when the propeller is in the predetermined position.

A propulsor brake lock system, comprising:

• an aircraft propulsor including a propeller having a propeller input shaft coupled thereto;
• a first electric motor coupled to the propeller input shaft and configured to selectively supply torque thereto;
• a second electric motor coupled to the propeller input shaft and configured to selectively supply torque thereto;
• a first propeller position sensor configured to sense a rotational position of the propeller and supply a first propeller position sensor signal indicative thereof;
• a second propeller position sensor configured to sense the rotational position of the propeller and supply a second propeller position sensor signal indicative thereof;
• a reduction gear assembly including at least an input gear and an output gear, the input gear and output gear rotatable with the propeller input shaft;
• a brake shaft coupled to, and rotatable with, the output gear;
• and
• a brake assembly coupled to the brake shaft, the brake assembly moveable between a disengaged position, in which the brake shaft may rotate whenever the output gear rotates, and an engaged position, in which the brake shaft is prevented from rotating, thereby preventing rotation of the output gear, the input gear, and the propeller input shaft;
• and
• a dual-channel motor control in operable communication with the brake assembly and including a first channel and a second channel, the first channel in operable communication with the first electric motor, the second channel in operable communication with the second electric motor, the dual-channel motor control configured such that:
• only one of the first channel or the second channel is active,
• when the first channel is active, the first channel is operable to selectively energize, and thereby control the torque supplied by, the first electric motor,
• when the second channel is active, the second channel is operable to selectively energize, and thereby control the torque supplied by, the second electric motor, and
• wherein:
• the first channel is coupled to receive a brake command and the first propeller position sensor signal and the second channel is coupled to receive the brake command and the second propeller position sensor signal,
• when the first channel is active, the first channel is further configured to:
• process the first propeller position signal to determine when the propeller is in a predetermined rotational position, and
• upon receipt of the brake command, to command the brake assembly to move to the engaged position only when the propeller is in the predetermined position, and
• when the second channel is active, the second channel is further configured to:
• process the second propeller position signal to determine when the propeller is in the predetermined rotational position, and
• upon receipt of the brake command, to command the brake assembly to move to the engaged position only when the propeller is in the predetermined position.