US 12,687,180 B2Granted

Hydraulic actuator

AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH

InventorsDavid Williams, Sean Kerr

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Abstract

A hydraulic actuator for a hydraulic actuation system of an aircraft includes a housing defining a cavity, a piston dividing the cavity into extension and retraction chambers and movable relative to the housing to increase volume of one chamber and decrease volume of another of the chambers. A bypass includes first and second bypass ports and a connecting bypass line, and first and second chamber ports opening into the extension and retraction chambers at all positions of the piston relative to the housing for passage of hydraulic fluid. The first and second bypass ports open into one of the extension chamber and retraction chamber when the piston is at a first position relative to the housing so the first bypass port and the second bypass port open into respective ones of the extension chamber and the retraction chamber when the piston is at a second position relative to the housing.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A hydraulic actuator for a hydraulic actuation system of an aircraft, the hydraulic actuator comprising:

a housing defining a cavity configured to accommodate hydraulic fluid;
a piston within the cavity, such that the piston divides the cavity into an extension chamber and a retraction chamber, wherein the piston and that is movable relative to the housing such that, when the piston moves in a first direction, a volume of the extension chamber increases and a volume of the retraction chamber decreases and, when the piston moved in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, the volume of the extension chamber decreases and the volume of the retraction chamber increases;
a bypass comprising a first bypass port that opens into the cavity, a second bypass port that opens into the cavity, and a bypass line that fluidly connects the first bypass port to the second bypass port;
a first chamber port that is discrete from the first bypass port and from the second bypass port, wherein the first chamber port opens into the extension chamber at all positions of the piston within the cavity of the housing for passage of the hydraulic fluid between an exterior of the hydraulic actuator and the extension chamber;
and
a second chamber port that is discrete from the first bypass port and the second bypass port, wherein the second chamber port opens into the retraction chamber at all positions of the piston within the cavity of the housing for the passage of the hydraulic fluid between the exterior of the hydraulic actuator and the retraction chamber;
wherein, when the piston is at a first position within the cavity, the first bypass port and the second bypass port both open into the retraction chamber;
and
wherein, when the piston is at a second position within the cavity, the first bypass port opens into the extension chamber and the second bypass port opens into the retraction chamber.

6 more elements

A hydraulic actuator for a hydraulic actuation system of an aircraft, the hydraulic actuator comprising:

a housing defining a cavity configured to accommodate hydraulic fluid;
a piston within the cavity, such that the piston divides the cavity into an extension chamber and a retraction chamber, wherein the piston is movable relative to the housing such that, when the piston moves in a first direction, a volume of the extension chamber increases and a volume of the retraction chamber decreases and, when the piston moved in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, the volume of the extension chamber decreases and the volume of the retraction chamber increases;
a bypass comprising a first bypass port that opens into the cavity, a second bypass port that opens into the cavity, and a bypass line that fluidly connects the first bypass port to the second bypass port;
a first chamber port that is discrete from the first bypass port and from the second bypass port, wherein the first chamber port opens into the extension chamber at all positions of the piston within the cavity of the housing for passage of the hydraulic fluid between an exterior of the hydraulic actuator and the extension chamber;
and
a second chamber port that is discrete from the first bypass port and the second bypass port, wherein the second chamber port opens into the retraction chamber at all positions of the piston within the cavity of the housing for the passage of the hydraulic fluid between the exterior of the hydraulic actuator and the retraction chamber;
wherein, when the piston is at a first position within the cavity, the first bypass port and the second bypass port both open into:
the extension chamber;
or
the retraction chamber;
wherein, when the piston is at a second position within the cavity, the first bypass port opens into the extension chamber and the second bypass port opens into the retraction chamber;
and
wherein:
the first chamber port is larger than either of the first bypass port and the second bypass port;
and/or
the second chamber port is larger than either of the first bypass port and the second bypass port.

13 more elements

A hydraulic actuator for a hydraulic actuation system of an aircraft, the hydraulic actuator comprising:

a housing defining a cavity configured to accommodate hydraulic fluid;
a piston within the cavity, such that the piston divides the cavity into an extension chamber and a retraction chamber, wherein the piston is movable relative to the housing such that, when the piston moves in a first direction, a volume of the extension chamber increases and a volume of the retraction chamber decreases and, when the piston moved in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, the volume of the extension chamber decreases and the volume of the retraction chamber increases;
a bypass comprising a first bypass port that opens into the cavity, a second bypass port that opens into the cavity, and a bypass line that fluidly connects the first bypass port to the second bypass port;
a first chamber port that is discrete from the first bypass port and from the second bypass port, wherein the first chamber port opens into the extension chamber at all positions of the piston within the cavity of the housing for passage of the hydraulic fluid between an exterior of the hydraulic actuator and the extension chamber;
and
a second chamber port that is discrete from the first bypass port and the second bypass port, wherein the second chamber port opens into the retraction chamber at all positions of the piston within the cavity of the housing for the passage of the hydraulic fluid between the exterior of the hydraulic actuator and the retraction chamber;
wherein, when the piston is at a first position within the cavity, the first bypass port and the second bypass port both open into:
the extension chamber;
or
the retraction chamber;
wherein, when the piston is at a second position within the cavity, the first bypass port opens into the extension chamber and the second bypass port opens into the retraction chamber;
and
wherein at least a portion of the bypass line has an open cross-sectional area of between 0.5 mm2 and 14 mm2.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/187,033Filed 23 Apr 2025
Priority: GB 240577124 Apr 2024
Published: US 2025/0334134 A130 Oct 2025
Granted: 21 Jul 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

F15B 11/024
Systems essentially incorporating special features for controlling the speed or the actuating force of an output member: by means of differential…
B64C 25/22
Operating mechanisms: fluid
F15B 15/1485
Component parts; Constructional details: special measures for cooling or heating
F15B 15/22
Other details , e.g. assembly with regulating devices: for accelerating or decelerating the stroke