System and method for controlling the movement of an aircraft engine cowl door

A system for controlling movement of an aircraft engine cowl door between an open position and a closed position, comprising:

• an electric motor;
• at least one actuator coupled to the motor and operable to move the cowl door to the open position;
• an electrically operated brake assembly electrically coupled in parallel with the motor, the brake assembly operable to allow motor rotation when energized and stop motor rotation when de-energized;
• and
• a first switch coupled to a power source and having at least a first position, a second position, and a third position, the first switch operable to couple the power source to the motor and the brake assembly when in the first position, remove the power source from the motor and the brake assembly when in the second position, and remove the power source from the motor and couple the power source to the brake assembly when in the second position.

A system for controlling movement of an aircraft engine cowl door between an open position and a closed position, comprising:

• an electric motor;
• at least one actuator coupled to the motor and cowl door and operable to move the cowl door to the open position;
• an electrically operated brake assembly electrically coupled in parallel with the motor, the brake assembly operable to allow motor rotation when energized and stop motor rotation when de-energized;
• a first switch coupled to a power source and having at least a first position, a second position, and a third position, the first switch operable to couple the power source to the motor and the brake assembly when in the first position, remove the power source from the motor and the brake assembly when in the second position, and remove the power source from the motor and couple the power source to the brake assembly when in the second position;
• and
• a second switch electrically coupled in series with the brake assembly, the second switch having at least a close position and an open position and operable to move to the open position when the motor rotational speed is at or above a first predetermined rotational speed and move to the closed position when the motor rotational speed is at or below a second predetermined rotational speed.

An aircraft engine nacelle, comprising:

• a nacelle housing with at least one cowl door moveable between an open position and a closed position;
• a gas turbine engine mounted in the nacelle;
• and
• a system for moving the cowl door, including:
• an electric motor,
• at least one actuator coupled to the motor and operable to move the cowl door to the open position, an electrically operated brake assembly electrically coupled in parallel with the motor, the brake assembly operable to allow motor rotation when energized and stop motor rotation when de-energized, and
• a first switch coupled to a power source and having at least a first position and a second position, the first switch operable to couple the power source to the motor and the brake assembly when in the first position and remove the power source from the motor and couple the power source to the brake assembly when in the second position.

In a jet engine cowl door operating system including an electric motor operatively coupled to the cowl door, a method of controlling movement of the cowl door between closed and opened positions, comprising:

• releasing a brake assembly to allow rotation of the electric motor;
• energizing the electric motor to thereby rotate the motor in a first predetermined direction to move the cowl door to the opened position;
• and
• de-energizing the motor to allow the cowl door to move to the closed position under gravitational force.