Torque transfer limiting arrangement for a rotational drive shaft

A torque transfer limiting arrangement for a rotational drive shaft, the arrangement including:

• braking means actuatable for stopping the drive shaft from rotating;
• actuation means, responsive to a control signal, to cause actuation of the braking means;
• torque sensing means for sensing torque within the drive shaft and outputing a signal indicative of the sensed torque;
• and
• processor means, operatively connected to receive the signal indicative of the sensed torque from the torque sensing means and to provide the control signal to the actuation means, for processing the signal indicative of the sensed torque and determining the need to actuate the braking means.

A torque limiter and locking arrangement for a rotational drive shaft of an aircraft flap actuator system, wherein rotation of the drive shaft applies force to an aircraft flap, the arrangement including:

• torque sensing means for sensing torque within the drive shaft and outputing an electrical signal indicative of the sensed torque;
• braking means actuatable for stopping the drive shaft from rotating and limiting force applied to the aircraft flap;
• and
• means for causing operation of the braking means processor means responsive to the electrical signal indicative of the sensed torque.

A computer-controlled torque limiting arrangement including:

• a housing having a rotatable main shaft running axially there through;
• a torque measuring mechanism, including a torsion shaft provided as a section of the main shaft and position sensors for measuring the twist of on the torsion shaft;
• a braking mechanism contained within the housing, the braking mechanism having a plurality of rotatable brake disks disposed about the main shaft, a plurality of fixed brake disks disposed about the main shaft, and rotatable brake plate means disposed about the main shaft, the rotatable brake disks being coupled to the main shaft, the plurality of rotatable brake disks being spline-coupled to the brake plate means;
• an electric trip mechanism having a solenoid activated electric clutch responsive to an electrical trigger signal that allows a suitable drive train to convert rotational motion of the main shaft into translational motion of the trigger sleeve;
• and
• a control computer for processing input criteria and for sending output signals based on the input criteria, the output signals will allow the control computer to activate the electrical trip mechanism, which releases the locking mechanism, which in turn releases the brake mechanism, wherein the brake mechanism stops the rotatable main shaft from rotating.