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US 2014/0271201 A1Published application
Jam-Tolerant Linear Control Motor for Hydraulic Actuator Valve
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsCharles Eric Covington, Carlos A. Fenny
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to one embodiment, a linear control motor includes a first permanent magnet, a coil, a first magnetic material, a shaft, and a first non-magnetic material. The first non-magnetic material is disposed between at least one of the movable components and at least one of the static components and operable to prevent physical contact between at least one of the movable components and at least one of the static components.
Claims20
A rotorcraft, comprising:
- a body;
- a power train coupled to the body and comprising a power source and a drive shaft coupled to the power source;
- a hub coupled to the drive shaft;
- a rotor blade coupled to the hub;
- a hydraulic actuator in mechanical communication with the rotor blade and operable to change a position of the rotor blade;
- an actuator control valve system operable to regulate a flow of fluid to the hydraulic actuator;
- and
- a linear control motor in mechanical communication with the actuator control valve system, the linear control motor comprising:
- a first permanent magnet operable to generate a first magnetic flux path;
- a coil operable to selectively add magnetic flux to and subtract magnetic flux from the magnetic flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
- a first magnetic material disposed at least partially in the first magnetic flux path, wherein at least one of the first permanent magnet, the coil, and the first magnetic material is a movable component and at least one of the first permanent magnet, the coil, and the first magnetic material is a static component, each movable component operable to move relative to each static component in response to variations in flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
- a shaft in mechanical communication with the actuator control valve system and coupled to at least one of the movable components such that the shaft is operable to move substantially linearly in response to variations in flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
- and
- a first non-magnetic material disposed between at least one of the movable components and at least one of the static components and operable to prevent physical contact between at least one of the movable components and at least one of the static components.
11 more elements
A linear control motor, comprising:
- a first permanent magnet operable to generate a first magnetic flux path;
- a coil operable to selectively add magnetic flux to and subtract magnetic flux from the magnetic flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
- a first magnetic material disposed at least partially in the first magnetic flux path, wherein at least one of the first permanent magnet, the coil, and the first magnetic material is a movable component and at least one of the first permanent magnet, the coil, and the first magnetic material is a static component, each movable component operable to move relative to each static component in response to variations in flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
- a shaft coupled to at least one of the movable components such that the shaft is operable to move substantially linearly in response to variations in flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
- and
- a first non-magnetic material disposed between at least one of the movable components and at least one of the static components and operable to prevent physical contact between at least one of the movable components and at least one of the static components.
3 more elements
A method of actuating a device, comprising:
- generating a first magnetic flux path;
- providing at least one static magnetic component at least partially disposed in the first magnetic flux path;
- providing at least one movable magnetic component at least partially disposed in the first magnetic flux path and coupled to an output shaft, each movable magnetic component operable to move relative to each static magnetic component in response to variations in flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path;
- preventing physical contact between at least one of the movable magnetic components and at least one of the static magnetic components;
- and
- moving the output shaft by varying the flux flowing in the first magnetic flux path.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.