Systems and methods for operating flight control surfaces
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorJeffrey C. Coffman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for operating flight control surfaces are provided. One system includes a control device having a two piece shaft including a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion, a spline key detachably coupling the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion, and a crankshaft operatively coupling the two piece shaft and a flight control surface. The control device further includes a driving mechanism coupled to the spline key and operable to move the spline key to engage and disengage the first and second shaft portions, wherein the first and second shaft portions are disengaged when a failure to the flight control surface is detected, causing the second shaft portion to drive the flight control surface to a safe position.
Claims20
A control device comprising:
- a two piece shaft including a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion;
- a spline key detachably coupling the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion;
- a crankshaft operatively coupling the two piece shaft and a flight control surface;
- and
- a driving mechanism coupled to the spline key and operable to move the spline key to engage and disengage the first and second shaft portions, the first and second shaft portions disengaged when a failure to the flight control surface is detected, causing the second shaft portion to drive the flight control surface to a safe position.
An air vehicle, comprising:
- a body portion;
- at least one flight control surface;
- a control device coupled to the at least one flight control surface, the control device including a two piece shaft having first and second shaft portions coupled via a spline key;
- and
- a flight control computer coupled to the control device and configured to determine a failure of the at least one flight control device, the flight control computer commanding the control device to disengage the first shaft portion from the second shaft portion and the flight control surface, wherein the second shaft portion drives the flight control surface to a safe position when the second shaft portion is disengaged from the first shaft portion.
A method for operating a flight control surface, the method comprising:
- monitoring a flight control surface to detect a failure condition;
- and
- sending a command to a two piece spline key coupled shaft control device to drive the flight control surface to a safe position when the failure condition is detected by disengaging shaft portions of the two piece spline key coupled shaft control device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.