Expanding pin assembly controlled by actuator for locking and unlocking mechanical joint
AssigneeSierra Nevada Corporation
InventorsJake Crine, Benjamin Paul Cunningham, Alec B. Devereaux, Sonny J. Lewis, Jonathan Peritt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expanding pin system is described that can provide automated and/or power controlled locking and unlocking of an expanding pin assembly in a mechanical joint. For example, the expanding pin system can include an actuation assembly that includes a single actuator (e.g., motor) to control an expanding pin assembly for locking and unlocking a mechanical joint.
Claims20
An expanding pin system for releasably locking a mechanical joint associated with a deployable wing of an aircraft for releasably securing the deployable wing in a deployed position, the expanding pin system, comprising:
- an actuation assembly configured to provide a first output for locking the mechanical joint and a second output for unlocking the mechanical joint;
- and
- a pin driving assembly operably coupled to the actuation assembly, the pin driving assembly comprising
- a drive assembly including a carrier operably coupled to the actuation assembly and an outer housing such that the carrier translates a first distance along the housing when the actuation assembly is actuated to provide the first output, the drive assembly further including a sun gear operably coupled to the carrier such that the sun gear is caused to rotate in a first direction after the carrier translates the first distance;
- and
- an expanding pin assembly operably coupled to the drive assembly such that the expanding pin assembly translates the first distance with the drive assembly thereby advancing an expandable part of the expanding pin assembly across at least a part of the mechanical joint, the expandable part being caused to expand when the sun gear rotates in the first direction.
A method of an expanding pin system coupled to a mechanical joint associated with a deployable wing of an aircraft, comprising:
- actuating an actuation assembly of the expanding pin system to provide a first output, the actuation assembly being operatively coupled to a pin driving assembly of the expanding pin system that is configured to releasably lock the mechanical joint;
- advancing, as a result of the first output, an expandable part of the pin driving assembly into the mechanical joint;
- and
- expanding, as a result of the first output, the expandable part in the mechanical joint to thereby lock the mechanical joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.