System for and method of actuating an aircraft cowl
AssigneeC Series Aircraft Limited Partnership
InventorThierry STAFFORD
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of and a system for actuating a cowl door. The method comprises detecting that current is drawn in a solenoid valve, the solenoid valve being selectively operable in a first mode to direct fluid from a fluid reservoir to an hydraulic actuator and in second mode to direct fluid from the hydraulic actuator to the fluid reservoir; and causing an electric motor to be powered based on the detection that current is drawn in the solenoid valve for actuating the cowl door, the electric motor being connected to a hydraulic pump in fluid communication with the solenoid valve, the hydraulic actuator and the fluid reservoir.
Claims28
A power door opening system for an aircraft cowl, the system comprising:
- a first control switch electrically connected to a power source, the first control switch being operable to transition between a first position and a second position;
- a solenoid valve electrically connected to the control switch and in fluid communication with an hydraulic actuator and a fluid reservoir, the solenoid valve being selectively operable in a first mode to direct fluid from the fluid reservoir to the hydraulic actuator and in second mode to direct fluid from the hydraulic actuator to the fluid reservoir, the hydraulic actuator being mechanically connected to the aircraft cowl;
- and
- an electrical system controller electrically connected to the solenoid valve and configured to (1) detect that current is drawn in the solenoid valve and, (2) upon detecting that the current is drawn in the solenoid valve, cause an electric motor to be powered, the electric motor being connected to an hydraulic pump, the hydraulic pump being in fluid communication with the solenoid valve and the fluid reservoir.
A method of actuating a cowl door, the method comprising:
- detecting that current is drawn in a solenoid valve, the solenoid valve being selectively operable in a first mode to direct fluid from a fluid reservoir to an hydraulic actuator and in second mode to direct fluid from the hydraulic actuator to the fluid reservoir;
- and
- causing an electric motor to be powered based on the detection that current is drawn in the solenoid valve for actuating the cowl door, the electric motor being connected to a hydraulic pump in fluid communication with the solenoid valve, the hydraulic actuator and the fluid reservoir.
An electrical system controller, the controller comprising:
- a processor;
- a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising control logic which, upon execution by the processor, causes:
- detecting that current is drawn in a solenoid valve, the solenoid valve being selectively operable in a first mode to direct fluid from a fluid reservoir to an hydraulic actuator and in second mode to direct fluid from the hydraulic actuator to the fluid reservoir;
- and
- causing an electric motor to be powered based on the detection that current is drawn in the solenoid valve for actuating the cowl door, the electric motor being connected to a hydraulic pump in fluid communication with the solenoid valve, the hydraulic actuator and the fluid reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.