# US 2021/0340934 A1 · Aircraft electrically powered thrust reverser systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0340934 A1 - Document ID: US20210340934A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/242,466 - Filed: 2021-04-28 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-30 - Assignees: Parker-Hannifin Corporation - Applicants: Parker-Hannifin Corporation - Inventors: Eric A. Polcuch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210340934A1 ## CPC - F02K 1/763: {with actuating systems or actuating devices; Arrangement of actuators for thrust reversers} - B60T 1/062: {acting on transmission parts} - B60T 13/745: {acting on a hydraulic system, e.g. a master cylinder} - B64D 29/06: Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings - F02C 7/32: Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries - F16C 1/02: for conveying rotary movements - F16D 59/00: Self-acting brakes, e.g. coming into operation at a predetermined speed - F16H 1/22: with a plurality of driving or driven shafts; with arrangements for dividing torque between two or more intermediate shafts - F16H 57/02: Gearboxes; Mounting gearing therein - F16C 2326/43: Aeroplanes; Helicopters - F16C 2360/23: Gas turbine engines - F16D 2121/14: Mechanical - F16D 2125/36: Helical cams, Ball-rotating ramps - F16H 2057/02034: {Gearboxes combined or connected with electric machines} - F16H 2057/02039: {Gearboxes for particular applications} - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00) - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - F16H: GEARING - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An actuation system includes a power drive unit that drives a plurality of drive shafts that each has a first end individually connected to the power drive unit. The power drive unit includes a geartrain including a plurality of individual gears that are offset relative to each other along the gearbox, and a motor-driven rotation of one of the plurality of individual gears drives rotation of the other individual gears, and each of the plurality of individual gears rotates to drive rotation of a respective one of the plurality of drive shafts. A plurality of torque brakes is mounted to the gearbox, the torque brakes being mechanically coupled to respective individual gears and drive shafts. When the torque being passed through is above a predetermined threshold value, a locking of one of the torque brakes stops rotation of all gears simultaneously to maintain positional symmetry in the actuation system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An actuation system comprising: a power drive unit; and a plurality of drives shafts, wherein each of the plurality of drive shafts has a first end that is individually connected to the power drive unit; wherein the power drive unit comprises: a gearbox that houses a geartrain including a plurality of individual gears that are offset relative to each other along the gearbox; a motor that drives rotation of a first one of the plurality of individual gears, wherein rotation of the first one of the plurality of individual gears drives rotation of the others of the plurality of individual gears, and each of the plurality of individual gears rotates to drive rotation of a respective one of the plurality of drive shafts; and a plurality of torque brakes, wherein each of the plurality of torque brakes is mounted to the gearbox and mechanically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of individual gears, and each of the plurality of torque brakes receives a respective first end of one of the plurality of drive shafts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The actuation system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of torque brakes is a locking type torque brake that locks when the torque being passed through is above a predetermined threshold value, whereby a locking of one of the plurality of torque brakes operates to stop rotation of all of the plurality of individual gears at a same instant to maintain positional symmetry in the actuation system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The actuation system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of drive shafts are flexible drive shafts. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The actuation system of claim 1, wherein the motor is an electric motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The actuation system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of individual gears is a spur gear. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The actuation system of claim 1, wherein the geartrain has a gear ratio of 1:1 as to the plurality of individual gears. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The actuation system of claim 1, wherein the power drive unit further comprises a slip clutch employed between the motor and the gearbox, wherein when one of the plurality of torque brakes is triggered, the slip clutch operates to dissipate kinetic energy of the motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A mechanical system comprising: the actuation system of claim 1; a plurality of mechanical actuators, wherein each of the plurality of mechanical actuators receives a respective second end of the plurality of drive shafts whereby rotation of the plurality of drive shafts drives actuation of the respective mechanical actuators; a fixed structure to which the plurality of mechanical actuators is mounted; and a translating structure that is moveable relative to the fixed structure by operation of the plurality of mechanical actuators. ### Claim 9 The mechanical system of 8, wherein each of the mechanical actuators is a linear actuator that outputs a linear output in a common linear direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The mechanical system of claim 8, wherein the fixed structure is an engine case of an aircraft engine and the translating structure is a cowl of the aircraft engine, and the actuation system operates as a powered thrust reverser actuation system to operate cowl movement. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The mechanical system of claim 10, wherein the motor is an electric motor whereby the actuation system operates as an electric powered thrust reverser actuation system.