Low profile precision actuator
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorRalph E. Rieben
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A precision actuator of minimum thickness which provides high output force with low input torque and includes a single-piece metallic rhombus with a drive assembly made up of a right-hand threaded rod that passes through a right-hand threaded side apex of the rhombus connected by a coupling to a left-hand threaded rod that passes through a left-hand threaded side apex opposite the other threaded apex of the rhombus. The right-hand threaded and left-hand threaded rods are secured to the coupling such that the drive assembly rotates as a unit. Right-hand rotation of the drive assembly increases the distance between the threaded apexes while drawing the end apexes closer together and left-hand rotation of the drive assembly draws the threaded apexes closer together forcing the end apexes further apart.
Claims4
A low profile precision actuator for use in a wind tunnel test of a high performance model aircraft, said actuator comprising a one-piece metallic rhombus positioned within the wing of the model aircraft, said rhombus having two side apexes and two end apexes, one of the end apexes of said rhombus being attached to a fixed portion of the model wing, a rotatable drive assembly threadably attached to said rhombus for increasing and decreasing the distance between the side apexes of said rhombus, the other end apex of said rhombus being attached to a moveable aileron on the wing of the model to produce a movement corresponding to the rotation of said drive assembly, whereby the model aircraft can be flown through realistically simulated maneuvers to produce accurate design data for use at critical points in the maneuvering flight envelope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.