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US 6,481,667 B1Granted
System and method for deflecting an aerodynamic control surface
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Corporation
InventorYu-Hang Ho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to one embodiment of the invention, a system for deflecting an aerodynamic control surface includes a first piezoelectric actuator coupled to a first flexure member. The first flexure member has a first end coupled to a first surface of the aerodynamic control surface and is operable to amplify a linear motion of the first piezoelectric actuator. The system further includes a second piezoelectric actuator coupled to a second flexure member. The second flexure member has a first end coupled to a second surface of the aerodynamic control surface and is operable to amplify a linear motion of the second piezoelectric actuator.
Claims22
A system for deflecting an aerodynamic control surface, comprising:
- a main segment having first and second surfaces disposed inwardly from the aerodynamic control surface;
- a spar disposed between the first and second surfaces of the main segment;
- a first piezoelectric actuator coupled at a first end to a first flexure member and rotatably coupled to the main segment at a second end, the first flexure member having a first end coupled to the first surface of the main segment and a second end coupled to the spar, the first flexure member operable to amplify a linear motion of the first piezoelectric actuator;
- and
- a second piezoelectric actuator coupled at a first end to a second flexure member and rotatably coupled to the main segment at a second end, the second flexure member having a first end coupled to the second surface of the main segment and a second end coupled to the spar, the second flexure member operable to amplify a linear motion of the second piezoelectric actuator.
2 more elements
An aircraft structure, comprising:
- a main segment having first and second inner surfaces and first and second outer surfaces that define a portion of an outer surface of the aircraft structure;
- a control surface having first and second inner surfaces disposed outwardly from the main segment;
- a first piezoelectric actuator coupled to the first inner surface of the main segment at a first end and rotatably coupled to a first flexure member at a second end, the first flexure member having a leg portion securely coupled adjacent the first inner surface of the main segment and a lever portion rotatably coupled directly to the second inner surface of the control surface;
- and
- a second piezoelectric actuator coupled to the second inner surface of the main segment at a first end and rotatably coupled to a second flexure member at a second end, the second flexure member having a leg portion securely coupled adjacent the second inner surface of the main segment and a lever portion rotatably coupled directly to the first inner surface of the control surface, the second flexure member adjacent the first flexure member.
2 more elements
A method for deflecting an aerodynamic control surface, the method comprising:
- disposing inwardly from the aerodynamic control surface a main segment having first and second surfaces;
- disposing a spar between the first and second surfaces of the main segment;
- rotatably coupling a first end of a first flexure member to the first surface of the main segment;
- coupling a second end of the first flexure member to the spar;
- rotatably coupling a first end of a second flexure member to the second surface of the main segment;
- coupling a second end of the second flexure member to the spar;
- rotatably coupling a first piezoelectric actuator at a first end to the first flexure member;
- rotatably coupling a second end of the first piezoelectric actuator to the main segment;
- rotatably coupling a second piezoelectric actuator at a first end to the second flexure member;
- rotatably coupling a second end of the second piezoelectric actuator to the main segment;
- electrically coupling an electronic power source to the first and second piezoelectric actuators;
- and
- inputting a first electrical charge into the first piezoelectric actuator and a second electrical charge into the second piezoelectric actuator, whereby the first and second flexure members, in conjunction with one another, translate a first linear motion of the first piezoelectric actuator and a second linear motion of the second piezoelectric actuator into a rotational motion of the aerodynamic control surface.
10 more elements
An aircraft wing, comprising:
- a main segment having upper and lower surfaces;
- a plurality of control surfaces having upper and lower surfaces serially disposed outwardly from the main segment;
- a plurality of piezoelectric actuation systems, wherein one or more piezoelectric actuation systems couple the main segment to the control surface adjacent thereto and one or more piezoelectric actuation systems couple the control surfaces to each other;
- and
- wherein each piezoelectric actuation system comprises:
- first and second piezoelectric actuators coupled to first and second flexure members, wherein the first and second flexure members, in conjunction with one another, are operable to translate a linear motion of the first and second piezoelectric actuators into a rotational motion of one of the control surfaces based on a first electric charge applied to the first piezoelectric actuator and a second electric charge applied to the second piezoelectric actuator.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.