Torque transfer limiting arrangement for a rotational drive shaft

A torque transfer limiting arrangement for a single rotational drive shaft of an aircraft flap actuator system, wherein rotation of the drive shaft applies force to an aircraft flap, the arrangement including:

• braking means actuatable for stopping the single drive shaft from rotating;
• actuation means, responsive to a control signal, to cause actuation of the braking means;
• torque sensing means operational upon only the single drive shaft for sensing torque within the single drive shaft and outputting a signal indicative of the sensed torque within the single drive shaft;
• and
• processor means, operatively connected to receive the signal indicative of the sensed torque from the torque sensing means and to provide the control signal to the actuation means, for processing the signal indicative of the sensed torque and determining the need to actuate the braking means when the torque within the single drive shaft exceeds a preset threshold level determined by the processor based upon selected parameters, wherein the torque measuring means includes two angular position resolvers positioned at two separate locations on the drive shaft.

A computer-controlled torque limiting arrangement including:

• a housing having a rotatable main shaft running axially there through;
• a torque measuring mechanism, including a torsion shaft provided as a section of the main shaft and position sensors for measuring twist of the torsion shaft;
• a braking mechanism contained within the housing, the braking mechanism having a plurality of rotatable brake disks disposed about the main shaft, a plurality of fixed brake disks disposed about the main shaft, and rotatable brake plate means disposed about the main shaft, the rotatable brake disks being coupled to the main shaft, the plurality of rotatable brake disks being spline-coupled to the brake plate means, and the braking mechanism is releasable such that the brake plate means increases frictional engagement between the rotatable brake disks and the fixed brake disks to stop rotation of the main shaft;
• an electric trip mechanism having a solenoid activated electric clutch responsive to an electrical trigger signal that allows a drive train to convert rotational motion of the main shaft into translational motion of a trigger sleeve;
• and
• a control computer for processing input criteria and for sending output signals based on the input criteria, the output signals will allow the control computer to activate the electrical trip mechanism, which releases a locking mechanism, which in turn actuates the brake mechanism, wherein the brake mechanism stops the rotatable main shaft from rotating.