Locking device for vehicles, in particular for aeroplanes

• US 20060060708A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WITTENSTEIN SE
• Original Assignee: Wittenstein AG
• Inventors: Eck, Alexander, Schmitt, Klaus Dieter, Decker, Walter, Mehring, Jorg-Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,589,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/129.500
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1407 Doors; surrounding frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1469 Doors between cockpit and cabin
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/00 Transmitting power from power plants to propellers or rotors; Arrangements of transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0029 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/0073 magnetically operated
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0038 using permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 53/008 by planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/25 Actuators mounted separately from the lock and controlling the lock functions through mechanical connections

Abstract

A locking device for vehicles, especially for aeroplanes, comprising an actively driven drive element provided with an input shaft and an output shaft which is directly or indirectly connected to the input shaft. According to the invention, at least one permanent magnet is associated with the input shaft or the output shaft, the magnet interacting with at least one other external fixed element, especially a permanent magnet.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A locking device for vehicles having drive means rotatably mounted in a housing, said drive means comprises a drive element, an input drive shaft, and an output drive shaft connected to the input drive shaft, first magnet means associated with said drive means and second external magnet means, wherein the first and second magnet means holds the drive means in a safe rest position.

18. A locking device according to claim 14, wherein the second magnet means is associated with the housing.

19. A locking device according to claim 18, wherein the second magnet means is mounted on an internal wall of the housing.

20. A locking device according to claim 19, wherein the first magnet means defines with the second magnet means a gap therebetween.

21. A locking device according to claim 14, wherein the housing is subdivided by a partition into a first part and a second part, wherein the drive element is in the first part and the first and second magnet means.

22. A locking device according to claim 14, wherein a position determination sensor element is associated with at least one of input drive shaft and the output drive shaft.

23. A locking device according to claim 14, wherein an epicyclic transmission is connected between the input drive shaft and the output drive shaft.

24. A locking device according to claim 14, wherein, in the event of a power failure, the first magnet means acts on the second magnet means to rotate one of the input drive shaft and the output drive shaft to a variable and selectable safe rest position.

25. A locking device according to claim 14, wherein the drive element is selected from an electric motor, a pneumatic drive, and a hydraulic drive.