Linking assembly between a mechanical system and an adjustment actuator comprising engagement/disengagement members

• US 20080105784A1
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SOCIETE INDUSTRIELLE ET COMMERCIALE DE MATERIEL AERONAUTIQUE SICMA AERO SEAT
• Original Assignee: SOCIETE INDUSTRIELLE ET COMMERCIALE DE MATERIEL AERONAUTIQUE SICMA AERO SEAT
• Inventors: Barroca, Marcel
• Granted Patent: US 7,913,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/118.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2205/40 Dual or redundant actuating means, e.g. backrest tilting can be actuated alternatively by a lever at the backrest or a lever in the luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 11/12 with clutching members movable otherwise than only axially
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2011/002 using an external and axially slidable sleeve for coupling the teeth of both coupling components together
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20474 Rotatable rod, shaft, or post

Abstract

The invention relates to a linking assembly between a mechanical system, such as an aircraft seat, and an adjustment actuator, comprising an input shaft connected to an output of the actuator and an output shaft connected to an input of the mechanical system, and engagement/disengagement members placed between the input shaft and the output shaft, the members being mobile between a locked position, wherein the input shaft and the output shaft cooperate in rotation, and an unlocked position, position-copying means being mounted solidly attached to the actuator, the copying means having an input shaft, a position-copying rod being fixed between the output shaft and the input shaft of the copying means.

Claims

1. A linking assembly between a mechanical system, such as an aircraft seat, and an adjustment actuator, comprising an input shaft connected to an output of the actuator and an output shaft connected to an input of the mechanical system, and engagement/disengagement members placed between the input shaft and the output shaft, the members being mobile between a locked position, wherein the input shaft and the output shaft cooperate in rotation, and an unlocked position, wherein the input shaft does not cooperate with the output shaft, a position-copier solidly attached to the actuator, the copier having an input shaft, and a position-copying rod fixed between the output shaft and the input shaft of the copier.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the input and output shafts of the assembly are substantially coaxial, the input shaft being inserted in a first axial bore of the output shaft, the input shaft of the assembly comprising a second axial bore, and the position-copying rod passing through the second axial bore.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the position-copying rod is substantially rigid, the input shaft of the copier is substantially coaxial with the input and output shafts of the assembly.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the engagement/disengagement members comprise at least one housing made in the input shaft of the assembly and at least one orifice passing through the output shaft, at least one locking member being mobile in radial translation between a locking position, wherein the orifice is placed opposite the housing and wherein the member is placed in the housing and the orifice in order to solidly attach the input shaft and the output shaft, and an unlocking position, wherein the member is removed from the housing in order to separate the input shaft from the output shaft.

5. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the engagement/disengagement member further comprises a control ring placed around the input shaft and the output shaft, the control ring comprising a locking inner wall portion with a diameter that is substantially equal to that of the output shaft and an unlocking inner wall portion with a diameter that is greater than that of the output shaft, the control ring being mobile in axial translation between a locking position, wherein the locking inner wall portion is placed opposite the orifice so as to hold the locking member in the housing and an unlocking position, wherein the unlocking inner wall portion is placed opposite the orifice so as to allow the locking member to come out of the housing during the rotation of the input shaft with regard to the output shaft.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the locking member is made up of a ball, the ball being capable of coming out of the housing by the rotation of the input shaft when the control ring is in unlocking position.

7. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the control ring comprises a slope connecting the locking inner wall portion to the unlocking inner wall portion, the slope being arranged to bring the locking member into its locking position when the control ring passes from its unlocking position to its locking position.

8. The assembly according to claim 5, further comprising a spring placed between a radial stop surface provided on the output shaft and the control ring, the spring being compressed when the control ring is in unlocking position.

9. The assembly according to claim from 1, wherein the copier comprises a potentiometer.

10. An aircraft comprising at least one linking assembly according to claim 1 associated with at least one seat of the aircraft.

11. A linking assembly comprising:

an input shaft including an orifice;

an output shaft including an orifice;

a first member substantially surrounding a portion of the input shaft and a portion of the output shaft, the first member including a sloping surface; and

a second member operably movable from a locking position securing together the input and output shafts, to an unlocking position allowing one of the shafts to move relative to the other of the shafts;

movement of the first member to a locking orientation causes the sloping surface to move the second member to the locking position with the second member engaging the orifices of both the input and output shafts; and

rotation of at least one of the shafts causing the second member to disengage at least one of the orifices and move to the unlocking position when the first member is moved to its unlocking orientation.

12. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the portions of the input and output shafts are concentric with each other.

13. The assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a spring contacting against and biasing the first member toward its locking orientation.

14. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein:

the first member is a ring having the sloping surface on an inside thereof, and a gap is located between a section of the ring and the portion of at least one of the shafts closest to the section, the second member being movable into the gap when the second member is moved to its unlocking position; and

locking of the shaft is due to only a single one of the first member.

15. The assembly according to claim 11, further comprising an aircraft seat position-copying rod is attached to the input shaft, and the second member is a ball.

16. A linking assembly comprising:

a first elongated member;

a second elongated member including a portion concentrically surrounding a portion of the first elongated member;

a seat position-copying member attached to one of the elongated members;

a control member substantially surrounding at least part of the concentric portions of both the first and second elongated members;

the control member being movable in a direction of elongation of the first elongated member between locking and unlocking orientations, the locking orientation allowing the first and second elongated members to move together, and the unlocking orientation allowing the first and second elongated members to move independently from each other.

17. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a slope located on an inside of the control member and facing an orifice in at least one of the elongated members;

a ball operably moved into the orifice by movement of the slope of the control member to its locking orientation such that the ball locks the first and second members together for simultaneous movement in at least one direction; and

a biasing member operably urging the control member toward one of its orientations.

18. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

an engagement member selectively movable to mechanically engage together and disengage the first and second elongated members;

movement of the control member to its locking orientation operably causing the engagement member to move to its engaging position; and

rotation of at least one of the elongated members operably causing the engagement member to move to its disengaging position if the control member is moved to its unlocking orientation.

19. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the seat position-copying member includes a substantially rigid, aircraft seat, position-copying rod.

20. The assembly of claim 16, wherein movement of the control member allows the seat position-copying rod to remain it its position-copying orientation without subsequent adjustment even when a seat is separated from the second elongated member which is an actuator-driven output shaft.