AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM COMPRISING A CONNECTING ROD PROVIDED WITH A SENSOR

• US 20120025014A1
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Electronics & Defense
• Original Assignee: Sagem Defense Securite (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Piaton, Jérôme, Duyck, Arnaud, Tilly, Bruno, Guillot, François
• Granted Patent: US 8,950,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/99.3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/30 using cable, chain, or rod mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/341 having duplication or stand-by provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/101 using sensors inserted into the flexible member

Abstract

A control system, in particular an aircraft flight control system, having a linkage with a force-transmission link (3), the link having a body (5) having at least one end housing (8) slidably receiving a coupling rod (9) for coupling the link to an adjacent element of the linkage, the housing being closed by an elastically-deformable test member (10) through which the rod passes and that has an inner periphery fastened to the rod and an outer periphery fastened to a wall defining the end housing, and the end housing receiving at least one sensor (11) for sensing relative movement between the rod and the body.

Claims

1. A control system, in particular an aircraft flight control system, comprising a linkage with a force-transmission link, wherein the link comprises a body having at least one end housing slidably receiving a coupling rod for coupling the link to an adjacent element of the linkage, the housing is closed by an elastically-deformable test member through which the rod passes and that has an inner periphery fastened to the rod and an outer periphery fastened to a wall defining the end housing, and wherein the end housing receives at least one sensor for sensing relative movement between the rod and the body.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the link has two end housings each receiving a sensor and a coupling rod and each closed by a respective test member.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the test member comprises an inner ring coaxially inside an outer ring and connected together by an elastically deformable annular web, the inner ring being mounted on the rod and the outer ring being mounted in the wall of the housing.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the test member includes at least one rigid annular wall extending parallel to the web and having an outer periphery forming a lateral abutment against relative movement between the outer ring and the inner ring.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the test member has two rigid annular walls extending on either side of the web.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the wall of the housing forms part of a cartridge that is received with radial clearance in a cavity formed in one of the ends of the body, and that has one end fastened to the body in the vicinity of the test member.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a linear variable differential transformer having at least one winding fastened to the rod or to the wall of the housing and a core fastened to the wall of the housing or to the rod.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the end housing receives at least two sensors.