CONTROL BOX

• US 20130200212A1
• Filed: 02/07/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Landing Systems
• Original Assignee: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
• Inventors: LECOURTIER, Gilbert
• Granted Patent: US 9,193,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/99.3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1446 Inspection hatches for engine cowls B64D29/08
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/00 Alighting gear air-cushion alighting gear B60V3/08
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/16 Fairings movable in conjunction with undercarriage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/005 for preventing unintentional use of a control mechanism G05G5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/54 the operating part having at least five or an unspecified number of operative positions

Abstract

The invention provides a control box for selectively delivering orders to receivers (8, 12), the control box comprising:

• • a shaft (14) mounted to turn about an axis of rotation (X), while being capable of sliding along said axis (X) between a rest position towards which it is urged by return means (24), and an active position;
  • order delivery means (16, 11) co-operating with the shaft (14) to deliver orders as a function of the angular position of the shaft (14);
  • rotary drive means (15) for causing the shaft to turn; and
  • safety actuation means (23) for causing the shaft to slide from the rest position in which anti-rotation means (27, 28) prevent the shaft from turning to the active position in which the anti-rotation means (27, 28) leave the shaft free to turn under drive from the rotary drive means (15).

Claims

1. A control box for selectively delivering orders to receivers (8, 12), the control box comprising:

a shaft (14) mounted to turn about an axis of rotation (X), while being capable of sliding along said axis (X) between a rest position towards which it is urged by return means (24), and an active position;

order delivery means (16, 11) co-operating with the shaft (14) to deliver orders as a function of the angular position of the shaft (14);

rotary drive means (15) for causing the shaft to turn; and

safety actuation means (23) for causing the shaft to slide from the rest position in which anti-rotation means (27, 28) prevent the shaft from turning to the active position in which the anti-rotation means (27, 28) leave the shaft free to turn under drive from the rotary drive means (15).

2. A control box according to claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation means (27, 28) comprise longitudinal grooves (27) formed in a portion of the shaft (14) and co-operating with a stationary finger (28) of the control box so that the finger (28) is engaged in one of the grooves (27) when the shaft (14) is in the rest position and the finger (28) is disengaged from the grooves (27) when the shaft (14) is in the active position.

3. A control box according to claim 2, also including at least one retractable finger (41) adapted to penetrate selectively into one of the grooves (27) in order to prevent the shaft (14) from turning.

4. A control box according to claim 3, wherein the retractable finger (41) is a moving portion of an electromechanical solenoid actuator (40).

5. A control box according to claim 1, further including detector means (36, 37, 38) adapted to co-operate with the shaft (14) in order to detect whether the shaft (14) is in the rest position or in the active position.

6. A control box according to claim 5, wherein the detector means (36, 37, 38) cause the order delivery means (16, 11) to be powered when the shaft (14) is in the active position.

7. A control box according to claim 1, further including detector means (31, 33) adapted to co-operate with the shaft (14) in order to detect an angular position of the shaft (14).

8. A device for operating an aircraft landing gear hatch on the ground, the device comprising:

means (5, 12) for operating the hatch (4);

hooking means (6, 7, 10) enabling the hatch (4) to be locked when it reaches a closed position, the hooking means (6, 7, 10) including at least one unlocking actuator (8) arranged to act on the hooking means (6, 7, 10) in order to deactivate them; and

a control box (9) according to claim 1, the order delivery means (16) of the control box (9) optionally being connected to the operating means (5, 12) of the hatch and to the unlocking actuator (8) in order to run the following sequences selectively;

an opening sequence during which the unlocking actuator (8) is actuated to deactivate the hooking means (6, 7, 10); and

a closing sequence during which the operating means (5, 12) are actuated to reclose the hatch (4).

9. A device for operating a landing gear hatch on the ground according to claim 8, wherein the unlocking actuator (8) is an electromechanical actuator.