WING TIP AILERON ACTUATION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A flight vehicle comprising:
- first and second wings configured to be contained within a housing when in a stowed position and extend outward from the housing when in a deployed position;
an actuator;
a bell crank having a first end connected to the actuator, a pivot point at a second end, and first and second arms extending outward from the second end with the first arm having a first fork and the second arm having a second fork;
a first pivot pin rotatable with the first wing between the stowed position and the deployed position, the first pivot pin having an opening that is aligned with and adjacent to the first fork;
a first lever pin within the opening in the first pivot pin and extending out from the opening in the first pivot pin to be located within the first fork on the first arm, the first lever pin rotatable with the first wing and the first pivot pin so that the first lever pin is disengaged from the first fork when in the stowed position and is engaged with the first fork when in the deployed position;
a first wing tip shaft within the first wing and connected to the first lever pin at a first end and to a first aileron at a second end, the first wing tip shaft configured to rotate to control the first aileron when the first fork of the bell crank moves the first lever pin within the first pivot pin;
a second pivot pin rotatable with the second wing between the stowed position and the deployed position, the second pivot pin having an opening that is aligned with and adjacent to the second fork;
a second lever pin within the opening in the second pivot pin and extending out from the opening in the second pivot pin to be located within the second fork on the second arm, the second lever pin rotatable with the second wing and second pivot pin so that the second lever pin is disengaged from the second fork when in the stowed position and is engaged with the second fork when in the deployed position; and
a second wing tip shaft within the second wing and connected to the second lever pin at a first end and to a second aileron at a second end, the second wing tip shaft configured to rotate to control the second aileron when the second fork of the bell crank moves the second lever pin within the second pivot pin.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for a flight vehicle includes first and second pivot pins each having a hollow cylindrical shape with an opening therein, first and second deployable wings configured to pivot about the first and second pivot pins between a stowed position and a deployed position with the first and second deployable wings each having first and second wing tip shafts extending between the first and second pivot pins and first and second ailerons at a tip of the deployable wings, first and second lever pins within the opening in the pivot pins with the first and second lever pins each having a first end that extends out from a top of the pivot pin and a second end connected to the wing tip shaft and with the first and second lever pins configured to rotate the wing tip shafts to control the ailerons.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A flight vehicle comprising:
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first and second wings configured to be contained within a housing when in a stowed position and extend outward from the housing when in a deployed position; an actuator; a bell crank having a first end connected to the actuator, a pivot point at a second end, and first and second arms extending outward from the second end with the first arm having a first fork and the second arm having a second fork; a first pivot pin rotatable with the first wing between the stowed position and the deployed position, the first pivot pin having an opening that is aligned with and adjacent to the first fork; a first lever pin within the opening in the first pivot pin and extending out from the opening in the first pivot pin to be located within the first fork on the first arm, the first lever pin rotatable with the first wing and the first pivot pin so that the first lever pin is disengaged from the first fork when in the stowed position and is engaged with the first fork when in the deployed position; a first wing tip shaft within the first wing and connected to the first lever pin at a first end and to a first aileron at a second end, the first wing tip shaft configured to rotate to control the first aileron when the first fork of the bell crank moves the first lever pin within the first pivot pin; a second pivot pin rotatable with the second wing between the stowed position and the deployed position, the second pivot pin having an opening that is aligned with and adjacent to the second fork; a second lever pin within the opening in the second pivot pin and extending out from the opening in the second pivot pin to be located within the second fork on the second arm, the second lever pin rotatable with the second wing and second pivot pin so that the second lever pin is disengaged from the second fork when in the stowed position and is engaged with the second fork when in the deployed position; and a second wing tip shaft within the second wing and connected to the second lever pin at a first end and to a second aileron at a second end, the second wing tip shaft configured to rotate to control the second aileron when the second fork of the bell crank moves the second lever pin within the second pivot pin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A control system for a flight vehicle comprising:
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a first pivot pin having a hollow cylindrical shape with an opening therein; a second pivot pin having a hollow cylindrical shape with an opening therein; a first deployable wing configured to pivot about the first pivot pin between a stowed position and a deployed position, the first deployable wing having a first wing tip shaft extending between the first pivot pin and a first aileron at a tip of the first deployable wing; a second deployable wing configured to pivot about the second pivot pin between the stowed position and the deployed position, the second deployable wing having a second wing tip shaft extending between the second pivot pin and a second aileron at a tip of the second deployable wing; a first lever pin within the opening in the first pivot pin with the first lever pin having a first end that extends out from a top of the first pivot pin and a second end connected to the first wing tip shaft, the first lever pin configured to rotate the first wing tip shaft to control the first aileron; and a second lever pin within the opening in the second pivot pin with the second lever pin having a first end that extends out from a top of the second pivot pin and a second end connected to the second wing tip shaft, the second lever pin configured to rotate the second wing tip shaft to control the second aileron. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification