Redundant actuator control
First Claim
1. A redundant network for control of an actuator, the network comprising:
- a control system comprising three electronic control channels interconnected in a triplex redundant control;
a servo actuator comprising a servo valve and a duplex redundant input driver of the servo actuator for controlling an output variable wherein said duplex driver comprises two driver elements connected to said servo valve and dual amplifier channels outputting signals respectively to said driver elements; and
means comprising a fan-in circuit connecting each of said control channels to said amplifier channels for converting a triplex redundant control to a duplex redundant control, said converting means interconnecting said control system with said actuator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for operating an actuator in a mechanical system, such as an aircraft turbine engine, employs redundant electronic control channels for increased operational safety in the event of a failure of one of the control channels. In accordance with the reliability or integrity of the various components of the system, a network of triplex redundant electronic control units connects with duplex redundant input driver ports of a servo actuator, the network including a converter of triplex to duplex wherein the converter employs a duplex section of electronic circuits. The control units may include a schedule or memory addressed by a set of input parameters or variables for outputting a desired value of output parameter or variable. The converter includes a fan-in circuit by which signals of the three control units are applied to two power amplifiers for driving the two input sections of the servo actuator. Each input section of the actuator includes a torque motor for converting an electrical signal to a mechanical movement. Electronic sensing of current and voltage of each torque motor is provided for disabling a section of the converter in the event of failure of a torque motor.
48 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A redundant network for control of an actuator, the network comprising:
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a control system comprising three electronic control channels interconnected in a triplex redundant control; a servo actuator comprising a servo valve and a duplex redundant input driver of the servo actuator for controlling an output variable wherein said duplex driver comprises two driver elements connected to said servo valve and dual amplifier channels outputting signals respectively to said driver elements; and means comprising a fan-in circuit connecting each of said control channels to said amplifier channels for converting a triplex redundant control to a duplex redundant control, said converting means interconnecting said control system with said actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A control system for operating a device having mechanical parts, the system comprising:
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an actuator having a plurality of input ports each of which comprises means for transforming an electric signal to mechanical motion, the mechanical motion being applied to one of said mechanical ports for driving the port; a set of control channels each of which drives said actuator, said set of control channels providing redundant driving of said actuator, the number of control channels in said set being greater than the number of said actuator input ports; means for distributing output signals of all of said control channels among all of said actuator input ports; a plurality of amplifier channels outputting signals respectively to said transforming means in respective ones of said actuator input ports; and a fan-in circuit wherein a portion of an output signal of each of the control channels is summed at said input of each of the respective ones of said power amplifiers. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification