Cellular actuator device and methods of making and using same

• US 7,055,782 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Dittrich, Kay
• Primary Examiner(s): BAREFOOT, GALEN L
• Application Number:
  US10/866,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20050029406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 244/219, 244/75.R, 244/78, 244/218, 244/124, 244/99.5, 244/123.11, 92/48, 92/50, 92 37- 39, 92/92
• US Class Current: 244/219
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/46 by inflatable elements

Abstract

A cellular actuator device suitable for a control surface of an aircraft or space craft has a number of elementary cells which are combined to a common arrangement and are formed by pressure-tight chambers. The elementary cells can be acted upon by a pressure medium and, when acted upon by the pressure medium, can be deformed in at least one work direction while changing their length. The elementary cells are coupled for combining their length changes in the at least one working direction to an overall movement of the elementary cell arrangement. The actuator device is particularly suitable for actuating a control surface of an aircraft or spacecraft.

Claims

1. Cellular actuator device having a plurality of pressure-tight chambers, which are combined to a common arrangement which can be acted upon by a pressure medium and, when acted upon by the pressure medium, can be deformed in at least one work direction while changing their length, and thus being able to move two parts of a structure with respect to each other whereby the structure parts are connected to the chambers, characterized by elementary cells each comprising at least one of said plurality of pressure-tight chambers, which chambers are formed by walls mutually connected by way of joints or articulated connection points and which chambers are coupled to a matrix-like arrangement of elementary cells in a way, that, when pressurization acts upon the elementary cells, the length changes in the at least one work direction of the individual elementary cells are additively combined to an overall movement of the elementary cell arrangement.

2. Cellular actuator device according to claim 1, wherein the elementary cells each contain a single pressure-tight chamber.

3. Cellular actuator device according to claim 1, wherein the elementary cells are deformable in a contracting manner in the working direction while changing their length when the pressure-tight chambers are acted upon by the pressure medium.

4. Cellular actuator device according to claim 1, wherein the elementary cells can be deformed in an expanding manner in the working direction while changing their length when the pressure-tight chambers are acted upon by the pressure medium.

5. Cellular actuator device according to claim 1, wherein the elementary cells each contain at least one first pressure-tight chamber and at least one second pressure-tight chamber.

6. Cellular actuator device according to claim 5, wherein the elementary cells are deformable in a contracting manner in the working direction while changing their length when the first pressure-tight chambers are acted upon.

7. Cellular actuator device according to claim 5, wherein the elementary cells are deformable in an expanding manner in the working direction while changing their length when the second pressure-tight chambers are acted upon.

8. Cellular actuator device according to claim 3, wherein the pressure-tight chambers have an essentially convex cross-sectional shape in a direction parallel to the working direction such that an action by means of the pressure medium, while reinforcing the convexity of the pressure-tight chambers, causes an enlargement of the extension transversely to the working direction and a contraction in the working direction.

9. Cellular actuator device according to claim 6, wherein the first pressure-tight chambers have an essentially convex cross-sectional shape in a direction parallel to the working direction such that an action by means of the pressure medium, while reinforcing the convexity of the pressure-tight chambers, causes an enlargement of the extension transversely to the working direction and a contraction in the working direction.

10. Cellular actuator device according to claim 4, wherein the pressure-tight chambers have an essentially concave cross-sectional shape in a direction parallel to the working direction such that an action by means of the pressure medium, while decreasing the concavity of the pressure-tight chambers, causes an enlargement of the extension transversely to the working direction and an expansion in the working direction.

11. Cellular actuator device according to claim 7, wherein the second pressure-tight chambers have an essentially concave cross-sectional shape in a direction parallel to the working direction such that an action by means of the pressure medium, while decreasing the concavity of the pressure-tight chambers, causes an enlargement of the extension transversely to the working direction and an expansion in the working direction.

12. Cellular actuator device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-tight chambers are delimited by ends which are mutually opposite in the working direction, by side walls extending between the ends, and by upper and lower cover walls sealing off the chambers on their top side and their bottom side.

13. Cellular actuator device according to claim 12, wherein the side walls are divided at half their extension between the ends and the parts of the side walls are mutually connected there in an articulated manner by means of a solid-state joint.

14. Cellular actuator device according to claim 12, wherein the upper andlor lower cover walls are formed by outwardly convex domes.

15. Cellular actuator device according to claim 13, wherein the upper and/or lower cover walls are formed by outwardly convex domes.

16. Cellular actuator device according to claim 12, wherein the upper and/or lower cover walls are formed by inwardly convex domes.

17. Cellular actuator device according to claim 14, wherein the upper and/or lower cover walls are formed by inwardly convex domes.

18. Cellular actuator device according to claim 12, wherein the upper and/or lower cover walls are formed by rigid cover plates and are sealed off by sealing elements acting between the side walls and the rigid cover plates.

19. Cellular actuator device according to claim 14, wherein the upper and/or lower cover walls are formed by rigid cover plates and are sealed off by sealing elements acting between the side walls and the rigid cover plates.

20. Cellular actuator device according to claim 12, wherein the pressure-tight chambers have an essentially acute course at their ends which are mutually opposite in the working direction.

21. Cellular actuator device according to claim 14, wherein the pressure-tight chambers have an essentially acute course at their ends which are mutually opposite in the working direction.

22. Cellular actuator device according to claim 18, wherein the pressure-tight chambers have an essentially acute course at their ends which are mutually opposite in the working direction.

23. Cellular actuator device according to claim 12, wherein the pressure-tight chambers have end surfaces at their ends which are mutually opposite in the working direction.

24. Cellular actuator device according to claim 14, wherein the pressure-tight chambers have end surfaces at their ends which are mutually opposite in the working direction.

25. Cellular actuator device according to claim 1, wherein the elementary cells are deformable in a working direction while changing their length.

26. Cellular actuator device according to claim 1, wherein the elementary cells are deformable in at least two working directions while changing their length.

27. Cellular actuator device according to claim 1, wherein elementary cell arrangement formed by the number of elementary cells is two-dimensional.

28. Cellular actuator device according to claim 18, wherein the elementary cells are arranged in a matrix-like arrangement parallel side-by-side and above one another in lines and columns.

29. Cellular actuator device according to claim 18, wherein the elementary cells are arranged in a honeycomb-type arrangement in an offset manner side-by-side and above one another.

30. Cellular actuator device according to claim 27, wherein passage ducts are provided between chambers which can be jointly acted upon by the pressure medium.

31. Cellular actuator device according to claim 28, wherein passage ducts are provided between chambers which can be jointly acted upon by the pressure medium.

32. Cellular actuator device according to claim 29, wherein passage ducts are provided between chambers which can be jointly acted upon by the pressure medium.

33. Cellular actuator device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator device is configured for actuating a control surface of an aircraft or spacecraft.

34. Cellular actuator device according to claim 33, wherein the actuator device is provided as a planar actuator for actuating a rudder surface or trim surface of a shape-variable wing or of a shape-variable fin of an aircraft or spacecraft, particularly of an airplane.

35. A cellular actuator device for a vehicle control surface, comprising:

a plurality of variable size pressure tight chambers combined to form a common arrangement, said chambers coupled to a matrix-like arrangement of elementary cells which are coupled together to facilitate dimensional changes in the common arrangement in dependence on changes in pressure in said chambers wherein said dimensional changes include a change in length in at least one work direction of individual ones of said cells wherein said change in length are additively combined, and

a fluid pressure controller for controlling pressure in said chambers.

36. A method of using the actuator device of claim 35, comprising controllably operating said controller to vary the pressure in said chambers and thereby changing the surface configuration of a vehicle control surface.

37. A method of making a cellular actuator device for a vehicle control surface, comprising:

forming a plurality of pressure tight chambers having flexible chamber walls,

coupling said chambers to a matrix-like arrangement of elementary cells including at least one chamber connecting said pressure tight chambers to form a common arrangement of elementary cells with pressure connection between a plurality of said pressure tight chambers such that, in use, pressure control changes a length in at least one work direction each of said cells and additively combining said changes in length to provide overall movement of said arrangement, and

connecting a cover to said common arrangement, which cover in use forms at least a portion of vehicle control surface.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein said pressure tight chambers are made of metal.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein said pressure tight chambers are made of plastic.

40. A method according to claim 38, wherein said pressure tight chambers are made of fiber reinforced plastic materials.