Structural mechanism for unlocking and engaging a controllable surface on a hinged platform (wing)
First Claim
1. A structural mechanism comprising:
- a support;
a hinged surface;
a hinge assembly joining the hinged surface to the support so that the hinged surface may pivot relative to the support, wherein the hinge assembly comprises at least one hinge, and wherein the at least one hinge has a center passageway;
therethrough linearly aligned along a hinged-surface hinge axis;
an actuation system comprisingan actuator shaft lying coincident with the hinged-surface hinge axis and extending through the aligned center passageways of the at least one hinge of the hinge assembly, wherein the actuator shaft is engaged to the at least one hinge,a lock selectively operable to lock the hinged surface to the support when the actuator shaft engages the lock, wherein the lock comprisesan exterior locking spline on the actuator shaft at a location remote from the actuator structure, anda compatible interior locking spline in the support, wherein the exterior locking spline is engaged to the interior locking spline when the actuator shaft is in a first shaft axial position and is not engaged to the interior locking spline when the actuator shaft is in a second shaft axial position,an actuator structurecontrollably operable to move the actuator shaft longitudinally along the hinge-surface hinge axis between the first shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft engages the lock and the at least one hinge, and the second shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft does not engage the lock but does engage the at least one hinge, andcontrollably operable to rotate the actuator shaft about the hinged-surface hinge axis; and
an actuator controller for the actuator structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A structural mechanism for an aircraft includes a support, a hinged surface, and a hinge assembly joining the hinged surface to the support. An actuation system includes an actuator shaft engaged to the hinges and lying coincident with a hinged-surface hinge axis and extending through the aligned center passagways of the hinges of the hinge assembly. A lock is selectively operable to lock the hinged surface to the support when the actuator shaft engages the lock. An actuator structure is controllably operable to move the actuator shaft longitudinally along the hinge-surface hinge axis between a first shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft engages the lock and the hinges, and a second shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft does not engage the lock but does engage the hinges, and is controllably operable to rotate the actuator shaft about the hinged-surface hinge axis.
42 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A structural mechanism comprising:
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a support; a hinged surface; a hinge assembly joining the hinged surface to the support so that the hinged surface may pivot relative to the support, wherein the hinge assembly comprises at least one hinge, and wherein the at least one hinge has a center passageway;
therethrough linearly aligned along a hinged-surface hinge axis;an actuation system comprising an actuator shaft lying coincident with the hinged-surface hinge axis and extending through the aligned center passageways of the at least one hinge of the hinge assembly, wherein the actuator shaft is engaged to the at least one hinge, a lock selectively operable to lock the hinged surface to the support when the actuator shaft engages the lock, wherein the lock comprises an exterior locking spline on the actuator shaft at a location remote from the actuator structure, and a compatible interior locking spline in the support, wherein the exterior locking spline is engaged to the interior locking spline when the actuator shaft is in a first shaft axial position and is not engaged to the interior locking spline when the actuator shaft is in a second shaft axial position, an actuator structure controllably operable to move the actuator shaft longitudinally along the hinge-surface hinge axis between the first shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft engages the lock and the at least one hinge, and the second shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft does not engage the lock but does engage the at least one hinge, and controllably operable to rotate the actuator shaft about the hinged-surface hinge axis; and an actuator controller for the actuator structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A structural mechanism comprising:
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a support comprising a body, and a support surface joined to the body, wherein a hinge assembly joins the hinged surface to the support surface; a hinged surface; the hinge assembly joining the hinged surface to the support surface so that the hinged surface may pivot relative to the support surface, wherein the hinge assembly comprises at least one hinge, and wherein the at least one hinge has a center passageway therethrough linearly aligned along a hinged-surface hinge axis; an actuation system comprising an actuator shaft lying coincident with the hinged-surface hinge axis and extending through the aligned center passageways of the at least one hinge of the hinge assembly, wherein the actuator shaft is engaged to the at least one hinge, a lock selectively operable to lock the hinged surface to the support when the actuator shaft engages the lock, an actuator structure controllably operable to move the actuator shaft longitudinally along the hinge-surface hinge axis between a first shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft engages the lock and the at least one hinge, and a second shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft does not engage the lock but does engage the at least one hinge, and controllably operable to rotate the actuator shaft about the hinged-surface hinge axis, wherein the actuator structure comprises an engagement linear device controllably operable to move the actuator shaft longitudinally along the hinged-surface hinge axis between the first shaft axial position and the second shaft axial position, and a rotational actuator engaged to the actuator shaft, whereby the actuator shaft may be controllably rotated, wherein the engagement linear device and the rotational actuator are located in the body; and an actuator controller for the actuator structure.
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15. A structural mechanism comprising:
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a body of an air vehicle; a folding surface joined to the body of the air vehicle, wherein the folding surface is movable from a stowed position to a deployed position; a control surface; a hinge assembly joining the control surface to the folding surface so that the control surface may pivot relative to the folding surface, wherein the hinge assembly comprises at least two spaced-apart hinges and wherein the hinges have passageways therethrough linearly aligned along a control-surface hinge axis; an actuation system comprising an actuator shaft lying coincident with the control-surface hinge axis and extending through the passageways of the hinges of the hinge assembly, wherein the actuator shaft is engaged to the hinges, a lock selectively operable to lock the control surface to the folding surface when the actuator shaft engages the lock, an actuator structure controllably operable to move the actuator shaft longitudinally along the control-surface hinge axis between a first shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft engages the lock and the hinges, and a second shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft does not engage the lock but does engage the hinges, and controllably operable to rotate the actuator shaft about the control-surface hinge axis, wherein the actuator structure comprises an engagement linear device controllably operable to move the actuator shaft longitudinally along the control-surface hinge axis between the first shaft axial position and the second shaft axial position, and a rotational actuator engaged to the actuator shaft, whereby the actuator shaft may be controllably rotated, wherein the engagement linear device and the rotational actuator are located in the body; and an actuator controller for the actuator structure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A structural mechanism comprising:
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a body of an air vehicle; a folding surface joined to the body of the air vehicle, wherein the folding surface is movable from a stowed position to a deployed position; a control surface; a hinge assembly joining the control surface to the folding surface so that the control surface may pivot relative to the folding surface, wherein the hinge assembly comprises at least two spaced-apart hinges and wherein the hinges have passageways therethrough linearly aligned along a control-surface hinge axis; an actuation system comprising an actuator shaft lying coincident with the control-surface hinge axis and extending through the passageways of the hinges of the hinge assembly, wherein the actuator shaft is engaged to the hinges, a lock selectively operable to lock the control surface to the folding surface when the actuator shaft engages the lock, wherein the lock comprises an exterior locking spline on the actuator shaft at a location remote from the actuator structure, and a compatible interior locking spline in the folding surface, wherein the exterior locking spline is engaged to the interior locking spline when the actuator shaft is in the first shaft axial position and does not engage the interior locking spline when the actuator shaft is in the second shaft axial position, an actuator structure controllably operable to move the actuator shaft longitudinally along the control-surface hinge axis between a first shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft engages the lock and the hinges, and a second shaft axial position wherein the actuator shaft does not engage the lock but does engage the hinges, and controllably operable to rotate the actuator shaft about the control-surface hinge axis; and an actuator controller for the actuator structure.
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Specification