Method and device for redundantly supplying several electric servomotors or drive motors by means of a common power electronics unit

• US 7,872,367 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE), Deutsches Zentrum Fã¼R Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE), Deutsches Zentrum Fã¼R Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Inventors: Giebeler, Christoph, Recksiek, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): RUTLAND WALLIS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/086,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 307/19, 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/505 having duplication or stand-by provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/03 with multiple-channel loop, i.e. redundant control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A method and a device for redundantly supplying several electric servomotors or drive motors by a common power electronics unit, particularly in an aircraft, wherein the power electronics unit contains a number of electronic motor control units, and wherein the electric motors are operated with nominal power if the electronic motor control units are fully functional. The motors are operated with the available residual power of the motor control units if partial failure of the motor control units occurs. The motors may be operated sequentially or simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method for redundantly supplying a plurality of electric servomotors or drive motors by a common power electronics unit containing a plurality of electronic motor control units, comprising:

operating the electric motors with nominal power when the electronic motor control units are fully functional, and operating the motors with the available residual power of the motor control units when partial failure of the motor control units occurs,

wherein the motor control units generate part of a total number x of phases, with which the motors are operated, and wherein the motors are operated with the still intact phases of the motor control units if partial failure of the motor control units occurs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein two motor control units respectively generate half x/2 of the number x of phases, with which the two motors are operated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the motor control units generate the full number x of phases, with which the motors are operated, and wherein the motors are operated with the reduced power of the still functional motor control units if partial failure of the motor control units occurs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the motors are operated sequentially.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the motors are operated simultaneously.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the motors drive the landing flap drive and the main landing gear of an aircraft.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the motors sequentially drive the landing flap drive and the main landing gear of an aircraft, and wherein the energy generated on one of the motors is used for actuating one of the other motors in case of an energy shortage.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the motors drive a duplex drive of a landing flap drive of an aircraft.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the motors belong to the same power class and have the same power output when they operate simultaneously.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the motors are spatially arranged close to one another when they operate simultaneously.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the motors are operated with the power of the still functional motor control units if part of the motor control units fails.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the motors are operated with the still available residual power of the motor control units if partial failure of the motor control units occurs.

13. A device for redundantly supplying a plurality of electric servomotors or drive motors comprising:

a common power electronics unit containing a plurality of electronic motor control units and a switching device for selectively connecting the motor control units to the motors, and wherein the electric motors are operated with nominal power if the electronic motor control units are fully functional, and wherein the motors may be operated with the available residual power of the motor control units by the switching device if partial failure of the motor control units occurs,

wherein the motor control units are provided for generating part of a total number x of phases, with which the motors are operated, and wherein the motors may be operated with the still intact phases of the motor control units by the switching device if partial failure of the motor control units occurs.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein two motor control units are respectively provided for generating half x/2 of the number x of phases, with which the two motors may be operated.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the motor control units are provided for generating the full number x of phases, with which the motors may be operated, and wherein the motors may be operated with the reduced power of the still functional motor control units by the switching device if partial failure of the motor control units occurs.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the motors may be operated sequentially by the switching device.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the motors may be operated simultaneously by the switching device.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the motors drive the land flap drive and the main landing gear of an aircraft.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the motors sequentially drive the landing flap drive and the main landing gear of an aircraft, and wherein the energy generated on one of the motors is used for actuating one of the other motors in case of an energy shortage.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein the motors drive a duplex drive of a landing flap drive of an aircraft.

21. The device of claim 13, wherein the motors belong to the same power class and have the same power output when they operate simultaneously.

22. The device of claim 13, wherein the motors are spatially arranged close to one another when they operate simultaneously.

23. The device of claim 13, wherein the motors may be operated with the power of the still functional motor control units by the switching device if part of the motor control units fails.

24. The device of claim 13, wherein the motors may be operated with the still available residual power of the motor control units by the switching device if partial failure of the motor control units occurs.