Adjustable servomechanism assemblies and associated systems and methods

• US 8,235,327 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Jackson, Clifford
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Keith L
• Application Number:
  US12/406,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20100237199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 244/99.2, 244/99.3, 244/90.R, 403/359.1, 403/359.5
• US Class Current: 244/190
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/02 Model aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 40/10 for adjusting control surfaces or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7033 including a lock or retainer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18568 Reciprocating or oscillating to or from alternating rotary

Abstract

Adjustable servomechanism assemblies and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. An unmanned aircraft system in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes a movable mechanism and a servomechanism assembly operably coupled to the movable mechanism. The system also includes an interface assembly operably coupled to an output shaft of the servo and the movable mechanism. The interface assembly includes an adapter portion carried by the output shaft and an output arm releasably engaged with the adapter portion. The adapter portion includes a first aperture having a non-round surface mated with a non-round surface of the output shaft, and a generally smooth, non-splined, engagement surface. The output arm includes a second aperture sized to receive at least a portion of the outer surface of the adapter portion. The second aperture includes generally smooth inner surface in contact with and rotatable through 360 degrees relative to the engagement surface of the adapter portion.

Claims

1. An unmanned aircraft system, comprising:

a movable mechanism of an unmanned aircraft;

a servomechanism assembly operably coupled to the movable mechanism, wherein the servomechanism assembly includes a servo motor and an output shaft operably coupled to the motor, and wherein the output shaft has a first non-round surface; and

an interface assembly operably coupled to the output shaft and the movable mechanism, wherein the interface assembly includes an adapter portion carried by the output shaft, wherein the adapter portion includes (a) a first aperture having a second non-round surface mated with the first non-round surface of the output shaft, and (b) a generally smooth, non-splined, engagement surface; and

an output arm releasably engaged with the adapter portion, wherein the output arm includes a second aperture sized to receive at least a portion of the engagement surface of the adapter portion, and wherein the second aperture includes a non-splined, generally smooth inner surface in contact with and rotatable through 360 degrees relative to the engagement surface of the adapter portion.

2. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the output arm comprises:

an adjustable collar portion configured to compressibly engage at least a portion of the adapter portion when the output arm is at a desired position relative to the output shaft; and

an attachment portion positioned for attachment to a linkage between the interface assembly and the movable mechanism.

3. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the output arm comprises:

an adjustable collar portion configured to compressibly engage at least a part of the adapter portion when the output arm is at a desired position relative to the output shaft; and

an attachment portion positioned for attachment to a linkage between the interface assembly and the movable mechanism.

4. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 3 wherein the collar portion and the attachment portion are at least approximately circumferentially aligned with each other.

5. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 3 wherein the collar portion and the attachment portion are circumferentially offset from each other.

6. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1, further comprising a fastener extending through at least a portion of the collar portion and positioned to releasably secure the collar portion against the adapter portion.

7. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the output arm has a first, inboard side facing the servomechanism assembly and a second, outboard side opposite the first side, and wherein the interface assembly further comprises:

a retaining member positioned to engage the second side of the output arm; and

a fastener positioned to releasably secure the retaining member, output arm, and adapter portion to the output shaft.

8. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 7 wherein:

the adapter portion has a first side facing the servomechanism assembly and a second side opposite the first side, and wherein the adapter portion further comprises an alignment feature projecting from the second side;

the retaining member includes a third aperture positioned to receive at least a portion of the alignment feature.

9. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the engagement surface of the adapter portion has a generally cylindrical shape.

10. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the first aperture and the engagement surface of the adapter portion have a generally concentric relationship.

11. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein:

the interface assembly further comprises a generally cylindrical member sized to be received within at least a portion of the second aperture, wherein the cylindrical member is outboard of the adapter portion and is positioned for attachment to a linkage between the interface assembly and the movable mechanism; and

the output arm comprises an adjustable collar portion configured to compressibly engage at least a portion of the adapter portion and the cylindrical member when the linkage is at a desired position relative to the output shaft.

12. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the first aperture in the adapter portion has a spline configuration that mates with a spline configuration of the output shaft.

13. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the servomechanism assembly is a first servomechanism assembly having a first output shaft with a first spline configuration, and the interface assembly is a first interface assembly having a first adapter portion mated with the first output shaft and a first output arm, and wherein the system further comprises:

a second servomechanism assembly having a second output shaft with a second spline configuration different than the first spline configuration;

an second adapter portion carried by the second output shaft, wherein the second adapter portion includes (a) a second aperture having a splined surface mated with the second splined output shaft, and (b) a generally smooth, non-splined, outer surface; and

a second output arm releasably engaged with the outer surface of the second adapter portion, wherein the first and second output arms are at least approximately identical.

14. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the first non-round surface comprises a first splined surface and the second non-round surface comprises a second splined surface.

15. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the interface assembly further comprises a linkage operably coupled to the output arm and the movable mechanism, and wherein the interface assembly is positioned to provide actuation from the servomechanism assembly to the movable mechanism.

16. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the movable mechanism comprises an aerodynamic control surface.

17. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 16 wherein the aerodynamic control surface comprises at least one of an aileron, rudder, elevator, stabilizer, trailing edge flap, leading edge flap, cowling flap, attenuator, trim tab, control tab, and speed brake.

18. The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the movable mechanism comprises at least one of a throttle control, cylinder head temperature control, and carburetor heat control.