초록 ▼

An aircraft flight control surface actuation system includes a plurality of flap actuators, and a plurality of slat actuators. The actuators receive actuator position commands from an actuator control unit and, in response, move flaps and slats between stowed and deployed positions. The flight contr

An aircraft flight control surface actuation system includes a plurality of flap actuators, and a plurality of slat actuators. The actuators receive actuator position commands from an actuator control unit and, in response, move flaps and slats between stowed and deployed positions. The flight control surface actuator control unit includes a plurality of independent actuator control channels. One or more of the independent actuator control channels is coupled to both a flap actuator and a slat actuator, and is configured to selectively supply the actuator position commands thereto.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A flight control surface actuation system for aircraft having a plurality of flaps and slats on an aircraft wing, the system comprising: a plurality of flap actuators, each flap actuator coupled to receive actuator position commands and operable, in response thereto, to move a flap to

We claim: 1. A flight control surface actuation system for aircraft having a plurality of flaps and slats on an aircraft wing, the system comprising: a plurality of flap actuators, each flap actuator coupled to receive actuator position commands and operable, in response thereto, to move a flap to a commanded flap position; a plurality of slat actuators, each slat actuator coupled to receive actuator position commands and operable, in response thereto, to move a slat to a commanded slat position; and a flight control surface actuator control unit including a plurality of independent actuator control channels, one or more of the independent actuator control channels (i) coupled to both a flap actuator and a slat actuator and (ii) configured to selectively supply the actuator position commands thereto. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more independent actuator control channels each comprise a switch operable to selectively couple the actuator position commands to either the flap actuator or the slat actuator. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein: at least two flap actuators are coupled to a single flap; and one slat actuator is coupled to a single slat. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight control surface actuator control unit is adapted to receive flight control surface position commands and is operable, in response thereto, to sequentially supply the actuator position commands to thereby sequentially move the slat actuators and the flap actuators to the commanded slat positions and flap positions, respectively. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of slat actuators include at least an inboard slat actuator and an outboard slat actuator to thereby move an inboard slat and an outboard slat, respectively, to the commanded slat position; the plurality of flap actuators include at least an inboard flap actuator and an outboard flap actuator to thereby move an inboard flap and an outboard flap, respectively, to the commanded flap position; and the actuator control unit is adapted to receive flight control surface position commands and is operable, in response thereto, to sequentially supply the actuator position commands to the inboard and outboard slat actuators and to the inboard and outboard flap actuators, to thereby sequentially move the inboard and outboard slats to the commanded slat position and sequentially move the inboard and outboard flaps to the commanded flap position. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of slat position sensors, each slat position sensor operable to supply a slat position signal representative of one the slats; and a plurality of flap position sensors, each flap position sensor operable to supply a flap position signal representative of one of the flaps. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein: each slat position sensor comprises a slat actuator position sensor operable to sense a position of a slat actuator and, in response, supply the slat position signal; and each flap position sensor comprises a flap actuator position sensor operable to sense a position of a flap actuator and, in response, supply the flap position signal. 8. The system of claim 6, wherein: each slat position sensor is coupled to a slat and is operable to sense the position thereof and supply the slat position signal; and each flap position sensor is coupled to a flap and is operable to sense the position thereof and supply the flap position signal. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein: each flap actuator is a linear electromechanical actuator having an electric motor; and each slat actuator is a rotary electromechanical actuator having an electric motor. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of motor resolvers, each motor resolver coupled to one of the electric motors and operable to sense a rotational position thereof and supply a motor rotational position signal representative thereof. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein: each of the electric motors is a brushless DC motor; and the control unit is coupled to receive the motor rotational position signals and is further operable, in response thereto, to supply the actuator position commands to the brushless DC motors in a manner that commutates the brushless DC motors. 12. A flight control surface actuation system for aircraft having a first wing, a second wing, and plurality of flaps and slats on each wing, the system comprising: a plurality of first flap actuators, each of the first flap actuators coupled to receive actuator position commands and operable, in response thereto, to move a flap on the first wing to a commanded flap position; a plurality of second flap actuators, each of the second flap actuators coupled to receive actuator position commands and operable, in response thereto, to move a flap on the second wing to a commanded flap position; a plurality of first slat actuators, each of the first slat actuators coupled to receive actuator position commands and operable, in response thereto, to move a slat on the first wing to a commanded slat position; a plurality of second slat actuators, each of the second slat actuators coupled to receive actuator position commands and operable, in response thereto, to move a slat on the second wing to a commanded slat position; a first flight control surface actuator control unit including a plurality of independent actuator control channels, one or more of the independent actuator control channels (i) coupled to both a first flap actuator and a first slat actuator and (ii) configured to selectively supply the actuator position commands thereto; and a second flight control surface actuator control unit including a plurality of independent actuator control channels, one or more of the independent actuator control channels (i) coupled to both a second flap actuator and a second slat actuator and (ii) configured to selectively supply the actuator position commands thereto. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second flight control surface actuator control units are in operable communication and are each configured to selectively supply the actuator position commands in such a manner that at least selected ones of the first and second slats and at least selected ones of the first and second flaps are synchronously moved. 14. The system of claim 12, wherein: the one or more independent actuator control channels in the first actuator control unit each comprise a switch operable to selectively couple the actuator position commands to either the first flap actuator or the first slat actuator; and the one or more independent actuator control channels in the second actuator control unit each comprise a switch operable to selectively couple the actuator position commands to either the second flap actuator or the second slat actuator. 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second flight control surface actuation control units are each adapted to receive flight control surface position commands and are each operable, in response thereto, to sequentially supply the actuator position commands to thereby sequentially move the first and second slat actuators and the first and second flap actuators to the commanded slat positions and flap positions, respectively. 16. The system of claim 12, further comprising: a first plurality of slat position sensors, each of the first plurality of slat position sensors operable to supply a slat position signal representative of one the first slats to the first flight control surface actuator control unit; a second plurality of slat position sensors, each of the second plurality of slat position sensors operable to supply a slat position signal representative of one the second slats to the second flight control surface actuator control unit; a first plurality of flap position sensors, each of the first plurality of flap position sensors operable to supply a flap position signal representative of one of the first flaps to the first flight control surface actuator control unit; and a second plurality of flap position sensors, each of the second plurality of flap position sensors operable to supply a flap position signal representative of one of the second flaps to the second flight control surface actuator control unit. 17. The system of claim 12, wherein: the plurality of first slat actuators include at least an inboard first slat actuator and an outboard first slat actuator to thereby move an inboard slat on the first wing and an outboard slat on the first wing, respectively, to the commanded slat position; the plurality of second slat actuators include at least an inboard second slat actuator and an outboard second slat actuator to thereby move an inboard slat on the second wing and an outboard slat on the second wing, respectively, to the commanded slat position; the plurality of first flap actuators include at least an inboard first flap actuator and an outboard first flap actuator to thereby move an inboard flap on the first wing and an outboard flap on the first wing, respectively, to the commanded flap position; the plurality of second flap actuators include at least an inboard second flap actuator and an outboard second flap actuator to thereby move an inboard flap on the second wing and an outboard flap on the second wing; respectively, to the commanded flap position; the first actuator control unit is adapted to receive flight control surface position commands and is operable, in response thereto, to sequentially supply the actuator position commands to the inboard and outboard first slat actuators and to the inboard and outboard first flap actuators, to thereby sequentially move the inboard and outboard first slats to the commanded slat position and sequentially move the inboard and outboard first flaps to the commanded flap position; and the second actuator control unit is adapted to receive the flight control surface position commands and is operable, in response thereto, to sequentially supply the actuator position commands to the inboard and outboard second slat actuators and to the inboard and outboard second flap actuators, to thereby sequentially move the inboard and outboard second slats to the commanded slat position and sequentially move the inboard and outboard second flaps to the commanded flap position.