Method and apparatus for detecting dormant actuator failure
US5719566A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 28, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 17, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 28, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64D2045/001
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The actuation system of the present invention is based upon sensing relatively small delta errors over relative short strokes as opposed to absolute travel error. An actuation system in accordance with the invention includes an actuator (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100) attached to a structure (C) and an element (20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25) to be moved relative to the structure, the actuator causing movement of the element along a path of travel between travel limits (A and B) relative to the structure and having a failure mode when the actuator has moved more than a fixed distance relative to a reference position on the path of travel; a position transducer (34, 44, 54, 65, 74, 84, 94 and 104), coupled to the structure and to the element, for producing an output signal representing a position of the element along the path of travel, the position transducer having a position resolution error along the path of travel greater than the fixed distance; a processor (200), coupled to the output signal, for sampling the output signal periodically a plurality of times during the movement of the element along the path of travel and in response to samples producing a signal indicating if a…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.