Aircraft flap or slat drive system with redundant drives and shaft drive lines

US7051975B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Ulrich Pohl · Bremen, DE
• Carsten Thomas · Gottow, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 14, 2004
• Grant date: May 30, 2006
• Expiry date: Jun 14, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T50/40
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An aircraft flap (or slat) drive apparatus includes first and second centralized drive units that respectively rotationally drive first and second drive lines in both wings. The first drive line includes shaft segments connected end-to-end by selectively engageable separating devices. The outboard ends of the first and second drive lines are coupled through one of the separating devices, in each wing. At least one actuator mechanism connects each flap to a respective shaft segment of the first drive line, and converts the drive line rotational motion to a flap translational motion. If a component breaks, jams, or otherwise fails, it is isolated by disengaging the two adjacent separating devices with the faulty component therebetween, so that the rest of the apparatus remains functional. Each one or both of the drive units can drive one or more or all of the flaps through the interconnected first and second drive lines.