Jam tolerant actuator decoupler

US8839926B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Suyu Hou · Schenectady, US
• George Hanna Ghanime · Ballston Spa, US
• David J. Wagner · Port Huron, US
• Michael Colan Moscinski · Glenville, US
• Robert Michael Zirin · Marblehead, US
• Mahadevan Balasubramaniam · Ballston Lake, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 30, 2012
• Grant date: Sep 23, 2014
• Expiry date: Dec 21, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F16D11/12
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An actuator decoupler for selectively coupling and decoupling a driving part and a driven part of an actuation system is disclosed. The driving part can be coupled to the actuator decoupler, and the actuator decoupler can be coupled to the driven part via at least one coupling pin. In a selectively coupled state, the driven part can be at least one of rotationally and longitudinally fixed to the actuator decoupler and, thereby, the driving part. The actuator decoupler can be decoupled from the driven part through the use of a preloaded energy mechanism configured to disengage the at least one coupling pin from the driven part. Thereby, the actuator may be responsive to a jam in the actuation system to selectively decouple the driven part from the actuator decoupler and the driving part so that the driven part has freedom to translate at least one of rotationally and longitudinally.