CN-116096992-B - Thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system and thrust reverser synchronizing shaft locking method

Abstract

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, inter alia, a thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system that includes a rotatable shaft that includes at least one radial prong that extends radially from the shaft, a hydraulic lock assembly that includes a housing, a piston head having a lock recess, a piston rod that extends radially away from the shaft and is configured to be urged by the piston head to move a first piston rod end out of engagement with the radial prong to selectively permit rotation of the shaft, and a biasing member configured to urge the first piston rod end into engagement with the radial prong, and an electric lock assembly that includes a locking pin and an electric actuator configured to controllably extend and retract the locking pin into and out of engagement with the lock recess.

Inventors

• D. Demichel
• JENKINS NEIL
• J.T. Coppy Cheik

Assignees

• 伍德沃德有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20210630

Priority Date

20200702

Claims (20)

1. 1. A thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system, comprising: A rotatable shaft comprising at least one radial prong extending radially from the shaft; A hydraulic lock assembly, comprising: A housing comprising a tubular inner wall defining a chamber; a piston head configured to contact the tubular inner wall and comprising a first piston face on a first longitudinal side of the piston head, a second piston face on a second longitudinal side of the piston head opposite the first piston face, and a lock recess, and configured to divide the chamber into a first fluid chamber defined by the tubular inner wall and the first piston face and a second fluid chamber defined by the tubular inner wall and the second piston face; A piston rod extending radially away from the shaft from a first piston rod end to a second piston rod end opposite the first piston rod end and configured to be urged by the piston head to move the first piston rod end out of engagement with the radial prong to selectively permit rotation of the shaft, and A biasing member configured to urge the first piston rod end into engagement with the radial prong to selectively inhibit rotation of the shaft, and An electric lock assembly, comprising: locking pin, and An electric actuator configured to controllably extend and retract the locking pin into and out of engagement with the lock recess to selectively inhibit and permit movement of the piston rod.
2. 2. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 1, wherein: The tubular inner wall comprises: A first longitudinal wall portion configured to define the first fluid chamber to have a first transverse cross-sectional area proximate the first piston rod end, and A second longitudinal wall portion configured to define the second fluid chamber to have a second transverse cross-sectional area away from the first piston rod end that is smaller than the first transverse cross-sectional area, and The piston head includes: A first piston head portion sized to contact the tubular inner wall such that the first piston face has substantially the first transverse cross-sectional area, and A second piston head portion sized to contact the tubular inner wall such that the second piston face has substantially the second transverse cross-sectional area.
3. 3. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 2, further comprising a third fluid chamber configured to be in fluid communication with atmospheric gas at ambient pressure or having a hydraulic return pressure and defined by the first longitudinal wall portion and the second piston head portion.
4. 4. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the first fluid chamber is configured to be in fluid communication with a thrust reverser stow fluid pressure source and the second fluid chamber is configured to be in fluid communication with the thrust reverser stow fluid pressure source.
5. 5. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 4, further comprising a shaft housing disposed about the shaft and defining an axial fluid chamber configured to be in fluid communication with a source of thrust reverser deployment fluid.
6. 6. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 4, further comprising a pivotable cam configured to engage a cam recess defined in the piston head and pivot to urge longitudinal movement of the piston head and disengage the first piston rod end from the radial prong.
7. 7. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of any one of claims 1-3, further comprising a shaft housing disposed about the shaft and defining an axial fluid chamber configured to be in fluid communication with a thrust reverser deployment fluid source.
8. 8. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 7, further comprising a pivotable cam configured to engage a cam recess defined in the piston head and pivot to urge longitudinal movement of the piston head and disengage the first piston rod end from the radial prong.
9. 9. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 7, further comprising a fluid conduit configured to fluidly connect the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber.
10. 10. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 9, wherein the fluid conduit is a tubular conduit defined by the piston rod.
11. 11. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of any one of claims 1-3 and 5, further comprising a pivotable cam configured to engage a cam recess defined in the piston head and pivot to urge longitudinal movement of the piston head and disengage the first piston rod end from the radial prong.
12. 12. The thrust reverser synchronous shaft lock system of any one of claims 1 to 3, 5 to 6, and 8, further comprising a drive assembly configured to removably couple torque from a removable rotary power source to the shaft.
13. 13. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 4, further comprising a drive assembly configured to removably couple torque from a removable rotary power source to the shaft.
14. 14. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 7, further comprising a drive assembly configured to removably couple torque from a removable rotary power source to the shaft.
15. 15. The thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system of claim 11, further comprising a drive assembly configured to removably couple torque from a removable rotary power source to the shaft.
16. 16. A method of thrust reverser synchronizing shaft locking, comprising: Removing or equalizing hydraulic retract fluid pressure in a first fluid chamber, wherein a hydraulic lock assembly includes a housing, a piston head, a piston rod coupled to the piston head, the first fluid chamber in the housing at a first longitudinal end of the piston head, and a second fluid chamber in the housing at a second longitudinal end of the piston head opposite the first longitudinal end; Urging longitudinal movement of the piston rod in a first direction by a biasing member, the piston rod comprising a first piston rod end and a second piston rod end opposite the first piston rod end; Urging the first piston rod end into engagement with a radial prong extending radially from the rotatable shaft by longitudinal movement of the piston rod in the first direction; de-energizing the power lock assembly, and Upon de-energizing the electric lock assembly, the locking pin is extended into engagement with a recess defined in the piston head.
17. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising inhibiting disengagement of the first piston rod end from the radial prong by engagement of the locking pin with the recess.
18. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising inhibiting rotation of the shaft by engagement of the first piston rod end with the radial prong.
19. 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising inhibiting rotation of the shaft by engagement of the first piston rod end with the radial prong.
20. 20. The method of any of claims 16 to 19, further comprising: Energizing the electric lock assembly; retracting the lock pin from engagement with the recess based on the energizing; applying the hydraulic charge fluid pressure to the first fluid chamber; Urging longitudinal movement of the piston head in a second direction opposite the first direction by the hydraulic retract fluid pressure in the first fluid chamber; urging longitudinal movement of the piston rod in the second direction by longitudinal movement of the piston head in the second direction, and The first piston rod end is urged out of engagement with the radial fork by longitudinal movement of the piston rod in the second direction.

Description

Thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system and thrust reverser synchronizing shaft locking method Priority claim The present application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/919,854, filed 7/2/2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field The present description relates to an aircraft thrust reverser actuation lockout system. Background Modern aircraft engines may include thrust reverser actuation systems to help reduce aircraft speed during landing. A typical thrust reverser includes a movable translating cowl that reverses at least a portion of the airflow through the engine when in an operational position. Accidental or unintended actuation and deployment of the thrust reverser at improper times can be dangerous or fatal. Accidental deployment on the ground can result in injury or death when the ground crew is performing maintenance on the engine. Unexpected start-up during flight can result in catastrophic loss of airspeed or failure of the fuselage. Mechanical faults such as loss of hydraulic pressure may also allow the reverser to move away from the stowed position at an improper time. To prevent accidental or unintended deployment of the thrust reverser, a locking mechanism is used. The lock must first be disengaged before the thrust reverser can be moved from its stowed position. Some existing reverser lock designs implement a rotating jaw to engage the probe. Such designs can be heavy and mechanically complex, which increases the weight and maintenance requirements for the aircraft in which they are installed. Some existing reverser lock designs implement hydraulic actuation elements that require additional hydraulic control lines that are no longer provided in some newer aircraft designs, and thus such locks cannot be used with such aircraft. Disclosure of Invention In general, this document describes an aircraft thrust reverser actuation locking system. In a first example, a thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system includes a rotatable shaft including at least one radial prong extending radially from the shaft, a hydraulic lock assembly including a housing including a tubular inner wall defining a chamber, a piston head configured to contact the tubular inner wall and including a first piston face on a first longitudinal side of the piston head, a second piston face on a second longitudinal side of the piston head opposite the first piston face, and a lock recess, and configured to divide the chamber into a first fluid chamber defined by the tubular inner wall and the first piston face and a second fluid chamber defined by the tubular inner wall and the second piston face, a piston rod extending radially away from the shaft from a first piston rod end to a second piston rod end opposite the first piston rod end and configured to be urged by the first piston rod end out of engagement with the radial prong to selectively permit rotation of the shaft, and a biasing member configured to electrically urge the first piston rod end out of engagement with the piston rod, and selectively urge the lock pin into releasable engagement with the piston rod, and selectively urge the lock pin assembly to be selectively releasable and retractable. In a second example according to example 1, the tubular inner wall includes a first longitudinal wall portion configured to define the first fluid chamber to have a first transverse cross-sectional area proximate the first piston rod end, and a second longitudinal wall portion configured to define the second fluid chamber to have a second transverse cross-sectional area distal the first piston rod end that is less than the first transverse cross-sectional area, and the piston head includes a first piston head portion sized to contact the tubular inner wall such that the first piston face substantially has the first transverse cross-sectional area, and a second piston head portion sized to contact the tubular inner wall such that the second piston face substantially has the second transverse cross-sectional area. In a third example according to example 2, the thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system further includes a third fluid chamber configured to be in fluid communication with atmospheric gas at ambient pressure or having a hydraulic return pressure and defined by the first longitudinal wall portion and the second piston head portion. In a fourth example according to any one of examples 1-3, the first fluid chamber is configured to be in fluid communication with a thrust reverser retract fluid pressure source, and the second fluid chamber is configured to be in fluid communication with the thrust reverser retract fluid pressure source. In a fifth example according to any one of examples 1-4, the thrust reverser synchronizing shaft lock system further includes a shaft housing disposed about the shaft and defining a shaft fluid chamber configured to be in fluid communication with a thrust revers