Lock for a trust reverser

Details Lock for a trust reverser Lock for a trust reverser

2000-04-06

2001-09-25

Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)

Aeronautics and astronautics

Aircraft, heavier-than-air

Airplane and fluid sustained

C244S02300R, C060S230000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06293489

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to a lock for an aircraft thrust reverser intended for use in avoiding unintentional deployment of the thrust reverser. In particular, the invention relates to a tertiary lock intended to hold the thrust reverser in a non-deployed condition in the event of failure of other locks associated with the thrust reverser or the actuation system associated with those locks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
EPA-A0580352 describes a tertiary lock for a thrust reverser which comprises a locking or retainer member in the form of a hook which is pivotable between a locked position in which a locking pin forming part of the thrust reverser is retained by the locking member and an open position in which the locking pin cam be removed from the locking member, thus deployment of the thrust reverser is permitted. A solenoid actuable bolt is moveable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation and engageable with the locking member to prevent movement of the locking member away from its locked position other than when deployment of the thrust reverser is to take place.
The bolt is designed to transmit a significant load to part of the structure of the aircraft when movement of the locking member is to be avoided and as a result may be relatively large and heavy. The solenoid used to move the bolt must therefore be relatively powerful and as a consequence is large and heavy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a lock for a thrust reverser in which the provision of such a large, heavy solenoid can be avoided.
According to the present invention there is provided a lock for a thrust reverser comprising a retainer member carried by a pivot pin, the pivot pin being angularly moveable between a first position in which the retainer member retains part of the thrust reverser and a second position in which the said part of the thrust reverser is not retained by the retainer member, and a lock arrangement for retaining the pivot pin in its first position, the lock arrangement comprising a lock member axially moveable between a locked position in which it cooperates with the pivot pin to prevent movement of the pivot pin from its first position to its second position and a retracted position, means restricting angular movement of the lock member, and a solenoid actuator arranged to control movement of the lock member.
The lock member is conveniently spring biased towards its locked position, the solenoid actuator being actuable to move the lock member to its retracted position.
As the lock member is not free to move angularly, it will be appreciated that when it is in its locked position, cooperating with the pivot pin, the pivot pin is unable to move angularly, thus the said part of the thrust reverser is retained by the retainer member and deployment of the thrust reverser is not permitted. Energization of the actuator moves the lock member away from the pivot pin, thus the pivot pin is free to move. Deployment of the thrust reverser then causes the retainer member and pivot pin to move to the position in which the said part of the thrust reverser is no longer retained, the pivot pin moving to its second position.
Deployment of the thrust reverser is not prevented by the tertiary lock in these conditions.
Conveniently, the lock member is provided with formations which are cooperable with corresponding formations provided on the pivot pin so as to restrict angular movement of the lock member relative to a lock housing. The formations provided on the lock member and the corresponding formations provided on the pivot pin may take the form of a ratchet arrangement arranged such that movement of the pivot pin in the direction in which the retainer member moves is permitted regardless of whether the solenoid actuator is actuated.
The retainer member is conveniently moveable in a radial direction relative to the axis of angular movement of the pivot pin, a spring preferably being provided to bias the retainer member towards an inner radial position relative to the pivot pin. In such an arrangement, should movement of the thrust reverser towards its deployed position commence prior to the lock member moving to its retracted position, the movement of the thrust reverser causes outward radial movement of the retainer member. The retainer member moves into engagement with a stop arranged to hold the retainer member against further movement which could result in deployment of the thrust reverser being permitted. Radial movement of the retainer member may also be sensed, for example using a proximity sensor, and used to provide an indication that movement of the thrust reverser to a deployed position has been prevented by the tertiary lock, indicative of a fault in the thrust reverser deployment system or in the actuators or locks associated with the thrust reverser.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
is a sectional view illustrating a thrust reverser lock in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2
is another sectional view of part of the thrust reverser lock of
FIG. 1
; and
FIG. 3
is an exploded perspective view of parts of the thrust reverser lock of FIGS.
1
and
2
.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4437783 (1984-03-01), Halin et al.
patent: 4754694 (1988-07-01), Martin
patent: 5404714 (1995-04-01), Davies
patent: 5547130 (1996-08-01), Davies
patent: 5720449 (1998-02-01), Laboure et al.
patent: 5735557 (1998-04-01), Harvey
patent: 5953904 (1999-09-01), Mountney
patent: 5997054 (1999-12-01), Baudu et al.
patent: 6021636 (2000-02-01), Johnson et al.
patent: EP0542611 (1993-05-01), None
patent: EP0580352 (1994-01-01), None

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