Patent ID: 7549605
Filing Date: 2009-06-23
Classification: B64C

Abstract:
1. A flight control surface actuation system for aircraft having a plurality of flaps and slats on each aircraft wing, the system comprising: a plurality of electric motors, each electric motor coupled to receive activation signals and operable, upon receipt thereof, to supply a drive force; a plurality of flap actuators, each flap actuator coupled to receive the drive force from at least one of the electric motors, to thereby move a flap between a stowed and a deployed position; a plurality of slat actuators, each slat actuator coupled to receive the drive force from at least one of the electric motors, to thereby move a slat between a stowed and a deployed position; and a flap actuator controller including a plurality of independent flap actuator control channels and a single spare flap actuator control channel, each flap actuator control channel of the plurality of independent flap actuator control channels (i) exclusively coupled to at least one of the plurality of electric motors that supplies the drive force to a particular flap actuator and (ii) configured to supply the activation signals thereto, the single spare flap actuator control channel coupled to all of the plurality of electric motors on one aircraft wing; and a slat actuator controller including a plurality of independent slat actuator control channels and a single spare slat actuator control channel, each slat actuator control channel of the plurality of independent slat actuator control channels (i) exclusively coupled to at least one of the plurality of electric motors that supplies the drive force to a particular slat actuator and (ii) configured to supply the activation signals thereto, the single spare slat actuator control channel coupled to all of the plurality of electric motors on one aircraft wing.