Patent ID: 6935479
Filing Date: 2005-08-30
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
1. A drive apparatus for use in transmitting force from a source of power to a driven assembly in an aircraft, said drive apparatus comprising an input member connectable with a source of power and rotatable about a drive axis, an output member connectable with the driven assembly and rotatable about the drive axis, a first annular array of teeth connected with said input member and extending around the drive axis, a second annular array of teeth connected with said output member and extending around the drive axis, a first spring connected with said first and second annular arrays of teeth to urge said first and second annular arrays of teeth into meshing engagement, said first annular array of teeth being effective to transmit force from said input member to said second annular array of teeth and said output member when said first and second annular arrays of teeth are disposed in meshing engagement, a plurality of levers extending outward from one of said input and output members, each lever of said plurality of levers having a first end portion connected with said one of said input and output members and a second end portion which is spaced from said one of said input and output members, a retaining member connected with said second end portions of said levers of said plurality of levers, an actuator member which is movable from a first position to a second position to move said retaining member along the drive axis, an actuator spring which urges said actuator member toward the second position, a latch member having a latching position and a release position, said latch member blocks movement of said actuator member from the first position to the second position when said latch member is in a latching position, and a motor which is operable to release said latch member for movement from the latching position to a release position to release said actuator member for movement from the first position to the second position under the influence of force transmitted to said actuator member from said actuator spring, said retaining member being movable along the drive axis by said actuator member under the influence of force transmitted from said actuator spring to said actuator member as said actuator member moves from the first position to the second position, said actuator member transmits force from said actuator spring to said latch member to move said latch member from the latching position to the release position upon operation of said motor to release said latch member for movement from the latching position to the release position, said second end portions of said levers of said plurality of levers being movable along the drive axis with said retaining member to move said one of said input and output members along the drive axis against the influence of said first spring, one of said first and second annular arrays of teeth being movable along the drive axis with said one of said input and output members to separate said first and second annular arrays of teeth and interrupt transmission of force from said input member to said output member.