Patent ID: 7354022

Claim:
A device for monitoring adjustable flaps on aircraft wings, to determine incorrect positions or faulty drives, comprising shafting supporting the flaps and on which the flaps are pivotable for adjustment, at least one central drive unit operable for adjusting the flaps, by the shafting between the drive units and the flaps, and each flap is adjustable by several associated local actuating elements, the device comprising: a plurality of rotary sensors connected with and operable for detecting the pivot of the flaps; a plurality of local actuating elements, a respective one of the flaps is associated with a respective one of the plurality of local actuating elements, wherein each single flap is adjustable by several of the plurality of local actuating elements; at least one spring band having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the at least one spring band is coupled to a rotary axis of one of the rotary sensors and the second end of the at least one spring band is coupled to the one of the local actuating elements at a position a distance from the respective rotary axis; the at least one spring band is adapted to transmit a respective angle of the actuating element and the spring band relative to the rotary sensor; the at least one spring band is stiff in the direction of rotation and is pliant enough in a lateral direction, so that the spring band compensates for transverse movements of the respective local actuating element connected to the spring band; and an evaluation unit; the plurality of rotary sensors form decentralized monitoring devices for locating faults in the local actuating elements of each flap and the sensors are further operable to transmit signals to the evaluation unit.