US 12,460,704 B2
Rotary actuator for flight control surface
Todd Sturgin, Wooster, OH (US); Craig Hooker, Indian Land, SC (US); and Nicholas Hrusch, Wooster, OH (US)
Assigned to Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Mar. 5, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/595,790.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/547,457, filed on Nov. 6, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0146562 A1, May 8, 2025
Int. Cl. F16H 19/08 (2006.01); B64C 13/50 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 19/08 (2013.01) [B64C 13/50 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotary actuator for a flight control surface, comprising:
a first electric motor drivably connected to a first geartrain having at least two planetary gearsets arranged in series;
a first drive gear driven by the first electric motor via the first geartrain, wherein the first geartrain and the first drive gear define a first powertrain;
a second electric motor drivably connected to a second geartrain having at least two planetary gearsets arranged in series, wherein the second geartrain is separate from the first geartrain;
a second drive gear driven by the second electric motor via the second geartrain, wherein the second geartrain and the second drive gear define a second powertrain that is arranged coaxially with the first powertrain; and
an output shaft driven simultaneously via the first drive gear and the second drive gear, wherein the first electric motor and the second electric motor are axially adjacent to each other, such that the first and second electric motors are positioned axially between the first geartrain and the second geartrain.