Patent EP0084958A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0084958A2
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Apparatus for controlling the position or movement of a member
Assignee: BAE Systems Electronics Ltd
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Filing: 1983-01-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-01-20
Abstract
Abstract Conventionally, such things as flaps on aircraft are controlled by sending electrical signals from a control consol opera- tored by a pilot to servo-mechanisms distributed about the aircraft. Such signals are subject to interference from electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic disturbances arising outside the aircraft which in extreme cases may result in the pilot losing control of the aircraft. In an attempt to reduce such interference hydraulic valves (such as that shown at 13), which are distributed throughout the aircraft and which control the movement of members such as flap 1, are powered by electromagnetic radiation transmitted along lines 9 and 9' and produced by lasers 7 and 7', which are supplied by a common power source 8.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip Edward Stephens
- 👤 Stuart Michael Mcglade
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 12:35
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64C; B64C13/00; B64C13/24; B64C13/38; B64C13/50; G; G05; G05D; G05D3/00; H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/80; H04B10/806; H04B10/807
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
46 words
Apparatus for controlling the position or movement of a member including means for transmitting energy in the form of electro-magnetic radiation along a line and means for using the energy after passage along the line to do mechanical work in moving the member to be controlled.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus for controlling the position or movement of a member including means for transmitting energy in the form of electro-magnetic radiation along a line and means for using the energy after passage along the line to do mechanical work in moving the member to be controlled.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the means for using the energy to move the member to be controlled includes an electromagnetic to electrical transducer and an electrical to mechanical transducer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and wherein an electrical conductor joining the transducers is within a protective box.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim and including a control system comprising first control means for producing a control signal representing a desired position of the member; second control means for producing a feedback signal representing the actual position of the member and third control means arranged to receive the signals from the first and second control means and to control the amount of energy transmitted along the line so that the member moves towards the desired position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and including at least one optical fibre capable of conducting optical, infra-red or ultra-violet signals from the second control means to the third control means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 including another optical fibre for conducting optical, infra-red or ultra-violet radiation from said third control means to the said second control means to produce the said signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the electromagnetic radiation is ultra-violet, visible or infra-red radiation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means for moving the member to be controlled comprises a member arranged to receive the radiation and which heats u p in response thereto thereby performing the mechanical work.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the means for transmitting the energy is adapted to produce pulses of such energy with a variable mark to space ratio.-
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 when deoendent on claim 8 including a fluidic switch or valve arranged to be operated by movement of the said member in response to receipt of a pulse of the electromagnetic energy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus comprising mechanical devices at different locations, a common power source for the devices at another location and guides for transmitting the power in the form of electromagnetic energy from the common power source to the mechanical devices.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus comprising mechanical devices at different locations, a common power source for the devices at another location and guides for transmitting the power in the form of electromagnetic energy from the common power source to the mechanical devices.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus comprising devices at different first locations, a common power source for driving the devices at another, second, location, first guides for transmitting the power in the form of electromagnetic energy from the common power source to the devices, at each first location a transducer for producing a control signal also in the form of electromagnetic energy, further guides for transmitting the control signals to the second location and power control means for controlling the power transmitted along the first guides to the devices.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus comprising devices at different first locations, a common power source for driving the devices at another, second, location, first guides for transmitting the power in the form of electromagnetic energy from the common power source to the devices, at each first location a transducer for producing a control signal also in the form of electromagnetic energy, further guides for transmitting the control signals to the second location and power control means for controlling the power transmitted along the first guides to the devices.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus comprising devices at different first locations which devices consume power when in operation and whose only source of power is a common power source at a second location which transmits electromagnetic power along guides to the respective devices.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus comprising devices at different first locations which devices consume power when in operation and whose only source of power is a common power source at a second location which transmits electromagnetic power along guides to the respective devices.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus substantially as illustrated in and described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus substantially as illustrated in and described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the electromagnetic radiation is modulated so as to carry data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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