Foldable, lockable control surface and method of using same

Abstract

A foldable, lockable control surface includes an inner control surface member and an outer control surface member hingedly attached along a hinge line to the inner control surface member. The control surface further includes a biasing assembly disposed on the hinge line, the outer control surface being operably associated with the inner control surface member and the outer control surface member and a locking mechanism operably associated with the outer control surface member. An apparatus includes a foldable, lockable control surface having a control surface actuation shaft extending therefrom and a control surface actuator having a control surface actuator output port in which the control surface actuation shaft is received. The apparatus further includes means for clocking the control surface actuation shaft in the control surface actuator output port.

1 . A foldable, lockable control surface, comprising: 
 an inner control surface member;    an outer control surface member hingedly attached along a hinge line to the inner control surface member;    a biasing assembly disposed on the hinge line, the biasing assembly being operably associated with the inner control surface member and the outer control surface member; and    a locking mechanism operably associated with the outer control surface member.    
   
   
       2 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 1 , wherein the biasing assembly comprises: 
 a torsion spring.    
   
   
       3 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a tube having a first end and a second end;    a first cover disposed in the first end of the tube, the first cover defining a first tab; and    a second cover disposed in the second end of the tube, the second cover defining a second tab,    wherein the torsion spring is disposed within the tube and is operably associated with the first cover and the second cover    
   
   
       4 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the first cover defines a first tab and the second cover defines a second tab; and    the first end abuts the first tab and the second end abuts the second tab, such that the torsion spring is wound when the second cover is rotated with respect to the first cover in a first direction, and the torsion spring is unwound when the second cover is rotated with respect to the first cover in a second direction.    
   
   
       5 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the outer control surface member defines a slot;    the inner control surface member defines a recess; and    the locking mechanism comprises: 
 a wedge disposed in the recess; and  
 a wedge biasing element disposed in the recess between the inner control surface member and the wedge, such that the wedge biasing element urges the wedge into the slot when the slot and the recess are substantially aligned.  
   
   
   
       6 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 5 , wherein: 
 the inner control surface member further defines a passageway intersecting the recess; and    the locking mechanism further comprises: 
 a retainer stop disposed in the passageway;  
 a retainer guide attached to the retainer stop, the retainer guide being disposed in the passageway, such that the retainer stop inhibits the wedge from moving from the slot when the wedge is disposed in the slot; and  
 a retainer guide biasing element operably associated with the retainer guide to urge the retainer guide into the recess.  
   
   
   
       7 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 5 , wherein the wedge has a chamfer corresponding to a taper of the slot.  
   
   
       8 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 5 , wherein a first thickness of the wedge is smaller than a cross-sectional dimension of the slot and a second thickness of the wedge is greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the slot.  
   
   
       9 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 5 , wherein the inner control surface member defines a retraction slot and the wedge defines a retraction orifice adapted to receive a wedge retraction tool.  
   
   
       10 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises: 
 a spring-actuated wedge.    
   
   
       11 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises: 
 anti-fluttering means operably associated with the upper control surface member.    
   
   
       12 . The foldable, lockable control surface, according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 means for unlocking the upper control surface.    
   
   
       13 . A foldable, lockable control surface, comprising: 
 an inner control surface member including a forward hinge lug, a first intermediate hinge lug, a second intermediate hinge lug, and an aft hinge lug, the inner control surface member defining a recess and a passageway intersecting the recess;    an outer control surface member including a forward hinge lug, an intermediate hinge lug, and an aft hinge lug, the intermediate hinge lug defining a slot, the hinge lugs of the inner control surface member and the hinge lugs of the outer control surface member defining a hinge line;    a forward biasing assembly disposed on the hinge line between the forward hinge lug of the outer control surface member and the first intermediate hinge lug of the inner control surface member;    an aft biasing assembly disposed on the hinge line between the second intermediate hinge lug of the inner control surface member and the aft hinge lug of the inner control surface member;    a forward hinge pin attached to the forward hinge lug of the inner control surface member and attached to the forward biasing assembly, the forward hinge pin extending through the forward hinge lug of the outer control surface member;    an intermediate hinge pin attached to the forward biasing assembly, to the intermediate hinge lug of the outer control surface member, and to the aft biasing assembly, the intermediate hinge pin extending through the first intermediate hinge lug of the inner control surface member, through the intermediate hinge lug of the outer control surface member, and through the second intermediate hinge lug of the inner control surface member;    an aft hinge pin attached to the aft biasing assembly and attached to the aft hinge lug of the inner control surface member, the aft hinge pin extending into the aft hinge lug of the outer control surface member;    a wedge disposed in the recess of the inner control surface member;    a wedge biasing element disposed in the recess between the wedge and the inner control surface member, such that the wedge biasing element urges the wedge into the slot of the intermediate hinge lug of the outer control surface member when the slot and the recess are substantially aligned;    a retainer stop disposed in the passageway;    a retainer guide disposed in the passageway and attached to the retainer stop; and    a retainer guide biasing element disposed in the passageway between the retainer guide and the inner control surface member, such that the retainer guide biasing element urges the retainer stop into the recess when the wedge is disposed in the slot.    
   
   
       14 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a foldable, lockable control surface having a control surface actuation shaft extending therefrom;    a control surface actuator having a control surface actuator output port in which the control surface actuation shaft is received; and    means for clocking the control surface actuation shaft in the control surface actuator output port.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus, according to  claim 14 , wherein the means for clocking comprises: 
 a flat defined by the control surface actuation shaft; and    a knob extending from the control surface actuator into the control surface actuator output port,    wherein the flat and the knob interface to properly clock the control surface with respect to the control surface actuator.    
   
   
       16 . A method of folding a first member relative to a second member, comprising: 
 providing the first member hingedly attached to the second member;    hingedly moving the first member with a biasing mechanism until a slot of the first member is substantially aligned with a recess of the second member;    moving a wedge, disposed in the recess, into the slot; and    moving a retainer stop into the recess to inhibit the wedge from withdrawing from the slot.    
   
   
       17 . The method, according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of hingedly moving the first member further comprises hingedly moving the first member with a torsion spring.  
   
   
       18 . The method, according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of moving the wedge further comprises urging the wedge into the slot with a wedge biasing element disposed within the recess between the wedge and the second member.  
   
   
       19 . The method, according to  claim 16 , wherein the wedge interfaces the slot along a face of the slot.  
   
   
       20 . The method, according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of moving the retainer stop further comprises urging a retainer guide attached to the retainer stop.  
   
   
       21 . The method, according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 inserting a retraction tool through a retraction slot defined by the second member and into a retraction orifice defined by the wedge;    moving the retainer stop from the recess; and    withdrawing the wedge from the slot with the retraction tool.    
   
   
       22 . The method, according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 hingedly moving the first member until the slot is misaligned with the recess; and    removing the retraction tool from the retraction orifice.