Power system
A power system for an aircraft comprises: a first motor-generator component; a second motor-generator component; a common shaft, wherein the first and second motor-generator components are connected to the common shaft in series; and a de-coupler operable to disconnect the first motor-generator component from the common shaft.
1 . A power system for an aircraft, the power system comprising:
a first motor-generator component including a first drive shaft;
a second motor-generator component including a second drive shaft;
a common shaft, wherein the first and second motor-generator components are connected to the common shaft in series; and
a de-coupler operable to disconnect the first drive shaft of the first motor-generator component from the common shaft, wherein the de-coupler comprises:
a first torque coupler configured to selectively couple the first drive shaft of the first motor-generator component with the de-coupler; and
a second torque coupler configured to couple the common shaft with the de-coupler.
2 . The power system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second de-coupler operable to disconnect the second drive shaft of the second motor-generator component from the common shaft, wherein the second de-coupler comprises:
a third torque coupler configured to selectively couple the second drive shaft of the second motor-generator component with the second de-coupler; and
a fourth torque coupler configured to couple the common shaft with the second de-coupler.
3 . The power system according to claim 1 , wherein the first drive shaft and the common shaft nest with each other.
4 . The power system according to claim 1 , wherein the common shaft extends through the first motor-generator component.
5 . The power system according to claim 1 , wherein the de-coupler is configured to slide from a first position to a second position along an axis of the common shaft to disconnect the first drive shaft of the first motor-generator component from the common shaft.
6 . The power system according to claim 5 , further comprising an actuator, the actuator configured to move the de-coupler from the first position to the second position to disconnect the first drive shaft of the first motor-generator component from the common shaft.
7 . The power system according to claim 5 , wherein the actuator is a solenoid.
8 . The power system according to claim 1 , wherein the first torque coupler comprises connector element teeth extending parallel to an axis of the common shaft and configured to engage with first shaft teeth extending parallel to the axis of the common shaft.
9 . The power system according to claim 1 , wherein the first torque coupler is disconnected from the common shaft when the de-coupler is in a disconnected position.
10 . The power system according to claim 1 , wherein the second torque coupler comprises a sliding spline configured to maintain connection between the second torque coupler and the common shaft as the de-coupler moves between a connected position and a disconnected position.
11 . The power system according to claim 1 , further comprising a bias element, the bias element configured to bias the de-coupler away from a disconnected position.
12 . The power system according to claim 1 , wherein the first motor-generator component comprises a motor.
13 . The power system according to claim 1 , wherein the first motor-generator component comprises a generator.
14 . An aircraft comprising the power system according to claim 1 .
15 . The power system according to claim 1 , wherein the second torque coupler is configured to maintain a connection between the common shaft and the de-coupler as the de-coupler moves between a connected position and a disconnected position.
16 . A power system comprising:
a first motor-generator component including a first drive shaft;
a second motor-generator component including a second drive shaft;
a common shaft, wherein the first and second motor-generator components are connected to the common shaft in series;
a first de-coupler configured to disconnect the first drive shaft of the first motor-generator component from the common shaft, wherein the first de-coupler comprises:
a first torque coupler configured to selectively couple the first drive shaft of the first motor-generator component with the first de-coupler; and
a second torque coupler configured to couple the common shaft with the first de-coupler;
a first bias element configured to bias the first de-coupler away from a disconnected position;
a second de-coupler configured to disconnect the second drive shaft of the second motor-generator component from the common shaft, wherein the second de-coupler further comprises:
a third torque coupler configured to selectively couple the second drive shaft of the second motor-generator component with the second de-coupler;
a fourth torque coupler configured to couple the common shaft with the second de-coupler; and
a second bias element configured to bias the second de-coupler away from the disconnected position.
17 . The power system according to claim 16 , wherein the second torque coupler and the fourth torque coupler are configured to maintain a connection between the common shaft and the first de-coupler and the second de-coupler, respectively, as the first de-coupler and the second de-coupler move between a connected position and a disconnected position.
18 . The power system according to claim 16 , wherein each of the first torque coupler and the third torque coupler comprises connector element teeth extending parallel to an axis of the common shaft and configured to engage with shaft teeth extending parallel to the axis of the common shaft.
19 . The power system according to claim 16 , wherein the second torque coupler and the fourth torque coupler comprise sliding splines configured to maintain connection between the second torque coupler and the common shaft and the fourth torque coupler and the common shaft as the first de-coupler and the second de-coupler move between a connected position and a disconnected position.
20 . The power system according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a first bias element configured to bias the first de-coupler away from a disconnected position; and
a second bias element configured to bias the second de-coupler away from the disconnected position.