Patent attributes
An electromechanical actuator (“EMA”) is provided with redundant load paths for driving the actuator stroke. The EMA includes a rotatable screw, a nut mated with the screw and having an external toothed surface, and a rotatable spline member having a splined surface engaging the external toothed surface of the nut. An actuator rod is coupled to the nut for linear movement with the nut. A first motor is operable to rotate the screw relative to the nut to cause the nut to travel linearly along the screw, and a second motor is operable to rotate the spline member and nut such that the nut travels linearly along the screw. Consequently, the actuator rod moves linearly by operation of the first motor alone, by operation of the second motor alone, and by simultaneous operation of the first and second motors. A no-back device may be incorporated into each load path.