Torsional spring aided control actuator for a rolling missile

摘要

A control actuator system. The novel system includes a control surface mounted on a body and adapted to move in a first direction relative to the body, and a first mechanism for storing energy as the control surface moves in the first direction and releasing the stored energy to move the control surface in a second direction opposite the first direction. In an illustrative embodiment, the system is adapted to rotate an aerodynamic control surface of a rolling missile, and the first mechanism is a torsional spring arranged such that rotating the control surface in the first direction winds up the spring and releasing the spring causes the control surface to oscillate back and forth, alternating between the first and second directions. In a preferred embodiment, the spring has a spring constant such that the control surface oscillates at a natural frequency matching a roll rate of the missile.