US 12161946 B2 / Dec 10, 2024

Motion simulator fault tolerant load carrying pivot connection

A motion simulator comprising a base (102), a platform (104), and a plurality of linear actuators (108) connecting the base and platform via a joint having at least two degrees of freedom, the joint (15) comprising an actuator clevis comprising first and second side lugs having first and second lug openings retaining a clevis pin, an anchor clevis retaining an axel comprising first and second axel fault retaining protrusions and an axel opening receiving the clevis pin and having primary and secondary axel passage sections, the first side lug opening, pin and first axel fault retaining protrusion having a primary lug radial clearance difference between a primary inner radius of the first lug opening and an outer radius of the pin that is less than a secondary lug radial clearance difference between a secondary lug inner radius of the first lug opening and a retaining outer radius of the first axel fault retaining protrusion.