System and method for correcting wing twist of an aircraft

• US 10,099,774 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Provost, Stephen N., Pitt, Dale M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hoa
• Application Number:
  US15/455,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20180099740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 356601-623
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/16 actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/385 Variable incidence wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/16 for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction

Abstract

A system which includes a first light beam locating sensor associated with a first position to be located on a wing of an aircraft. The first light beam locating sensor senses a first light beam at an identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor. A processor is configured to receive a first signal from the first light beam locating sensor wherein the first signal includes a first identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor. The processor is configured to determine a location of the first position on the wing and perform a first comparison of the location of the first position on the wing to a predetermined analyzed location of the first position on the wing.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first light beam locating sensor associated with a first position to be located on a wing of an aircraft;

wherein the first light beam locating sensor senses a first light beam at a first identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor; and

a processor configured to;

receive a first signal from the first light beam locating sensor, the first signal including the first identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor;

determine a location of the first position on the wing;

perform a first comparison of the location of the first position on the wing to a predetermined analyzed location of the first position on the wing; and

to send an instruction to control moving of a movable control surface if there is a difference in the first comparison.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

an actuator controller configured to receive the instruction and to operate an actuator to move the movable control surface based on the instruction.

3. The system of claim 1 further includes a second light beam locating sensor associated with a second position on the wing of the aircraft, wherein the second light beam locating sensor senses a second light beam at a second identifiable position on the second light beam locating sensor.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a second signal from the second light beam locating sensor, the second signal including the second identifiable position on the second light beam locating sensor;

determine a location of the second position on the wing; and

perform a second comparison of the location of the second position on the wing to a predetermined analyzed location of the second position on the wing.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein:

the processor is further configured to send an instruction to control moving of the movable control surface if there is a difference in the second comparison; and

an actuator controller configured to receive the instruction and to operate an actuator to move the movable control surface based on the instruction.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the first light beam locating sensor is associated with the first position to be located on the wing wherein the first position to be located on the wing comprises a leading edge of the wing at a chord of the wing; and

the second light beam locating sensor is associated with the second position to be located on the wing wherein the second position to be located on the wing comprises a trailing edge of the wing at the chord of the wing.

7. The system of claim 3 further includes:

a first reflective surface positioned on the wing associated with the first position to be located on the wing; and

a second reflective surface positioned on the wing associated with the second position to be located on the wing.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the first light beam locating sensor is secured to a fuselage of the aircraft and receives first light beam reflected from the first reflective surface; and

the second light beam locating sensor is secured to the fuselage of the aircraft and receives the second light beam reflected from the second reflective surface.

9. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the first light beam locating sensor is positioned on the wing associated with the first position on the wing of the aircraft; and

the second light beam locating sensor is positioned on the wing associated with the second position on the wing of the aircraft.

10. The system of claim 3 further includes:

a first laser secured to a fuselage of the aircraft, located forward of the wing and positioned to emit the first light beam toward the wing and a second laser secured to the fuselage of the aircraft, or located aft of the wing and positioned to emit a second light beam toward the wing; and

wherein;

the first laser is mounted to a first gimbal having a first gimbal controller; and

the second laser is mounted to a second gimbal having a second gimbal controller.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the first gimbal controller is communicatively coupled to the first light beam locating sensor and the second gimbal controller is communicatively coupled to the second light beam locating sensor;

the first light beam locating sensor sends a first signal to the first gimbal controller including the first identifiable position of the first light beam on the first light beam locating sensor; and

the second light beam locating sensor sends a second signal to the second gimbal controller including the second identifiable position of the second light beam on the second light beam locating sensor.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein:

the first gimbal controller determines whether the first identifiable position of the first light beam on the first light beam locating sensor is positioned within an acceptable distance from an edge of the first light beam locating sensor or is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor, and if the first identifiable position is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor, the first gimbal controller sends an instruction to the first gimbal to move the first laser so as to move the first light beam of the first laser to a distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor to within the acceptable distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor; and

the second gimbal controller determines whether the second identifiable position of the second light beam on the second light beam locating sensor is positioned within an acceptable distance from an edge of the second light beam locating sensor or is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor, and if the second identifiable position is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor, the second gimbal controller sends an instruction to the second gimbal to move the second laser so as to move the second light beam of the second laser to a distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor to within the acceptable distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor.

13. A method comprising the steps of:

sensing a first light beam at a first identifiable position on a first light beam locating sensor, wherein the first light beam locating sensor is associated with a first position to be located on a wing of an aircraft;

receiving by a processor a first signal from the first light beam locating sensor, the first signal including the first identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor;

determining by the processor a location of the first position on the wing;

performing by the processor a first comparison of the location of the first position on the wing to a predetermined analyzed location of the first position on the wing; and

sending by the processor a first instruction to control moving of a movable control surface if there is a difference in the first comparison.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

receiving by an actuator controller configured to receive the first instruction and the actuator controller operating an actuator to move the movable control surface based on the first instruction.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

sensing a second light beam at a second identifiable position on the second light beam locating sensor by a second light beam locating sensor associated with a second position on the wing of the aircraft;

receiving by the processor a second signal from the second light beam locating sensor, the second signal including the second identifiable position on the second light beam locating sensor;

determining by the processor a location of the second position on the wing;

performing by the processor a second comparison of the location of the second position on the wing to a predetermined analyzed location of the second position on the wing;

sending by the processor a second instruction to control moving of the movable control surface if there is a difference in the second comparison; and

receiving by an actuator controller configured to receive the second instruction and the actuator controller operating an actuator to move the movable control surface based on the second instruction.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the step of determining by the processor the location of the first position on the wing further includes the location comprising a leading edge of the wing at a chord of the wing; and

the step of determining by the processor the location of the second position on the wing further includes the location comprising a trailing edge of the wing at the chord of the wing.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

reflecting the first light beam from a first reflective surface positioned on the wing associated with the first position to be located on the wing;

reflecting the second light beam from a second reflective surface positioned on the wing associated with the second position to be located on the wing;

receiving by the first light beam locating sensor secured to a fuselage of the aircraft the first light beam reflected by the first reflective surface; and

receiving by the second light beam locating sensor secured to the fuselage of the aircraft the second light beam reflected by the second reflective surface.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the steps of:

sensing the first light beam at the first identifiable position on a first light beam locating sensor;

wherein the first light beam locating sensor is associated with the first position on the wing of the aircraft includes the first light beam locating sensor positioned on the wing of the aircraft; and

sensing the second light beam at the second identifiable position on a second light beam locating sensor wherein the second light beam locating sensor is associated with the second position on the wing of the aircraft includes the second light beam locating sensor positioned on the wing of the aircraft.

19. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

emitting the first light beam from a first laser secured to a fuselage of the aircraft wherein;

the first laser is mounted to a first gimbal having a first gimbal controller; and

the first laser is located forward of the wing and positioned to emit the first light beam toward the wing;

emitting the second light beam from a second laser secured to the fuselage of the aircraft wherein;

the second laser is mounted to a second gimbal having a second gimbal controller; and

the second laser is located aft of the wing and positioned to emit the second light beam toward the wing.

20. The method of claim 19, further including the steps of:

sending a first signal from the first light beam locating sensor, including the first identifiable position of the first light beam on the first light beam locating sensor, to the first gimbal controller;

sending a second signal from the second light beam locating sensor, including the second identifiable position of the second light beam on the second light beam locating sensor, to the second gimbal controller;

receiving the first signal by the first gimbal controller and the first gimbal controller determining whether the first identifiable position of the first light beam on the first light beam locating sensor is positioned within an acceptable distance from an edge of the first light beam locating sensor or is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor, and if the first identifiable position is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor, first gimbal controller sending an instruction to the first gimbal to move the first laser and to move the first light beam of the first laser to a distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor within the acceptable distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor; and

receiving the second signal by the second gimbal controller and the second gimbal controller determining whether the second identifiable position of the second light beam on the second light beam locating sensor is positioned within an acceptable distance from an edge of the second light beam locating sensor or is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor, and if the second identifiable position is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor, second gimbal controller sending an instruction to the second gimbal to move the second laser and to move the second light beam of the second laser to a distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor within the acceptable distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor.