Apparatus and method to detect aircraft wing deflection and twist during flight
First Claim
1. A monitoring system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a first laser and a third laser secured to a fuselage wherein the first and third lasers are moveable independently relative to the fuselage of the aircraft; and
laser beam target devices comprising one of a first and third reflectors or a first and third wing light beam locating sensors secured on a same chord of a wing of the aircraft, wherein the laser beam target devices are each positioned in predetermined locations and are spaced apart from one another along the same chord of the wing, wherein;
the first laser emits a first laser beam to the first reflector, and the third laser emits a third laser beam to the third reflector, wherein the first reflector reflects the first laser beam to a first fuselage light beam locating sensor, and the third reflector reflects the third laser beam to a third fuselage light beam locating sensor, the first and third fuselage light beam locating sensor sensing a deflection of the wing with respect to each of the predetermined locations along the same chord and providing a twist in the wing at the same chord relative to the fuselage;
orthe first laser emits the first laser beam to the first wing light beam locating sensor, and the third laser emits the third laser beam to the third wing light beam locating sensor, the first and third wing light beam locating sensor sensing a deflection of the wing with respect to each of the predetermined locations along the same chord and providing a twist in the wing at the same chord relative to the fuselage.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A monitoring system for an aircraft which includes a laser secured to a fuselage of the aircraft and a laser beam target device secured to a wing of the aircraft, wherein the laser is positioned to emit a laser beam onto the laser beam target device for ascertaining a deflection of the wing. A method is also provided for sensing the deflection of a portion of a wing of an aircraft which includes the steps of emitting a laser beam from a laser secured to the fuselage of an aircraft and receiving the laser beam at a laser beam target device secured to a wing of the aircraft. The method further includes the step of transmitting location information of the position of the laser beam at the laser beam target device to a controller of a gimbal wherein the gimbal secures the laser to the fuselage of the aircraft.
14 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A monitoring system for an aircraft, comprising:
-
a first laser and a third laser secured to a fuselage wherein the first and third lasers are moveable independently relative to the fuselage of the aircraft; and laser beam target devices comprising one of a first and third reflectors or a first and third wing light beam locating sensors secured on a same chord of a wing of the aircraft, wherein the laser beam target devices are each positioned in predetermined locations and are spaced apart from one another along the same chord of the wing, wherein; the first laser emits a first laser beam to the first reflector, and the third laser emits a third laser beam to the third reflector, wherein the first reflector reflects the first laser beam to a first fuselage light beam locating sensor, and the third reflector reflects the third laser beam to a third fuselage light beam locating sensor, the first and third fuselage light beam locating sensor sensing a deflection of the wing with respect to each of the predetermined locations along the same chord and providing a twist in the wing at the same chord relative to the fuselage;
orthe first laser emits the first laser beam to the first wing light beam locating sensor, and the third laser emits the third laser beam to the third wing light beam locating sensor, the first and third wing light beam locating sensor sensing a deflection of the wing with respect to each of the predetermined locations along the same chord and providing a twist in the wing at the same chord relative to the fuselage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for determining twist of a wing of an aircraft relative to a fuselage of the aircraft, comprising the steps of:
-
emitting a first laser beam from a first laser secured to the fuselage of the aircraft and emitting a third laser beam from a third laser secured to the fuselage of the aircraft; and receiving the first and third laser beams at laser beam target devices secured to a same chord of the wing of the aircraft with the laser beam target devices each positioned at predetermined locations spaced apart from one another along the same chord, comprising one of; a first reflector and a third reflector, wherein the first reflector and the third reflector receive the first and third laser beams respectively, and the first reflector reflects the first laser beam to a first fuselage light beam locating sensor, and the third reflector reflects the third laser beam to a third fuselage light beam locating sensor, the first and third fuselage light beam locating sensor sensing a deflection of the wing with respect to each of the predetermined locations along the same chord and providing a twist in the wing at the same chord relative to the fuselage, or a first wing light beam locating sensor and a third wing light beam locating sensor receive the first and third laser beams respectively, the first and third wing light beam locating sensor sensing a deflection of the wing with respect to each of the predetermined locations along the same chord and providing a twist in the wing at the same chord relative to the fuselage. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification