System for reducing carbon brake wear

• US 20070179686A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydro-Aire Aerospace Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Hydro-Aire Incorporated Subsidiary of Crane Company
• Inventors: Gowan, John, Devlieg, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/9
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/18 Safety devices; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/00 Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force by changing number of effective brake cylinders in power brake systems B60T17/10

Abstract

A brake monitoring system is described for use on aircraft having carbon brakes. The system displays the number of times the brakes have been applied in a preselected counting interval such as during each takeoff and landing cycle. By raising the pilot'"'"'s awareness of the number of times the brakes have been applied, a more efficient brake use is encouraged in view of the knowledge that carbon brake wear is substantially a function of the number of applications rather than the total energy that is converted thereby. Additionally, the monitoring system provides an indication of the temperature of the brakes which encourages the pilot to maintain a minimum temperature therein beyond which wear is reduced.

Claims

1. A system for reducing brake wear on aircraft fitted with carbon brakes, comprising:

a monitor for displaying to a pilot in real time a count of the number of times the brakes have been applied during a preselected interval.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a monitor for providing to said pilot an indication of the temperature of said brakes.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a said count display changes color when a certain threshold temperature is achieved.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein such threshold temperature comprises 350°

F.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said indication of temperature is based on an average temperature of all of an aircraft'"'"'s brakes.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said indication of temperature is based on the temperature of the coolest of an aircraft'"'"'s brakes.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each brake application count is triggered mechanically.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a microswitch is tripped by movement of a brake pedal that is used to actuate the brakes.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each brake application count is triggered hydraulically.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a pressure switch is tripped by pressure in a hydraulic system that actuates the brakes.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said interval comprises one take-off and landing cycle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said count resets automatically by engine start.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said count resets automatically when the aircraft is hooked up to an external power source.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said count is stored and is available for later download.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said count is adjusted in the event a taxi brake select feature serves to disable one or more of an aircraft'"'"'s brakes in order to more accurately reflect the number of applications of each brake.