INTEGRATED MULTIFUNCTIONAL POWERED WHEEL SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT

• US 20090218440A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE), Airbus SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Bohlen, Carsten, Dilmaghani, Homayoun
• Granted Patent: US 8,517,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/405 Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/50 Steerable undercarriages; Shimmy-damping
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

The invention relates to a powered wheel system for an aircraft, comprising at least one undercarriage with several rotatably held wheels, with the powered wheel system comprising two or more motors of which in each case at least one motor is coupled to at least one of the wheels, and comprising at least one control device that is coupled to the motors. A control device is equipped to control operation of the motors independently of each other as far as their respective rotary speeds and direction of rotation are concerned, so that the system is able, among other things, to effect taxiing; by means of rotary speed differentials on different motors to be able to steer the aircraft; prior to landing to bring the wheel circumference speeds to landing speed; and to boost the undercarriage brakes of the aircraft. Furthermore, by means of an improvement of the system according to the invention, the rotary speeds of the wheels may be determined with precision. The invention furthermore relates to a method for driving wheels of an aircraft.

Claims

1. A powered wheel system for an aircraft, comprising:

at least one undercarriage including at least two rotatably held wheels,

two or more motors with at least one motor coupled to at least one of the wheels; and

at least one control device that is coupled to the motors,

wherein the control device is equipped to control operation of the motors independently of each other as far as their respective rotary speeds and direction of rotation are concerned.

2. The powered wheel system of claim 1, wherein the at least one undercarriage comprising two or more wheels is steerable and,

wherein the control device is equipped for driving two or more motors that are coupled to the wheels of the steerable undercarriage with a difference in the rotary speeds relative to each other for steering the aircraft when it is situated on the ground.

3. The powered wheel system of claim 2,

wherein steering movement results from control input, and the control device is equipped to calculate the difference in the rotary speed, which difference is necessary, with reference to the geometric variables of the aircraft and of the undercarriage.

4. The powered wheel system of claim 1,

wherein the control device is equipped, for the purpose of reducing the landing shock, immediately prior to the aircraft landing, to drive the motors to rotate in the forward direction,

wherein the control device is able to calculate the rotary speed necessary, taking into account true air speed data and airframe attitude data.

5. The powered wheel system of claim 1,

wherein the control device is equipped, for the purpose of boosting brakes of the aircraft, to drive the motors for generating torque that acts against the direction of roll, and

wherein the control device is able to calculate the motor control variables that are necessary, taking into account the roll speed, the state of the runway and the length of the runway.

6. The powered wheel system of claim 1,

wherein at least one of the motors can be coupled to at least one fan wheel for cooling at least one of the brakes of the aircraft, wherein coupling between the motor and the respective wheel can be selectively undone or maintained.

7. The powered wheel system of claim 6,

wherein at least one of the motors is coupled to the respective wheel by way of a disengageable mechanical clutch.

8. The powered wheel system of claim 1,

wherein the control device is equipped to drive the motors for moving the aircraft in forward- and reverse directions on the ground, wherein the rotary speeds and directions of rotation of the motors are calculated on the basis of control input in the cockpit or from the outside.

9. The powered wheel system of claim 1,

wherein the motors are designed as electric motors that are operated by a member selected from the group consisting of at least one engine generator, an auxiliary power unit, a fuel cell, an external power supply and a battery.

10. The powered wheel system of claim 8,

wherein from the rotation of at least one motor by means of at least one evaluation unit that is integrated in the motor or that is located externally, the rotary speed of the motor or the roll speed of the aircraft can be determined.

11. The powered wheel system of claim 1,

wherein the motors are designed as hydraulic motors or pneumatic motors.

12. The powered wheel system of claim 1,

wherein the motors are integrated in hubs of the wheels.

13. The powered wheel system of claim 1,

wherein the control device transmits digital signals to the motors,

wherein the signals transmitted to the motors are received by at least one control unit and are converted to control variables for the motors.

14. The powered wheel system of claim 1,

wherein the control device transmits analog signals to the motors.

20. An aircraft comprising a powered wheel system of claim 1.

15. A method for driving wheels of an aircraft including at least one undercarriage with several rotatably held wheels comprising,

driving, independently of each other, at least one of at least two motors, which in each case are coupled to at least one wheel disposed on the undercarriage of an aircraft to control their respective rotary speeds and direction of rotation based on input from a control device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein two or more motors that are coupled to the wheels of a steerable undercarriage of the aircraft and are driven, by the control device, with a difference in the rotary speeds relative to each other, for the purpose of steering an aircraft situated on the ground.

17. The method of claim 16,

wherein the steering movement results from control input, and the control device calculates the difference in the rotary speeds, which difference is necessary, with reference to the geometric variables of the aircraft and of the undercarriage.

18. The method of claim 16,

wherein the control device, for the purpose of reducing the landing shock, immediately prior to the aircraft landing, drives the motors to rotate in the forward direction,

wherein the control device calculates the rotary speed that is necessary, with reference to the true airspeed data and airframe attitude data.

19. The method of claim 15,

wherein the control device, for boosting brakes of the aircraft, drives the motors for the purpose of generating torque that acts against the direction of roll,

wherein the control device calculates the motor control variables necessary, taking into account the roll speed, the state and the length of the runway.