BRAKE WEAR CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20100286881A1
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Cahill, Eric D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/42 Arrangement or adaptation of brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/003 Position, angle or speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/026 indicating different degrees of lining wear

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method provide a means for managing wear of brake friction material such that even friction material wear is experienced between brakes. The available friction material of each brake is monitored to determine an amount of wear. Based on the amount of wear, a braking force applied by each brake may be varied to ensure even wear between brakes.

Claims

1. A brake controller for managing friction material wear for each of a plurality of brakes, said controller configured to:

receive data indicative of available friction material at each of the plurality of brakes; and

selectively vary a force applied by each brake as a function of the available friction material to maintain the available friction material for each brake within a predetermined range of one another.

2. The brake controller according to claim 1, the controller further configured to:

determine, based on data indicative of available friction material, which brakes have the most available friction material and which brakes have the least available friction material; and

during braking vary the force applied by brakes with the most available friction material relative to the force applied by brakes with the least available friction material.

3. The brake controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller, to vary the force applied by brakes with the most available friction material, is configured to calculate a preliminary brake command signal generic to all brakes, and add or subtract a predetermined offset to the preliminary brake command signal for brakes corresponding to the most available friction material.

4. The brake controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to predict when the friction material for each brake will require replacement or maintenance.

5. The brake controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to manage friction material wear on front and rear brakes.

6. A braking system, comprising

the brake controller according to claim 1;

a plurality of brakes, each brake comprising a friction material; and

a wear sensor operative to provide data indicative of available friction material, wherein the wear sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller.

7. The braking system of claim 6, wherein the friction material comprises at least one of a carbon, steel, or ceramic material.

8. The braking system according to claim 6, wherein the brake further comprises:

a brake disk stack;

a brake head; and

at least one actuator mounted to the brake head, the actuator including a housing, a reciprocating ram and a motive device operatively connected to the reciprocating ram for selectively moving the reciprocating ram into and out of forceful engagement with the brake disk stack for applying and releasing braking force.

9. The braking system according to claim 6, further comprising at least one aircraft landing gear, wherein the plurality of brakes correspond to the at least one aircraft landing gear, and wherein the controller is configured to manage wear of the friction material on each landing gear independent of wear of friction material on other landing gear.

10. The braking system according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of landing gears, wherein each brake of the plurality of brakes corresponds to a landing gear of the plurality of landing gears, wherein the controller is configured to manage wear of the friction material across at least two landing gears of the plurality of landing gears.

11. A method of managing friction material wear on a plurality of brakes, each brake including a brake disk stack, and at least one actuator for applying and releasing braking force, comprising:

monitoring available friction material for each brake of the plurality of brakes; and

selectively varying a force applied by each brake to maintain the available friction material for each brake within a predetermined range of one another.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein selectively varying the force comprises:

determining which brakes have the least available friction material and which brakes have the most available friction material; and

varying a force applied during braking by brakes with the most available friction material relative to a force applied by brakes with the least available friction material.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein varying the brake force includes calculating a preliminary brake command signal generic to all brakes, and adding or subtracting a predetermined offset to the preliminary brake command signal for brakes corresponding to the most available friction material.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein monitoring the available friction material comprises:

measuring a thickness of the friction material for each brake; and

calculating the available friction material based on the measured thickness and a predetermined thickness.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein measuring the thickness includes using a wear sensor to provide data indicative of the thickness of the friction material.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising predicting when the friction material for each brake will require replacement or maintenance.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein managing wear includes recommending that at least one brake be moved from one landing gear to another landing gear to allow for a consistent level of wear.

18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising determining a wear rate of the friction material.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein friction material wear is managed on an aircraft.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein friction material wear is managed on front and rear brakes.