APPARATUS AND METHOD TO DETECT AIRCRAFT WING DEFLECTION AND TWIST DURING FLIGHT

• US 20180100781A1
• Filed: 10/12/2016
• Published: 04/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Pitt, Dale M., Provost, Stephen N.
• Granted Patent: US 10,401,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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

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.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for an aircraft, comprising:

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.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the laser is positioned spaced apart from an outer surface of the fuselage.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, further including a first transparent panel positioned spaced apart from and positioned in an overlying relationship to the laser.

4. The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein a surface of the first transparent panel conforms to the outer surface of the fuselage.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein:

the laser beam target device includes a reflector comprising a reflective surface which receives the laser beam from the laser and reflects the laser beam; and

the reflector is positioned spaced apart from an outer surface of the wing.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5, further including a second transparent panel, wherein:

the second transparent panel is positioned spaced apart from and positioned in an overlying relationship to the reflector; and

a surface of the second transparent panel conforms to the outer surface of the wing.

7. The monitoring system of claim 5, further including a fuselage light beam locating sensor secured to the fuselage of the aircraft and positioned in optical alignment with the reflective surface of the reflector to receive the laser beam which reflects from the reflective surface of the reflector.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the fuselage light beam locating sensor is positioned spaced apart from an outer surface of the fuselage, further comprising:

a third transparent panel positioned spaced apart from and positioned in an overlying relationship to the fuselage light beam locating sensor; and

a surface of the third transparent panel conforms with the outer surface of the fuselage.

9. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the fuselage light beam locating sensor comprises a photodiode light beam location panel.

10. The monitoring system of claim 7, further including a gimbal comprising a controller, wherein:

the laser is secured to the gimbal;

the gimbal is secured to the fuselage; and

the fuselage light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the gimbal.

11. The monitoring system of claim 10, wherein:

the laser comprising;

a first laser secured to the fuselage and a second laser secured to the fuselage wherein the first laser and the second laser are located forward of the wing of the aircraft; and

a third laser secured to the fuselage and a fourth laser secured to the fuselage wherein the third laser and the fourth laser are located aft of the wing of the aircraft; and

the reflector comprising;

a first reflector secured to the wing of the aircraft and a second reflector secured to the wing of the aircraft, wherein the first reflector and the second reflector are located spaced apart from each other along a leading edge of the wing; and

a third reflector secured to the wing of the aircraft and a fourth reflector are secured to the wing of the aircraft, wherein the third and fourth reflectors are positioned spaced apart from each other along a trailing edge of the wing; and

the laser beam comprising;

a first laser beam emitted from the first laser such that first laser is positioned to emit the first laser beam onto a first reflective surface of the first reflector wherein the first reflective surface reflects the first laser beam;

a second laser beam emitted by the second laser such that the second laser is positioned to emit the second laser beam onto a second reflective surface of the second reflector wherein the second reflective surface reflects the second laser beam;

a third laser beam emitted by the third laser such that the third laser is positioned to emit the third laser beam onto a third reflective surface of the third reflector wherein the third reflective surface reflects the third laser beam; and

a fourth laser beam emitted by the fourth laser such that the fourth laser is positioned to emit the fourth laser beam onto a fourth reflective surface of the fourth reflector wherein the fourth reflective surface reflects the fourth laser beam.

12. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein:

the fuselage light beam locating sensor comprising;

a first fuselage light beam locating sensor and a second fuselage light beam locating sensor, wherein the first fuselage light beam locating sensor and the second light beam locating sensor are located forward of the wing of the aircraft, wherein;

the first fuselage light beam locating sensor is positioned in optical alignment with the first reflective surface of the first reflector and receives the first laser beam which reflects from the first reflective surface of the first reflector; and

the second fuselage light beam locating sensor is positioned in optical alignment with the second reflective surface of the second reflector and receives the second laser beam which reflects from the second reflective surface of the second reflector; and

a third fuselage light beam locating sensor and a fourth fuselage light beam locating sensor, wherein the third fuselage light beam locating sensor and the fourth fuselage light beam locating sensor are located aft of the wing of the aircraft, wherein;

the third fuselage light beam locating sensor is positioned in optical alignment with the third reflective surface of the third reflector and receives the third laser beam which reflects from the third reflective surface of the third reflector; and

the fourth fuselage light beam locating sensor is positioned in optical alignment with a fourth reflective surface of the fourth reflector and receives the fourth laser beam which reflects from the fourth reflective surface of the fourth reflector.

13. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the gimbal comprising:

a first gimbal comprising a controller, wherein;

the first laser is secured to the first gimbal;

the first laser is secured to the fuselage with the first gimbal secured to the fuselage; and

the first fuselage light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the first gimbal;

a second gimbal comprising a controller, wherein;

the second laser is secured to the second gimbal;

the second laser is secured to the fuselage with the second gimbal secured to the fuselage; and

the second fuselage light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the second gimbal;

a third gimbal comprising a controller, wherein;

the third laser is secured to the third gimbal;

the third laser is secured to the fuselage with the third gimbal secured to the fuselage; and

the third fuselage light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the third gimbal; and

a fourth gimbal comprising a controller, wherein;

the fourth laser is secured to the fourth gimbal;

the fourth laser is secured to the fuselage with the fourth gimbal secured to the fuselage; and

the fourth fuselage light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the fourth gimbal.

14. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the first reflector and the third reflector are located on a first chord of the wing and the second reflector and the fourth reflector are located on a second chord of the wing.

15. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the laser beam target device comprises a wing light beam locating sensor, wherein:

the wing light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to a controller of a gimbal;

the gimbal is secured to the laser; and

the gimbal is secured to the fuselage.

16. The monitoring system of claim 15, wherein:

the laser comprising;

a fifth laser secured to the fuselage and a sixth laser secured to the fuselage, wherein the fifth laser and the sixth laser are located forward of the wing of the aircraft; and

a seventh laser secured to on the fuselage and an eighth laser secured to the fuselage, wherein the seventh laser and the eighth laser are located aft of the wing of the aircraft; and

the wing light beam locating sensor comprising;

a first wing light beam locating sensor secured to the wing of the aircraft and a second wing light beam locating sensor secured to the wing of the aircraft, wherein the first wing light beam locating sensor and the second wing light beam locating sensor are located space apart from each other along a leading edge of the wing; and

a third wing light beam locating sensor secured to the wing of the aircraft and a fourth wing light beam locating sensor secured to the wing of the aircraft, wherein the third and fourth wing light beam locating sensors are positioned spaced apart from each other along a trailing edge of the wing; and

the laser beam comprising;

a fifth laser beam emitted from the fifth laser, wherein the fifth laser is positioned such that the fifth laser beam is emitted onto the first wing light beam locating sensor;

a sixth laser beam emitted from the sixth laser, wherein the sixth laser is positioned such that the sixth laser beam is emitted onto the second wing light beam locating sensor;

a seventh laser beam emitted from the seventh laser, wherein the seventh laser is positioned such that the seventh laser beam is emitted onto the third wing light beam locating sensor; and

an eighth laser beam emitted from the eighth laser, wherein the eighth laser is positioned such that the eighth laser beam is emitted onto the fourth wing light beam locating sensor; and

the first wing light beam locating sensor and the third wing light beam locating sensor are located on a third chord of the wing and the second wing light beam locating sensor and the fourth wing light beam locating sensor are located on a fourth chord of the wing.

17. The monitoring system of claim 16, wherein:

the gimbal comprising;

a fifth gimbal comprising a controller, wherein;

the fifth laser is secured to the fifth gimbal;

the fifth laser is secured to the fuselage with the fifth gimbal secured to the fuselage; and

the first wing light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the fifth gimbal;

a sixth gimbal comprising a controller, wherein;

the sixth laser is secured to a sixth gimbal;

the sixth laser is secured to the fuselage with the sixth gimbal secured to the fuselage; and

the second wing light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the sixth gimbal;

a seventh gimbal comprising a controller, wherein;

the seventh laser is secured to the seventh gimbal;

the seventh laser is secured to the fuselage with the seventh gimbal secured to the fuselage; and

the third wing light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the seventh gimbal; and

an eighth gimbal comprising a controller, wherein;

the eighth laser is secured to the eighth gimbal;

the eighth laser is secured to the fuselage with the eighth gimbal secured to the fuselage; and

the fourth wing light beam locating sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the eighth gimbal.

18. A method for sensing deflection of a portion of a wing of an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

emitting a laser beam from a laser secured to a fuselage of an aircraft;

receiving the laser beam at a laser beam target device secured to a wing of the aircraft; and

transmitting location information of 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.

19. The method for sensing of claim 18, wherein the steps of receiving and transmitting includes one of a first pair of steps and a second pair of steps of:

the first pair of steps including;

the step of receiving includes the laser beam target device comprising a reflector reflecting the laser beam to a fuselage light beam locating sensor secured to the fuselage of the aircraft and the step of transmitting includes the fuselage light beam locating sensor communicating the location information of the position of the laser beam at the reflector to the controller of the gimbal; and

the second pair of steps including;

the step of receiving includes the light beam target device comprising a wing light beam locating sensor secured to the wing and the step of transmitting includes the wing light beam locating sensor communicating the location information of the laser beam at the wing light beam locating sensor to the controller of the gimbal.

20. The method for sensing of claim 18, further includes the step of adjusting the gimbal and moving the laser and the laser beam relative to the laser beam target device.