System and method for aircraft braking system usage monitoring
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, comprising:
- at least one sensor for sensing a parameter of usage of an aircraft brake and for generating a signal indicating a sensed value of said parameter of usage of said aircraft brake, said at least one sensor comprising a linear brake wear indicator and a linear position encoder, said linear brake wear indicator being attached to the brake, wherein each time the brake is actuated, the linear brake wear indicator moves a discrete distance, and said linear position encoder measuring and generating a linear position signal indicating the distance travelled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage;
means for determining an estimate of usage of said brake based upon said linear position signal; and
a wheel speed monitor for generating a wheel speed signal indicating wheel speed of the aircraft, and wherein said means for determining an estimate of usage receives said wheel speed signal for distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications based upon said wheel speed signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The system and method for monitoring wear of one or more aircraft parts, such as an aircraft brake, an aircraft tire, a standby system, and landing gear. One or more sensors are provided for sensing a parameter of usage, and an estimate of usage of the part can be determined based upon the signal indicating the sensed value of the parameter of usage of the aircraft part. A plurality of sensors can be provided for sensing usage of a plurality of parts of the aircraft, and the estimate of usage of the part can be stored for access of the estimate by ground personnel. As applied to monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake moves a discrete distance when the brake is actuated, and a linear position encoder measures the distance travelled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage. A wheel speed monitor may also be provided for measuring the aircraft wheel speed, for distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications, based upon the wheel speed signal.
158 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, comprising:
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at least one sensor for sensing a parameter of usage of an aircraft brake and for generating a signal indicating a sensed value of said parameter of usage of said aircraft brake, said at least one sensor comprising a linear brake wear indicator and a linear position encoder, said linear brake wear indicator being attached to the brake, wherein each time the brake is actuated, the linear brake wear indicator moves a discrete distance, and said linear position encoder measuring and generating a linear position signal indicating the distance travelled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage;
means for determining an estimate of usage of said brake based upon said linear position signal; and
a wheel speed monitor for generating a wheel speed signal indicating wheel speed of the aircraft, and wherein said means for determining an estimate of usage receives said wheel speed signal for distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications based upon said wheel speed signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for monitoring wear of an aircraft tire, comprising:
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a wheel speed monitor generating a wheel speed signal indicating wheel speed of the aircraft;
means for sensing aircraft yaw generating a yaw signal indicating aircraft yaw; and
means for determining an estimate of usage of said tire based upon said wheel speed signal and said yaw signal, and distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications based upon said wheel speed signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A system for monitoring wear of an aircraft standby system, comprising
means for sensing input power to said standby system and generating an input power signal; -
means for measuring the period of time elapsed during each usage of said standby system and generating an elapsed time signal; and
means for determining an estimate of usage of said aircraft standby system based upon said input power signal and said elapsed time signal.
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16. A system for monitoring wear of an aircraft landing gear, comprising:
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means for sensing load on said landing gear and generating a load signal;
means for measuring the period of time elapsed during each usage of said landing gear generating an elapsed time signal; and
means for determining an estimate of usage of said aircraft landing gear based upon said load signal and said elapsed time signal.
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17. A system for monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, comprising:
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at least one linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake, wherein each time the brake is actuated, the linear brake wear indicator moves a discrete distance;
a linear position encoder for measuring and generating a linear position signal indicating the distance travelled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage, and wherein said means for determining an estimate of usage determines an estimate of usage of said brake based upon said linear position signal;
means for determining an estimate of usage of said brake based upon said signal indicating said sensed value of said parameter of usage of said aircraft brake; and
a wheel speed monitor for generating a wheel speed signal indicating wheel speed of the aircraft, wherein said means for determining an estimate of usage receives said wheel speed signal for distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications based upon said wheel speed signal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, comprising:
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at least one linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake, wherein each time the brake is actuated, the linear brake wear indicator moves a discrete distance;
a linear position encoder for measuring and generating a linear position signal indicating the distance travelled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage, and wherein said means for determining an estimate of usage determines an estimate of usage of said brake based upon said linear position signal;
means for determining an estimate of usage of said brake based upon said signal indicating said sensed value of said parameter of usage of said aircraft brake; and
means for sensing brake temperature, and for generating a temperature signal indicating brake temperature that is received by said means for determining an estimate of usage, and wherein said estimate of usage is based upon said temperature signal. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A method for monitoring wear of at least one aircraft brake, comprising:
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providing a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake, wherein each time the brake is actuated, the linear brake wear indicator moves a discrete distance; and
measuring the linear position of said linear brake wear indicator and generating a linear position signal indicating the distance travelled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage;
determining an estimate of usage of said at least one aircraft brake based upon said linear position signal; and
generating a wheel speed signal indicating wheel speed of the aircraft, and distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications based upon said wheel speed signal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for monitoring wear of at least one aircraft tire, comprising:
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generating a wheel speed signal indicating wheel speed of the aircraft;
sensing aircraft yaw and generating a yaw signal indicating aircraft yaw;
determining an estimate of usage of said at least one aircraft tire based upon said wheel speed signal and said yaw signal; and
distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake application based upon said wheel speed signal.
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36. A method for monitoring wear of at least one aircraft standby system, comprising:
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sensing input power to said standby system and generating an input power signal; and
measuring the period of time elapsed during each usage of standby system and generating an elapsed time signal; and
determining an estimate of usage of said at least one aircraft standby system based upon said input power signal and said elapsed time signal.
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37. A method for monitoring wear of at least one aircraft landing gear, comprising:
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sensing load on said landing gear and generating a load signal;
measuring the period of time elapsed during each usage of said landing gear and generating an elapsed time signal; and
determining an estimate of usage of said at least one aircraft landing gear based upon said load signal and said elapsed time signal.
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38. A method for monitoring wear of at least one aircraft part, comprising
sensing a plurality of parameters for a plurality of aircraft parts and generating a plurality of signals indicating a plurality of sensed values of said plurality of parameters of usage of said plurality of aircraft parts; - and
determining a plurality of estimates of usage of said plurality of aircraft parts based upon said plurality of signals.
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Specification