Aircraft landing gear kinetic energy monitor
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring landing gear on an aircraft during a landing event of the aircraft, each landing gear comprising a telescopic strut with a compressible fluid, which telescopic strut is capable of extension, each landing gear further comprising linkage members which are capable of rotation, comprising the steps of:
- a) measuring a descent velocity of the aircraft on at least one of the telescopic struts during the landing event of the respective landing gear with the ground;
b) measuring the mass of the aircraft supported by the respective landing gear as the mass increases through the landing event;
c) determining the amount of force applied to the respective landing gear from the measured descent velocity and mass;
d) providing an indication of the force.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for use in monitoring, measuring, computing and displaying the Kinetic Energy generated and experienced while aircraft are executing either normal, overweight or hard landing events. Pressure sensors and motion sensors are mounted in relation to each of the landing gear struts to monitor, measure and record the impact loads and aircraft touch-down vertical velocities experienced by landing gear struts, as the aircraft landing gear initially comes into contact with the ground. Velocity adjustments are made to correct for errors caused by landing gear per-charge pressure and landing gear strut seal friction. The system also measures the landing loads experienced by each landing gear strut during the landing event and determines if aircraft limitations have been exceeded.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring landing gear on an aircraft during a landing event of the aircraft, each landing gear comprising a telescopic strut with a compressible fluid, which telescopic strut is capable of extension, each landing gear further comprising linkage members which are capable of rotation, comprising the steps of:
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a) measuring a descent velocity of the aircraft on at least one of the telescopic struts during the landing event of the respective landing gear with the ground; b) measuring the mass of the aircraft supported by the respective landing gear as the mass increases through the landing event; c) determining the amount of force applied to the respective landing gear from the measured descent velocity and mass; d) providing an indication of the force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for monitoring landing gear of an aircraft during a landing event when the landing gear contacts the ground, each landing gear comprising a telescopic landing gear strut with a compressible fluid, each landing gear comprising a rotatable linkage, comprising:
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a) a pressure sensor for each said telescopic strut, said respective pressure sensor being coupled to said respective telescopic strut so as to measure pressure inside said respective telescopic strut; b) a rotation sensor or each said telescopic strut, said respective rotation sensor coupled to the rotatable linkage of the respective landing gear so as to measure the extension of the respective telescopic strut; c) a processor having first inputs connected to the pressure sensors and having second inputs connected to the rotation sensors, the processor determining the amount of force applied to each landing gear during the landing event by determining the descent velocity on the respective landing gear and determining the changing amounts of mass supported by the respective landing gear and providing an output for the amount of force; d) an indicator connected to the processor output. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification