Arrangement for determining the pressure in an undercarriage tyre of an aircraft

• US 8,375,781 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lufthansa Technik AG (Deutsche Lufthansa AG)
• Original Assignee: Lufthansa Technik AG (Deutsche Lufthansa AG)
• Inventors: Paul, Manfred, Schoellmann, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US12/818,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20110185802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 731/700.2, 73700-756
• US Class Current: 73/170.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/005 using a sensor contacting the exterior surface, e.g. for measuring deformation

Abstract

The subject matter of the invention is an arrangement for determining the pressure in an undercarriage tire of an aircraft, which arrangement has a measurement matrix (1) with a plurality of load sensors which are arranged in an area over which the aircraft tire can roll. The invention provides that the arrangement is designed to measure the pressure difference between two or more undercarriage tires.

Claims

1. Servicing cycle for an aircraft, having the following steps:

i) the aircraft is operated over a time period of 12 to 96 h,

ii) the pressure in each undercarriage tyre of the aircraft is determined by means of a method using an arrangement for measuring the differences in pressure in between two or more undercarriage tyres of an aircraft, which arrangement comprises;

a) a measurement matrix (1) with a plurality of load sensors which are arranged in an area over which undercarriage tyres of the aircraft can roll;

b) at least one temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of undercarriage tyres of the aircraft; and

c) an evaluation unit (5) configured to receive pressure and temperature measurement results from said measurement matrix (1) and said at least one temperature sensor,

wherein said method comprises the following steps;

1) at least two undercarriage tyres of the aircraft taxi over said measurement matrix,

2) load profiles exerted by the undercarriage tyres of the aircraft on the measurement matrix are determined,

3) a tyre pressure is calculated for each of said at least two undercarriage tyres of the aircraft from the measured values determined in step

     2),

4) temperature measurement results are determined for each of said at least two undercarriage tyres of the aircraft, and

5) a pressure difference measurement is carried out between said at least two undercarriage tyres of the aircraft;

iii) the measurement results from step ii) are evaluated to determine whether the pressure in at least one tyre is below a lower limit value and/or whether the pressure differences between two or more undercarriage tyres of the aircraft are greater than an upper tolerance value,

iv) the tyre pressure is adjusted if a lower limit value has been undershot or an upper tolerance value has been exceeded.

2. Servicing cycle according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft is operated over a time period of 24 to 72 h.

3. Servicing cycle according to claim 1, wherein the lower limit value is 80 to 95% of the nominal pressure.

4. Servicing cycle according to claim 1, wherein the upper tolerance value is 5% or less.

5. Servicing cycle according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft is operated over a time period of 24 to 48 h.

6. Servicing cycle according to claim 1, wherein the lower limit value is 85 to 90% of the nominal pressure.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said measurement matrix (1) and said at least one temperature sensor are configured for wire-free transmission of measurement results to said evaluation unit (5).