Aircraft feathering, flapping and rotor loads indicator

• US 8,626,363 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Kisor, Ron, Bielefeld, Wendell, Hughling, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US12/525,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20110112806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/14
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/006 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/04 Helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/00 Indicating measured values
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/08 in rotary movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/42 Circuits effecting compensation of thermal inertia; Circuits for predicting the stationary value of a temperature

Abstract

A feathering, flapping and rotor loads indicator for use in a rotorcraft includes a calculation unit configured to calculate (a) a current temperature of a bearing of the rotor assembly using a first calculation model, (b) a projected temperature of the bearing using the first calculation model and (c) a load exerted on a selected component of the rotor assembly using a second calculation model, the first and second calculation models adapted to calculate, respectively, the projected and the current temperatures of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component based on flight control parameters; and a display unit configured to display on a common scale a movable indicator, the movable indicator being driven by the highest value between the projected temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component. The display unit displays another movable indicator driven by the current temperature of the bearing.

Claims

1. A feathering, flapping and rotor loads indicator for use in a rotorcraft, the rotorcraft including at least one engine to power a rotor assembly including a mast and a plurality of blades attached thereto, the indicator comprising:

a calculation unit configured to calculate (a) a temperature of a bearing of the rotor assembly using a first calculation model, and (b) a load exerted on a selected component of the rotor assembly using a second calculation model, the first and second calculation models adapted to calculate, respectively, the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component based on flight control parameters; and

a display unit configured to dynamically display on a common scale a movable indicator, the movable indicator being driven by the highest value between the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component.

2. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the first calculation model is a first order linear model.

3. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the temperature is a projected temperature indicative of a future temperature of the bearing if the flight conditions of the rotorcraft are maintained.

4. The indicator of claim 3, wherein the calculation unit is configured to calculate a current temperature of the bearing using the first calculation model.

5. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the second calculation model is adapted to calculate the load exerted on the selected component of the rotor assembly based on feathering angle of the blades.

6. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the first calculation model is adapted to calculate the temperature of the bearing based on feathering angle of the blades and outside air temperature.

7. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the first calculation model is adapted to calculate the temperature of the bearing based on flapping angle of the blades and outside air temperature.

8. The indicator of claim 1, whereinthe calculation unit is further configured to calculate a temperature of an additional bearing using a third calculation model, the third calculation model adapted to calculate the temperature of the additional bearing based on flight control parameters;

and

2) the movable indicator is driven by the highest value among the temperature of the bearing, the temperature of the additional bearing and the load exerted on the selected component.

9. The indicator of claim 8, wherein the third calculation model is a first order linear model.

10. The indicator of claim 8, wherein the temperature of the bearing and the temperature of the additional bearing are projected temperatures indicative of, respectively, a future temperature of the bearing and a future temperature of the additional bearing if the flight conditions of the rotorcraft are maintained.

11. The indicator of claim 10, wherein the calculation unit is configured to calculate a current temperature of the bearing using the first calculation model and a current temperature of the additional bearing using the third calculation model.

12. The indicator of claim 11, wherein the display unit is configured to dynamically display on the common scale an additional movable indicator, the additional movable indicator being driven by the highest value between the current temperature of the bearing and the current temperature of the additional bearing.

13. The indicator of claim 8, wherein the first calculation model is adapted to calculate the temperature of the bearing based on feathering angle of the blades and outside air temperature and wherein the third calculation model is adapted to calculate the temperature of the additional bearing based on flapping angle of the blades and outside air temperature.

14. The indicator of claim 8, wherein the bearing is a CF bearing and the additional bearing is a hub bearing that is adapted to transmit forces from a rotor of the rotor assembly to the mast.

15. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the calculation unit is configured to calculate loads exerted on a plurality of selected components of the rotor assembly using a plurality of calculation models, each of the plurality of calculation models adapted to calculate one of the loads exerted on a corresponding selected component of the plurality of selected components based on flight control parameters.

16. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the second model is adapted to calculate the load exerted on the selected component when the rotorcraft operates in a one G flight condition or a maneuver condition.

17. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the flight control parameters include flapping angle, feathering angle, nacelle angle and outside air temperature.

18. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the calculation unit is configured to convert the load exerted on the selected component into an equivalent temperature.

19. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the calculation unit is configured to normalize the value of the temperature of the bearing and the value of the load exerted on the selected component.

20. A method of providing component status information in a rotorcraft, the rotorcraft including at least one engine to power a rotor assembly including a mast and a plurality of blades attached thereto, the method comprising:

calculating (a) a temperature of a bearing of the rotor assembly using a first calculation model and (b) a load exerted on a selected component of the rotor assembly using a second calculation model, the first and second calculation models adapted to calculate, respectively, the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component based on flight control parameters; and

dynamically displaying on a common scale a movable indicator, the movable indicator being driven by the highest values between the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first calculation model is a first order linear model.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the temperature is a projected temperature indicative of a future temperature of the bearing if the flight conditions of the rotorcraft are maintained.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising calculating a current temperature of the bearing using the first calculation model,

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the second calculation model is adapted to calculate the load exerted on the selected component of the rotor assembly based on feathering angle of the blades.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the first calculation model is adapted to calculate the temperature of the bearing based on feathering angle of the blades and outside air temperature.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the first calculation model is adapted to calculate the temperature of the bearing based on flapping angle of the blades and outside air temperature.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising calculating a temperature of an additional bearing using a third calculation model, the third calculation model adapted to calculate the temperature of the additional bearing based on flight control parameters, wherein the movable indicator is driven by the highest value among the temperature of the bearing, the temperature of the additional bearing and the load exerted on the selected component.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the third calculation model is a first order linear model.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the temperature of the bearing and the temperature of the additional bearing are projected temperatures indicative of, respectively, a future temperature of the bearing and a future temperature of the additional bearing if the flight conditions of the rotorcraft are maintained.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising calculating a current temperature of the bearing using the first calculation model and calculating a current temperature of the additional bearing using the third calculation model.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising dynamically displaying on the common scale an additional movable indicator, the additional movable indicator being driven by the highest value between the current temperature of the bearing and the current temperature of the additional bearing.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the flight control parameters include flapping angle, feathering angle, nacelle angle and outside air temperature.

33. The method of claim 20, further comprising converting the load exerted on the selected component into an equivalent temperature.

34. The method of claim 20, further comprising normalizing the value of the temperature of the bearing and the value of the load exerted on the selected component.

35. A non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with machine executable instructions for providing component status information in a rotorcraft, including at least one engine to power a rotor assembly including a nacelle, a mast and a plurality of blades attached thereto, in accordance with a method comprising:

calculating (a) a temperature of a bearing of the rotor assembly using a first calculation model and (b) a load exerted on a selected component of the rotor assembly using a second calculation model, the first and second calculation models adapted to calculate, respectively, the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component based on flight control parameters; and

dynamically displaying on a common scale a movable indicator, the movable indicator being driven by one of the current temperature of the bearing or the load exerted on the selected component having the highest value.

36. A feathering, flapping and rotor loads indicator for use in a rotorcraft, the rotorcraft including at least one engine to power a rotor assembly including a mast and a plurality of blades attached thereto, the indicator comprising:

a calculation unit configured to calculate (a) a current temperature of a bearing of the rotor assembly using a first calculation model, (b) a projected temperature of the bearing using the first calculation model and (c) a load exerted on a selected component of the rotor assembly using a second calculation model, the first and second calculation models adapted to calculate, respectively, the projected and the current temperatures of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component based on flight control parameters; and

a display unit configured to dynamically display on a common scale a movable indicator, the movable indicator being driven by the highest value between the projected temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component.

37. The indicator of claim 36, further comprising a second movable indicator, the second movable indicator being driven by the current temperature of the bearing.

38. The indicator of claim 36, whereinthe calculation unit is further configured to calculate a projected temperature and a current temperature of an additional bearing using a third calculation model, the third calculation model adapted to calculate the projected and the current temperatures of the additional bearing based on flight control parameters;

and

2) the movable indicator is driven by the highest value among the projected temperature of the bearing, the projected temperature of the additional bearing and the load exerted on the selected component.

39. The indicator of claim 38, further comprising a second movable indicator, the second movable indicator being driven by the highest value between the current temperature of the bearing and the current temperature of the additional bearing.

40. A method of providing component status information in a rotorcraft, the method comprising:

calculating, with a calculation unit, a temperature of a bearing using a first calculation model stored in a machine readable medium; and

calculating, with the calculation unit, a load exerted on a selected component of the rotorcraft using a second calculation model stored in the machine readable medium, the first and second calculation models adapted to calculate, respectively, the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component based on flight control parameters.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the first calculation model is a first order linear model.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the temperature is a projected temperature indicative of a future temperature of the bearing if the flight conditions of the rotorcraft are maintained.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising calculating a current temperature of the bearing using the first calculation model.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the flight control parameters include flapping angle, feathering angle, nacelle angle and outside air temperature.

45. A method of providing component status information in a rotorcraft, the method comprising:

calculating a temperature of a bearing using a first calculation model;

calculating a load exerted on a selected component of the rotorcraft using a second calculation model, the first and second calculation models adapted to calculate, respectively, the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component based on flight control parameters, and

displaying the highest value between the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component.

46. An indicator configured to provide component status information in a rotorcraft, the indicator comprising a calculator configured to calculate (1) a temperature of a bearing using a first calculation model and (2) a load exerted on a selected component of the rotorcraft using a second calculation model, the first and second calculation models adapted to calculate, respectively, the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component based on flight control parameters.

47. The indicator of claim 46 wherein the first calculation model is a first order linear model.

48. The indicator of claim 47, wherein the temperature is a projected temperature indicative of a future temperature of the bearing if the flight conditions of the rotorcraft are maintained.

49. The indicator of claim 48, wherein the calculator is configured to calculate a current temperature of the bearing using the first calculation model.

50. The indicator of claim 46, wherein the flight control parameters include flapping angle, feathering angle, nacelle angle and outside air temperature.

51. The indicator of claim 46, further comprising a display unit configured to display on a common scale a movable indicator, the movable indicator being driven by the highest value between the temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component.