Irregularity detection in a structure of an aircraft

• US 8,896,329 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE), EADS Secure Networks
• Original Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE), European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Werner, Steinwandel, Jurgen, Rolet, Sebastien, Simonet, Didier
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Huy Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rhodes-Vivour, Temilade S
• Application Number:
  US12/994,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,009 Days
• Field of Search: 324/633, 324/655, 324/668, 324/682, 324/76.51, 324/693, 737/73, 737/75, 737/76, 737/99
• US Class Current: 324/693
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0016 of aircraft wings or blades
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0033 by determining damage, crack or wear
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0083 by measuring variation of impedance, e.g. resistance, capacitance, induction
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0091 by using electromagnetic excitation or detection

Abstract

A device, a system and a method for detecting an irregularity in a structure of an aircraft are proposed. The device includes a resonant circuit with a resonance frequency and a probe for tuning the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit. The resonant circuit and the probe are operatively connected in such a way that the probe changes the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit if the structure changes due to a formation of an irregularity.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an irregularity in a structure of an aircraft, the method comprising:

providing a transponder stimulated by a radio signal at a resonance frequency of a resonant circuit of said transponder, wherein

a probe is connected to the resonant circuit so that, when probe is not damaged,

said resonance frequency is significantly modified from a second resonance frequency to a first resonance frequency, and

the probe is sensitively attached to a surface of the structure, said probe being damaged in case of a structure change due to formation of an irregularity;

deducing that the structure has an irregularity if a return signal is received from the transponder and an ID number of an RFID tag, in which the resonant circuit is comprised, is readable when stimulating the transponder using a stimulating signal at the second resonance frequency of the resonant circuit; and

deducing that the probe is not damaged and the structures has no irregularity if the transponder returns a signal and the ID number of the RFID tag, in which the resonant circuit is comprised, is not readable when stimulated using a stimulating signal at the first resonance frequency.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein it is deduced that the probe is damaged and the structures has irregularities if the transponder don'"'"'t return a signal when stimulated using a stimulating signal at the first resonance frequency and returns a signal when stimulated using a stimulated signal at the second resonance frequency.

3. The method according to claim 1,

wherein it is deduced that the transponder is damaged if the transponder is not stimulated for both stimulating signals using first resonance frequency and second resonance frequency.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the probe is sensitively attached to a surface of the structure by sticking or gluing.