Airborne power system disconnect system and method

• US 9,231,438 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aspen Avionics, Inc. (The AIRO Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aspen Avionics, Inc. (The AIRO Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bethel, Jeffrey D., Lyons, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US12/243,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20100079003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,652 Days
• Field of Search: 307/64, 307 91- 101
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/04 by static converters

Abstract

An system and method to automatically disconnect a retrofit electrical unit from an electrical system in the event of an emergency situation and maintain power to the retrofit electrical unit.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising a control panel, an electrical system having a primary power source, and an electrical unit selectively electrically connected to the aircraft electrical system, the electrical unit being configured to automatically electrically disconnect system circuits of the electrical unit from the aircraft electrical system and electrically connect the system circuits of the electrical unit to a secondary power source if an emergency event occurs while the aircraft is in flight, the electrical unit further comprising:

a controller to monitor electrical power associated with the aircraft electrical system so as to determine a first factor; and

a switch to electrically connect the system circuits of the electrical unit to the aircraft electrical system in a first position and to the secondary power source in a second position,

wherein the controller compares the first factor to a predetermined second factor;

wherein if the first factor is less than the predetermined second factor, then the controller generates a signal to move the switch from the first position to the second position;

wherein the control panel includes a plurality of systems;

wherein the electrical unit is one of the systems of the control panel;

wherein at least some of the systems of the control panel continue to be powered by the aircraft electrical system when said switch is in the second position; and

wherein said secondary power source is electronically isolated from the aircraft electrical system regardless of which position said switch is in.

2. The electrical unit according to claim 1, wherein said controller monitors electrical power associated with the aircraft electrical system when said switch is in the second position so as to determine a third factor, said controller generating a signal to move the switch from the second position to the first position if the third factor is greater than the predetermined second factor.

3. The electrical unit according to claim 1, wherein the first factor is an amount of power received from the primary power source.

4. The electrical unit according to claim 1, wherein the electrical unit and the secondary power source are supported by the aircraft control panel such that the electrical unit becomes part of the control panel.

5. The electrical unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a computer readable recording medium comprising computer readable codes to store and process data for the controller such that the predetermined second factor can be set, the first factor can be monitored, and the signal can be generated to control the switch.

6. The electrical unit according to claim 1, wherein the emergency event is a decrease in voltage received from the electrical system.

7. A method to add a retrofit apparatus to an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a control panel and an electrical system having a primary power source, the method comprising:

installing the retrofit apparatus onto the control panel of the aircraft;

electrically connecting a switch of the retrofit apparatus to the electrical system of the aircraft;

monitoring electrical power from the aircraft electrical system so as to determine a first factor;

comparing the first factor to a predetermined second factor; and

generating a signal to move a switch of the retrofit apparatus from a first position to a second position if the first factor is less than the predetermined second factor;

wherein system circuits of the retrofit apparatus are electrically connected to the aircraft electrical system when said switch is in the first position;

wherein moving said switch from the first position to the second position disconnects said system circuits of the retrofit apparatus from the aircraft electrical system and connects said system circuits to a secondary power source;

wherein adding the retrofit apparatus to the aircraft does not require a load analysis;

wherein adding the retrofit apparatus to the aircraft would require a load analysis if the retrofit apparatus did not disconnect said system circuits of the retrofit apparatus from the aircraft electrical system when the first factor is less than the predetermined second factor;

wherein the control panel includes a plurality of systems;

wherein the installing and the electrically connecting steps cause the retrofit apparatus to become one of the systems of the control panel;

wherein at least some of the systems of the control panel continue to be powered by the aircraft electrical system when said switch is in the second position; and

wherein said secondary power source is electronically isolated from the aircraft electrical system regardless of which position said switch is in.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

monitoring electrical power from the aircraft electrical system when said switch is in the second position so as to determine a third factor;

comparing the third factor to the predetermined second factor; and

generating a signal to move the switch from the second position to the first position so as to reconnect the retrofit apparatus to the electrical system if the switch is in the second position and the third factor is greater than the predetermined second factor.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the secondary power source is a battery.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein electrical power from the aircraft electrical system is continuously monitored.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second factor is a voltage level of 13.2 volts.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the retrofit apparatus and the secondary power source are added to the aircraft control panel such that the electrical unit becomes part of the control panel.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein adding the retrofit apparatus to the aircraft is accomplished after at least one pre-existing apparatus is removed from the aircraft such that the retrofit apparatus replaces at least one pre-existing apparatus and, in so doing, increases the load requirement on the aircraft electrical system.

14. A power control system to control power to an electrical component of an aircraft while the aircraft is in flight, the system comprising:

a first power source to store power;

an alternator to generate power, said alternator being connected to said first power source;

an electrical bus connected to said first power source;

an electrical switch connected to said electrical bus and to said electrical component so as to selectively connect system circuits of said electrical component to said electrical bus when said electrical switch is located at a first position; and

a second power source connected to said electrical switch such that said system circuits of said electrical component are connected to said second power source when said electrical switch is located at a second position;

wherein the aircraft includes a plurality of systems;

wherein the electrical component is one of the systems of the control panel;

wherein at least some of the systems of the control panel continue to be powered by the electrical bus when said electrical switch is in the second position; and

wherein the secondary power source is electronically isolated from the aircraft electrical system regardless of which position said electrical switch is in.

15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a controller to compare a first factor to a predetermined second factor and to move the electrical switch to the second position if the first factor is less than the predetermined second factor.

16. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a controller to compare a third factor to a predetermined second factor and to move the electrical switch to the first position if the third factor is greater than the predetermined second factor.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein said switch is an automatic switch.

18. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a voltage level monitoring component, wherein a voltage level on a control path connecting said electrical bus with said switch is continuously monitored and compared to a predetermined voltage level.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein when said continuously monitored voltage level is greater than said predetermined voltage level, said switch connects the electrical component via said electrical bus to the first power source;

and when said continuously monitored voltage level drops to or below said predetermined voltage level, said switch disconnects the electrical component from said electrical bus and connects said electrical component to the second power source.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the electrical component and the secondary power source are supported by the aircraft control panel such that the electrical unit is part of the control panel.