Servicing monitoring system for mixed fluid-gas shock struts

• US 9,285,007 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Fazeli, Amir M., Cepic, Adnan, Reber, Susanne M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramesh, Krishnan
• Application Number:
  US14/318,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20150267769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/60 Oleo legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/008 Devices for detecting or indicating hard landing
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2230/24 Detecting or preventing malfunction, e.g. fail safe
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2230/46 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/3264 Arrangements for indicating, e.g. fluid level; Arrangements for checking dampers F16F9/3292 takes precedence; testing of vehicle damping G01M17/04
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/3292 Sensor arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/02 involving measurement of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/02 for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/024 of moving gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 7/00 Measuring the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or a fluent solid material by mechanical or fluid pressure-sensitive elements G01L11/004 takes precedence; transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements by electric , e.g., photoelectric or magnetic means G01L9/00; measuring differences of two or more pressure values G01L13/00; measuring two or more pressure values simultaneously G01L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/04 Suspension or damping
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A method and system of monitoring condition of a shock strut senses gas temperature, gas pressure, and stroke of the strut during a landing event. Oil loss is determined based upon a deviation of a transient pressure coefficient derived from transient gas pressures at two different strokes from a nominal coefficient value. Gas loss is determined based upon a temperature adjusted transient gas pressure at a selected stroke and a nominal gas pressure value at the selected stroke.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring condition of a shock strut, the method comprising:

sensing gas temperature, gas pressure, and stroke of the shock strut during a landing event;

determining oil loss based upon a deviation of a transient pressure coefficient α

(s₁,s₂) derived from a ratio of transient gas pressures P_gas(s₁)/P_gas(s₂) at two different strokes s₁,s₂ from a nominal coefficient value α

₀(s₁,s₂);

determining gas loss based upon temperature adjusted transient gas pressure at a selected stroke and a nominal gas pressure value at the selected stroke; and

providing an output indicating need for service of the shock strut based upon the oil loss and the gas loss.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing gas temperature, gas pressure, and stroke comprises:

sensing stroke of the shock strut;

sensing gas temperature within the shock strut to provide gas and oil temperature values before landing;

sensing a first shock strut transient gas pressure P_gas(s₁) at a first stroke s₁ during a landing event; and

sensing a second shock strut transient gas pressure P_gas(s₂) at a second stroke s₂ during the landing event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining oil loss comprises:

deriving the transient pressure coefficient α

(s₁,s₂) based upon a ratio the first and second shock strut transient gas pressures P_gas(s₂)/P_gas (s₁);

calculating oil loss volume based on a deviation of the transient pressure coefficient α

(s₁,s₂) from the nominal coefficient value α

₀(s₁,s₂).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein calculating oil loss volume is also based on oil thermal expansion or contraction.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein calculating oil loss volume based on oil thermal expansion or contraction is performed using the gas temperature value before landing.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein determining gas loss comprises:

when oil loss volume is within an acceptable range, adjusting the second transient gas pressure based on the gas temperature value before landing; and

determining gas loss based upon the adjusted second transient gas pressure and a nominal second gas pressure value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing an output comprises:

providing an indication that the shock strut needs to be serviced for both oil and gas when oil loss volume exceeds an oil loss threshold; and

providing an indication that the shock strut needs to be serviced for gas when gas loss is greater than a gas loss threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an output comprises:

providing an indication that the shock strut needs to be serviced based upon oil volume loss and gas loss trend data.

9. A system for monitoring condition of a shock strut, the system comprising:

a gas temperature sensor for sensing temperature of gas in the shock strut;

a gas pressure sensor for sensing pressure of gas in the shock strut;

a stroke sensor for sensing stroke of the shock strut; and

a digital processor for determining whether the shock strut needs servicing, the digital processor including;

a recorder that acquires sensed gas temperature, gas pressure, and stroke data from the gas temperature sensor, the gas pressure sensor and the stroke sensor over time and stores the data in a data array;

a landing detector that determines occurrence of a landing event based upon stroke data in the data array; and

a health monitor that determines oil loss and gas loss based upon the gas temperature, gas pressure, and stroke data from the data array during the landing event;

wherein the health monitor determines oil loss based upon a transient pressure coefficient α

(s₁,s₂) derived from a ratio of transient pressure data P_gas(s₂)/P_gas(s₁) at two different strokes s₁ and s₂, a nominal coefficient value α

₀(s₁,s₂) and the sensed gas temperature; and

determines gas loss based on gas pressure at a selected stroke, the sensed gas temperature and an expected gas pressure value at the selected stroke.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the digital processor further includes:

a data logger that records outputs of the health monitor for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the digital processor further includes:

a counter that prevents the landing detector from receiving new array data for a time period following a landing event.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the landing detector determines occurrence of the landing event based upon maximum and minimum stroke data in the data array.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the health monitor provides an indication that the shock strut needs to be serviced for both oil and gas when the oil loss exceeds an oil loss threshold.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the health monitor determines gas loss when oil loss is within an acceptable range.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the health monitor provides an indication that the shock strut needs to be serviced for gas when gas loss is greater than a gas loss threshold.