Methods and apparatus to monitor components of an aircraft landing system

• US 9,404,806 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Miller, Trent Daryl
• Primary Examiner(s): CAPUTO, LISA M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Jamel
• Application Number:
  US13/830,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20140269824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 374/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2200/02 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/406 Test-mode; Self-diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1703 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/42 Arrangement or adaptation of brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/001 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/00 Arrangements for monitoring working conditions, e.g. wear, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time

Abstract

Methods and Apparatus to monitor components of an aircraft landing system are disclosed herein. An example method includes determining a first temperature of a wheel of an aircraft via a first temperature sensor, and determining a second temperature of a brake assembly operatively coupled to the wheel via a second temperature sensor. The example method further includes estimating a peak temperature of a fuse plug disposed on the wheel based on the first temperature and the second temperature.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a first temperature of a wheel of an aircraft via a first temperature sensor;

determining a second temperature of a brake assembly operatively coupled to the wheel via a second temperature sensor; and

estimating a peak temperature of a fuse plug disposed on the wheel based on the first temperature and the second temperature, wherein estimating the peak temperature includes at least one of;

determining a first position of the first temperature sensor relative to a second position of the fuse plug;

estimating an initial temperature of the fuse plug based on the first temperature;

estimating an amount of brake energy to be transferred from the brake assembly to the fuse plug based on the second temperature;

or

estimating an increase in temperature of the fuse plug over a predetermined amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a message based on the peak temperature.

3. A method, comprising:

estimating an initial temperature of a first portion of a wheel of an aircraft based on a first temperature of a second portion of the wheel;

estimating a subsequent temperature of the first portion of the wheel based on a second temperature of a brake assembly coupled to the wheel and the first temperature; and

determining if the subsequent temperature is a peak temperature of the first portion of the wheel by detecting if the second temperature is increasing or decreasing.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising determining the first temperature via a first temperature sensor coupled to the second portion of the wheel.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining the second temperature via a second temperature sensor coupled to the brake assembly.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the first portion of the wheel comprises a fuse plug.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the second portion of the wheel comprises a tire inflation valve.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein estimating the initial temperature of the first portion of the wheel comprises determining a first position of the first portion of the wheel relative to a second position of the second portion of the wheel.

9. The method of claim 3 further comprising generating a message based on the subsequent temperature.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a wheel of an aircraft, the wheel including a fuse plug;

a first temperature sensor disposed on the wheel;

a brake assembly operatively coupled to the wheel;

a second temperature sensor disposed on the brake assembly;

a temperature monitoring unit communicatively coupled to the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the temperature monitoring unit to estimate a peak temperature of the fuse plug based on a first temperature determined via the first temperature sensor and a second temperature determined via the second temperature sensor; and

a heat shield disposed between the fuse plug and the brake assembly.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first temperature sensor is disposed in a tire inflation valve of the wheel.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a position sensor coupled to the wheel, wherein the temperature monitoring unit is to determine a first position of the first temperature sensor via the position sensor and estimate the peak temperature based on a second position of the fuse plug relative to the first position of the first temperature sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the second temperature sensor is disposed in a housing of the brake assembly.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the temperature monitoring unit is to estimate the peak temperature by estimating an amount of brake energy to be transferred to the wheel from the brake assembly based on the second temperature.