Utilization of aircraft bondline embedded current sensors in the determination of a lightning damage index

• US 9,567,104 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sweers, Gregory J., Anway, Carol E., Robb, Andrew M., Ihn, Jeong-Beom
• Primary Examiner(s): Desta, Elias
• Application Number:
  US14/948,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20160077027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/483 Reactive adhesives, e.g. chemically curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4835 Heat curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5021 being multi-layered
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5028 being textile in woven or non-woven form
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5057 positioned between the surfaces to be joined B29C65/5035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8276 by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8284 by the use of magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8292 by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/45 Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72141 Fibres of continuous length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72143 Fibres of discontinuous lengths
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7394 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73941 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermosets
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/00 Use of polyalkenes or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/12 : containing fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2063/00 : Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 : Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/206 : Meshes, lattices or nets
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2277/10 : Aromatic polyamides [Polyaramides] or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2301/00 : Use of unspecified macromolecular compounds as reinforcement use of unspecified rubbers B29K2221/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2305/00 : Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/02 : Boron
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/04 : Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/02 : Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/08 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3076 : Aircrafts blades, propellers B29L2031/08
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3079 : Cockpits, canopies
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3082 : Fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3085 : Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2001/0072 : from composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/20 : Integral or sandwich constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 : Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 : Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/02 : Lightning protectors; Static dischargers in general H01T
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 11/006 : by gluing gluing of plastics material B29C65/48
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/025 : a current being generated within the material by induction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/026 : Dielectric impedance spectroscopy electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for measuring corrosion G01N17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/20 : Investigating the presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 : Weight reduction

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for using aircraft bondline embedded current sensors to determine a lightning damage index are disclosed. A method of predicting lightning strike damage to at least one type of aircraft involves sensing, with at least one current sensor node embedded in at least one type of aircraft, induced current. The method further involves generating, with at least one current sensor node, at least one current signal representative of the induced current. Also, the method involves determining, electromagnetic density data associated with at least one region of at least one type of aircraft by using at least one current signal. Further, the method involves creating an index that provides a numeric representation for predicted lightning strike damage to at least one type of aircraft based on the electromagnetic density data, dimensions of at least one type of aircraft, and design features of at least one type of aircraft.

Claims

1. A method of predicting lightning strike damage to at least one type of aircraft, the method comprising:

passing electrical current, having a magnetic field, through an adhesive layer of a cured bondline embedded in the at least one type of aircraft,

wherein a current sensor network is embedded in the adhesive layer, and wherein the current sensor network comprises at least one current sensor node;

inducing induced current in the current sensor network in response to the magnetic field;

sensing, with the at least one current sensor node embedded in the at least one type of aircraft, the induced current;

generating, with the at least one current sensor node, at least one current signal representative of the induced current;

determining electromagnetic density data associated with at least one region of the at least one type of aircraft by using the at least one current signal; and

creating an index that provides a numeric representation for predicted lightning strike damage to the at least one type of aircraft based on the electromagnetic density data, dimensions of the at least one type of aircraft, and design features of the at least one type of aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining the dimensions of the at least one type of aircraft by measuring the dimensions of the at least one type of aircraft; and

determining the design features of the at least one type of aircraft by assessing the design features of the at least one type of aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the index further comprises a numeric representation for predicted lightning strike damage to a specific location on the at least one type of aircraft based on the electromagnetic density data, the dimensions of the at least one type of aircraft, and the design features of the at least one type of aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises modifying the numeric representation with at least one factor relating to the respective at least one type of aircraft.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises assigning a numeric value to the at least one factor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises determining an algorithmic association between the numeric representation with the numeric value of the at least one factor.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one factor comprises a departure frequency of each of the at least one type of aircraft.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one factor comprises a geographic region in which each of the at least one type of aircraft operates.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one factor comprises an altitude at which each of the at least one type of aircraft operates.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one factor further comprises a frequency of a specific altitude within a constant time at which each of the at least one type of aircraft operates.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one factor comprises a time period during which each of the at least one type of aircraft operates.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the time period is a specified calendar time period.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the time period is a seasonal time period.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the time period is adjustable.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises:

determining an impact level associated with at least one of;

the at least one type of aircraft, the electromagnetic density data, the dimensions of the at least one type of aircraft, the design features of the at least one type of aircraft, and the at least one factor; and

modifying at least one of the numeric representation and the at least one factor with the associated impact level.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each impact level is obtained from a table that displays each impact level associated with the respective at least one type of aircraft, the electromagnetic density data, the dimensions of the at least one type of aircraft, the design features of the at least one type of aircraft, and the at least one factor.

17. A system for predicting lightning strike damage to at least one type of aircraft, the system comprising:

an adhesive layer of a cured bondline, embedded in the at least one type of aircraft, to pass electrical current through,

wherein the electrical current has a magnetic field;

a current sensor network embedded in the adhesive layer, wherein the current sensor network comprises at least one current sensor node, and wherein induced current is induced in the current sensor network in response to the magnetic field;

the at least one current sensor node, embedded in the at least one type of aircraft, to sense the induced current, and to generate at least one current signal representative of the induced current; and

at least one computer processor to determine electromagnetic density data associated with at least one region of the at least one type of aircraft by using the at least one current signal, and to create an index that provides a numeric representation for predicted lightning strike damage to the at least one type of aircraft based on the electromagnetic density data, dimensions of the at least one type of aircraft, and design features of the at least one type of aircraft.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the current sensor network further comprises at least one inductive coil.