Rotorcraft actuator seal leakage monitor
First Claim
1. A rotorcraft actuator monitoring system to monitor leakage past dynamic rotorcraft actuator seals of a rotorcraft actuator having a shaft, the system comprising:
- the rotorcraft actuator having the shaft configured to translate along a longitudinal axis;
a body member mounted to surround a dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal that seals fluid in the rotorcraft actuator, the body member having a fluid collection member to capture and hold fluid that leaks past the dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal;
a seal around the shaft in an exterior portion of the body member where the shaft of the rotorcraft actuator extends through the exterior portion of the body member;
a retainer to retain the seal in the body member;
a vent port connected to the body member to vent pressure generated by actuating motion of the shaft along the longitudinal axis within the body member;
a fluid level indication housing connected to the fluid collection member to collect the fluid captured by the fluid collection member, the fluid level indication housing to indicate that a predetermined volume of fluid that leaked past the dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal has been collected, the fluid level indication housing being removably attached to the body member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rotorcraft actuator monitoring system to monitor leakage past dynamic rotorcraft actuator seals of a rotorcraft actuator includes a body member and a fluid level indication housing attached to the body member. The body member is mounted to surround a dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal that seals fluid in a rotorcraft actuator, where the body member captures fluid that leaks past the dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal. The fluid level indication housing collects the fluid captured by the body member and indicates that a predetermined volume of fluid that leaked past the dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal has been collected.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A rotorcraft actuator monitoring system to monitor leakage past dynamic rotorcraft actuator seals of a rotorcraft actuator having a shaft, the system comprising:
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the rotorcraft actuator having the shaft configured to translate along a longitudinal axis; a body member mounted to surround a dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal that seals fluid in the rotorcraft actuator, the body member having a fluid collection member to capture and hold fluid that leaks past the dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal; a seal around the shaft in an exterior portion of the body member where the shaft of the rotorcraft actuator extends through the exterior portion of the body member; a retainer to retain the seal in the body member; a vent port connected to the body member to vent pressure generated by actuating motion of the shaft along the longitudinal axis within the body member; a fluid level indication housing connected to the fluid collection member to collect the fluid captured by the fluid collection member, the fluid level indication housing to indicate that a predetermined volume of fluid that leaked past the dynamic rotorcraft actuator seal has been collected, the fluid level indication housing being removably attached to the body member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An actuator monitoring system to monitor leakage past dynamic actuator seals of a rotorcraft machine actuator, the system comprising:
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the rotorcraft machine actuator having a shaft configured to translate along a longitudinal axis; a body member mounted to surround a dynamic machine actuator seal that seals fluid in the rotorcraft machine actuator, the body member to capture and hold fluid that leaks past the dynamic machine actuator seal; a fluid collection member included in the body member to receive the fluid that leaks past the dynamic machine actuator seal into the body member; a fluid level indication housing attached to the fluid collection member to collect the fluid received by the fluid collection member, the fluid level indication housing to indicate that a predetermined volume of fluid that leaked past the dynamic machine actuator seal has been collected; and a computer system comprising; one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising; receiving a signal in response to the fluid level indication housing indicating that the predetermined volume of fluid that leaked past the dynamic machine actuator seal has been collected; receiving a plurality of machine parameters, each machine parameter associated with a rotorcraft operation, and comprising at least a number of inches of stroke moved by the machine actuator and a number of directions of the actuator reversal; gathering a history of the rotorcraft'"'"'s operation based on the received plurality of machine parameters; presenting the history of the rotorcraft'"'"'s operation, the machine parameters, and the signal indicating the volume of fluid to a database; determining whether a maintenance analysis is required based on the indication that the predetermined volume of fluid has been collected, one or more of the machine parameters and the history of the rotorcraft'"'"'s operation; and whenever the maintenance analysis is required, determining if the machine actuator needs maintenance based, in part, on the received signal and one or more of the machine parameters. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for monitoring leakage past a dynamic actuator seal of a rotorcraft actuator, the method comprising:
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providing the rotorcraft actuator having a shaft configured to translate along a longitudinal axis; surrounding a dynamic actuator seal that seals fluid in the rotorcraft actuator with a body member configured to capture and hold fluid that leaks past the dynamic actuator seal; receiving the fluid that leaks past the dynamic actuator seal into the body member in a fluid collection member attached to the body member; collecting the fluid that leaks past the dynamic actuator seal into a fluid level indication housing attached to the fluid collection member; determining that a predetermined volume of fluid has been collected in the fluid level indication housing; providing an indication that the predetermined volume of fluid has been collected; receiving a plurality of machine parameters using a computer system, each machine parameter associated with a rotorcraft operation, and comprising at least a number of inches of stroke moved by the machine actuator and a number of directions of the actuator reversal; gathering a history of the rotorcraft'"'"'s operation based on the received plurality of machine parameters using the computer system; determining whether a maintenance analysis is required based on the indication that the predetermined volume of fluid has been collected, one or more of the machine parameters and the history of the rotorcraft'"'"'s operation; and whenever the maintenance analysis is required, determining if the rotorcraft actuator needs maintenance based, in part, on the indication that the predetermined volume of fluid has been collected, one or more of the machine parameters and the history of the rotorcraft'"'"'s operation. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification