SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AIRCRAFT BRAKING SYSTEM USAGE MONITORING

• US 20090150031A1
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydro-Aire Aerospace Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Hydro-Aire, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Inventors: DeVlieg, Garrett H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,946,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/406 Test-mode; Self-diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1703 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/325 Systems specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/028 with non-electrical sensors or signal transmission, e.g. magnetic, optical

Abstract

The system and method for monitoring wear of one or more aircraft parts, such as an aircraft brake, an aircraft tire, a standby system, and landing gear. One or more sensors are provided for sensing a parameter of usage, and an estimate of usage of the part can be determined based upon the signal indicating the sensed value of the parameter of usage of the aircraft part. A plurality of sensors can be provided for sensing usage of a plurality of parts of the aircraft, and the estimate of usage of the part can be stored for access of the estimate by ground personnel. As applied to monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake moves a discrete distance when the brake is actuated, and a linear position encoder measures the distance traveled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage. A wheel speed monitor may also be provided for measuring the aircraft wheel speed, for distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications, based upon the wheel speed signal.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring wear of a consumable component of a landing gear assembly of an aircraft, comprising:

a wheel speed monitor for generating a wheel speed signal indicating wheel speed of the aircraft;

means for sensing aircraft yaw, and for generating a yaw signal indicating aircraft yaw; and

means for determining an estimate of wear of the component based upon said wheel speed signal and said yaw signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the aircraft further comprises at least one brake, and said means for determining an estimate of usage is operative to distinguish between static brake applications and moving brake applications based upon said wheel speed signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said wheel speed monitor comprises a wheel speed sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said wheel speed monitor comprises an aircraft speed sensor.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake, wherein each time the brake is actuated, the linear brake wear indicator moves a discrete distance related to the wear of the consumable portion of the brake;

a linear position encoder for measuring and generating a linear position signal indicating the distance traveled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage; and

means for determining an estimate of usage of the brake based upon said linear position signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said linear brake wear indicator includes a plurality of longitudinally arranged markings, and said linear position encoder comprises an optical encoder for counting said markings passing by said optical encoder for determining the distance traveled by the linear brake wear indicator upon brake actuation, for indicating the distance traveled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said linear brake wear indicator comprises a brake wear pin.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said linear brake wear indicator includes a plurality of longitudinally arranged digitized markings indicating longitudinal position on said linear brake wear indicator, and said linear position encoder comprises an optical encoder for encoding the digitized markings, for indicating the distance traveled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage.

9. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for measuring a period of time elapsed during each usage of the brake and generating an elapsed time signal; and

means for determining a distance over which each brake application occurs, based upon the wheel speed during each brake application and said period of time elapsed during each brake application, for determining the degree to which each individual brake application contributes to brake wear.

10. The system of claim 5, further comprising means for sensing brake temperature, and for generating a temperature signal indicating brake temperature that is received by said means for determining an estimate of usage of the brake, and wherein said estimate of usage of the brake is based upon said temperature signal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for determining an estimate of usage of the brake further comprises means for estimating the degree to which each individual brake application contributes to wear of the brake based upon said temperature signal.

12. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a standby system;

means for sensing input power to said standby system and for generating an input power signal; and

means for determining an estimate of usage of said standby system.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the aircraft part includes a landing gear, further comprising:

means for sensing load on the landing gear and for generating a load signal; and

means for determining an estimate of usage of the landing gear.

14. A method for monitoring wear of a tire of an aircraft, comprising:

monitoring wheel speed of the aircraft and generating a wheel speed signal indicating wheel speed of the aircraft;

sensing aircraft yaw, and generating a yaw signal indicating aircraft yaw; and

determining an estimate of wear of the tire based upon said wheel speed signal and said yaw signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the aircraft includes a brake, and further comprising the step of distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications of the aircraft based upon said wheel speed signal.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

providing a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake, wherein each time the brake is actuated, the linear brake wear indicator moves a discrete distance; and

measuring the linear position of said linear brake wear indicator and generating a linear position signal indicating the distance traveled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage; and

determining an estimate of usage of said brake based upon said linear position signal.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

measuring a period of time elapsed during each usage of the brake and generating an elapsed time signal; and

determining a distance over which each brake application occurs, based upon the wheel speed during each brake application and said period of time elapsed during each brake application, for determining the degree to which each individual brake application contributes to brake wear.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

sensing brake temperature, and generating a temperature signal indicating brake temperature; and

determining an estimate of usage of the brake based upon said temperature signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of determining an estimate of usage of the brake further comprises estimating the degree to which each individual brake application contributes to wear of the brake based upon said temperature signal.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the aircraft includes a standby system, and further comprising the steps of:

sensing input power to the standby system and for generating an input power signal; and

determining an estimate of usage of said standby system based upon said input power signal.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the aircraft part includes a landing gear, and further comprising the steps of:

sensing load on the landing gear and for generating a load signal; and

determining an estimate of usage of the landing gear based upon said load signal.