Aircraft vehicular propulsion system monitoring device and method

• US 6,954,685 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Jolly, Mark R., Altieri, Russell E., Badre-Alam, Askari, Kuhn, James F., Southward, Steve C., Fowler, Leslie P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/421,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701/5, 701/29, 701/51, 738/661, 738/623.32, 738/623.39, 738/621.42, 702/151, 702/155, 702/34, 324/207, 324/245, 324/247, 324/207.21, 324/207.25, 342/207, 342/245, 342/247, 342/207.21, 342/207.25
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/005 the motors being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/31 for testing the alignment of axes

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring rotating shaft shafts and couplings in an aircraft propulsion system is described. The measurement system/method provides for accurate and precise monitoring of a rotating shaft flexible coupling in a fixed wing aircraft vehicle propulsion system. The measuring system/method provides for a high reliability short take off vertical landing fixed wing aircraft in which the vertical propulsion dynamically rotating drive shaft system and couplings are monitored in real time. The vehicular shaft coupling misalignment measuring system utilizes multiple positional sensors to provide highly reliable and precise determination of the dynamic characteristics of the rotating sensor target components of the propulsion system drive shaft. The relative position of the sensors is rigidly fixed externally from the rotating targets with a structural frame. The collar misalignment measuring system of the invention provide a misalignment measurement of the propulsion system drive shaft flexible coupling which relates to a critical performance of rotating shaft coupling in the operation of an aircraft vehicle. The method/system provides for monitoring a rotating drive shaft system and dynamically measuring a rotating drive shaft coupling in a fixed wing aircraft propulsion system.

Claims

1. V/STOL fixed wing aircraft, said aircraft comprising an engine and a lift fan, said engine coupled to said lift fan with at least one drive shaft and at least one flexible coupling, said flexible coupling comprised of a first coupling hub member including a magnetic property target and a second coupling hub member including a magnetic property target, said first coupling hub member flexibly coupled to said second coupling hub member, said flexible coupling providing for a mechanical transfer of motive power from said engine to said lift fan, a flexible coupling sensor rigid collar misalignment measuring system encompassing said flexible coupling, said flexible coupling sensor rigid collar comprised of a first magnetostrictive sensor having a longitudinal magnetostrictive waveguide body length, a second magnetostrictive sensor having a longitudinal magnetostrictive waveguide body length, and a third magnetostrictive sensor having a longitudinal magnetostrictive waveguide body length, said first magnetostrictive sensor, said second magnetostrictive sensor, and said third magnetostrictive sensor rigidly fixed around said collar with said first magnetostrictive sensor longitudinal magnetostrictive waveguide body length extending over both of said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member, said second magnetostrictive sensor longitudinal magnetostrictive waveguide body length extending over both of said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member, and said third magnetostrictive sensor longitudinal magnetostrictive waveguide body length extending over both of said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member, said first magnetostrictive sensor fixed a first fixed angular distance from said second magnetostrictive sensor, said third magnetostrictive sensor fixed a second fixed angular distance from said second magnetostrictive sensor, wherein said flexible coupling sensor rigid collar misalignment measuring system magnetostrictive sensors magnetically monitor a position of said first coupling hub member and a position of said second coupling hub member to provide a misalignment measurement of said flexible coupling which relates to a performance of said coupling in said V/STOL fixed wing aircraft.

2. A V/STOL fixed wing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first coupling hub member has an outer circumference perimeter and said first coupling hub member magnetic target comprises a magnetic ring proximate said first coupling hub member outer circumference perimeter, said second coupling hub member has an outer circumference perimeter and said second coupling hub member magnetic target comprises a magnetic ring proximate said second coupling hub member outer circumference perimeter, said first magnetostrictive sensor externally extending over said first coupling hub member magnetic ring and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring, said second magnetostrictive sensor externally extending over said first coupling hub member magnetic ring and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring, and said third magnetostrictive sensor extending externally over said first coupling hub member magnetic ring and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring.

3. A V/STOL fixed wing aircraft as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first magnetostrictive sensor is fixed in parallel alignment with said second magnetostrictive sensor, said third magnetostrictive sensor fixed in parallel alignment said second magnetostrictive sensor, said third magnetostrictive sensor fixed in parallel alignment with said first magnetostrictive sensor.

4. A V/STOL fixed wing aircraft as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first coupling hub member defines a plane and said second coupling hub member defines a plane with said flexible coupling sensor rigid collar misalignment measuring system noncontactingly measuring a plurality of distances of said first coupling hub member magnetic ring and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring to provide a misalignment angle between said first coupling hub member plane and said second coupling hub member plane.

5. A V/STOL fixed wing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flexible coupling sensor rigid collar misalignment measuring system encompassing said flexible coupling is physically separated from said flexible coupling wherein physical mechanical contact between said flexible coupling sensor rigid collar misalignment measuring system and said flexible coupling is inhibited.

6. A V/STOL fixed wing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first coupling hub target defines a plane and said second coupling hub target defines a plane with said magnetostrictive sensors noncontactingly measuring a plurality of positional distances of said first coupling hub target and said second coupling hub target to provide an angular misalignment angle and an axial displacement distance between said first coupling hub and said second coupling hub member.

7. A vehicle propulsion system, said propulsion system comprising an engine and a propeller, said engine coupled to said propeller with a drive shaft and a flexible coupling, said flexible coupling comprised of a first coupling hub member and a second coupling hub member, said first coupling hub member flexibly coupled to said second coupling hub member, said flexible coupling providing for a mechanical transfer of motive power from said engine to said propeller, a flexible coupling sensor rigid collar measurement system encompassing said flexible coupling, said flexible coupling sensor rigid collar measurement system comprised of a first longitudinal body length sensor, a second longitudinal body length sensor, and a third longitudinal body length sensor, said first longitudinal body length sensor, said second longitudinal body length sensor, and said third longitudinal body length sensor spaced and rigidly fixed around said collar with said first longitudinal body length sensor, said second longitudinal body length sensor, and said third longitudinal body length sensor extending over said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member wherein said sensor rigid collar system monitors said flexible coupling and provides for a noncontact measuring of a plurality of positional characteristics of said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member which relate to said transfer of motive power.

8. A method of monitoring a vehicular propulsion system drive shaft flexible coupling, said method comprising providing a vehicular propulsion system drive shaft flexible coupling with a first coupling hub member with a sensor target and a second coupling hub member with a sensor target, providing a flexible coupling sensor rigid collar measurement system with a first sensor having a longitudinal body, a second sensor having a longitudinal body, and a third sensor having a longitudinal body, encompassing said first coupling hub member sensor target and said second coupling hub member sensor target with said flexible coupling sensor rigid collar measurement system while inhibiting a physical contact between said flexible coupling sensor rigid collar measurement system and said vehicular propulsion system drive shaft flexible coupling, with said first sensor longitudinal body, said second sensor longitudinal body, and said third sensor longitudinal body angularly spaced around and externally extending over said flexible coupling, noncontactingly measuring a plurality of positional characteristics of said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member to monitor a performance of said vehicular propulsion system drive shaft flexible coupling which relates to a transfer of motive power through said vehicular propulsion system drive shaft flexible coupling.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member have a magnetic property.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first coupling hub member has an outer circumference perimeter and said first coupling hub member sensor target comprises a magnetic ring proximate said first coupling hub member outer circumference perimeter, said second coupling hub member has an outer circumference perimeter and said second coupling hub member sensor target comprises a magnetic ring proximate said second coupling hub member outer circumference perimeter, said first sensor, said second sensor, and said third sensor are magnetostrictive sensors and externally extend over said first coupling hub member magnetic ring sensor target and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring sensor target, and noncontactingly measuring includes magnetically measuring a plurality of distances of said first coupling hub member magnetic ring to said second coupling hub member magnetic ring with said magnetostrictive sensors.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein noncontactingly measuring includes magnetostrictively measuring the position of said first coupling hub member sensor target and said second coupling hub member sensor target.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said first sensor is a magnetostrictive sensor, said second sensor is a magnetostrictive sensor, said third sensor is a magnetostrictive sensor, and said first magnetostrictive sensor is fixed in alignment with said second magnetostrictive sensor and said third magnetostrictive sensor fixed in alignment said second magnetostrictive sensor and said third magnetostrictive sensor fixed in alignment with said first magnetostrictive sensor, and magnetostrictively measuring the position of said first coupling hub member sensor target and said second coupling hub member sensor target includes measuring a plurality of distances of said first coupling hub member sensor target and said second coupling hub member sensor target, and transforming said plurality of measured distances to provide an angular misalignment angle and an axial displacement distance between said first coupling hub and said second coupling hub member.

13. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first coupling hub member defines a plane and said second coupling hub member defines a plane, and noncontactingly measuring includes magnetostrictively measuring a plurality of distances of said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member to provide a misalignment angle between said first coupling hub member plane and said second coupling hub member plane.

14. A method of monitoring a drive shaft coupling, said method comprising providing a drive shaft coupling with a first coupling hub member with a sensor target and a second coupling hub member with a sensor target, providing a coupling sensor rigid collar measurement system with a first longitudinal sensor, a second longitudinal sensor, and a third longitudinal sensor, encompassing said first coupling hub member sensor target and said second coupling hub member sensor target with said coupling sensor rigid collar measurement system while inhibiting a physical contact between said coupling sensor rigid collar measurement system and said drive shaft coupling, with said first longitudinal sensor, said second longitudinal sensor, and said third longitudinal sensor longitudinal extending over and angularly spaced around said coupling, noncontactingly measuring a plurality of positional characteristics of said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member to monitor a performance of said drive shaft coupling which relates to a transfer of motive power through said drive shaft coupling.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member are magnetic.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first coupling hub member has an outer circumference perimeter and said first coupling hub member sensor target comprises a magnetic ring proximate said first coupling hub member outer circumference perimeter, said second coupling hub member has an outer circumference perimeter and said second coupling hub member sensor target comprises a magnetic ring proximate said second coupling hub member outer circumference perimeter, said first sensor, said second sensor, and said third sensor are magnetostrictive sensors and extend over said first coupling hub member magnetic ring sensor target and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring sensor target, and noncontactingly measuring includes magnetically measuring a plurality of positional distances of said first coupling hub member magnetic ring and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring with said magnetostrictive sensors.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein noncontactingly measuring includes magnetostrictively measuring the position of said first coupling hub member sensor target and said second coupling hub member sensor target.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said first sensor is a magnetostrictive sensor, said second sensor is a magnetostrictive sensor, said third sensor is a magnetostrictive sensor, and said first magnetostrictive sensor is fixed in alignment with said second magnetostrictive sensor and said third magnetostrictive sensor fixed in alignment said second magnetostrictive sensor and said third magnetostrictive sensor fixed in alignment with said first magnetostrictive sensor.

19. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first coupling hub member defines a plane and said second coupling hub member defines a plane, and noncontactingly measuring includes measuring a plurality of distances of said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member with said sensors to provide a misalignment angle between said first coupling hub member plane and said second coupling hub member plane.

20. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein measuring includes measuring a plurality of distances of said first coupling hub member and said second coupling hub member with said sensors and transforming said plurality of measured distances to provide an angular misalignment angle and an axial displacement distance between said first coupling hub and said second coupling hub member.

21. A method of monitoring a shaft system with rotating members, said method comprising providing a shaft system with a first rotating member with a sensor target and a second rotating member with a sensor target, providing a sensor rigid collar measurement system with a first longitudinal sensor, a second longitudinal sensor, and a third longitudinal sensor, encompassing said first rotating member sensor target and said second rotating member sensor target with said sensor rigid collar measurement system while inhibiting a physical contact between said collar measurement system and said rotating members, with said first longitudinal sensor, said second longitudinal sensor, and said third longitudinal sensor longitudinally extending over and angularly spaced around said first rotating member and said second rotating member, noncontactingly measuring a plurality of rotating positional characteristics of said first rotating member and said second rotating member to monitor a performance of said shaft system, providing for a correction change in said shaft system when a measured rotating positional characteristic performance of said shaft system exceeds a measured rotating positional characteristic performance limitation.

22. A shaft coupling measurement system for noncontactingly monitoring a coupling, said coupling comprised of a first coupling hub member including a target and a second coupling hub member including a target, said first coupling hub member coupled to said second coupling hub member, a coupling sensor rigid collar misalignment measuring system encompassing said coupling, said coupling sensor rigid collar comprised of a first longitudinal sensor, a second longitudinal sensor, and a third longitudinal sensor, said first longitudinal sensor, said second longitudinal sensor, and said third longitudinal sensor rigidly fixed around said collar, said first longitudinal sensor fixed a first fixed angular distance from said second longitudinal sensor, said third longitudinal sensor fixed a second fixed angular distance from said second longitudinal sensor, said longitudinal sensors longitudinally extending over said first and second coupling hub member targets wherein said coupling sensor rigid collar misalignment measuring system longitudinally extending sensors noncontactingly monitor a position of said first coupling hub member and a position of said second coupling hub member to provide a misalignment measurement of said coupling which relates to a performance of said coupling.

23. A shaft coupling measurement system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said first coupling hub member has an outer circumference perimeter and said first coupling hub member target comprises a magnetic ring proximate said first coupling hub member outer circumference perimeter, said second coupling hub member has an outer circumference perimeter and said second coupling hub member target comprises a magnetic ring proximate said second coupling hub member outer circumference perimeter, said first sensor including a magnetostrictive sensor extending over said first coupling hub member magnetic ring and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring, said second sensor including a magnetostrictive sensor extending over said first coupling hub member magnetic ring and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring, and said third sensor including a magnetostrictive sensor extending over said first coupling hub member magnetic ring and said second coupling hub member magnetic ring.

24. A shaft coupling measurement system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said first magnetostrictive sensor is fixed in alignment with said second magnetostrictive sensor, said third magnetostrictive sensor fixed in alignment said second magnetostrictive sensor, said third magnetostrictive sensor fixed in alignment with said first magnetostrictive sensor.

25. A shaft coupling measurement system as claimed in claim 24, wherein said first coupling hub member defines a rotating plane disk and said second coupling hub member defines a rotating plane disk with said flexible coupling sensor rigid collar misalignment measuring system noncontactingly measuring a plurality of distances of said coupling hub magnetic rings with said magnetostrictive sensors, said measurement system transforming said measured distances into a dynamic angular misalignment angle.