Method and device for compensation of mechanical stresses in an aircraft structure

• US 8,489,255 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Grauerholz, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US12/077,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,947 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/14, 701/31.7, 701/124, 340/539.1, 340/679, 340/529, 340/505, 340/517, 244/219, 244/99.8, 244/210, 244/195, 244/213, 244/49, 244/76.R, 244/90.R, 244/99.11, 702/56, 702/39, 702/184, 73810-812, 738/08, 737/99, 735/77, 735/83, 737/64, 737/87, 738/02, 737/60, 737/65
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/06 Frames; Stringers; Longerons ; Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/18 Spars; Ribs; Stringers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/38 Adjustment of complete wings or parts thereof
• 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

Abstract

A method and a device are described for compensation of mechanical stresses in an aircraft structure. The method comprises the steps of producing signals that represent mechanical stresses occurring in the aircraft structure, and operating actuators, which absorb at least some of the mechanical stresses and are arranged in the aircraft structure, such that the mechanical stresses are compensated.

Claims

1. A method for compensation of mechanical stresses in an aircraft structure, comprising the steps of:

producing signals that represent mechanical stresses occurring in the aircraft structure, and

operating actuators, which absorb at least some of the mechanical stresses and are arranged in the aircraft structure, such that the mechanical stresses are compensated,

wherein the signals that represent the mechanical stresses are derived from at least one of central processor, input-output memory, sensors, flight state data, maneuver data, and by means of an electronic computation device from the flight state data and maneuver data and from data that represents load states which occur in the aircraft structure as a function of at least one of the flight stat and maneuvers, and

wherein said flight state data and maneuver data are derived from a primary flight computer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data that represents load states which occur in the aircraft structure as a function of the flight state and maneuvers is derived from a database which is coupled to the electronic computation device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the database which is coupled to the electronic computation device contains data obtained from a finite element load model.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein actuators formed by piezoelectric elements are operated in order to compensate the mechanical stresses.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein actuators which are arranged on at least one of frames, spars, longerons and stringers in the aircraft structure are operated in order to compensate the mechanical stresses.

6. A device for compensating of mechanical stresses in on the aircraft structure, comprising:

actuators, which are arranged in the aircraft structure and absorb at least some of the mechanical stresses, in order to compensate the mechanical stresses,

wherein the device is adapted to produce signals representing mechanical stresses which occur in the aircraft structure producing signals that represent mechanical stresses occurring in the aircraft structure, and

wherein the signals that represent the mechanical stresses are derived from at least one of central processor, input-output memory, sensors, flight state data, maneuver data, and by means of an electronic computation device for derivation of the signals which represent the mechanical stresses from the flight state data and maneuver data, and from data which respresents load states which occur in the aircraft structure as a function of at least one of the flight state and maneuvers, and

wherein the flight state data and maneuver data are derived from a primary flight computer.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device contains a database which is coupled to the electronic computation device, and in which data which represents load states which occur as a function of the flight state and maneuvers is provided, and to derive the data which represents load states which occur in the aircraft structure as a function of the flight state and maneuvers from the database which is coupled to the electronic computation device.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the database which is coupled to the electronic computation device contains data obtained from a finite element load model.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the actuators comprise piezoelectric elements.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the actuators comprise piezoelectric elements which are adhesively bonded to said at least one of frames, spars, longerons and stringers.

11. The device according to claim 6, wherein the actuators are arranged on at least one of frames, spars, longerons and stringers in the aircraft structure, in order to compensate the mechanical stresses.