This invention relates to a push button control device, that may be used in particular for aircraft ground maintenance tests.
The push button control device has two stages in the known art, illustrated in
Such a device can be subject to breakdowns, for example unplanned earthing.
The purpose of the invention is to define an architecture around a two stage push button permitting the detection of electrical and mechanical breakdowns, whilst maintaining an adequate level of electrical segregation between the two stages, such architecture being able to be used on an aircraft for ground maintenance tests or for tests on an aircraft being built on an assembly line.
The invention relates to a two stage push button control device, characterised in that the push button has at least one of its two inputs connected to the output of a processing organ and its two outputs connected to two inputs of this processing organ.
The push button may have its two inputs connected to the output of the processing organ.
Advantageously, the processing organ provides an output of a discrete signal that is a breakdown test echo signal, which corresponds to an open circuit when there is a breakdown in the processing organ. The discrete signal may be a breakdown test echo signal when the push button is pressed.
This push button advantageously permits clear breakdowns to be detected: short-circuits, breaks, etc. . . . as well as oscillatory breakdowns: repeated faulty contacts (repetitive cycles of open circuits then short -circuits).
In one embodiment, the processing organ comprises two redundant computers of which at least one output is connected to at least one input of the push button.
The device of the invention may be used in particular for aircraft ground maintenance tests. It may also be used for testing an aircraft on an assembly line.
In the device of the known art, illustrated in
In one advantageous embodiment, the common point A-C is wired to one or more discrete on-board computer outputs, the piloting of these outputs permits electrical or mechanical breakdowns of the push button to be detected.
The common point A-C is thus wired to another point other than the earth to receive a discrete signal dso, which may be an echo signal of a breakdown test carried out on the said device.
It is therefore possible to carry out an automatic test over a short period in this way. This test may advantageously be made every time that the operator presses the push button.
Such a test is compatible with the use of two computers 20 and 21 which operate redundantly, as illustrated in
These computers 20 and 21 may also be primary flight control computers. When there is a breakdown, the back-up computer 21 can thus take over from the first computer 20.
There is consequently redundancy of acquisition on the push button.
As illustrated in
It is thus possible to receive these two discrete signals dso1 and dso2 respectively at points A and C with, for example, at point A, a test signal then earthing, and for the other point, for example point C, a test signal then an open circuit.
As illustrated in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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04 51060 | May 2004 | FR | national |
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3956589 | Weathers et al. | May 1976 | A |
4467270 | McElroy et al. | Aug 1984 | A |
4680761 | Burkness | Jul 1987 | A |
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2 815 126 | Apr 2002 | FR |
2 832 219 | May 2003 | FR |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20050263383 A1 | Dec 2005 | US |