Patent Application
20200217721
Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of monitoring and, in particular, utilizing radio-frequency identification (RFID) to over-temperature conditions and to identify actuators where such conditions occurred.
Modem aircraft often use a variety of aircraft mechanical actuation systems for primary and secondary flight controls. Such actuator systems can include temperature sensitive devices during system operation. Occasionally, these systems approach, and/or exceed the design limits of one or more of system devices or elements. A temperature monitoring system is necessary to ensure damage is not done to these systems and can be used in fault prediction
In aircraft, current temperature monitor circuitry adds additional wiring to the wing, and therefore increases the weight of the system. This can add weight to flight control surface (e.g., wings) which is undesirable.
Disclosed in one embodiment is an actuator system that includes one or more mechanical elements and a temperature radio frequency identification (RFID) tag connected to at least one of the one or more mechanical elements. The temperature RFID tag includes an RFID tag connected to a temperature sensitive element that includes: a first contact; a second contact; and a conduction path between the first and second contacts. In a normal operational state the conduction path creates an electrical pathway between the first contact element and second contact element and when in an over-temperature state the conduction path does not create an electrical pathway between the first contact and the second contact. The RFID tag is connected to the first contact and the second contact such that when the temperature sensitive element is in the normal operation state the RFID tag does not transmit information, and when the temperature sensitive element is in the over-temperature state the RFID tag does transmit information.
According to any prior embodiment, the RFID tag include an antenna having a first and a second portions, the first portion being connected to the first contact and the second portion being connected to the second contact.
According to any prior embodiment, when the temperature sensitive element is in the normal operation state, the two portions are electrically connected to one another through the conduction path.
According to any prior embodiment, wherein when the temperature sensitive element is in the over-temperature state, the two antenna portions are not electrically connected to one another through the conduction path.
According to any prior embodiment, the temperature sensitive element includes a temperature sensor with a threshold and that causes the two antenna portions to not be electrically connected to one another through the conduction path when the temperature sensor determines that the threshold has been exceeded.
According to any prior embodiment, when the temperature sensitive element device is in the over-temperature state the temperature RFID tag transmits information that identifies the element to which it is attached.
According to any prior embodiment, the element is an aircraft slat or flap actuator.
According to any prior embodiment, the element is one of: a slat disconnect sensors, a slat skew sensors a slat/flap position sensor, a slat position sensor unit mounting bracket, a flap position sensor unit mounting bracket, a flap skew sensors, a flap drop boxes, and an angle gear box.
In another embodiment, a method of determining that an element of an actuator system has experienced an overheat condition is disclosed. The method includes: connecting a temperature radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to one or more elements of the system, the temperature RFID tag including an RFID tag connected to a temperature sensitive element that includes: a first contact; a second contact; and a conduction path between the first and second contacts, in a normal operational state the conduction path creates an electrical pathway between the first contact element and second contact element and when in an over-temperature state the conduction path does not create an electrical pathway between the first contact and the second contact; connecting including coupling an antenna of the RFID being connected to the first contact and the second contact such that when the temperature sensitive element is in the normal operation state the RFID tag does not transmit information, and when the temperature sensitive element is in the over-temperature state the RFID tag does transmit information; and receiving, at an RFID reader, information from the temperature RFID tag.
According to any prior method, the RFID reader sends the interrogation signal during a flight and receives the information back during the flight.
According to any prior method, the RFID reader is located within the aircraft.
According to any prior method, the RFID reader sends the interrogation after the conclusion of a flight while the aircraft is on the ground.
According to any prior method, the RFID reader is located outside of the aircraft.
According to any prior method, the antenna has first and second portions and coupling further comprises: connecting the first portion to the first contact and connecting the second portion to the second contact.
According to any prior method, when the temperature sensitive element is in the normal operation state, the two portions are electrically connected to one another through the conduction path..
According to any prior method, the method further includes: sending an interrogation signal from the RFID reader to the RFID tag that causes the RFID tag to transmit information.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
As discussed generally above, temperature sensors are known. Such sensors can require the connection of wires be added to an aircraft and result in added weight. In general, disclosed herein is a radio frequency identification (RFID) based system
Such a design can achieve a technical effect of removing the aforementioned wiring and connectors and result in increased time between failures and reduced cost of one or both of maintenance and installation as no wires are needed.
The term “control surface” used herein includes but is not limited to either a slat or a flap or any of the above described surfaces (ailerons 27, spoilers 28, horizontal stabilizer trim tabs 29, rudder 30 and horizontal stabilizer 31). It will be understood that the slats 24 and/or the flaps 26 can include one or more slat/flap panels that move together.
Each of the control surfaces can be moved by one or more actuators that are part of actuator system. The actuator system can include one or more of: a flap rotary actuator, flap drop boxes, slat rotator actuators, angle gear boxes, a controller that control the position of the slats/flaps by controlling operation of the actuators, slat and flap disconnect sensors, slat and flap skew sensors, flat and slat position sensors, slat driveline torque shafts, flap driveline torque sensors, flap and slat power drive units.
With reference now to
For clarity, both
To convert the rotary motion of the drive shaft 105 into linear motion to move the flaps 26, one or move flap actuators 106f are provided. In one embodiment, each flap 26 has its own flap actuator 106f. To convert the rotary motion of the drive shaft 105 into linear motion to move the slats 24, one or move slat actuators 106s are provided. In one embodiment, each slat 26 has its own slat actuator 106s.
The flap actuators 106f and the slat actuators 106s can be rotatory actuators in one embodiment and may be referred to as such from time to time herein
The system 100 can also include one or more slat disconnect sensors 110 and one or more slat skew sensors 112, one or more slat/flap position sensors 114, one or more slat position sensor unit mounting brackets 116, one or more flap position sensor unit mounting brackets 118, one or more flap skew sensors 120, one or more flap drop boxes 122, and one or more angle gear boxes 124.
The system 100 also includes a controller 126. Based on inputs from the cockpit or other location, the controller 126 can cause the movement of control surfaces in a known manner.
Each of the elements of the system 100 can include one or more RFID tags attached to or disposed near it. One of the one or more temperature RFID tags used in combination with an RFID reader 130 to send a wireless indication when a temperature at one of the elements of the system 100 exceeds a threshold. That is, in one embodiments herein, the temperature RFID tags are constructed such to only transmit when information to the reader when the temperature exceeds a predetermined level. This can be achieved by having, for a example, a small (e.g., MEMS) temperature sensors with a threshold that can open or close a switch (e.g., conduction path) depending on whether the threshold has been exceeded.
In one embodiment, a particular element can have multiple tags attached thereto. The tags can be set to operate when different temperatures are exceeded. In this manner an estimate of the actual temperature can be estimated by comparing the thresholds of the responding RFID tags. For example, if a particular element has three RFID tags connected to it that operate at 105, 110 and 115 degrees C., and only the those that operate at 105 and 110 degrees are sending signal to the reader 130, the controller 126 can determine that the temperature at the element is at least 110 degrees. Alternatively, each RFID could transmit it set point as part of it message to provide the controller with the needed information.
As will be more fully disclosed below, embodiments herein can have a technical effect allowing for the wireless communication of temperature (or over temperature conditions) of elements of an actuator system 100 without having to provide wires for transmission of power and data to temperature sensors that can be located in weight sensitive regions of an aircraft such as an aircraft wing. Such an effect can be realized because the breaking of the link (e.g., the link no longer conducts electricity) between the through a temperature sensitive element will cause an RFID element to be enabled to transmit information to the RFID reader 130. As long as the temperature set point has not been exceeded, the temperature sensitive element will serve to electrically connect and thereby disable the antennas of an RFID element (or RFID tag). Further, embodiments herein can also accomplish one or more of these effects while adding almost no weight to the aircraft because the RFID tags do not require external wiring. In the event that the RFID tag is a passive tag, the RFID reader may send an interrogation signal that causes the RFID to transmit information to the reader.
In one embodiment, the antenna 304 includes two portions 304a, 304b. Herein, when these two portions are connected together, the RFID tag 300 is in the so-called “disabled state” and cannot transmit information. This disabled state can be referred to as a “normal” state where a threshold temperature has not been exceeded.
As shown in
In general, when the temperature is below a certain threshold, the two portions 304a, 304b of antenna 1304 are shorted together (see short connection 326). Thus, the temperature RFID tag 400 does not transmit information to a reader when interrogated. However, when the temperature is above a threshold value, the short connection 326 is interrupted as shown in
As shown, a first antenna portion 304a is connected to first contact 422 and the second antenna portion 404b is connected to the second contact 434 of
Regardless, as shown, the conduction path 326 is electrically coupling the first antenna portion to the second antenna portion to place the RFID tag 400 in the disabled state so it cannot transmit information. This occurs when the temperature at or near the teperature sensitive element 420 (e.g., the temperature of the element to which the temperature RFID tag 400 is attached) has not or does not currently exceed the threshold temperature.
As shown in
As will be understood based on the above discussion, when the temperature sensitive element 400 “opens” as shown in
The temperature sensitive element 400 can be a sensor that includes a switch or element that cause for a disruption of an electrical signal path when the threshold is exceeded. Such device are known and not discussed further herein.
Of note is that the RFID reader 130 of
Further, in one embodiment, multiple temperature RFID tags can be provided on one system element. For example, as shown in
Any of the four temperature RFID sensors 400a-400d or any prior described sensor can return an indication of the part number/type of part to which the tag is attached, a position location, the threshold voltage etc.
The term “about” is intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this present disclosure, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.
