Fault isolation system and fault isolation method

Abstract

The application discloses a fault isolation system and a fault isolation method, relates to the technical field of aircraft power device control and manipulation systems, and aims to solve the problem that the jamming of a driving part has an adverse effect on the manipulation of a thrust part. The fault isolation system provided by the application comprises a control unit, an information acquisition unit coupled to the control unit and used for acquiring working information of a throttle table, and an isolation actuating unit coupled to the control unit and connected with the driving part. The control unit judges whether the driving part is jammed according to the working information. When the driving part is jammed, the control unit controls the isolation actuating unit to drive the driving part away from the thrust part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of aircraft power plant control and control systems, specifically to a fault isolation system and fault isolation method. Background Technology

[0002] Follow-up throttle consoles are typically equipped with a drive unit that, in autothrottle mode, moves the thrust rod in the thrust element on the throttle console according to instructions from the aircraft's automatic flight control unit. For example, the drive unit is usually an electric motor, and in autothrottle mode, the thrust rod is driven by a torque output gear that meshes with a thrust rod drive gear, thereby controlling the engine thrust.

[0003] In autothrottle mode, when a drive component malfunctions, the drive component control unit in the throttle console usually sends a fault signal to the aircraft's autoflight control unit. The autoflight control unit then disconnects the autothrottle and cuts off the power supply to the drive component, allowing the crew to manually operate the thrust lever to control the engine thrust.

[0004] However, if a mechanical jamming failure occurs in the drive component, since the drive component is located above the thrust rod transmission link (which can be understood as a gear connection between the drive component and the thrust rod transmission mechanism), even if the unit manually moves the thrust rod, the jamming of the drive component will cause an abnormal increase in the thrust rod damping force or even jamming itself. This jamming of the drive component will adversely affect the operation of the thrust rod. If one side of the thrust rod is jammed at the high thrust position, it will cause uncontrollable high thrust failure of one side of the engine, requiring the unit to shut down the engine on the faulty side to reduce the safety margin. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a fault isolation system and method that can detect and isolate jamming faults in the drive component in both automatic and manual throttle modes, physically (or mechanically) separating the drive component and thrust component to avoid adverse effects of drive component jamming on the thrust control of the thrust component. Furthermore, after the fault is cleared, the drive component and thrust component can be reconnected physically (or mechanically) to restore normal operation of the drive component.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the fault isolation system provided in this application is used for the throttle console of an aircraft. The throttle console includes a thrust element and a drive element for driving the thrust element. The fault isolation system includes:

[0007] Control unit;

[0008] An information acquisition unit, coupled to the control unit, is used to acquire the working information of the throttle body;

[0009] An isolated actuation unit is coupled to the control unit and connected to the drive unit;

[0010] Wherein: the control unit determines whether the drive component is jammed based on the working information;

[0011] When the drive component becomes stuck, the control unit controls the isolation actuation unit to move the drive component away from the thrust component. Thus, in automatic throttle mode, the control unit receives the operating information and determines whether the drive component is stuck. When the drive component is stuck, the control unit sends an isolation command signal to the isolation actuation unit. The isolation actuation unit responds to the isolation command signal by moving the drive component away from the thrust component, achieving fault isolation between the drive component and the thrust component. This physically separates the drive component and the thrust component, allowing manual operation of the thrust component to ensure the throttle console can continue working, avoiding the problem of the thrust component becoming uncontrollable due to sticking or jamming. Furthermore, it avoids the problem of uncontrollable high-thrust failure of one engine side caused by a single thrust rod stuck in the high-thrust position, requiring the unit to shut down the engine on the faulty side, thus improving the system's safety margin.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the fault isolation system further includes:

[0013] A power supply unit is electrically connected between the control unit and the isolated actuation unit, wherein:

[0014] When the drive unit becomes stuck, the control unit sends a first isolation command signal to the power supply unit, causing the power supply unit to supply power to the isolation actuation unit.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the fault isolation system further includes:

[0016] A detection unit is electrically connected to the control unit. The detection unit is used to detect the actual position of the isolation actuation unit and feed the actual position back to the control unit.

[0017] In some embodiments of this application, the fault isolation system further includes:

[0018] The operating unit is electrically connected to the control unit and feeds back a fault disconnect signal to the control unit, wherein:

[0019] The control unit sends a second isolation command signal to the isolation actuation unit based on the fault disconnection signal.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application,

[0021] The control unit sends a reset and recovery command to the isolation actuation unit according to the reset and recovery signal, so that the isolation actuation unit drives the driving member to move closer to the thrust member;

[0022] The reset recovery signal includes a first reset signal and a second reset signal;

[0023] In automatic throttle mode, the information acquisition unit sends the first reset recovery signal back to the control unit;

[0024] The fault isolation system also includes an operating unit electrically connected to the control unit, which feeds back the second reset recovery signal to the control unit.

[0025] In some embodiments of this application, the information acquisition unit includes:

[0026] An engine control unit, electrically connected to the control unit, is used to acquire the rate of change of the throttle resolution angle;

[0027] An automatic flight control unit, electrically connected to the control unit, is used to acquire automatic throttle data signals, the automatic throttle data signals including thrust servo rate, automatic throttle on signal and overdrive signal;

[0028] The control unit determines that the drive component is jammed based on the following conditions:

[0029] (a) The thrust follow-up rate is greater than the preset follow-up rate;

[0030] (b) The rate of change of the throttle resolution angle is lower than the preset rate of change of the angle;

[0031] (c) The control unit did not receive the over-control signal;

[0032] (d) The automatic throttle activation signal is the automatic throttle mode.

[0033] In some embodiments of this application, the isolation actuation unit includes:

[0034] An actuator, connected to the drive member, to move the drive member away from or towards the thrust member;

[0035] An elastic component includes a fixed base, an elastic element, and an abutment element. The extension direction of the elastic element is perpendicular to the movement direction of the driving element. Both ends of the elastic element are fixedly connected to the fixed base and the abutment element, respectively. The abutment element has an abutment wall facing away from the elastic element. Wherein:

[0036] When the drive member moves to the isolation position or the engagement position, the drive member separates from the abutment wall, and in the direction of movement of the drive member, the orthographic projection of the drive member at least partially coincides with the orthographic projection of the abutment wall;

[0037] During the movement of the driving member, the driving member contacts the abutment wall, and under the pressure of the driving member, the abutment member moves towards the elastic member.

[0038] In some embodiments of this application, the abutting wall includes a first abutting wall surface S1 and a second abutting wall surface S2;

[0039] The first abutting wall S1 has a first end close to the second abutting wall S2 and a second end away from the second abutting wall S2;

[0040] The second abutting wall S2 has a third end close to the first abutting wall S1 and a fourth end away from the first abutting wall S1, wherein:

[0041] In the telescopic direction, the vertical distance between the first end and the elastic element is greater than the vertical distance between the second end and the elastic element, and / or, the vertical distance between the third end and the elastic element is greater than the vertical distance between the fourth end and the elastic element.

[0042] In some embodiments of this application, the elastic component includes two sets, each set including the fixed base, the elastic element, and the abutment. The extension and retraction directions of the elastic elements in both sets are perpendicular to the movement direction of the driving member. The abutments in the two sets are spaced apart along the extension and retraction direction, and the interval is configured as a channel for the movement of the driving member. The back-to-back sides of the abutments in both sets are connected to the elastic elements, and one end of the abutment opposite to the elastic element is connected to the corresponding fixed base.

[0043] In some embodiments of this application, the detection unit is a micro switch, a position sensor, or a vision inspection device.

[0044] In some embodiments of this application, the fault isolation system further includes:

[0045] An alarm unit is electrically connected to the control unit, and the alarm unit outputs isolation information according to the isolation command signal.

[0046] On the other hand, this application also provides a fault isolation method for an aircraft throttle console, the fault isolation method comprising:

[0047] In automatic throttle mode, the operating information of the throttle panel is acquired;

[0048] Based on the aforementioned working information, it is determined whether the drive component in the throttle body is jammed.

[0049] When the drive component gets stuck, the isolation actuation unit drives the drive component in the throttle panel away from the thrust component in the throttle panel.

[0050] When the drive component is not jammed, the isolation actuation unit moves the drive component closer to the thrust component.

[0051] In this way, in automatic throttle mode, the throttle body can continue to work by physically isolating the drive unit and the thrust unit through the isolation actuation unit, thus avoiding the risk of the thrust rod getting stuck.

[0052] In some embodiments of this application, after the step of determining whether the drive member in the throttle console is jammed based on the working information, and before the step of the isolation actuation unit driving the drive member in the throttle console away from the thrust member in the throttle console, the method further includes:

[0053] When the drive unit becomes jammed, the control power supply unit supplies power to the isolation actuation unit. Attached Figure Description

[0054] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the throttle console in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the fault isolation system in an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the judgment logic of the fault isolation system in the embodiments of this application;

[0058] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the isolation actuation unit located at the engagement position in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the isolation actuation unit located between the engagement position and the isolation position in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the isolation actuation unit located at the isolation position in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the isolation actuation unit in another embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a fault isolation method in another embodiment of this application.

[0063] The main reference numerals in the drawings of this application are explained as follows:

[0064] 100 - Throttle panel; 101 - Thrust component; 102 - Drive component;

[0065] 10- Fault isolation system;

[0066] 11-Control unit;

[0067] 12-Information Acquisition Unit; 121-Engine Control Unit; 122-Automatic Flight Control Unit;

[0068] 13-Isolation actuation unit; 130-Connector; 131-Actuator; 132-Elastic component; 1321-Fixed base; 1322-Elastic component; 1323-Abutting component; 13231-Abutting wall; S1-First abutting wall surface; S2-Second abutting wall surface; 133-Limiting component; 1331-First limiting surface; 1332-Second limiting surface;

[0069] 14-Power Supply Unit;

[0070] 15 - Detection unit;

[0071] 16-Control unit;

[0072] 17-Alarm Unit. Detailed Implementation

[0073] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0074] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0075] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0076] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0077] This application provides a fault isolation system and a fault isolation method, which are described in detail below. It should be noted that the order of description of the following embodiments is not intended to limit the preferred order of the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have their own emphasis; parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment can be referred to in the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0078] like Figure 1 As shown, a follow-up throttle console typically uses an electric motor as the drive component. The torque output gear of the drive component meshes with the transmission gear of the thrust component to achieve the transmission of the thrust rod in automatic throttle mode. The drive component and the thrust component are physically (or mechanically) inseparable. In automatic throttle mode, when the drive component malfunctions, the drive component control unit within the throttle console typically sends a fault signal to the aircraft's automatic flight control system. The automatic flight control system disconnects the automatic throttle and cuts off the power supply to the drive component, allowing the crew to manually operate the thrust component to control the engine thrust. For example, this thrust component is a thrust rod.

[0079] If the drive component is mechanically jammed, the above-mentioned measures are not sufficient to physically isolate the impact of the drive component jamming on the thrust control of the thrust component. Since there is a gear connection between the drive component and the thrust component, even if the manual throttle mode is switched, the jamming of the drive component will still affect the manual operation of the unit, specifically manifested as an abnormal increase in the operating damping force or the thrust rod jamming.

[0080] Therefore, this application proposes a fault isolation system 10, which can be used to detect and isolate jamming faults in the drive component in both automatic and manual throttle modes, physically separating the drive component 102 and the thrust component 101 to avoid the adverse effects of the jamming of the drive component 102 on the thrust operation of the thrust component 101. Furthermore, after the fault is cleared, the drive component 102 and the thrust component 101 can be reconnected physically (or mechanically) to restore the normal operation of the drive component 102. For example, the thrust component 101 is a thrust rod, and the drive component 102 is a reverse-drive motor.

[0081] The following is for reference Figure 2 This application provides a detailed description of the fault isolation system 10 provided. The fault isolation system 10 is used on a throttle platform 100 of an aircraft. The throttle platform 100 includes a thrust member 101 and a drive member 102 for driving the thrust member 101. It is understood that a torque output gear is fixed on the output shaft of the drive member 102. The thrust member 101 includes a thrust rod and a transmission gear disposed on the thrust rod. The transmission gear meshes with the torque output gear to transmit the output torque of the drive member 102 to the thrust rod through the two meshing gears, thereby driving the thrust rod.

[0082] The fault isolation system 10 includes a control unit 11, an information acquisition unit 12, and an isolation actuation unit 13. The information acquisition unit 12 is coupled to the control unit 11 and is used to acquire the operating information of the throttle body 100, and to feed back the acquired operating information of the throttle body 100 to the control unit 11. The isolation actuation unit 13 is coupled to the control unit 11 and is mechanically or physically connected to the drive component 102. This can be understood as the isolation actuation unit 13 being signal-connected to the control unit 11 and connected to the drive component 102 via a mechanical structure. The isolation actuation unit 13 and the control unit 11 can be wirelessly connected or connected via a wire to achieve signal transmission.

[0083] When the drive member 102 becomes stuck, the control unit 11 controls the isolation actuation unit 13 to move the drive member 102 away from the thrust member 101.

[0084] Specifically, in automatic throttle mode, the control unit 11 receives the operating information and determines whether the drive component 102 is jammed. When the drive component 102 is jammed, the control unit 11 sends an isolation command signal to the isolation actuation unit 13. The isolation actuation unit 13 responds to the isolation command signal by moving the drive component 102 away from the thrust component 101, thereby isolating the drive component 102 and the thrust component 101 from each other and preventing them from engaging. This physically separates the drive component 102 and the thrust component 101, allowing the throttle panel 100 to continue operating by manually manipulating the thrust component 101. This avoids the problem of the thrust component 101 becoming jammed or stuck, preventing it from being manipulated. Furthermore, it avoids the problem of a single-sided thrust rod jammed at a high thrust position, which could lead to uncontrollable high thrust failure of one engine and require the unit to shut down the faulty engine, thus improving the system's safety margin.

[0085] It should be noted that in automatic throttle mode, when the drive member 102 is not jammed, the control unit 11 controls the isolation actuation unit 13 to move the drive member 102 closer to the thrust member 101. For example, in automatic throttle mode, when the drive member 102 is not jammed, the control unit 11 sends an automatic throttle mode reset signal to the isolation actuation unit 13. The isolation actuation unit 13 responds to the automatic throttle mode reset signal by moving the drive member 102 closer to the thrust member 101, thereby establishing the mechanical transmission connection between the drive member 102 and the thrust member 101 and restoring the normal operation of the drive member 102.

[0086] To achieve automated control of the fault isolation system 10, the fault isolation system 10 further includes a power supply unit 14. The power supply unit 14 is electrically connected between the control unit 11 and the isolation actuation unit 13. The control unit 11 is configured to send a first isolation command signal to the power supply unit 14 when the drive element 102 becomes jammed, causing the power supply unit 14 to supply power to the isolation actuation unit 13, which then drives the drive element 102 to actuate.

[0087] When the drive unit 102 is not jammed, the control unit 11 is configured to send a disconnect command signal to the power supply unit 14. The power supply unit 14 responds to the disconnect command signal and stops supplying power to the isolation actuation unit 13 to prevent the isolation actuation unit 13 from malfunctioning and causing unnecessary isolation of the drive unit 102 and the thrust unit 101.

[0088] In some embodiments of this application, the fault isolation system 10 further includes a detection unit 15. The detection unit 15 is used to detect the actual position of the isolation actuation unit 13. The detection unit 15 is electrically connected to the control unit 11 via a wire and feeds back the actual position to the control unit 11. In specific use, the control unit 11 is configured to determine whether the isolation actuation unit 13 executes the isolation command signal based on the actual position. For example, the detection unit 15 can be a microswitch, a position sensor, or a vision inspection device.

[0089] In practical use, the actual positions of the aforementioned isolation actuation unit 13 include a first position and a second position. In the first position, the driving member 102 and the thrust member 101 are connected in a transmission manner. In the second position, the driving member 102 and the thrust member 101 are physically separated from each other.

[0090] For example, when the detection unit 15 detects that the actual position of the isolation actuator 13 is the first position, and the power supply unit 14 responds to the first isolation command signal and supplies power to the isolation actuator 13, theoretically the isolation actuator 13 should be in the second position. However, the detection unit 15 detects that the actual position of the isolation actuator 13 is the first position, which proves that the isolation actuator 13 has not correctly executed the first isolation command signal.

[0091] Alternatively, when the detection unit 15 detects that the actual position of the isolation actuation unit 13 is the second position, and the power supply unit 14 responds to the first isolation command signal and supplies power to the isolation actuation unit 13, it proves that the isolation actuation unit 13 correctly executes the first isolation command signal, that is, the isolation actuation unit 13 drives the driving member 102 away from the thrust member 101, thereby achieving the separation of the two in physical structure.

[0092] Alternatively, when the detection unit 15 detects that the actual position of the isolation actuator 13 is the second position, and the power supply unit 14 responds to the disconnect command signal and stops supplying power to the isolation actuator 13, theoretically the isolation actuator 13 should be in the first position. However, if the detection unit 15 detects that the actual position of the isolation actuator 13 is the second position, it proves that the isolation actuator 13 has not correctly executed the disconnect command signal.

[0093] Alternatively, when the detection unit 15 detects that the actual position of the isolation actuation unit 13 is the first position, and the power supply unit 14 responds to the disconnection command signal and stops supplying power to the isolation actuation unit 13, it proves that the isolation actuation unit 13 correctly executes the disconnection command signal, that is, the drive member 102 is mechanically connected away from the thrust member 101, and the drive member 102 can work normally.

[0094] In some embodiments of this application, reference continues to be made to... Figure 2 The fault isolation system 10 further includes an operating unit 16. The operating unit 16 is electrically connected to the control unit 11 and is used to send a fault disconnect signal to the control unit 11. Specifically, the control unit 11 sends a second isolation command signal to the isolation actuation unit 13 based on the fault disconnect signal. That is, in automatic throttle mode, the control unit 11 determines whether the drive component 102 is jammed based on the received operating information; if the drive component 102 is jammed, the control unit 11 sends an isolation command signal to the isolation actuation unit 13. In manual throttle mode, the control unit 11 responds to the fault disconnect signal issued by the operating unit 16 and sends the isolation command signal to the isolation actuation unit 13.

[0095] In some embodiments of this application, the control unit 11 sends a reset / restore command to the isolation actuation unit 13 based on a reset / restore signal, causing the isolation actuation unit 13 to move the drive member 102 closer to the thrust member 101. The reset / restore signal includes a first reset signal and a second reset signal. In automatic throttle mode, the information acquisition unit 12 feeds back the first reset / restore signal to the control unit 11. In manual throttle mode, the fault isolation system 10 further includes an operating unit 16, which is electrically connected to the control unit 11 and feeds back the second reset / restore signal to the control unit 11.

[0096] In other words, the control unit 16 is also used to send a second reset / restore signal to the control unit 11. When the control unit 11 responds to either the second or first reset / restore signal, it sends a reset / restore command to the isolation actuation unit 13. The isolation actuation unit 13, in response to the reset / restore command, moves the drive member 102 closer to the thrust member 101, restoring the normal operation of the drive member 102.

[0097] This can be understood as follows: the control unit 16 is a device provided to the unit that enables manual triggering and resetting of the isolation actuation unit 13. It is directly connected to the control unit 11 via a hardwire to control the issuance of isolation command signals and the second reset / recovery signals. In manual throttle mode, if the unit senses an abnormal increase in the damping force of the thrust rod in the thrust member 101, the crew can directly send a fault disconnect signal to the control unit 11 through the control unit 16 to control the isolation of the drive member 102. After the fault is cleared, the isolation actuation unit 13 can be reset by pressing the control unit 16, restoring the normal operation of the drive member 102.

[0098] For example, the control unit 16 can be a manual control button, a manual control handle, or a touch button.

[0099] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The aforementioned information acquisition unit 12 includes an engine control unit 121 and an automatic flight control unit 122. The engine control unit 121 acquires the rate of change of the throttle resolution angle, and the automatic flight control unit 122 acquires the automatic throttle data signal, which includes the thrust servo rate, the automatic throttle data signal, and the overdrive signal. The engine control unit 121 and the automatic flight control unit 122 can be the aircraft's engine control system and automatic flight control system, respectively, thus eliminating the need to acquire these parameters through other systems and ensuring a simple system structure for the entire fault isolation system 10.

[0100] The control unit 11 determines that the drive unit 102 is jammed based on the following conditions.

[0101] (a) The thrust follow-up rate is greater than the preset follow-up rate;

[0102] (b) The rate of change of the throttle resolution angle is lower than the preset rate of change of the angle;

[0103] (c) The control unit 11 did not receive the over-control signal;

[0104] (d) The automatic throttle activation signal is the automatic throttle mode.

[0105] That is, all four conditions mentioned above must be met to trigger the "thrust rod jamming detected in automatic throttle mode". At this time, the control unit 11 sends an isolation command signal to the isolation actuation unit 13. It should be noted that the preset follow-up rate and preset angle change rate can be pre-stored in the storage sub-unit of the control unit 11, or the fault isolation system 10 can also include a storage unit, in which the preset follow-up rate and preset angle change rate are stored, and this storage unit is electrically connected to the control unit 11.

[0106] The automatic throttle data signal is used to characterize whether the automatic throttle is engaged, that is, to distinguish whether the throttle panel 100 is in automatic throttle mode or manual throttle mode. In automatic throttle mode, the detection of drive component jamming needs to be determined when AT (auto throttle) is engaged, thus requiring the acquisition of the automatic throttle data signal to determine whether the automatic throttle is engaged. Furthermore, the follow-up state of the thrust rod needs to be obtained by monitoring the thrust follow-up rate. The follow-up state of the thrust component 101 is used to determine whether the drive component 102 is jammed. For example, if the drive component 102 is jammed, the thrust component 101 will not follow or will follow slowly; this thrust follow-up rate is the thrust rod follow-up rate. Finally, the actual follow-up rate of the thrust component 101 is obtained by monitoring the rate of change of the throttle resolution angle.

[0107] For example, if the rate of change of the throttle angle is lower than the preset rate of change, it indicates that the actual throttle angle changes relatively slowly. In this case, it is possible that the drive component 102 is stuck, causing the thrust component 101 to be blocked or respond slowly. However, the blockage or slow response of the thrust component 101 may also be due to manual over-control. If it is manual over-control, it proves that the drive component 102 is normal and has not been blocked.

[0108] It should be noted that the overshoot signal refers to the ability of the pilot to manually operate the thruster 101 in autothrottle mode if they do not wish to use the autothrottle. This allows the pilot to automatically disengage the autothrottle and manually control the thruster 101. When the pilot performs an overshoot maneuver, the drive unit control unit inside the throttle console 100 receives feedback of increased current from the drive unit 102. The drive unit control unit then sends the overshoot signal to the aircraft's automatic flight control system, meaning the overshoot signal can be obtained through the automatic flight control system.

[0109] The phenomena caused by over-control and jamming of drive component 102 are very similar, both resulting in jamming or very slow movement of the thrust rod. To prevent incorrect isolation of drive component 102 under over-control conditions, such as... Figure 3 As shown, there is a NOT gate before the over-control command, indicating that the control unit 11 needs to confirm that no over-control signal has been received before issuing the isolation command signal.

[0110] like Figure 2As shown, the fault isolation system 10 includes a control unit 11, an information acquisition unit 12, an isolation actuation unit 13, a power supply unit 14, a detection unit 15, and a control unit 16, as well as other necessary aircraft systems. The control unit 11 is used for fault isolation control and to detect the jamming status of the drive component 102 in autothrottle mode. It can be integrated into the aircraft avionics system and is interconnected with the information acquisition unit 12 (including the engine control unit 121 and the autoflight control unit 122) and the power supply unit 14. The isolation actuation unit 13, located in the throttle position, is powered by the aircraft's power supply unit 14 and is used to actuate in response to commands from the control unit 11, achieving fault isolation between the drive component 102 and the thrust component 101. The detection unit 15 is used to indicate the position of the isolation actuation unit 13 and is hardwired to the control unit 11.

[0111] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 The isolation actuation unit 13 includes an actuator 131. The actuator 131 is mechanically connected to the drive member 102 to move the drive member 102 away from or towards the thrust member 101. The power supply unit 14 in the fault isolation system 10 is electrically connected between the control unit 11 and the actuator 131 to supply power to the actuator 131.

[0112] In some embodiments, the actuator 131 is a solenoid valve, such as... Figure 4 As shown. Specifically, the control unit 11 receives the throttle resolution angle change rate from the engine control unit 121 or other related systems, the thrust rod follow-up rate from the automatic flight control unit 122, and the hard-wired signal from the control unit 16, etc. Through logic processing, it automatically determines whether the drive component is stuck in the automatic throttle mode, and sends an isolation command signal to the power supply unit 14 when a stuck component is detected. The power supply unit 14 controls the solenoid valve in the isolation actuation unit 13 to be energized. The solenoid valve is mechanically connected to the drive component 102, so the movement of the solenoid valve can control the displacement of the drive component 102, thereby isolating the faulty drive component 102 from the thrust component. At this time, the crew can continue to operate the thrust component 101 in manual mode.

[0113] Of course, the actuator 131 can also be a motor module, which is used to convert the rotational motion of the motor into linear motion. The output end of the motor module is connected to the drive member 102 to drive the drive member 102 away from or closer to the thrust member 101.

[0114] It is understood that the aforementioned drive component 102 is mechanically connected to the actuator 131. This connection can be achieved by the output shaft of the drive component 102 being mechanically connected to the actuator 131, by a bearing on the output shaft of the drive component 102 being mechanically connected to the actuator 131, by the drive component 102 being directly mechanically connected to the actuator 131, or by the drive component 102 being mechanically connected to the actuator 131 via a connector 130. Figure 4 The mechanical connection between the drive unit 102 and the actuator 131 is achieved through the connector 130, which should not be considered a special limitation imposed on this application.

[0115] Based on this, the isolation actuation unit 13 further includes an elastic component 132, which includes a fixed base 1321, an elastic element 1322, and an abutment element 1323. The extension and retraction direction of the elastic element 1322 is perpendicular to the movement direction of the driving member 102. The two ends of the elastic element 1322 are fixedly connected to the fixed base 1321 and the abutment element 1323, respectively. The abutment element 1323 has an abutment wall 13231 facing away from the elastic element 1322. When the driving member 102 moves to the isolation position or the engagement position, the driving member 102 separates from the abutment wall 13231. In the movement direction of the driving member 102, the orthographic projection of the driving member 102 at least partially coincides with the orthographic projection of the abutment wall 13231. During the movement of the driving member 102, the driving member 102 contacts the abutment wall 13231, and under the pressure of the driving member 102, the abutment member 1323 moves toward the elastic member 1322.

[0116] Figures 4-6 The compression of the elastic component 132 is achieved by the bearing of the drive member 102 abutting against the abutment wall 13231 of the abutment member 1323. This should not be considered a special limitation of this application, as long as it prevents the elastic component 1322 in the elastic component 132 from resetting after the bearing of the drive member 102 moves downward, and ensures that the bearing returns to its original position in case of a failure of the solenoid valve actuating rod. Alternatively, the compression of the elastic component 132 can also be achieved by the housing of the drive member 102 or the output shaft of the drive member 102 abutting against the abutment wall 13231 of the abutment member 1323.

[0117] In some embodiments of this application, the abutting wall 13231 includes a first abutting wall surface S1 and a second abutting wall surface S2. The first abutting wall surface S1 has a first end close to the second abutting wall surface S2 and a second end away from the second abutting wall surface S2. The second abutting wall surface S2 has a third end close to the first abutting wall surface S1 and a fourth end away from the first abutting wall surface S1. Wherein: in the telescopic direction, the vertical distance between the first end and the elastic member 1322 is greater than the vertical distance between the second end and the elastic member 1322, and / or, the vertical distance between the third end and the elastic member 1322 is greater than the vertical distance between the fourth end and the elastic member 1322. In other words, the vertical distance between the abutment wall 13231 and the elastic member 1322 in the horizontal direction gradually increases and then gradually decreases from the top end of the abutment wall 13231 to the bottom end of the abutment wall 13231, so as to realize that the elastic member 1322 is gradually compressed, preventing the drive member 101 from jamming when the actuator 131 moves the drive member 102, which helps to improve the reliability of the actuator 131.

[0118] Figures 4-6 An embodiment with two sets of elastic components 132 is shown. In this embodiment, each set of elastic components 132 includes a fixed base 1321, an elastic element 1322, and an abutment element 1323. The extension and retraction directions of the elastic elements 1322 in both sets of elastic components 132 are perpendicular to the movement direction of the driving member 102. The abutment elements 1323 in both sets of elastic components 132 are spaced apart along the extension and retraction direction. The interval is configured as a channel for the movement of the driving member 102. The back-to-back sides of the abutment elements 1323 in both sets of elastic components 132 are connected to the elastic elements 1322. One end of the abutment element 1323 opposite to the elastic element 1322 is connected to the corresponding fixed base 1321. This ensures that the driving member 102 is subjected to balanced forces on the left and right sides in the horizontal direction during movement, and it will not produce horizontal displacement. When it is reconnected to the thrust member 101, there will be no relative position error between the two.

[0119] in, Figures 4-6 The illustration shows an embodiment where the abutment 1323 is semi-circular and the abutment wall 13231 is arc-shaped. Of course, it can also be as follows... Figure 7As shown, the abutment member 1323 is generally triangular in shape, and the abutment wall 13231 includes a first abutment wall surface S1 and a second abutment wall surface S2 that intersect. The included angle formed by the first abutment wall surface S1 and the second abutment wall surface S2 faces the elastic member 1322. This application does not specifically limit the shape of the abutment wall 13231, only requiring that the aforementioned interval includes a gradually expanding section near the driving member 102 and a gradually expanding section away from the driving member 102. When the driving member is in the engagement position, the larger end of the gradually expanding section near the driving member 102 faces the driving member 102, and the larger end of the gradually expanding section away from the driving member 102 faces away from the driving member 102. Figure 4 As shown. When the drive member is in the isolated position, the larger end of the expanding section near the drive member 102 faces the drive member 102, while the larger end of the expanding section away from the drive member 102 faces away from the drive member 102.

[0120] In some embodiments, the isolation actuation unit 13 further includes a limiting member 133. The limiting member has a first limiting surface 1331 and a second limiting surface 1332 that are opposite to each other along the extension and retraction direction of the elastic member 1322. The first limiting surface 1331 is provided with a first limiting groove, and the second limiting surface 1332 is provided with a second limiting groove. The second limiting groove and the first limiting groove are opposite to each other. In one set of elastic components 132, the abutting member 1323 is slidably disposed in the first limiting groove, and in the other set of elastic components 132, the abutting member 1323 is slidably disposed in the second limiting groove. The sliding direction of the abutting member 1323 in both sets of elastic components 132 is the same as the extension and retraction direction of the elastic member 1322. In one set of elastic components 132, the elastic element 1322 abuts against the first limiting surface 1331, and in the other set of elastic components 132, the elastic element 1322 abuts against the second limiting surface 1332.

[0121] The limiting member 133 also has a channel in the same direction of movement as the driving member 102, allowing the driving member 102 to move back and forth between an isolated position and an engaged position. The first limiting groove and the second limiting groove are located on both sides of the channel and are both connected to the channel. At least a portion of the abutment members 1323 in the two sets of elastic components 132 are exposed in the channel. This can be understood as the abutment member 1323 in the left elastic component 132 extending out of the left limiting groove, and the abutment member 1323 in the right elastic component 132 extending out of the right limiting groove, so that the driving member 102 can compress the corresponding elastic component 1322 through the abutment member 1323 during movement. For example, the elastic component 1322 can be a spring, an elastic column, a compression spring, etc.

[0122] In some embodiments, the fault isolation system 10 further includes an alarm unit 17, which is electrically connected to the control unit 11. The alarm unit 17 outputs isolation information according to the isolation command signal. When the crew sees the isolation information, it indicates that the drive unit 102 is detected to be stuck in the automatic throttle mode.

[0123] For example, as mentioned above, when a microswitch is used to provide feedback on the actual position of the isolation actuation unit 13, the microswitch will send different discrete signals to the control unit 11 when the solenoid valve is not actuated and when it is actuated. Thus, the control unit 11 can obtain the actual position of the isolation actuation unit 13 through the microswitch. Furthermore, the control unit 11 can compare the actual position of the isolation actuation unit 13 with the state of the isolation command signal to determine whether a system fault exists in the fault isolation system 10, i.e., whether the isolation actuation unit 13 correctly responds to the isolation command signal. If the actual position of the isolation actuation unit 13 and the state of the isolation command signal are inconsistent, the control unit 11 sends a system fault indication message to the alarm system 17.

[0124] In summary, after applying this fault isolation system 10, if the drive component 102 becomes stuck, the automatic throttle will automatically disengage in automatic throttle mode. Simultaneously, the fault isolation system 10 will automatically isolate the stuck drive component 102. When the unit switches to manual operation, it will not experience an increase in damping force, and the thrust rod will not become stuck. If, in manual throttle mode, the drive component 102 becomes stuck, causing an abnormal increase in thrust rod damping, the unit can detect this and control the isolation of the faulty drive component 102 through the manual control unit 16, thereby preventing the thrust rod from becoming stuck.

[0125] Reference Figure 8 In some embodiments of this application, a fault isolation method is also provided. The fault isolation method is used for an aircraft throttle platform 100. The fault isolation method includes: in automatic throttle mode, acquiring the operating information of the throttle platform 100; determining, based on the operating information, whether the drive component 102 in the throttle platform 100 is jammed, wherein: when the drive component 102 is jammed, an isolation actuation unit 13 drives the drive component 102 away from the thrust component 101 in the throttle platform 100, thereby achieving fault isolation between the thrust component 101 and the drive component 102. Thus, in automatic throttle mode, the throttle platform can continue to operate by controlling the physical isolation between the drive component 102 and the thrust component 101 through the isolation actuation unit 13, avoiding the risk of jamming or sticking of the thrust rod. When the drive component 102 is not jammed, the isolation actuation unit 13 drives the drive component 102 to approach the thrust component 101 in the throttle panel 100, restoring the normal operation of the drive component 102. That is, after the fault is eliminated, the normal operation of the drive component 102 can be restored.

[0126] The procedure includes, after the step of the isolation actuation unit 13 driving the drive component 102 in the throttle platform 100 to approach the thrust component 101 in the throttle platform 100, the procedure further includes: returning to the step of obtaining the working information of the throttle platform 100 in automatic throttle mode, so as to realize the real-time and uninterrupted detection of the drive component 102.

[0127] To further ensure the safety of this fault isolation method, after the step of determining whether the drive member 102 is stuck based on the working information, and before the step of the isolation actuation unit 13 driving the drive member 102 in the throttle platform 100 away from the thrust member 101 in the throttle platform 100, the method further includes: when the drive member 102 is stuck, controlling the power supply unit 14 to supply power to the isolation actuation unit 13 so that the isolation actuation unit 13 can operate.

[0128] In the description of this specification, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0129] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of protection of the claims. Furthermore, specific examples have been used in the specification to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application, and the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A fault isolation system (10) for a throttle position (100) of an aircraft, the throttle position (100) comprising a thrust element (101) and a drive element (102) for driving the thrust element (101), characterized in that, The fault isolation system (10) includes: Control unit (11); Information acquisition unit (12), coupled to the control unit (11), is used to acquire the working information of the throttle (100); An isolation actuation unit (13) is coupled to the control unit (11); the isolation actuation unit (13) includes an actuator (131) and an elastic component (132), the actuator (131) is connected to the drive member (102) to drive the drive member (102) away from or towards the thrust member (101); the elastic component (132) includes a fixed base (1321), an elastic element (1322) and an abutment (1323), the elastic element (1322)... The extension and retraction direction of the elastic member (1322) is perpendicular to the movement direction of the drive member (102). The two ends of the elastic member (1322) are fixedly connected to the fixed base (1321) and the abutment member (1323) respectively. The abutment member (1323) has an abutment wall (13231) facing away from the elastic member (1322). In the movement direction of the drive member (102), the orthographic projection of the drive member (102) and the orthographic projection of the abutment wall (13231) at least partially coincide. The control unit (11) determines whether the drive member (102) is jammed based on the working information. When the drive member (102) is jammed, the control unit (11) controls the isolation actuation unit (13) to drive the drive member (102) away from the thrust member (101).

2. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The power supply unit (14) is electrically connected between the control unit (11) and the isolation actuation unit (13). When the drive unit (102) is jammed, the control unit (11) sends a first isolation command signal to the power supply unit (14), so that the power supply unit (14) supplies power to the isolation actuation unit (13).

3. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The detection unit (15) is electrically connected to the control unit (11). The detection unit (15) is used to detect the actual position of the isolation actuation unit (13) and feed the actual position back to the control unit (11).

4. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The control unit (16) is electrically connected to the control unit (11) and feeds back a fault disconnect signal to the control unit (11), wherein the control unit (11) sends a second isolation command signal to the isolation actuation unit (13) according to the fault disconnect signal.

5. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit (11) sends a reset and recovery command to the isolation actuation unit (13) according to the reset and recovery signal, so that the isolation actuation unit (13) drives the driving member (102) to move closer to the thrust member (101); The reset recovery signal includes a first reset recovery signal and a second reset recovery signal; In automatic throttle mode, the information acquisition unit (12) feeds back the first reset recovery signal to the control unit (11); The fault isolation system (10) further includes an operating unit (16) which is electrically connected to the control unit (11) and feeds back the second reset recovery signal to the control unit (11).

6. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The information acquisition unit (12) includes: An engine control unit (121) is electrically connected to the control unit (11) and is used to acquire the rate of change of the throttle resolution angle; Automatic flight control unit (122) is electrically connected to the control unit (11) and is used to acquire automatic throttle data signals, the automatic throttle data signals including thrust servo rate, automatic throttle on signal and overdrive signal; The control unit (11) determines that the drive unit (102) is jammed based on the following conditions; (a) The thrust follow-up rate is greater than the preset follow-up rate; (b) The rate of change of the throttle resolution angle is lower than the preset rate of change of the angle; (c) The control unit (11) did not receive the over-control signal; (d) The automatic throttle activation signal is the automatic throttle mode.

7. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the drive member (102) moves to the isolation position or the engagement position, the drive member (102) separates from the abutment wall (13231); During the movement of the driving member (102), the driving member (102) contacts the abutment wall (13231) and, under the pressure of the driving member (102), drives the abutment member (1323) to move toward the elastic member (1322).

8. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The abutting wall (13231) includes a first abutting wall surface S1 and a second abutting wall surface S2; The first abutting wall S1 has a first end close to the second abutting wall S2 and a second end away from the second abutting wall S2; The second abutting wall S2 has a third end close to the first abutting wall S1 and a fourth end away from the first abutting wall S1, wherein: In the telescopic direction, the vertical distance between the first end and the elastic member (1322) is greater than the vertical distance between the second end and the elastic member (1322), and / or, the vertical distance between the third end and the elastic member (1322) is greater than the vertical distance between the fourth end and the elastic member (1322).

9. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that, The elastic component (132) includes two sets. Each set of the elastic component (132) includes the fixed base (1321), the elastic element (1322), and the abutment (1323). The extension and retraction directions of the elastic elements (1322) in both sets of the elastic component (132) are perpendicular to the movement direction of the driving member (102). The abutments (1323) in both sets of the elastic component (132) are spaced apart along the extension and retraction direction. The interval is configured as a channel when the driving member (102) moves. The back-to-back sides of the abutments (1323) in both sets of the elastic component (132) are connected to the elastic elements (1322). One end of the abutment (1323) opposite to the elastic element (1322) is connected to the corresponding fixed base (1321).

10. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The detection unit (15) is a micro switch, a position sensor, or a vision detection device.

11. The fault isolation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: An alarm unit (17) is electrically connected to the control unit (11), and the alarm unit (17) outputs isolation information according to the isolation command signal.

12. A fault isolation method for an aircraft throttle console (100), characterized in that, The fault isolation method is applied to the fault isolation system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, and the fault isolation method includes: In automatic throttle mode, the working information of the throttle panel (100) is obtained; Based on the aforementioned working information, it is determined whether the drive component (102) in the throttle body (100) is jammed, wherein: When the drive member (102) gets stuck, the isolation actuation unit (13) drives the drive member (102) away from the thrust member (101) in the throttle body (100); When the drive member (102) is not jammed, the isolation actuation unit (13) drives the drive member (102) to move closer to the thrust member (101).

13. The fault isolation method according to claim 12, characterized in that, After the step of determining whether the drive member (102) in the throttle body (100) is jammed based on the working information, and before the step of the isolation actuation unit (13) driving the drive member (102) away from the thrust member (101) in the throttle body (100), the method further includes: When the drive unit (102) becomes stuck, the control power supply unit (14) supplies power to the isolation actuation unit (13).

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