Aircraft nacelle cover body opening system and operation method thereof

Abstract

A nacelle cover opening system includes a control module and an actuation module, the control module being capable of communicating with the actuation module to control start and stop of the actuation module. An isolation mechanism is arranged between the aircraft hydraulic system and the actuating module. The control module comprises an engine controller used for controlling the actuation module. The pre-position switch can communicate with the engine controller and is used for sending a signal for opening or closing the isolation mechanism to the engine controller; and the cover body switch can communicate with the engine controller and is used for sending signals for starting and stopping the actuating module to the engine controller. The nacelle cover body opening system is simplified in structure, the weight of an aircraft can be reduced, the failure rate of operation of the nacelle cover body opening system is effectively reduced, and the overall safety of the aircraft is improved. The invention further discloses an operation method of the nacelle cover opening system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of aircraft design, and in particular to the design of an aircraft engine, and specifically to a system for opening a nacelle cover of an engine. Background Art

[0002] The nacelle of the engine is an important part of the aircraft engine. The nacelle covers the engine inside, provides a good aerodynamic shape for the engine, and provides necessary protection for the engine. The nacelle is mainly composed of the air inlet, fan cover, reverse thrust cover and tail nozzle.

[0003] When maintaining the engine, the fan cover and thrust reverse cover of the nacelle need to be opened so that the engine components covered inside the nacelle can be inspected. Generally speaking, for smaller engines, such as narrow-body and regional aircraft engines, the fan cover and thrust reverse cover are lighter and can be opened manually by maintenance personnel. However, for large engines, the fan cover and thrust reverse cover are heavier and difficult to open manually, so a nacelle cover opening system is usually required.

[0004] The existing nacelle cover opening system generally includes control switches, power components, hydraulic actuators, struts and other components, wherein the power components mainly include an independent hydraulic fluid box, several solenoid valves and electric motors. When maintaining the engine, ground maintenance personnel operate the corresponding control switches, power components, etc. to open the fan cover and reverse thrust cover through the hydraulic actuator.

[0005] The above-mentioned existing nacelle cover opening system has the following problems or aspects that need further improvement.

[0006] First, the existing nacelle cover opening system needs to be equipped with a dedicated hydraulic oil tank, electric motor, power assembly, etc., which increases the weight of the aircraft and restricts the design freedom of other aircraft components. Secondly, the nacelle cover opening system includes multiple components and its structure is relatively complex, which increases the risk of system failure to a certain extent.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need in the art for a nacelle cover opening system with an improved structure, the structure of which can be simplified, and the risk of failure can be reduced, thereby improving the safety of the system. Summary of the invention

[0008] The present application is made to solve the technical problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art. The purpose of the present application is to provide a nacelle cover opening system with improved structure, which has a simplified structure and can improve the working safety of the system.

[0009] The nacelle cover opening system of the present application includes a control module and an actuation module, and the control module can communicate with the actuation module to control the start and stop of the actuation module. The actuation module is connected to the aircraft hydraulic system, so that the aircraft hydraulic system can provide high-pressure hydraulic fluid to the actuation module to drive the action of the actuation module, and an isolation mechanism is provided between the aircraft hydraulic system and the actuation module. The control module includes: an engine controller, which is used to control the actuation module; a pre-position switch, which is able to communicate with the engine controller and is used to send a signal to the engine controller to open or close the isolation mechanism; and at least one cover switch, which is able to communicate with the engine controller and is used to send a signal to the engine controller to start and stop the actuation module.

[0010] In the nacelle cover opening system, the aircraft hydraulic system and engine controller used are the existing hydraulic system and engine controller of the aircraft, so the hydraulic oil tank, controller, pump, power assembly and other components dedicated to the nacelle cover opening system are eliminated, simplifying the structure of the nacelle cover opening system. In this way, it helps to reduce the weight of the aircraft. Moreover, due to the simplified structure, the failure rate of the nacelle cover opening system operation can be effectively reduced, and the overall safety of the aircraft can be improved.

[0011] In a specific structure, the isolation mechanism is a cover body opening system isolation valve, and the cover body opening system isolation valve is a solenoid valve. The engine controller is connected to the cover body opening system isolation valve through a first power supply line, and can control the connection and disconnection of the first power supply line to control the power on and off of the cover body opening system isolation valve.

[0012] In another specific structure, the isolation mechanism is a thrust reverser system isolation control valve.

[0013] Furthermore, the thrust reverser system isolation control valve comprises a first control valve and a second control valve, the first control valve is a solenoid valve, the engine controller is connected to the first control valve via a first power supply line, and is capable of controlling the connection and disconnection of the first power supply line to control the power on and off of the first control valve.

[0014] The thrust reverser system isolation control valve is also an original structure of the aircraft. Therefore, by utilizing the thrust reverser system isolation control valve as the isolation mechanism of the nacelle cover opening system, it helps to further reduce the number of components provided for the nacelle cover opening system, thereby simplifying the system structure.

[0015] Preferably, the actuation module includes at least one of the following components:

[0016] at least one fan casing actuator, with a fan casing opening control valve disposed between the fan casing actuator and the isolation mechanism; and

[0017] At least one reverse thrust shield actuator is provided, and a reverse thrust shield opening control valve is arranged between the reverse thrust shield actuator and the isolation mechanism.

[0018] By controlling the opening and closing of the fan cover opening control valve and the reverse thrust cover opening control valve, the fan cover actuator cylinder and the reverse thrust cover actuator cylinder can be started and stopped.

[0019] More specifically, the fan cover opening control valve is a solenoid valve, and the engine controller is connected to the fan cover opening control valve through a second power supply line, and can control the connection and disconnection of the second power supply line to control the power on and off of the fan cover opening control valve.

[0020] Similarly, the reverse thrust cowl opening control valve is a solenoid valve, and the engine controller is connected to the reverse thrust cowl opening control valve via a third power supply line, and can control the connection and disconnection of the third power supply line to control the power on and off of the reverse thrust cowl opening control valve.

[0021] Preferably, at least one of a first throttle valve and a first position sensor is installed on the fan cover actuator. Similarly, at least one of a second throttle valve and a second position sensor is installed on the thrust reverser cover actuator. The first and second throttle valves can control the movement speed of the fan cover actuator and the thrust reverser cover actuator. The first and second position sensors can monitor the movement positions of the fan cover actuator and the thrust reverser cover actuator, so that the engine controller can control the movement and stop of each actuator based on the position.

[0022] Preferably, at least one cover switch includes at least one of the following:

[0023] a fan cover switch, the fan cover switch being able to communicate with the engine controller and being used to send a signal to the engine controller to start or stop the fan cover actuator so that the engine controller connects or disconnects the second power supply line; and

[0024] The thrust reverser cover switch can communicate with the engine controller and is used to send a signal to the engine controller to start or stop the thrust reverser cover actuator, so that the engine controller can connect or disconnect the third power supply line.

[0025] Also disclosed is a method for operating the nacelle cover opening system described above. The method comprises the following steps:

[0026] The pre-position switch is pressed, and the engine controller receives a signal that the pre-position switch is pressed, and opens the isolation mechanism based on the signal that the pre-position switch is pressed, allowing the high-pressure hydraulic fluid in the aircraft hydraulic system to flow through the isolation mechanism. In this step, specifically, the opening and closing of the solenoid valve in the isolation mechanism can be achieved by connecting and disconnecting a first power supply line connected to the solenoid valve in the isolation mechanism, and when the solenoid valve is opened, the high-pressure hydraulic fluid in the aircraft hydraulic system can flow through the isolation mechanism.

[0027] Then, the maintenance personnel can determine whether it is necessary to open the nacelle cover of the engine. If it is determined that the nacelle cover does not need to be opened, the pre-position switch is pressed again. The engine controller receives the signal that the pre-position switch is pressed again, and closes the isolation mechanism based on the signal that the pre-position switch is pressed again.

[0028] On the contrary, if it is determined that the nacelle cover needs to be opened, at least one cover switch is operated to send a signal for opening the nacelle cover to the engine controller, and the engine controller activates the actuation module based on the signal for opening the nacelle cover to open the nacelle cover. In this step, specifically, the engine controller opens the fan cover opening control valve and / or the thrust reverse cover opening control valve by connecting the second power supply line and the third power supply line, so that the high-pressure hydraulic fluid can flow into the corresponding fan cover actuator cylinder and the thrust reverse cover actuator cylinder, and the fan cover and the thrust reverse cover are opened respectively under the action of the high-pressure hydraulic fluid.

[0029] When the actuation module moves to the fully deployed position, the engine controller stops the movement of the actuation module and closes the isolation mechanism. Specifically, the engine controller disconnects the second power supply line and the third power supply line to close the fan cover opening control valve and the reverse thrust cover opening control valve, thereby blocking the high-pressure hydraulic fluid from continuing to flow to the fan cover actuator cylinder and the reverse thrust cover actuator cylinder, thereby stopping their movements. In addition, the engine controller also disconnects the first power supply line to close the isolation mechanism. Here, it is preferred that the open fan cover and reverse thrust cover can also be supported by a support rod to prevent them from being accidentally closed.

[0030] When the engine maintenance is completed and the nacelle cover needs to be closed, operate at least one cover switch to send a signal to the engine controller to close the nacelle cover. The engine controller activates the actuation module based on the signal to close the nacelle cover to close the nacelle cover. In this step, specifically, the engine controller can connect the second power supply line and the third power supply line to open the fan cover opening control valve and the reverse thrust cover opening control valve again. At this time, under the action of the gravity of the fan cover and the reverse thrust cover, the fan cover actuator cylinder and the reverse thrust cover actuator cylinder move toward the retracted position, and the hydraulic fluid therein is pressed toward the return oil line. After the fan cover actuator cylinder and the reverse thrust cover actuator cylinder move to the fully retracted position, the engine controller can disconnect the second power supply line and the third power supply line to close the fan cover opening control valve and the reverse thrust cover opening control valve.

[0031] It can be seen from the above method that in the process of operating the nacelle cover opening system of the present application, when opening nacelle covers such as fan cover and reverse thrust cover, it is necessary to operate the pre-position switch, and then operate the fan cover switch and reverse thrust cover switch, thereby giving maintenance personnel room for reconfirmation, further improving the operational safety of the system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, from which the specific implementation of the present invention can be more clearly understood, wherein:

[0033] Figure 1 An exemplary structural block diagram of a nacelle cover opening system according to a first embodiment of the present application is shown, wherein an initial state of the nacelle cover opening system is shown.

[0034] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 The state of the nacelle cover opening system after the arm switch is pressed.

[0035] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 The status of the nacelle cover opening system during the fan cover opening process.

[0036] Figure 4 Shows Figure 1 The state of the nacelle cover opening system after the fan cover is fully opened.

[0037] Figure 5 Shows Figure 1 The status of the nacelle cover opening system during the fan cover closing process.

[0038] Figure 6 An exemplary structural block diagram of a nacelle cover opening system according to a second embodiment of the present application is shown, wherein an initial state of the nacelle cover opening system is shown.

[0039] Figure 7 Shows Figure 6 The state of the nacelle cover opening system after the arm switch is pressed.

[0040] Figure 8 Shows Figure 6 The status of the nacelle cover opening system during the fan cover opening process.

[0041] Fig. 9 Shows Figure 6 The state of the nacelle cover opening system after the fan cover is fully opened.

[0042] Fig.10 Shows Figure 6The status of the nacelle cover opening system during the fan cover closing process.

[0043] (Explanation of symbols)

[0044] 1Nacelle cover opening system

[0045] 2. Control Module

[0046] 3Actuation Module

[0047] 10 Aircraft hydraulic system

[0048] 11 High-pressure oil supply line

[0049] 12 oil return line

[0050] 20 Engine Controller

[0051] 21 Pre-position switch

[0052] 22 Fan cover switch

[0053] 23 thrust reverse cover switch

[0054] 24 First power supply line

[0055] 25 Second power supply line

[0056] 26Third power supply line

[0057] 31 hood opens the system isolation valve

[0058] 32 Fan cover open control valve

[0059] 33 Thrust cover open control valve

[0060] 34 Reverse thrust device system isolation control valve

[0061] 35First control valve

[0062] 36 Second control valve

[0063] 41 Fan cover actuator

[0064] 42 thrust shield actuator

[0065] 43 First position sensor

[0066] 44 Second position sensor

[0067] 51 First Throttle Valve

[0068] 52 Second throttle valve DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] The specific implementation methods of the present application will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that what is shown in the accompanying drawings is only a preferred embodiment of the present application, which does not constitute a limitation on the scope of the present application. Those skilled in the art can make various obvious modifications, variations, and equivalent substitutions to the present application based on the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, and under the premise of no contradiction, the technical features in the different embodiments described below can be arbitrarily combined with each other, which all fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0070] <First Embodiment>

[0071] Figures 1 to 5 A schematic structural block diagram of a nacelle cover opening system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0072] First, if Figure 1 As shown, the nacelle cover opening system 1 includes a control module 2 and an actuation module 3. The actuation module 3 is connected to the fan cover and the reverse thrust cover (not shown in the figure) of the engine nacelle cover, and is used to drive the fan cover and the reverse thrust cover to open. The control module 2 is in communication connection with the actuation module 3 to control the start and stop of the actuation module 3.

[0073] The nacelle cover opening system 1 further comprises a cover opening system isolation valve 31, which is located upstream of the actuation module 3 and is connected to the existing aircraft hydraulic system 10 of the aircraft through the high-pressure oil supply line 11. Thus, when the cover opening system isolation valve 31 is opened, the high-pressure hydraulic fluid in the aircraft hydraulic system 10 can flow into the actuation module 3 of the nacelle cover opening system 1 through the cover opening system isolation valve 31 to provide power for opening the fan cover and the reverse thrust cover of the nacelle cover, and when the cover opening system isolation valve 31 is closed, the flow of the high-pressure hydraulic fluid to the actuation module 3 is blocked.

[0074] The control module 2 includes an engine controller 20, which may be an engine controller 20 already equipped on an existing aircraft. The control module 2 also includes a pre-position switch 21 and at least one cover switch, which may include, for example, a fan cover switch 22 and a reverse thrust cover switch 23. In the example shown in the figure, the fan cover switch 22 includes an open button and a close button, and the reverse thrust cover switch 23 also includes an open button and a close button. Of course, the fan cover switch 22 and the reverse thrust cover switch 23 may also be a single button, and the switch is determined by the number of presses, for example, pressing once is open, pressing again is closed, and so on.

[0075] The pre-position switch 21, the fan cover switch 22 and the reverse thrust cover switch 23 are connected to the engine controller 20 in communication, for example, connected to the engine controller 20 by wire or wirelessly, and send control signals to the engine controller 20. The specific operations of the pre-position switch 21, the fan cover switch 22 and the reverse thrust cover switch 23 will be described in detail below.

[0076] In addition, the engine controller 20 may also receive signals related to the operating status of the aircraft, such as the aircraft speed a, the wheel load signal b, the engine operation signal c and the wheel speed signal d.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment, the cover opening system isolation valve 31 is a solenoid valve, and a first power supply line 24 is connected between the engine controller 20 and the cover opening system isolation valve 31, so as to control the power supply and power failure to the cover opening system isolation valve 31, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the cover opening system isolation valve 31.

[0078] The actuation module 3 includes at least one fan cover actuator 41. In the exemplary structure shown in the figure, two fan cover actuators 41 are included. Of course, the number of fan cover actuators 41 can be set according to the actual application. For example, the number of fan cover actuators 41 can be determined according to the weight, volume and other parameters of the fan cover of the nacelle cover. In addition to the two fan cover actuators 41 shown in the figure, one, three, four or other number of fan cover actuators 41 can be provided as required, which are all within the scope of the present application. Multiple fan cover actuators 41 are preferably arranged in parallel with each other.

[0079] Preferably, a first throttle valve 51 is provided on the fan cover actuator 41. By providing the first throttle valve 51, the moving speed of the fan cover actuator 41 can be controlled, thereby preventing the fan cover actuator 41 from suddenly applying excessive force on the fan cover.

[0080] A fan cover opening control valve 32 is arranged between the fan cover actuator cylinder 41 and the cover body opening system isolation valve 31. When the fan cover opening control valve 32 is opened, the high-pressure hydraulic fluid from the cover body opening system isolation valve 31 can flow into the fan cover actuator cylinder 41, so that the fan cover actuator cylinder 41 is actuated to open the fan cover; or, when the fan cover is already opened, the hydraulic fluid in the fan cover actuator cylinder 41 flows out through the fan cover opening control valve 32 under the action of the gravity of the fan cover, and flows into the return oil pipeline 12 of the aircraft hydraulic system 10.

[0081] In the schematic structure in the figure, the oil return line 12 is also connected to the cover opening system isolation valve 31. In this case, the cover opening system isolation valve 31 can be a three-way valve, which can be alternately connected to the high-pressure oil supply line 11 and the oil return line 12. Alternatively, the oil return line 12 can also be directly connected to the fan cover opening control valve 32 to receive the return oil from the fan cover actuator 41.

[0082] The fan cover opening control valve 32 is preferably also a solenoid valve. The engine controller 20 is connected to the fan cover opening control valve 32 through the second power supply line 25 to control the power supply and power off of the fan cover opening control valve 32 to open and close the fan cover opening control valve 32.

[0083] Preferably, a first position sensor 43 is also installed on the fan cover actuator 41, and the first position sensor 43 can monitor the displacement of the piston in the fan cover actuator 41 to determine the opening degree of the fan cover. The first position sensor 43 communicates with the engine controller 20, so that a signal about the deployment degree of the fan cover actuator 41 can be sent to the engine controller 20, and the engine controller 20 can control the opening and closing of the cover body opening system isolation valve 31 and the fan cover opening control valve 32 according to the deployment degree signal.

[0084] The actuation module 3 further includes at least one reverse thrust shield actuation cylinder 42. Similar to the fan shield actuation cylinder 41, in the exemplary structure shown in the figure, two fan shield actuation cylinders 41 are included. Of course, according to actual needs, the number of reverse thrust shield actuation cylinders 42 can also be one, three, four or other numbers, which are all within the scope of the present application. The plurality of reverse thrust shield actuation cylinders 42 are preferably arranged in parallel with each other.

[0085] Preferably, a second throttle valve 52 is provided on the reverse thrust cover actuator 42 to control the moving speed of the reverse thrust cover actuator 42 .

[0086] A thrust hood opening control valve 33 is provided at the inlet end of the thrust hood actuator 42. When the thrust hood opening control valve 33 is opened, the high-pressure hydraulic fluid from the hood opening system isolation valve 31 can flow into the thrust hood actuator 42, so that the thrust hood actuator 42 is actuated to open the thrust hood; alternatively, the hydraulic fluid in the thrust hood actuator 42 can flow into the return oil pipeline 12 of the aircraft hydraulic system 10.

[0087] The reverse thrust hood opening control valve 33 is preferably also a solenoid valve. The engine controller 20 is connected to the reverse thrust hood opening control valve 33 through the third power supply line 26 to control the power supply and power off of the reverse thrust hood opening control valve 33, thereby opening and closing the reverse thrust hood opening control valve 33.

[0088] Preferably, a second position sensor 44 is further mounted on the reverse thrust shield actuator 42 to monitor the displacement of the piston in the reverse thrust shield actuator 42, thereby determining the degree of opening of the reverse thrust shield. The second position sensor 44 can communicate with the engine controller 20 to send a signal about the degree of deployment of the reverse thrust shield actuator 42 to the engine controller 20.

[0089] In the structure of the nacelle cover opening system 1 described above, the aircraft hydraulic system 10 and the engine controller 20 can use the existing devices of the aircraft, thereby reducing the number of components specially designed for opening the nacelle cover. In this way, the nacelle cover (such as the fan cover, the reverse thrust cover) can be opened with a simple structure, which helps to reduce the overall weight of the aircraft.

[0090] Furthermore, the nacelle cover opening system 1 is only operated during ground maintenance of the aircraft, so the shared aircraft hydraulic system 10 and the engine controller 20 will not increase the demand for hydraulic system flow and controller workload.

[0091] In addition, the structure of the disclosed nacelle cover opening system 1 reduces the number of pumps and power components, thereby reducing the risk of system failure and improving the overall safety of system operation.

[0092] The exemplary structure of the nacelle cover opening system 1 of the first embodiment is described above. Figures 1 to 5 The working principle of the nacelle cover opening system 1 is described.

[0093] Opening and closing of the fan cover:

[0094] In the initial state, the cover opening system isolation valve 31 is not powered on, so the flow path of the high-pressure hydraulic fluid in the aircraft hydraulic system 10 to the actuation module 3 is cut off, and the high-pressure hydraulic fluid cannot flow into the actuation module 3. At the same time, the fan cover opening control valve 32 is also in a power-off state. Figure 1 This initial state is displayed.

[0095] When the engine is to be maintained, the maintenance personnel presses the pre-position switch 21, and the engine controller 20 receives the signal of the pre-position switch 21. At the same time, the engine controller 20 determines the aircraft speed a, the wheel load signal b, the engine operation signal c and the wheel speed signal d. When it is determined that the aircraft state satisfies the aircraft speed of 0, the aircraft wheel load is on the ground, the engine is not running and the wheel speed is 0, the engine controller 20 controls the first power supply line 24 to be connected, and supplies power to the cover body to open the system isolation valve 31, such as Figure 2 At this time, the high-pressure hydraulic fluid in the aircraft hydraulic system 10 flows through the cover via the high-pressure oil supply line 11 to open the system isolation valve 31.

[0096] At this time, the maintenance personnel can determine whether it is necessary to open the fan cover or the reverse thrust cover. If it is determined that the fan cover or the reverse thrust cover does not need to be opened, the maintenance personnel can press the pre-position switch 21 again. The engine controller 20 cuts off the power supply to the cover body opening system isolation valve 31 based on the signal of the pre-position switch 21 being pressed again.

[0097] On the contrary, if the maintenance personnel determines that the fan cover needs to be opened, the maintenance personnel press the opening button of the fan cover switch 22 to send a fan cover opening signal to the engine controller 20. After receiving the fan cover opening signal, the engine controller 20 controls the second power supply line 25 to be connected, and energizes the fan cover opening control valve 32, so that the fan cover opening control valve 32 is opened. At this time, the high-pressure hydraulic fluid can flow into the fan cover actuator 41 through the fan cover opening control valve 32, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown in . Under the pressure of the high-pressure hydraulic fluid, the fan cover actuator 41 moves, driving the fan cover to open.

[0098] During the operation of the fan cover actuator 41, the first position sensor 43 monitors the position of the fan cover actuator 41. When the first position sensor 43 detects that the fan cover actuator 41 moves to the fully extended position, the position signal is transmitted to the engine controller 20. Based on the received signal that the fan cover actuator 41 is fully extended, the engine controller 20 disconnects the second power supply line 25 and cuts off the power supply to the fan cover opening control valve 32, thereby closing the fan cover opening control valve 32. In this way, the high-pressure hydraulic fluid is no longer supplied to the fan cover actuator 41, so that the fan cover actuator 41 stops operating. Preferably, after a predetermined time interval, the first power supply line 24 is also disconnected, so that the cover opening system isolation valve 31 is also closed. This state is in Figure 4 Here, the predetermined time is, for example, 1 to 2 minutes, preferably 1 minute.

[0099] After the fan cover actuator 41 is fully deployed and stops continuing to open the fan cover, the maintenance personnel can support the opened fan cover with a brace. Like this, the fan cover can be prevented from closing unexpectedly, improving operational safety.

[0100] After performing maintenance on the engine, the maintenance personnel need to close the fan cover. At this time, the maintenance personnel presses the closing button of the fan cover switch 22 to send a signal to close the fan cover to the engine controller 20. After receiving the signal to close the fan cover, the engine controller 20 connects the second power supply line 25, and the fan cover opening control valve 32 is energized and opened. Under the action of the fan cover, the fan cover actuator 41 is retracted, and the hydraulic fluid in the fan cover actuator 41 flows through the fan cover opening control valve 32 and flows into the return oil pipeline 12, such as Figure 5 As shown in .

[0101] At this time, the cover body opening system isolation valve 31 remains closed or is switched to a position connected to the return oil line 12, thereby preventing the high-pressure hydraulic fluid in the high-pressure oil supply line 11 from flowing to the fan cover actuator 41, while allowing the hydraulic fluid in the fan cover actuator 41 to flow into the return oil line 12.

[0102] When the first position sensor 43 detects that the fan cover actuator 41 moves to the fully retracted position, the position signal is transmitted to the engine controller 20. The engine controller 20 disconnects the second power supply line 25 and cuts off the power supply to the fan cover opening control valve 32 according to the signal that the fan cover actuator 41 is fully retracted, so that the fan cover opening control valve 32 is closed. In this way, the nacelle cover opening system 1 returns to the normal state. Figure 1 Status shown.

[0103] Opening and closing of the thrust reverser cowl:

[0104] The opening and closing process of the thrust reverser cowl is similar to that of the fan cowl.

[0105] In short, after pressing the pre-position switch 21, if the maintenance personnel determines that the reverse thrust cowl needs to be opened, they press the opening button of the reverse thrust cowl switch 23 to send a reverse thrust cowl opening signal to the engine controller 20. The engine controller 20 connects the third power supply line 26 according to the reverse thrust cowl opening signal, and energizes the reverse thrust cowl opening control valve 33, so that the high-pressure hydraulic fluid from the aircraft hydraulic system 10 can flow into the reverse thrust cowl actuator 42.

[0106] As the thrust reverser hood actuator 42 moves to its fully deployed position, the engine controller 20 successively cuts off the power supply to the thrust reverser hood opening control valve 33 and the hood opening system isolation valve 31, and closes the thrust reverser hood opening control valve 33 and the hood opening system isolation valve 31. Then, the maintenance personnel can support the opened thrust reverser hood with a support rod.

[0107] After the maintenance is completed, the maintenance personnel presses the closing button of the reverse thrust cover switch 23, connects the third power supply line 26, energizes and opens the reverse thrust cover opening control valve 33, so that the reverse thrust cover actuator 42 is retracted under the gravity of the reverse thrust cover, and the hydraulic fluid in the reverse thrust cover actuator 42 flows into the return oil pipeline 12. When the reverse thrust cover actuator 42 moves to the fully retracted position, the engine controller 20 controls the third power supply line 26 to be disconnected, and the reverse thrust cover opening control valve 33 is closed, so that the nacelle cover opening system 1 returns to the initial state.

[0108] The opening and closing process of the fan cover and the reverse thrust cover described above can be carried out in a sequential order. Alternatively, when the flow rate and pressure of the hydraulic fluid are sufficient, the fan cover and the reverse thrust cover can also be opened simultaneously.

[0109] From the operation process of the nacelle cover opening system 1 described above, it can be understood that the engine controller 20 performs the opening of the nacelle cover only after determining that the aircraft is on the ground, the aircraft speed is zero, the wheel speed is zero, the engine is not running, etc., thereby improving the safety of operation. In addition, after operating the pre-position switch 21, the maintenance personnel also need to operate the fan cover switch 22 and the reverse thrust cover switch 23 to open the fan cover and the reverse thrust cover, which leaves room for inspection and confirmation for the maintenance personnel, thereby further improving the safety of system operation.

[0110] <Second Embodiment>

[0111] Figures 6 to 10 An exemplary structural block diagram of the second embodiment of the present application is shown. The same components as those of the first embodiment are represented by the same reference numerals. In addition, unless otherwise described or obviously contradictory, the contents disclosed above about the first embodiment are also applicable to the second embodiment. The following will mainly describe the features that are different between the first embodiment and the second embodiment.

[0112] like Figure 6 As shown, the nacelle cover opening system 1 of the second embodiment also includes a control module 2 and an actuation module 3. The control module 2 includes an engine controller 20, a pre-position switch 21, a fan cover switch 22 and a reverse thrust cover switch 23.

[0113] The actuation module 3 includes a fan cover actuator cylinder 41 and a fan cover opening control valve 32 connected to the fan cover actuator cylinder 41 to control the flow of hydraulic fluid into and out of the fan cover actuator cylinder 41. The actuation module 3 also includes a thrust reverser actuator cylinder 42 and a thrust reverser opening control valve 33 connected to the thrust reverser actuator cylinder 42 to control the flow of hydraulic fluid into and out of the thrust reverser actuator cylinder 42. The fan cover actuator cylinder 41 is preferably provided with a first throttle valve 51, and the thrust reverser actuator cylinder 42 is preferably provided with a second throttle valve 52.

[0114] Moreover, similar to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the original engine controller 20 of the aircraft supplies high-pressure hydraulic fluid to the actuation module 3 .

[0115] Different from the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the existing thrust reverser system isolation control valve 34 of the aircraft is used to replace the cover opening system isolation valve 31 in the first embodiment.

[0116] As shown in the figure, a specific structure of the thrust reverser system isolation control valve 34 may include a first control valve 35 and a second control valve 36. The thrust reverser first control valve 35 is preferably a solenoid valve, and the engine controller 20 is connected to the thrust reverser first control valve 35 through the first power supply line 24 to control the power supply and de-powering of the thrust reverser first control valve 35. The second control valve 36 is preferably in the form of a release valve, which can be opened when the pressure of the hydraulic fluid entering the second control valve 36 reaches a predetermined threshold.

[0117] For the second embodiment, since the nacelle cover opening system 1 is operated during the ground maintenance of the aircraft, it does not conflict with the working time of the reverse thrust system of the aircraft. Therefore, the nacelle cover opening system 1 and the reverse thrust system share the isolation control valve and will not affect the normal operation of each other.

[0118] The following will be combined Figures 6 to 10 The working principle of the nacelle cover opening system 1 of the second embodiment will be described in detail.

[0119] Opening and closing of the fan cover:

[0120] In the initial state, Figure 6 As shown, the fan cover opening control valve 32, the thrust reverse cover opening control valve 33 and the thrust reverse device system isolation control valve 34 are all in an unpowered state, and the high-pressure hydraulic fluid in the engine controller 20 cannot flow into the fan cover actuator cylinder 41 and the thrust reverse cover actuator cylinder 42 of the actuator module 3.

[0121] When performing maintenance, the maintenance personnel presses the pre-position switch 21, and the engine controller 20 connects the first power supply line 24 according to the pressing signal of the pre-position switch 21, and energizes the first control valve 35 of the thrust reverser system isolation control valve 34, thereby opening the thrust reverser system isolation control valve 34, and the high-pressure hydraulic fluid in the engine controller 20 can flow through the thrust reverser system isolation control valve 34 via the high-pressure oil supply pipeline 11, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 shown.

[0122] Similar to the first embodiment, the maintenance personnel can confirm again whether it is necessary to open the fan cover and the thrust reverse cover.

[0123] If it is determined that the fan cover needs to be opened, the maintenance personnel presses the opening button of the fan cover switch 22 to send a signal to open the fan cover to the engine controller 20. Based on the signal to open the fan cover, the engine controller 20 connects the second power supply line 25, energizes the fan cover opening control valve 32, and opens the fan cover opening control valve 32. In this way, the high-pressure hydraulic fluid can flow into the fan cover actuator 41 through the fan cover opening control valve 32, so that the fan cover actuator 41 is actuated to open the fan cover. Figure 8 shown.

[0124] When the fan cover actuator 41 moves to its fully extended position, the engine controller 20 controls the fan cover opening control valve 32 and the reverse thrust device system isolation control valve 34 to be closed in sequence. Fig. 9 At this point, maintenance personnel can use a support rod to support the fan cover.

[0125] After the maintenance is completed, the maintenance personnel can press the off button of the fan cover switch 22 to notify the engine controller 20 to connect the second power supply line 25, open the fan cover to open the control valve 32, and the hydraulic fluid in the fan cover actuator 41 can flow into the return oil pipeline 12. Fig.10 shown.

[0126] When the fan cover actuator 41 moves to its fully retracted position, the engine controller 20 controls the reverse thrust device system isolation control valve 34 to close, thereby returning to the original position. Figure 6 The initial state is shown.

[0127] Opening and closing of the thrust reverser cowl:

[0128] Likewise, the opening and closing process of the thrust reverser cover in the second embodiment is similar to the opening and closing process of the fan cover.

[0129] The exemplary embodiments of the present application are described in detail above. It should be understood that the above embodiments are only preferred embodiments of the present application and do not limit the scope of the present application. Those skilled in the art can make various obvious modifications and variations based on the disclosed embodiments, which are also within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A nacelle cover opening system for an aircraft, the nacelle cover opening system comprising a control module and an actuation module, the control module being able to communicate with the actuation module to control the start and stop of the actuation module, characterized in that: The actuation module is in communication with an aircraft hydraulic system, so that the aircraft hydraulic system can provide high-pressure hydraulic fluid to the actuation module to drive the actuation of the actuation module, wherein an isolation mechanism is provided between the aircraft hydraulic system and the actuation module; and The control module comprises: An engine controller, the engine controller is used to control the actuation module; an arming switch capable of communicating with the engine controller and configured to send a signal to the engine controller to open or close the isolation mechanism; and At least one cover switch is capable of communicating with the engine controller and is used to send a signal to the engine controller to start and stop the actuation module.

2. The nacelle cover opening system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The isolation mechanism is a cover opening system isolation valve, and the cover opening system isolation valve is a solenoid valve. The engine controller is connected to the cover opening system isolation valve through a first power supply line, and can control the connection and disconnection of the first power supply line to control the power on and off of the cover opening system isolation valve.

3. The nacelle cover opening system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The isolation mechanism is a thrust reverser system isolation control valve.

4. The nacelle cover opening system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The thrust reverser system isolation control valve comprises a first control valve and a second control valve, wherein the first control valve is a solenoid valve, and the engine controller is connected to the first control valve via a first power supply line, and is capable of controlling the connection and disconnection of the first power supply line to control the power on and off of the first control valve.

5. The nacelle cover opening system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The actuation module includes at least one of the following components: at least one fan casing actuator, with a fan casing opening control valve disposed between the fan casing actuator and the isolation mechanism; and At least one reverse thrust shield actuator is provided, and a reverse thrust shield opening control valve is arranged between the reverse thrust shield actuator and the isolation mechanism.

6. The nacelle cover opening system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The fan cover opening control valve is a solenoid valve, and the engine controller is connected to the fan cover opening control valve through a second power supply line, and can control the connection and disconnection of the second power supply line to control the power on and off of the fan cover opening control valve; and The reverse thrust cover opening control valve is a solenoid valve. The engine controller is connected to the reverse thrust cover opening control valve via a third power supply line and can control the connection and disconnection of the third power supply line to control the power on and off of the reverse thrust cover opening control valve.

7. The nacelle cover opening system according to claim 5, characterized in that: At least one of a first throttle valve and a first position sensor is installed on the fan cover actuator; and At least one of a second throttle valve and a second position sensor is installed on the reverse thrust cover actuator.

8. The nacelle cover opening system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The at least one cover switch comprises at least one of the following: a fan cover switch, the fan cover switch being able to communicate with the engine controller and being used for sending a signal to the engine controller to start or stop the fan cover actuator so that the engine controller can connect or disconnect the second power supply line; as well as A thrust reverser hood switch, which can communicate with the engine controller and is used to send a signal to the engine controller to start or stop the thrust reverser hood actuator, so that the engine controller connects or disconnects the third power supply line.

9. An operating method of the nacelle cover opening system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: The pre-position switch is pressed, the engine controller receives a signal that the pre-position switch is pressed, and opens the isolation mechanism based on the signal that the pre-position switch is pressed, allowing the high-pressure hydraulic fluid in the aircraft hydraulic system to flow through the isolation mechanism; determining whether it is necessary to open the nacelle cover of the engine, and if it is determined that it is not necessary to open the nacelle cover, pressing the pre-position switch again, the engine controller receiving a signal that the pre-position switch is pressed again, and closing the isolation mechanism based on the signal that the pre-position switch is pressed again; If it is determined that the nacelle cover needs to be opened, the at least one cover switch is operated to send a signal for opening the nacelle cover to the engine controller, and the engine controller activates the actuation module based on the signal for opening the nacelle cover to open the nacelle cover; When the actuation module moves to the fully deployed position, the engine controller stops the movement of the actuation module and closes the isolation mechanism; When the engine maintenance is completed and the nacelle cover needs to be closed, the at least one cover switch is operated to send a signal to close the nacelle cover to the engine controller, and the engine controller activates the actuation module based on the signal to close the nacelle cover to close the nacelle cover.

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