Emergency floating system power-on inspection device and method

Abstract

The invention provides an emergency floating system power-on inspection device and method. Comprising a simulator, the simulator is internally provided with a plurality of power-on inspection circuits corresponding to explosion caps of the emergency floating system to be inspected in a one-to-one mode, and each power-on inspection circuit comprises a self-holding relay, a current-limiting resistor and an excitation circuit; the indicating unit comprises a plurality of indicating lamps which are in one-to-one correspondence with the power-on checking circuits; the reset switch is used for controlling on-off of a power supply of the device and state reset of the self-holding relay; the direct-current stabilized power supply is used for supplying power to the device; the acquisition and calculation board card is used for acquiring voltage signals in each power-on check circuit and calculating time difference of activation of the plurality of energy storage capacitors; the display screen is connected with the acquisition and calculation board card and is used for displaying a detection result; wherein the device is connected with a gas cylinder interface of the emergency floating system through an interconnection cable assembly, so that the simulator is connected into a system loop; the excitation circuit is used for enabling the corresponding self-holding relay to act when an inflation instruction is simulated and received; and after the self-holding relay acts, the corresponding indicating lamp is switched on to form an indicating loop.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aircraft safety equipment testing technology, specifically relating to an emergency flotation system power-on inspection device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Emergency flotation systems are used after a helicopter makes an emergency landing on water to provide sufficient buoyancy for the helicopter to float on the water for a certain period of time without capsizing, giving the people on board enough time to evacuate to the life raft for escape.

[0003] The emergency flotation system for a certain type of helicopter mainly consists of three parts: floats, gas cylinders, and electronic control components. Its working principle is as follows: after receiving an inflation command, the energy storage capacitor in the electronic control components supplies power to the explosive cap inside the gas cylinder stopper. The explosive cap is triggered, and high-pressure gas in the gas cylinder inflates the floats. Each energy storage capacitor corresponds to one explosive cap.

[0004] For conventional power-on inspection devices, the corresponding indicator light illuminates after the circuit is connected, indicating normal operation. However, the energy storage capacitor discharges instantaneously, and the detonation process of the explosive cap is completed in an instant. If a conventional power-on inspection device is used, the corresponding indicator light will flash briefly at the moment the capacitor discharges, presenting the following two challenges: 1. It requires a high level of attention from both the operator and the lighting conditions, necessitating numerous subjective factors to determine the light's status; 2. Emergency flotation systems typically have multiple detonators, and when multiple detonation circuits operate simultaneously, the status of the corresponding multiple indicator lights becomes even more difficult to distinguish.

[0005] In addition, emergency flotation systems are complex, including start-up signal circuits, control circuits, and detonation circuits, making fault location difficult and troubleshooting challenging.

[0006] The release time difference of the energy storage capacitor directly affects the time difference of the gas cylinders at different locations filling the float, thus affecting the helicopter's landing attitude. Detecting the release time difference of the energy storage capacitor is therefore very important. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide an emergency flotation system power-on inspection device. By converting the instantaneous discharge process of the energy storage capacitor into a normal state through circuit switching, it fundamentally solves the problem of difficulty in capturing the instantaneous discharge signal of the energy storage capacitor, thus leading to difficulties in circuit detection. This device can also detect the voltage of the energy storage capacitor and the release time difference between different energy storage capacitors, ensuring the normal operation of the core functions of the emergency flotation system.

[0008] This invention also provides a method for checking the power supply of a helicopter emergency flotation system. This method, combined with an emergency flotation system power supply check device, can accurately and quickly complete the power supply check of the emergency flotation system. Simultaneously, it can accurately locate the fault point, improving troubleshooting efficiency.

[0009] The technical solution of this invention: In a first aspect, the present invention provides an emergency floating system power-on inspection device, comprising a simulator, an indicator unit, a reset switch, a DC regulated power supply, a data acquisition and computing board, and a display screen.

[0010] The simulator has multiple power-on check circuits that correspond one-to-one with the explosion caps of the gas cylinders in the emergency flotation system under test. Each power-on check circuit includes a self-holding relay, a current-limiting resistor, and an excitation circuit. The excitation circuit is used to simulate the operation of the corresponding explosion cap circuit when the simulator receives an onboard inflation command.

[0011] The indicator unit includes multiple indicator lights that correspond one-to-one with each power-on check circuit, and each indicator light is connected to the lighting circuit through the contact of the corresponding self-holding relay.

[0012] The reset switch is used to control the power supply of the control device and to reset the self-holding relay.

[0013] The DC regulated power supply powers the entire device.

[0014] The acquisition and calculation board is connected to both ends of the current-limiting resistor in each power-on check circuit and the DC regulated power supply, respectively, and is used to acquire the voltage of the energy storage capacitor and calculate the time difference of activation of multiple energy storage capacitors.

[0015] The display screen is connected to the acquisition and calculation board and is used to display the voltage detection results and time difference detection results.

[0016] The device is connected to the gas cylinder interface of the emergency flotation system via an interconnected cable assembly, enabling the simulator to replace the real gas cylinder in the system circuit.

[0017] Preferably, the working path of the excitation circuit is: ground terminal → simulator socket → interconnect cable plug → interconnect cable socket → on-board gas cylinder plug → energy storage capacitor → current limiting resistor → self-holding relay coil → ground terminal, forming a loop to drive the coil to engage.

[0018] Preferably, the working path of the lighting circuit is: positive terminal of DC regulated power supply → current limiting resistor → normally open contact of self-holding relay (after being energized) → indicator light → grounding terminal.

[0019] Preferably, the reset switch has an "ON" position and a "Reset" position. In the "ON" position, the main power supply of the device is turned on; in the "Reset" position, the DC regulated power supply supplies power to the reset coils of each of the self-holding relays, causing their contacts to reset and open, and the indicator lights to turn off.

[0020] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for checking the power supply of an emergency floating system based on the above-mentioned device, comprising the following steps: S1: Preparation before power-on inspection: Disconnect the plugs of each gas cylinder of the emergency flotation system and connect them to the simulator through the interconnection cable assembly; turn the reset switch to the "ON" position to power on the device; S2: Energy storage capacitor status detection: The acquisition and calculation board acquires the voltage of the energy storage capacitor in each channel. If the voltage value is within the preset normal range, the capacitor is determined to be normal and the display screen displays it in the first display mode; if it exceeds the range, a fault is determined and the display screen displays it in the second display mode. S3: Trigger power-on check: Simulates the emergency flotation system receiving an onboard inflation command, causing the energy storage capacitors of each gas cylinder to discharge simultaneously; S4: Synchronization detection: The acquisition and calculation board collects the voltage changes across the current-limiting resistors of each channel and calculates the maximum difference δt between the activation times of multiple energy storage capacitors. If δt is less than a preset threshold, the synchronization is determined to be normal and the display screen shows the first display mode; otherwise, a fault is determined and the display screen shows the second display mode. S5: Circuit Path Indication: In step S3, the coil of the self-holding relay of each power-on check circuit is energized and held, connecting the corresponding indicator light circuit to make the indicator light light up, indicating that the corresponding explosion cap circuit is working normally. S6: Reset: Set the reset switch to the "Reset" position to reset the respective retaining relays, turn off the indicator lights, and restore the device to its initial state.

[0021] Preferably, the preset normal voltage range is 58V to 62V, and the preset time difference threshold is 80ms.

[0022] Preferably, the first display mode is white background with black text, and the second display mode is white background with red text.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. High safety: Using a simulator instead of real gas cylinders and explosion caps, the actual explosive device will not be triggered during the inspection process, completely avoiding safety risks and equipment damage.

[0024] 2. Comprehensive detection: It can not only detect the voltage status of a single energy storage capacitor, but also simulate real working conditions to accurately detect the synchronicity of the discharge of multiple energy storage capacitors, which is the key to ensuring that the entire floating system is inflated simultaneously at the same time.

[0025] 3. Precise Fault Location: Each explosion cap circuit corresponds to an independent indicator light. By observing which indicator lights are lit and which are not, the specific faulty explosion cap circuit can be quickly and intuitively located, greatly improving troubleshooting efficiency.

[0026] 4. Simple and efficient operation: Through interconnection cables, multiple (such as four or seven) gas cylinders can be inspected simultaneously using a single simulator. The operation process is standardized, which significantly improves inspection efficiency.

[0027] 5. Automation and Visualization: The system integrates a data acquisition and computing board and a display screen to automatically complete data acquisition, calculation, and judgment, and displays the results in a prominent manner, reducing human interpretation errors. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. The drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is the circuit diagram of the present invention.

[0030] The reference numerals are as follows: 1-Simulator, 2-Indicator light, 3-Reset switch, 4-Self-holding relay, 5-Current limiting resistor, 6-Current limiting resistor, 7-Ground, 8-Simulator socket, 9-Interconnect cable, 10-Interconnect cable plug, 11-Interconnect cable socket, 12-DC regulated power supply, 13-Data acquisition and calculation board, 14-Display screen.

[0031] Note: Emergency flotation systems typically consist of several gas cylinders, each equipped with 1-2 explosion caps. The power-on check device contains a power-on check circuit corresponding to each explosion cap; only one circuit is shown in the diagram.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a panel diagram of the power-on inspection device of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a flowchart for checking the power-on status of the driver's control system.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a flowchart for checking the power-on status of the co-pilot control.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the power-on check process for water sensor control. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] The features and illustrative embodiments of various aspects of the present invention will now be described in detail. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without requiring some of these specific details. The following description of embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of the invention by illustrating examples of the invention. The invention is by no means limited to any specific setups and methods set forth below, but covers any improvements, substitutions, and modifications to structures, methods, and devices without departing from the spirit of the invention. Well-known structures and techniques are not shown in the drawings and the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention.

[0038] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing and simplifying the invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention. Furthermore, the use of ordinal numbers (e.g., "first and second," etc.) is for distinguishing objects and is not limited to this order, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0039] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly, encompassing both direct connection and indirect connection via an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0040] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other, and the various embodiments can be referenced and cited in each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0041] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0042] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the emergency floating system power-on inspection device of the present invention mainly includes a simulator 1, multiple indicator lights 2, a reset switch 3, a DC regulated power supply 12, a data acquisition and calculation board 13, and a display screen 14.

[0043] Simulator 1 has multiple independent power-on check circuits, the number of which matches the total number of explosion caps on the emergency flotation system to be tested. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the core of each power-on check circuit is a self-holding relay 4 (containing a working coil a and a reset coil b) and a current-limiting resistor 5 for simulating the excitation current of the explosion cap. Indicator light 2 is connected in series with the normally open contacts (3, 5) of the self-holding relay 4 to form an indicator circuit. The common terminal of all circuits is led out through simulator socket 8.

[0044] The device connects to the aircraft system via interconnect cable 9. One end of interconnect cable 9 has an interconnect cable plug 10 for connecting to simulator socket 8; the other end has multiple interconnect cable sockets 11 for connecting the original plug detached from the emergency flotation system cylinder. DC regulated power supply 12 provides a stable 28V check voltage.

[0045] The data acquisition and calculation board 13 has a multi-channel acquisition function. One end is connected to the DC regulated power supply 12, and the other end is connected to the two ends of the current-limiting resistor 5 in each power-on check circuit (labeled 5+ and 5-) for accurate measurement of voltage difference. The display screen 14 is used to visualize all detection results.

[0046] The inspection process is as follows: 1. Connection and Power On: Press Figure 1 Complete all cable connections. Turn the reset switch 3 to the "ON" position, connecting contacts 1A and 2A, and powering the 28V power supply to the data acquisition and computing board 13 and the display screen 14.

[0047] 2. Capacitor Voltage Check: After the device is powered on, the data acquisition and calculation board 13 immediately acquires the voltage to ground (i.e., the energy storage capacitor voltage) at the 5+ terminal of the current-limiting resistor for each channel. The calculation board 13 compares the voltage value with a preset standard range (e.g., 60±2V) and sends the result to the display screen 14. A normal display is "PASS" in black text on a white background, and an abnormal display is "FAIL" in red text on a white background, along with the channel number. The voltage detection accuracy can reach 0.1V.

[0048] 3. Synchronization Check: When the simulated "on-board inflation command" is issued, the energy storage capacitors of each gas cylinder discharge simultaneously. The discharge current flows through the following path: ground terminal 7 → pin B of socket 8 → pin B of plug 10 → pin G of socket 11 → on-board circuit → energy storage capacitor → pin L of socket 11 → pin A of plug 10 → pin A of socket 8 → current limiting resistor 5 → contact 2 of self-holding relay 4 → coil a → contact 1 → ground terminal 7. This current causes coil a to momentarily engage. The data acquisition and calculation board 13 rapidly acquires the voltage change moments across the current limiting resistor 5 of each path and calculates the maximum difference δt between the activation times of all paths. If δt < 80ms, the display shows "SYNC PASS" (white background with black text); otherwise, it displays "SYNC FAIL" (white background with red text).

[0049] 4. Circuit Indication: After coil a is energized, its contacts 3 and 5 close and remain closed. At this time, the lighting circuit is complete: DC regulated power supply 12+ → indicator light current-limiting resistor 6 → contact 3 of self-holding relay 4 → contact 5 → indicator light 2 → ground terminal 7. The corresponding indicator light 2 remains lit, indicating that the entire circuit of the explosion cap circuit from command to execution is intact. If all the indicator lights that should be lit are lit, the system circuit is normal; if any are not lit, there is a fault such as an open circuit in the corresponding circuit.

[0050] 5. Reset: After inspection, switch reset switch 3 to the "Reset" position, connecting contacts 1B and 3B. Current flows from power supply 12+ → contact 7 of self-holding relay 4 → coil b → contact 6 → ground terminal 7, energizing the reset coil b and causing contacts 3 and 5 to disconnect. After releasing, reset switch 3 automatically returns to the "On" position. All indicator lights 2 turn off, all self-holding relays 4 reset, and the device is ready for the next inspection.

[0051] In summary, this invention, through ingenious circuit design, safely and efficiently achieves comprehensive detection and fault location of the core electrical components of an emergency floating system, and has high practical value and promotional significance.

[0052] Power-on test method: 1. Preparation Disconnect the four gas cylinder plugs from the emergency flotation system and connect them to interconnect cable socket 11 (only one is shown in the figure). Connect interconnect cable plug 10 to simulator socket 8.

[0053] The emergency flotation system is powered on normally.

[0054] Connect the DC regulated power supply 12+ to pin T of the interconnect cable connector 10.

[0055] 2. Energy storage capacitor voltage detection Reset switch 3 is switched from the "Off" position to the "On" position, and simulator 1 is powered on. At this time, the energy storage capacitor voltage is displayed on display screen 14. If the energy storage capacitor voltage is within the range of 60±2V, it is normal; if it exceeds this range, the energy storage capacitor is considered faulty.

[0056] After troubleshooting, retest.

[0057] 3. Master stick control Check the indicator lights on simulator 1. If any indicator light is on, reset simulator 1 by switching reset switch 3 from "ON" to "Reset" and then releasing it. The switch will automatically return to the "ON" position. At this time, all indicator lights 2 will turn off.

[0058] a. Press the "Float Inflate" button on the main control stick; b. Observe the maximum difference Δt in the activation time of the energy storage capacitor on display screen 14. If it exceeds 80ms, the system is faulty. c. After troubleshooting, reset the device; d. Press the "Float Inflate" button on the main control stick to re-check the power supply; e. All indicator lights 2 on simulator 1 should be lit; If all indicator lights 2 are not lit, the main control stick control circuit, emergency float control circuit, or simulator 1 is faulty; a. If any single indicator light 2 is not lit, it corresponds to a fault in the detonator circuit or simulator 1; b. After troubleshooting, reset the device; c. Press the "Float Inflate" button on the main control stick to re-check the power supply; d. Release the "Float Inflate" button on the control stick; e. Indicator light 2 should remain illuminated; f. If indicator light 2 is off, simulator 1 is faulty. This off indicator light 2 corresponds to a fault in self-holding relay 4 or a circuit fault; g. After troubleshooting, reset simulator 1; h. Press the "Float Inflate" button on the main control stick to re-check the power supply.

[0059] i. Simulator 1 resets, all indicator lights 2 turn off; j. If indicator light 2 remains lit, simulator 1 is faulty. This indicator light 2 corresponds to a fault in self-holding relay 4; k. After troubleshooting is complete, simulator 1 is reset; 1. Press the "Float Inflate" button on the main control stick to re-check the power supply.

[0060] 4. Co-pilot stick control m. After pressing the "Float Inflate" button on the co-pilot's lever, all indicator lights 2 should illuminate; n. If indicator light 2 does not illuminate, the passenger-side control lever circuit is faulty; o. After troubleshooting is complete, simulator 1 is reset; p. Press the "Float Inflate" button on the co-pilot lever to re-check the power supply; q. Release the "Float Inflate" button on the co-pilot's stick; r. All indicator lights 2 should remain lit; s. Simulator 1 is reset, and all indicator lights 2 turn off.

[0061] 5. The front left and front right water sensors are submerged in water. t. Immerse the left and right front water sensors in water; u. All indicator lights 2 on the device should be lit; v. If indicator light 2 is not lit, the water sensor or wiring is faulty; w. After troubleshooting is complete, simulator 1 is reset; x. Repeat the power-on check in this step; y. Remove the water container; z. Indicator light 2 should remain lit; aa. Simulator 1 is reset, and all indicator lights 2 are turned off.

[0062] 6. The left and right rear water sensors are submerged in water. bb. Immerse the left and right rear water sensors in water; cc. All indicator lights 2 on the device should be lit; dd. If indicator light 2 is not lit, it indicates a problem with the water sensor or wiring. ee. After troubleshooting, reset the device; ff. Repeat the power-on check in this step; gg. Remove the water container; hh. All indicator lights 2 should remain lit; ii. Simulator 1 is reset, and all indicator lights 2 turn off.

[0063] For details of the power-on testing method of the present invention, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 , 4 As shown in Figure 5.

[0064] The above detailed embodiments are a description of the present invention. It should not be considered that the specific embodiments of the present invention are limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art, several simple deductions and substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all of these should be considered to fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An emergency flotation system power-on inspection device, characterized in that, include: The simulator has multiple power-on inspection circuits that correspond one-to-one with each explosion cap of the emergency flotation system to be inspected. Each power-on inspection circuit includes a self-holding relay, a current-limiting resistor, and an excitation circuit. The indicator unit includes multiple indicator lights that correspond one-to-one with each of the power-on check circuits; A reset switch is used to control the power supply of the device and to reset the state of the self-holding relay. A DC regulated power supply is used to power the device; The data acquisition and calculation board is used to acquire voltage signals in each power-on check circuit and calculate the time difference of activation of multiple energy storage capacitors. A display screen, connected to the acquisition and computing board, is used to display the detection results; The device is connected to the gas cylinder interface of the emergency flotation system via an interconnecting cable assembly, enabling the simulator to be connected to the system circuit; the excitation circuit is used to activate the corresponding self-holding relay when the simulator receives an inflation command; after the self-holding relay is activated, the corresponding indicator light is turned on to form an indicator circuit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The operating path of the excitation circuit passes through the following points in sequence: ground terminal, simulator socket, interconnect cable plug, interconnect cable socket, on-board gas cylinder interface, energy storage capacitor, current limiting resistor, working coil of self-holding relay, and returns to ground terminal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lighting circuit path of the indicator light passes through the following terminals in sequence: the positive terminal of the DC regulated power supply, the normally open contact of the self-holding relay, the indicator light, and returns to the ground terminal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reset switch has an "ON" position and a "Reset" position; in the "ON" position, the DC regulated power supply is connected to the main circuit of the acquisition and computing board and the display screen; in the "Reset" position, the DC regulated power supply is connected to the reset circuit of the reset coil of each of the self-holding relays, and at this time, the DC regulated power supply remains connected to the main circuit of the acquisition and computing board and the display screen.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The interconnect cable assembly includes an interconnect cable plug for connecting the simulator and multiple interconnect cable sockets for connecting the original plugs of each gas cylinder in the emergency flotation system.

6. An emergency flotation system power-on inspection, characterized in that, The emergency flotation system power-on inspection device according to any one of claims 1-5 includes the following steps: Connection steps: Disconnect the plugs of each gas cylinder in the emergency flotation system and connect them to the simulator via the interconnecting cable assembly; Power-on and capacitor detection steps: Set the reset switch to the "ON" position to power on the device; the data acquisition and calculation board detects the voltage of the energy storage capacitors in each channel and compares it with the preset normal voltage range, and displays the judgment result of the first or second mode on the display screen; Trigger check procedure: Simulate the inflation command on the trigger to simulate the discharge of each energy storage capacitor; Synchronization detection steps: The acquisition and calculation board acquires the discharge signals of each channel, calculates the maximum difference δt between the activation times of multiple energy storage capacitors, compares it with the preset time threshold, and displays the judgment result of the first or second mode on the display screen. Path indication step: In the trigger check step, if a certain path is normal, the corresponding self-holding relay will be energized and held, and the corresponding indicator light will be illuminated; Reset procedure: Set the reset switch to the "Reset" position to reset all self-holding relays and turn off the indicator lights.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the power-on and capacitor detection steps, the preset normal voltage range is 58V to 62V; if the voltage is within this range, the display screen shows normal operation in the first display mode, otherwise it shows a fault in the second display mode.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the synchronization detection step, the preset time threshold is 80ms; if the maximum difference δt is less than 80ms, the display screen shows normal operation in the first display mode, otherwise it shows a fault in the second display mode.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The first display mode is white background with black text, and the second display mode is white background with red text.

10. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the path indication step, the faulty circuit is quickly located by observing the correspondence between the lit indicator lights and the explosion cap under test.

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