Damage detection module for HSTA, and HSTA and HSTS using same

Abstract

The invention relates to a damage detection module for an HSTA, and an HSTA and an HSTS using the same. The damage detection module comprises an upper joint stress-strain sensor and a lower joint stress-strain sensor which are mounted on a secondary force transmission path of the HSTA; wherein when the main force transmission path of the HSTA is damaged, the corresponding structure of the secondary force transmission path of the HSTA deforms, and the corresponding stress strain sensor deforms along with the deformation and feeds back a signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of flight control, specifically relating to a damage detection module for a horizontal stabilizer trim system architecture, and HSTA and HSTS using the module. Background Technology

[0002] The Horizontal Stabilizer Trim System (HSTS) for civil aircraft is a system that balances the aerodynamic center of gravity and moment of the aircraft by adjusting the angle of the horizontal stabilizer. It is primarily used to maintain flight attitude stability and reduce pilot workload through pitch trim and elevator unloading. Its core functions include: 1) When the aerodynamic center of the aircraft is displaced due to load changes (such as fuel consumption or cargo movement), the deflection of the horizontal stabilizer can change the lift distribution and counteract the pitch moment imbalance.

[0003] 2) In manual flight, trim can eliminate stick forces (such as the force of continuous push and pull of the stick), so that the pilot does not need to apply control force for a long time.

[0004] The drive mechanism of the HSTS is a Horizontal Stabilizer TrimActuator (HSTA, also referred to as "actuator" below). This actuator is usually a ball screw electromechanical actuator, used to receive the rate closed-loop command from the Motor Control Electronics (MCE).

[0005] HSTS typically installs rate and position sensors at the actuators to provide feedback signals to the motor control electronics (MCE) and the main flight control electronics (FCE) to achieve closed-loop control.

[0006] The architecture of an existing HSTS product is as follows: Figure 1 As shown. It should be understood that, for clarity, the proportions of the components in the illustrations are not drawn according to actual dimensions. Adjusting the dimensions of the components can make the details of important parts of the product clearer. These adjustments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit us to the proportions shown in the illustrations.

[0007] The HSTA motor module is equipped with a speed (rotational speed) sensor (e.g., a resolver for measuring motor angle) that feeds back the rotational speed signal to the corresponding channels (CH1 and CH2) of the dual-channel MCE to achieve closed-loop speed control. The actual rotational speed is then fed back to the FCE through the dual-channel MCE to achieve trim rate (overspeed / underspeed) monitoring. A position sensor (RVDT) is installed at the end of the gear train (box) to feed back the position signal to the corresponding channel of the FCE to achieve trim motion position consistency monitoring.

[0008] Mainstream HSTA systems typically employ a "primary-secondary" force transmission path, using preset mechanical clearances to isolate the load-bearing channels. Under normal operating conditions, the primary force transmission path is loaded, while the secondary force transmission path is unloaded. When the primary force transmission path fails, the secondary force transmission path becomes loaded, resulting in relative movement between the primary and secondary paths. Or... Figure 1 As shown, mechanical locking is employed after the secondary force transmission path is triggered. Actuator jamming and loss of trim function are identified through position consistency monitoring and trim rate (underspeed) monitoring of the main flight control system. This approach suffers from a long fault identification chain and unclear root cause isolation. Furthermore, the mechanical locking device has a sophisticated structure with numerous parts, complex manufacturing processes, and increased dead weight. Moreover, purely mechanical devices are susceptible to hidden faults, and their reliability cannot meet the high safety requirements of flight.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need to provide a simple and highly reliable damage detection module for detecting damage to the main force transmission path in the HSTA, as well as an HSTA and HSTS using the module. Summary of the Invention

[0010] This application designs a damage detection module for detecting damage to the main force transmission path in the HSTA, as well as an HSTA and HSTS using the module.

[0011] The horizontal stabilizer balancing system (architecture) using this damage detection module can monitor and manage the HSTA balancing function, balancing performance, and structural integrity. It eliminates the complex mechanical locking device of the actuator, while improving system reliability, increasing system MTBF (mean time between failures), and reducing the weight of the actuator.

[0012] According to a first aspect of this application, a damage detection module for a horizontal stabilizer balancing actuator (HSTA) is provided, comprising: The upper joint stress-strain sensor 9-1 and the lower joint stress-strain sensors 9-2 and 9-3 are installed on the secondary force transmission path of the HSTA. When the main force transmission path of the HSTA is damaged, the corresponding structure of the secondary force transmission path of the HSTA deforms, and the corresponding stress and strain sensor deforms accordingly and feeds back a signal.

[0013] According to a second aspect of this application, a computer storage medium storing computer-executable instructions is provided, which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method described in the first aspect.

[0014] According to a second aspect of this application, a horizontal stabilizer trimming actuator HSTA is provided, comprising: The power module is configured to implement the HSTA trim control drive function, and the power module adopts an opposed motor module and a dual-input planetary gear system architecture. The main force transmission module is configured to implement the load-bearing function of the HSTA under normal operating conditions; The secondary force transmission module is configured to implement the bearing function of the HSTA after the failure of the primary force transmission module; and The damage detection module according to the first aspect is configured to detect the integrity of the force transmission path of the HSTA and to feed back a corresponding signal when damage is detected.

[0015] According to a third aspect of this application, a horizontal stabilizer trimming system (HSTS) is provided, comprising: Two independent motor control electronics (MCEs) provide dual-channel operating modes; Flight control electronics (FCE); The horizontal stabilizer balancing actuator HSTA as described in the second aspect; In this process, after receiving feedback signals from the stress-strain sensor of the damage detection module, the MCE cuts off the control command of the corresponding channel and locks the corresponding motor through the electromagnetic brake.

[0016] This overview is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, some of the concepts further described in the detailed description below. This overview is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To describe how the above and other advantages and features of the invention are obtained, a more detailed description of the invention, which has been briefly described above, will be presented with reference to specific embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that these drawings depict only exemplary embodiments of the invention and are therefore not intended to limit its scope. The invention will be described and explained using the drawings and with the aid of additional features and details, in which: Figure 1A schematic structural diagram (not actual dimensions) of an existing horizontal stabilizer balancing system is shown.

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram (not actual dimensions) of the HSTA of a horizontal stabilizer trim system HSTS according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0019] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 The data communication architecture (not actual size) between the HSTA damage detection module (i.e., the force path integrity sensor) and other system components of HSTS.

[0020] Figure 4 It shows Figure 2 The data communication architecture (not physical size) between the other sensors (rate, position, and temperature sensors) of the HSTA and other system components of the HSTS.

[0021] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the force transmission path of the HSTA under normal operating conditions according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0022] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the force transmission path of HSTA under the condition of upper joint failure is shown according to an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the force transmission path of HSTA under the condition of lower joint failure is shown according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Civil aircraft, especially large wide-body passenger aircraft, have high aerodynamic external loads, large horizontal tail area, and severe hinge torque, which determines the high load and high electrical power requirements of the actuators of their horizontal stabilizer trim system. This brings challenges such as easy damage to mechanical structures and easy overheating of motors and control electronics.

[0025] This application designs a damage detection module for detecting damage to the main force transmission path in the HSTA, also known as a "force transmission path integrity sensor", as well as an HSTA and HSTS having this module.

[0026] The horizontal stabilizer trim system (architecture) with this module can monitor and manage the HSTA trim function, trim performance, and structural integrity. At the same time, it eliminates the complex mechanical locking device of the actuator, improves system reliability, increases system MTBF (mean time between failures), and reduces the weight of the actuator.

[0027] To improve system safety, this invention also proposes a multi-sensor horizontal stabilizer balancing system. By combining the working mode of a novel horizontal stabilizer balancing actuator and using various types of sensors such as rate sensors, position sensors, force path integrity sensors, and temperature sensors, the system achieves comprehensive improvement and protection in balancing function and performance, structural path damage safety, and drive and control circuits.

[0028] First, in conjunction with the appendix Figure 2 The following is a detailed description of a schematic structure of a horizontal stabilizer (HSTA) using the damage detection module according to an embodiment of this application. The left side of the figure shows a schematic diagram of the HSTA when the machine head is perpendicular to the page and pointing outwards, while the right side shows a schematic diagram of the HSTA when the machine head is pointing to the left.

[0029] like Figure 2 As shown, the components of HSTA may include: a channel one motor brake assembly 1-1, a channel two motor brake assembly 1-2, a differential gear train 2, a main housing 3, a ball screw 4-1 (with a safety rod 4-2 embedded with an end locking nut 4-3); a lower connector including: a main force transmission nut 5-1, a main force transmission universal joint 5-2, main force transmission pins 5-3 and 5-4, a secondary force transmission nut 6-1, and a secondary force transmission path frame 6-2; and an upper connector including: main force transmission lugs 7-1 and 7-2, a main load-bearing frame 7-3, and a secondary force transmission lug 8. The specific descriptions and functions of these components will be detailed in the following embodiments.

[0030] In addition, the HSTA can be equipped with various sensor modules. The most important of these is a damage detection module for monitoring the integrity of the force transmission path of the HSTA, including: upper joint stress-strain sensor 9-1, lower joint stress-strain sensors 9-2 and 9-3. Furthermore, the HSTA can also include: speed sensors (e.g., rotary transformers) and temperature sensors built into the motor brake assembly, including: speed sensor 10-1 for motor one, temperature sensor 10-2 for motor one, speed sensor 11-1 for motor two, and temperature sensor 11-2 for motor two; RVDT position sensors 12-1 and 12-2 installed at the output end of the gear train, etc.

[0031] It should be understood that the components, sensors, and modules described above are given for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art can configure the HSTA with more or fewer components / sensors / modules depending on the specific application scenario, and this is all within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] After understanding the schematic structure of an HSTA according to an embodiment of this application, the following is in conjunction with... Figure 3To further describe the data communication architecture between the damage detection module (force path integrity sensor) in the HSTA and other system components of the HSTS.

[0033] like Figure 3 As shown, the HSTS technical solution of the present invention includes a control electronics and trim system architecture HSTS. As shown in the figure, the HSTS mainly consists of two parts: the actuator HSTA and the control unit (MCE, FCE).

[0034] The motor brake modules of channel one and channel two of the horizontal stabilizer trim actuator are controlled by their respective motor control electronics (MCE 1 and MCE 2). In this scheme, the MCEs adopt a dual-channel "master-master" operating mode, achieved by providing an independent MCE for each channel, with no communication between the two channels. The MCEs receive trim rate commands from the main flight control electronics (FCE) via a bus and receive feedback signals from the rate sensors of the corresponding channels to achieve closed-loop control and monitoring of motor speed.

[0035] The reason for using two independent MCE 1 and MCE 2 is twofold: firstly, to improve heat dissipation, and secondly, to ensure isolation for dual-channel high-power power distribution. However, it should be understood that if... Figure 1 A single dual-channel mode MCE is also feasible and falls within the scope of protection of this application.

[0036] As mentioned above, the HSTA in this application also includes a stress-strain type damage detection module: the stress-strain sensor 9-1 at the upper joint is installed at the upper end of the secondary force transmission path (safety bar 4-2), and sends a signal to MCE 1 after being triggered. This sensor can be set at any position on the upper end of the safety bar of the secondary force transmission path (outside the housing), or at the connection between the safety bar and the fuselage structure; the stress-strain sensors 9-2 and 9-3 at the lower joint are symmetrically installed on the I-beam structure on the left and right sides of the secondary force transmission path frame 6-2, and send a signal to MCE 1 and MCE 2 respectively after being triggered. The sensors can be set at symmetrical load-bearing positions on the left and right sides and front and rear sides of the secondary force transmission path frame, or at the connection between the secondary force transmission path frame and the curtain-falling structure.

[0037] It should be understood that the stress-strain sensor 9-1 at the upper joint can also send a signal back to the MCE 2 after being triggered, and the MCE 2 will analyze and process the signal. In either case, the basic principle and processing flow are the same, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0038] exist Figure 4 The document further describes the data communication architecture between the other sensors (rate, position, and temperature sensors) of the HSTA and other system components of the HSTS.

[0039] As shown in the figure, MCE 1 and MCE2 simultaneously receive signals from the temperature sensor 10-2 built into motor 1 and the temperature sensor 11-2 built into motor 2, respectively, thereby realizing motor overheat protection.

[0040] In addition, the internal circuits of MCE1 and MCE2 are equipped with additional temperature sensors 13-1 and 13-2, respectively, to achieve overheat protection for high-power electronic components inside the housing.

[0041] HSTA also includes speed sensors (resolvers): speed sensor 10-1 for motor 1 and speed sensor 11-1 for motor 2. These are used to feed back speed signals to MCE 1 and MCE 2 respectively to achieve closed-loop speed control.

[0042] HSTA is also equipped with position sensors (RVDT) 12-1 and 12-2, such as dual-redundant RVDT sensors. The RVDT's rotating shaft is connected to the output gear of the differential gear transmission system through a small gear. When the ball screw rotates, it feeds back a position signal to the FCE, realizing the monitoring of the actuator's lower joint position and the horizontal stabilizer surface deviation.

[0043] In addition, the internal circuits of MCE1 and MCE2 are equipped with additional temperature sensors 13-1 and 13-2, respectively, to achieve overheat protection for high-power electronic components inside the housing.

[0044] Having understood the schematic improved structure and data communication architecture of the damage detection module, horizontal stabilizer balancing actuator (HSTA), and horizontal stabilizer balancing system (HSTS) of this application, the specific technical solution will now be described from the aspects of operation and function of the HSTA with the damage detection module.

[0045] The components in the HSTA of this application can be divided into the following modules according to their functions: 1. A power module configured to implement HSTA trim control drive functionality. The power module employs an opposed motor module and a dual-input planetary gear system architecture.

[0046] 2. The main force transmission module is configured to realize the load-bearing function of the HSTA under normal operating conditions. The main force transmission module includes: a main housing 3, a ball screw 4-1, a main force transmission nut 5-1 on the lower connector, a main force transmission universal joint 5-2 on the lower connector, main force transmission pins 5-3 and 5-4 on the lower connector, main force transmission lugs 7-1 and 7-2 on the upper connector, and a main load-bearing frame 7-3 on the upper connector. Using these components, the rotary motion driven by the motor can be converted into linear motion, directly pushing or pulling the horizontal stabilizer to deflect, and bearing the main aerodynamic load.

[0047] 3. A secondary force transmission module is configured to provide load-bearing capability for the HSTA in the event of failure of the primary force transmission module. When the primary force transmission path (ball screw) completely fails, it can immediately bear the entire load, locking the stabilizer in its current position to prevent runaway. The secondary force transmission module includes: a safety rod 4-2 with an end locking nut 4-3, a lower connector secondary force transmission nut 6-1, a lower connector secondary force transmission path frame 6-2, and an upper connector secondary force transmission lug. Figure 1 Compared with existing technologies, the secondary force transmission module eliminates the trigger-type mechanical locking device and replaces it with a novel arrangement of stress and strain sensors of the secondary force transmission (I-beam structure) frame combined with the damage detection module.

[0048] Specifically, with Figure 1 Compared to existing technologies, the secondary force transmission module in this solution eliminates the trigger-type mechanical locking device at the upper and lower joints. Instead, it uses a simple hanging connection with a pre-made gap at the upper joint. At the lower joint, the inner surface threads of the nut and the screw threads are fitted with a gap during normal operation to avoid contact. Under load, self-tightening is achieved through thread friction. In addition, the secondary force transmission path frame of the lower joint adopts a novel I-beam structure, which is not used in existing HSTA products.

[0049] 4. A damage detection module (force transmission path integrity sensor) is configured to detect the integrity of the force transmission path and provide a corresponding signal when damage is detected. As described above, the damage detection module includes: an upper joint stress-strain sensor 9-1, and lower joint stress-strain sensors 9-2 and 9-3; 5. A functional sensing module (optional), configured to detect various operating states (balancing rate, balancing position, operating temperature, etc.) of the horizontal stabilizer balancing actuator HSTA and to feed back corresponding signals when an abnormal state is detected. Specifically, the functional sensing module includes: a rate sensor and a temperature sensor built into the motor brake assembly (rate sensor 10-1 of motor one, temperature sensor 10-2 of motor one, rate sensor 11-1 of motor two, and temperature sensor 11-2 of motor two); and RVDT position sensors 12-1 and 12-2 installed at the output end of the gear train.

[0050] Based on the above example structure and combined with the corresponding appendix Figure 2-4 As shown, the working principle of the damage detection module and the corresponding HSTA example in this application is as follows: When the main flight control system is operating normally, the trim rate command is calculated and generated by the normal mode control law in the FCE and sent to the MCE via the bus. The MCE generates motor and electric brake control signals, which are sent to the HSTA motor and electric brake components via Channel 1 and Channel 2, respectively. The dual motors are mounted in an opposed configuration, with the motor output shaft connected to the input gear of the differential gear train. Rate synthesis is achieved through a planetary gear train mechanism, and the output is sent to the ball screw via a large gear. Among them, the motor brake assembly 1-1 in Channel 1 and the motor brake assembly 1-2 in Channel 2 receive rate commands from MCE 1 and MCE 2, respectively, forming a control closed loop. The output end of the dual-channel motor module meshes with the opposed differential gear train 2 via gears. The opposed differential gear train can be in the form of a "planetary gear" to achieve motor rate synthesis and torque distribution, ultimately driving the planetary carrier and output gear. The output gear drives the ball screw 4-1, converting the rotational motion into linear motion of the lower connector, and simultaneously driving the dual-redundant RVDT position sensors 12-1 and 12-2 to feed back the control surface position to the FCE.

[0051] The HSTA upper connector assembly connects to the rear fuselage structure: The rear fuselage suspension structure adopts a three-pronged lug design. The left and right prongs are assembled with the main load-bearing frame 7-3, and the middle prong is assembled with the end of the embedded safety bar 4-2. The lower connector connects to the front end of the horizontal stabilizer: The front end interface of the horizontal stabilizer adopts a left and right side lug design, with each side containing two independent inner and outer pieces. The outer lug is assembled with the main force transmission pins 5-3 and 5-4, and the inner lug is connected to the secondary force transmission path frame 6-2.

[0052] The HSTA secondary force transmission path is isolated from the primary force transmission path through clearance and tolerance settings. Specifically: The bearing at the end of the embedded safety bar 4-2 of the upper connector adopts a tolerance design slightly larger than that of the main force transmission lug bearing, and a ball joint connection is used inside the main housing 3 near the upper end cover. The embedded safety bar 4-2 is integrated with the ball screw 4-1 at the end of the ball screw 4-1 through an internal boss and a locking nut 4-3, achieving a fixed position. The tolerance of the bearing and ball joint ensures that the safety bar 4-2 does not bear any force under normal working conditions.

[0053] The main force transmission nut 5-1 and secondary force transmission nut 6-1 of the lower joint are independently assembled with the ball screw 4-1. The main force transmission nut 5-1 contains four raceway balls, and its front and rear sides are equipped with the main force transmission universal joint 5-2 via shaft pins, providing lateral rotational freedom. The left and right sides of the main force transmission universal joint are equipped with main force transmission pins 5-3 and 5-4, which are tightly assembled with the bearing of the main joint of the horizontal stabilizer (outer). The secondary force transmission nut 6-1 does not contain balls, and its front and rear sides are equipped with the secondary force transmission path frame 6-2 via shaft pins, providing lateral rotational freedom. The secondary force transmission path frame 6-2 and the secondary joint of the horizontal stabilizer (inner) are assembled with a small clearance, and the tolerance ensures that the secondary force transmission path frame does not bear load under normal operating conditions.

[0054] Based on the above structure, when the horizontal stabilizer is driven by an external load, the main force transmission path under normal working conditions is: external (main) structure of the horizontal stabilizer → main force transmission pins 5-3 and 5-4 → main force transmission universal joint 5-2 → main force transmission nut 5-1 and ball → ball screw 4-1 → gear system 2 and main housing 3 → main force transmission lugs 7-1 and 7-2 → main load-bearing frame 7-3 to the upper joint suspension.

[0055] The working principle of the damage detection module in this application is as follows: : The stress-strain sensor, excited by the MCE, feeds back the equivalent voltage and current across the full-bridge circuit to the dedicated demodulation circuit. If the load on the corresponding structure exceeds the threshold and persists for a period of time, the force transmission path fault monitor is triggered. The MCE cuts off the motor speed command for the corresponding channel, triggers the electromagnetic brake to lock the motor, and sends an alarm message back to the FCE.

[0056] Specifically, the monitoring scenarios of the damage detection module can be divided into the following two situations: 1) Assuming that the main load-bearing frame 7-3, main force transmission lugs 7-1, 7-2, and other related structures of the upper joint are damaged, or that the upper half of the ball screw from below the main housing 3 to above the main force transmission nut 5-1 is damaged, the HSTA will wobble under load. At this time, the embedded safety bar 4-2 and the ball screw 4-1 will move relative to each other, and the ball head and bearing tolerance of the safety bar 4-2 will be eliminated under tensile or compressive load. The force transmission path at this time is: external (main) structure of the horizontal stabilizer → main force transmission pins 5-3, 5-4 → main force transmission universal joint 5-2, main force transmission nut 5-1 and ball → ball screw 4-1 → end locking nut 4-3 → embedded safety bar 4-2 to the upper joint suspension. At this point, the upper joint stress-strain sensor 9-1 detects the load and triggers signal feedback. After receiving the feedback signal, MCE 1 cuts off the control command and locks the motor through the electromagnetic brake. At the same time, it sends an alarm message "Horizontal stabilizer structure failure - upper joint (STAB Integrity Fail-Up)" to FCE.

[0057] 2) Assume that the main force transmission nut 5-1, main force transmission universal joint 5-2, and main force transmission pins 5-3 and 5-4 of the lower connector suffer severe degradation (e.g., excessive wear, excessive deformation, or breakage). If the fault occurs on one side, the connection between the main force transmission module and the horizontal stabilizer of the HSTA lower connector cannot maintain symmetrical balanced load bearing. The main force transmission universal joint 5-2 and pin 5-3 will yaw under load, causing the lugs of the secondary force transmission path frame 6-2 on the degraded side to bear the load of the horizontal stabilizer. If the fault occurs symmetrically, both main force transmission universal joints 5-2 and pins 5-3 on both sides will lose their load bearing capacity, and the lugs on both sides of the secondary force transmission path frame 6-2 will simultaneously bear the load of the horizontal stabilizer. In this case, the force transmission path is: horizontal stabilizer → secondary force transmission path frame 6-2 → secondary force transmission nut 6-1 → ball screw 4-1. The small gap between the threads of the secondary force transmission nut 6-1 and the ball screw 4-1 is eliminated, and the inclined surfaces of the threads come into contact with each other, generating friction, thus achieving self-tightening of the secondary force transmission nut 6-1 and the ball screw 4-1. At this time, the stress and strain sensors 9-2 and 9-3 of the lower joint detect the stress and strain on the loaded side of the secondary force transmission path frame 6-2 and trigger signal feedback. Upon receiving the feedback signal, the corresponding MCE1 and MCE2 cut off the control command and lock the motor through the electromagnetic brake. At the same time, they send an alarm message "Horizontal stabilizer structure failure - lower joint (STAB Integrity Fail - Low)" to the FCE.

[0058] In the example embodiments of this application, a surface-mounted stress-strain sensor can be used. Its main mechanical structure is a metal measuring body, which is assembled with the HSTA secondary force transmission path via upper and lower fasteners. The stress-strain sensor receives a 28VDC power input. The metal measuring body contains a filter and rectification circuit with a threshold set to 2kN and a rated feedback current of 10mA. This current is less than the working load of the wide-body passenger aircraft HSTA to avoid false triggering under normal operating conditions.

[0059] The triggering logic for the force transmission path fault monitoring function of the damage detection module is as follows: when the main force transmission path is damaged, the corresponding structure of the secondary force transmission path (safety bar, secondary force transmission I-beam frame) deforms, and the corresponding stress-strain sensor deforms accordingly and generates a feedback signal: when the compressive load exceeds the threshold, the output current is 4mA, and when the tensile load exceeds the threshold, the output current is 20mA. Each stress-strain sensor has a dedicated sampling, filtering, and demodulation circuit inside its corresponding MCE to provide feedback signals to the interface chip and the main control chip.

[0060] In another embodiment, the force path fault monitoring also includes the following features: the monitoring data can be stored, can be read by dedicated ground maintenance equipment, or can interact with the airborne health management system via FCE, thereby enabling continuous health monitoring of the HSTA force path and enabling early identification of mechanical wear within the scheduled maintenance cycle.

[0061] In another embodiment, the motor brake assemblies 1-1 and 1-2 integrate an electromagnetic brake within their housings, which can lock the motor upon receiving an MCE command, or in the event of a system power-off or electrical fault. The motor winding structure is equipped with a PTC thermistor sensor. Each sensor has a dedicated sampling, filtering, and demodulation circuit within the MCE to feed back signals to the interface chip and the main control chip.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the upper end of the ball screw 4-1 of the HSTA is provided with a bidirectional anti-reverse mechanism to ensure that the HSTA does not reverse drive under pneumatic external load.

[0063] In addition to monitoring faults in the force transmission path, as mentioned above, the solution of this application can also be equipped with other types of sensors, such as rate sensors, temperature sensors, and position sensors, etc.

[0064] The principle of the rate and position monitor in this application is as follows: : a) Channel 1 / Channel 2 underspeed monitor: By comparing the speed command of the same channel with the speed value of the motor resolver through MCE, when the actual speed of the motor resolver is less than 60% of the speed command, the Channel 1 / Channel 2 underspeed monitor will be triggered after a period of time. After the monitor is triggered, the fault is latched, the speed command of the faulty channel is cut off, the other channel maintains the command speed, and the actuator outputs half speed. b) Channel 1 / Channel 2 overspeed monitor: By comparing the speed command of the same channel with the speed value of the motor resolver through MCE, when the actual speed of the motor resolver is greater than 20% of the speed command, the Channel 1 / Channel 2 overspeed monitor will be triggered after a period of time. After the monitor is triggered, the fault is latched, the speed command of the faulty channel is cut off, the other channel maintains the command speed, and the actuator outputs half speed. c) Channel 1 / Channel 2 No Response Monitor: By comparing the speed command of the same channel with the speed value of the motor resolver through MCE, when the motor speed command is valid and greater than the minimum speed command, and the actual speed of the motor resolver is less than 0.01 deg / s, the Channel 1 / Channel 2 No Response Monitor will be triggered after a period of time. After the monitor is triggered, the fault latch is stored, the speed command of the faulty channel is cut off, the other channel maintains the command speed, and the actuator outputs half speed.

[0065] d) HSTA Trim Consistency Monitor: Dual-channel position sensors (RVDT 1 and RVDT 2) feed back the control surface position to the FCE. Comparing the RVDT 1 and RVDT 2 signals, if the deviation exceeds 5%, the consistency monitor will be triggered after a period of time, fault latching will occur, and the dual-channel rate command will be cut off. The MCE feeds back the readings of the motor rate sensor (rotary transformer) to the FCE, calculates the position measurement value, and compares it with the corresponding channel RVDT position signal. If the deviation exceeds 5%, the consistency monitor will be triggered after a period of time, fault latching will occur, the fault channel trim command will be cut off, and the electromagnetic brake will be de-energized and locked.

[0066] e) HSTA Non-Command Motion Monitor: Feeds back the reading of the motor's speed sensor to the FCE via the MCE. When the command signal is zero and the absolute value of the speed sensor reading is greater than the threshold, the non-command motion monitor will be triggered after a period of time, fault latching, and dual-channel speed command cut-off.

[0067] The principle of the overheat protection monitor of the present invention is as follows: : a) Motor overheat protection monitoring: A thermistor sensor is placed inside the motor housing, excited by the MCE, and feeds back a voltage value to a dedicated demodulation circuit while measuring the temperature in real time. When a single phase or multiple phases of the motor overheats, the feedback voltage exceeds the threshold and persists for a period of time, triggering the motor overheat protection. The MCE only cuts off the motor speed command for the corresponding channel, triggers the electromagnetic brake to lock the motor, and sends an alarm message back to the FCE.

[0068] b) MCE Overheat Protection Monitoring: A thermistor sensor is placed near the MCE power device. When excited, it feeds back a voltage value to a dedicated demodulation circuit and measures the temperature in real time. When the high-power device overheats, the feedback voltage exceeds the threshold and persists for a period of time. The MCE overheat protection is triggered, the MCE cuts off the motor speed command for the corresponding channel, cuts off the high-power power supply for the corresponding channel, triggers the electromagnetic brake to lock the motor, and sends an alarm message back to the FCE.

[0069] The advantages and benefits of the proposed solution are as follows: 1) The primary and secondary force transmission paths are monitored in real time by electronic sensors, and the load on the secondary force transmission path is detected in real time when the primary force transmission path is damaged by stress and strain sensors. MCE can quickly identify structural damage and cut off the control channel, support precise location of faulty components, eliminate hidden faults, and improve system safety. The HSTA upper and lower connectors adopt a new self-locking structure without mechanical locks, eliminating mechanical locks, reducing equipment weight, making the structure easier to inspect and maintain, reducing equipment weight, improving MTBF, and optimizing the economics of route operation; 2) Provides a highly complete system architecture and monitoring solution: A highly complete functional and performance monitoring architecture: Utilizes redundant, dissimilar sensor links to monitor rate and position, ensuring flight safety; employs temperature sensors to monitor the operating temperature of motors and power devices in real time, preventing performance degradation and extending equipment lifespan. Implements overheat protection for high-power motors and MCEs, preventing performance degradation such as motor demagnetization and copper loss caused by high temperatures, and preventing overheating damage and performance degradation of control electronic power devices, thus improving component lifespan and system safety.

[0070] Although the techniques have been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that the appended claims are not necessarily limited to the described features or actions. Rather, these features and actions are described as exemplary forms of implementing these techniques.

[0071] The operations of the example processes are shown in separate boxes and are summarized with reference to these boxes. These processes are shown as a flow of logical boxes, each of which may represent one or more operations that can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In the context of software, these operations represent computer-executable instructions stored on one or more computer-readable media that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform a given operation. Generally, computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects, modules, components, data structures, etc., that perform a particular function or implement a particular abstract data type. The order in which the operations are described is not intended to be construed as limiting, and any number of the operations may be executed in any order, combined in any order, subdivided into multiple sub-operations, and / or executed in parallel to implement the described process. The described process may be executed by resources associated with one or more computing devices, such as one or more internal or external CPUs or GPUs, and / or one or more pieces of hardware logic, such as FPGAs, DSPs, or other types of accelerators.

[0072] All of the methods and processes described above can be embodied in software code modules executed by one or more general-purpose computers or processors, and can be fully automated via these software code modules. These code modules can be stored on any type of computer-executable storage medium or other computer storage device. This code can also be packaged into corresponding computer program products. Some or all of these methods can alternatively be embodied in dedicated computer hardware.

[0073] Any routine description, element, or box in the flowcharts described herein and / or in the accompanying drawings should be understood as potentially representing a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing a specific logical function or element in that routine. Alternative implementations are included within the scope of the examples described herein, wherein elements or functions may be removed or performed inconsistently with the order shown or discussed, including substantially synchronous or reverse order execution, depending on the functionality involved, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0074] While different embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they are merely examples and not limitations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the invention disclosed herein should not be limited by the exemplary embodiments disclosed above, but should be defined solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A damage detection module for a horizontal stabilizer balancing actuator (HSTA), comprising multiple stress-strain sensors, wherein the multiple stress-strain sensors include: The upper joint stress-strain sensor (9-1) and the lower joint stress-strain sensor (9-2, 9-3) are installed on the secondary force transmission path of the HSTA. When the main force transmission path of the HSTA is damaged, the corresponding structure of the secondary force transmission path of the HSTA deforms, and the corresponding stress and strain sensor deforms accordingly and feeds back a signal.

2. The damage detection module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The damage detection module uses surface-mount stress-strain sensors, wherein the upper joint stress-strain sensor (9-1) is installed at the upper end of the secondary force transmission path; and the lower joint stress-strain sensors (9-2, 9-3) are symmetrically installed at the I-beam structure on the left and right sides of the secondary force transmission path frame.

3. The damage detection module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the compressive load exceeds the threshold, the output current of the plurality of stress and strain sensors is 4mA, and when the tensile load exceeds the threshold, the output current of the plurality of stress and strain sensors is 20mA. Each stress and strain sensor is equipped with a dedicated sampling, filtering and demodulation circuit inside the corresponding MCE to feed back signals to the interface chip and the main control chip.

4. The damage detection module as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The main mechanical structure of the plurality of stress and strain sensors is a metal measuring body, which is assembled with the secondary force transmission path of the HSTA by upper and lower fasteners; the plurality of stress and strain sensors receive a 28VDC power input, the metal measuring body contains a filter and rectification circuit, the threshold is set to 2kN, and the rated feedback current is 10mA.

5. A horizontal stabilizer balancing actuator HSTA, comprising: The power module is configured to implement the HSTA trim control drive function, and the power module adopts an opposed motor module and a dual-input planetary gear system architecture. The main force transmission module is configured to implement the load-bearing function of the HSTA under normal operating conditions; The secondary force transmission module is configured to implement the bearing function of the HSTA after the failure of the primary force transmission module; as well as The damage detection module according to any one of claims 1-4 is configured to detect the integrity of the force transmission path of the HSTA and to feed back a corresponding signal when damage is detected.

6. The HSTA as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: The functional sensing module is configured to detect various operating states of the HSTA and feed back corresponding signals when an abnormal state is detected; The functional sensing module includes: a rate sensor (10-1, 11-1) and a temperature sensor (10-2, 11-2) built into the motor brake assembly; and an RVDT position sensor (12-1, 12-2) installed at the output end of the gear train. The rate sensors (10-1, 11-1) are implemented as channel underspeed monitors, channel overspeed monitors, or channel no-response monitors. The RVDT position sensors (12-1, 12-2) are implemented as HSTA balance consistency monitors or HSTA non-command motion monitors; The temperature sensors (10-2, 11-2) enable motor overheat protection monitoring.

7. A horizontal stabilizer trimming system (HSTS), comprising: Two independent motor control electronics (MCEs) provide dual-channel operating modes; Flight control electronics (FCE); The horizontal stabilizer balancing actuator HSTA according to any one of claims 5-6; In this process, after receiving feedback signals from the stress-strain sensor of the damage detection module, the MCE cuts off the control command of the corresponding channel and locks the corresponding motor through the electromagnetic brake.

8. The HSTS as described in claim 7, characterized in that, When the HSTS includes the horizontal stabilizer balancing actuator HSTA according to claim 6, the MCE receives the balancing rate command from the FCE via the bus and receives the feedback signal from the rate sensor of the corresponding channel to realize the closed-loop control and monitoring function of the motor speed.

9. The HSTS as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The FCE receives position signals from the corresponding channel fed back by the RVDT position sensor to achieve monitoring of the consistency of the trimming movement position.

10. The HSTS as described in claim 9, characterized in that, Both MCEs simultaneously receive feedback signals from the temperature sensors (10-2, 11-2) built into the motor, thereby achieving motor overheat protection; and The MCE incorporates additional temperature sensors (13-1, 13-2) to enable overheat protection monitoring of the MCE.

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