Aircraft control architecture with at least one actuator for a mobile gondola enclosure

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of aircraft. It relates more particularly to the field of control and / or monitoring architectures of an actuator of a mobile structure of a thrust reverser for a turbojet.

[0002] An aircraft is powered by several turbojet engines, each housed in a nacelle which also houses a set of auxiliary actuation devices linked to its operation and performing various functions when the turbojet engines are in operation or stopped. These auxiliary actuation devices include, in particular, a thrust reverser.

[0003] The role of a thrust reverser during aircraft landing is to improve the aircraft's braking capability by redirecting at least some of the thrust generated by the turbojet engine forward. In this phase, the reverser obstructs a nacelle exhaust nozzle and directs the engine exhaust flow toward the front of the nacelle, thereby generating counter-thrust that adds to the braking of the aircraft's wheels.

[0004] The means used to achieve this reorientation of the flow vary depending on the type of reverser. However, in all cases, the structure of a reverser comprises movable cowls which can be moved between, on the one hand, a deployed position in which they open a passage in the nacelle intended for the diverted flow, and on the other hand, a retracted position in which they close this passage. These movable cowls can also perform a diversion function or simply activate other diversion means.

[0005] In grid reversers, for example, the movable cowls slide along rails so that when they move back during the opening phase, they reveal grids of deflector vanes arranged in the thickness of the nacelle. A system of connecting rods connects this movable cowl to blocking doors which deploy inside the ejection channel and block the direct flow outlet. In door reversers, on the other hand, each movable cowl pivots so as to block the flow and deflect it, thus being active in this reorientation.

[0006] Generally speaking, these movable cowls are actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic actuators that require a pressurized fluid transport network. This pressurized air or fluid is conventionally obtained either by tapping air from the turbojet air circuit in the case of pneumatic actuators, or by taking it from the aircraft's hydraulic circuit in the case of hydraulic actuators. Such actuators require significant maintenance because the slightest leak in the hydraulic or pneumatic network can be difficult to detect and risks having damaging consequences both on the reverse and on other parts of the nacelle. Furthermore, due to the limited space available in the front frame of the reverser, the installation and protection of such a circuit are particularly delicate and cumbersome.

[0007] To overcome the various drawbacks associated with pneumatic and hydraulic systems, thrust reverser manufacturers have sought to replace them and to equip their reversers as much as possible with electromechanical actuators, which are lighter and more reliable. Such a reverser is described in document US2016032866A1 and in document EP 0 843 089.

[0008] However, electromechanical actuators also have several drawbacks that need to be addressed to fully benefit from the advantages they bring in terms of gain, mass and size.

[0009] In particular, existing solutions require the implementation of an electrical system comprising a large number of these sensors to meet the safety and overall reliability constraints of the electrical system. In addition, even if the mass of the electrical system is reduced compared to pneumatic or hydraulic systems, it remains a major constraint in the aeronautical field.

[0010] Furthermore, in some platforms, the size often poses installation problems, which requires very specific sensors, increasing the cost of the systems chosen. This is the case, for example, of certain platforms that have dedicated status sensors to specifically detect the locking or unlocking of the platform by hooks, as well as to detect the open or closed position of the mobile covers of the platform.

[0011] The present invention aims to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a solution making it possible to reduce the mass and size of the electrical systems of a nacelle while guaranteeing a good level of safety and reliability in the detection of feared events.

[0012] To this end, the invention relates to an architecture for controlling and / or monitoring at least one actuator of a movable cowl of a thrust reverser equipping a nacelle, the actuator being driven by at least one engine and comprising at least one engine sensor to ensure its control according to instructions, the architecture being characterized in that it comprises an electronic control system for processing at least one piece of information generated by the engine sensor and calculating, from at least this information, the position of the movable cowl of the thrust reverser.

[0013] Thus, the actuator's motor sensor makes it possible to calculate the position of the movable hood at each instant, unlike the prior art where this motor sensor only has the function of ensuring the servo-control of the actuator to ensure the opening or closing of the movable hood according to instructions received by the electronic control system of the actuator.

[0014] Calculating the position of the movable hood using the engine sensor advantageously makes it possible to reduce the architecture of at least one status sensor. In fact, the open or closed position of the movable hood can be known from the calculation carried out by the electronic control system based on the information generated by the engine sensor.

[0015] It should be noted that the information generated by the engine sensor is relative to a movement of the actuator so that it is possible to calculate the position of the movable hood at each instant.

[0016] The motor sensor is an angle sensor configured to generate said information from an angle measurement of a motor rotor.

[0017] The rotor angle measurement allows the actuator displacement to be determined. To do this, from an angle measurement, the number of revolutions made by the actuator attached to the rotor can be known. The actuator displacement can then be calculated based on this number of revolutions and the actuator pitch. Thus, the position of the movable cover moved by the actuator can be known.

[0018] According to an alternative embodiment, in an in-flight configuration, the architecture is configured to detect a movement of the movable cowl of the thrust reverser from a calculation, by the electronic control system, of the difference between two rotor angle measurements by the engine sensor at two distinct times.

[0019] The difference between these two angle measurements can advantageously be compared to a predetermined value from which the movement of the movable hood represents a risk of deployment in flight.

[0020] In a thrust reverser configuration, the architecture is configured to calculate, from the electronic control system, an absolute position of the moving cowl of the thrust reverser as a function of an integral of a rotor angle measurement between an initial instant t0, corresponding to the initial position of the moving structure, and a given instant t, corresponding to the absolute position of the moving structure.

[0021] The absolute position corresponds to the position of the movable hood at a given time t. In a deployed configuration of the movable hood, the absolute position corresponds to the deployed position of the movable hood. According to claim 1, the electronic control system comprises at least one full-authority electronic control unit for the actuator motor and an electronic control unit dedicated to controlling the motor and electrically connected to the full-authority electronic control unit, the motor sensor being electrically connected to the electronic control unit.

[0022] According to particular embodiments, the architecture may comprise one or more of the following characteristics taken in isolation or in any possible technical combinations: the electronic control system may comprise two full-authority electronic control units, so as to form a duplex system operating in the event of failure of one of these two units, the electronic control unit may be integrated into at least the full-authority electronic control unit, the architecture may comprise two dual-channel sensors for the status of the primary locks of the movable cowl of the thrust reverser, each dual-channel sensor being electrically connected to the full-authority electronic control unit, the architecture may comprise two single-channel sensors for the status of the primary locks of the movable cowl of the thrust reverser, each single-channel sensor being electrically connected to the full-authority electronic control unit, the architecture may comprise a single-channel sensor for the status of a tertiary lock of the movable cowl electrically connected to the full-authority electronic control unit,the architecture may include a single-channel sensor for detecting the position of the movable cowl of the thrust reverser, the single-channel detection sensor being electrically connected to the full authority electronic regulation unit.

[0023] Other aspects, aims and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which: there figure 1 represents a functional diagram of a control and / or monitoring architecture of at least one actuator of a movable cowl of a thrust reverser equipping a nacelle, according to a first embodiment, the figure 2 represents a functional diagram of the architecture illustrated in figure 1 according to a second embodiment, the figure 3 represents a functional diagram of the architecture illustrated in figure 1 according to a third embodiment, the figure 4 represents a functional diagram of the architecture illustrated in figure 1 according to a fourth embodiment.

[0024] Referring to the figure 1 , an architecture 1 for controlling and / or monitoring control actuators 2a, 2b of movable cowls 3a, 3b of a thrust reverser 4 equipping a nacelle is shown.

[0025] The thrust reverser 4 comprises two movable cowls 3a, 3b, namely a first movable cowl 3a and a second movable cowl 3b, each movable between an open position and a closed position of the reverser by at least one control actuator 2a, 2b. The movable cowls 3a, 3b together form a movable structure.

[0026] The inverter 4 further comprises two electric motors 5a, 5b each controlling the movement of a movable hood 3a, 3b. These electric motors 5a, 5b drive the control actuators 2a, 2b of each movable hood 3a, 3b via a threaded rod 20 connecting each movable hood 3a, 3b to its associated electric motor 5a, 5b.

[0027] An electronic control system comprises an electronic control unit 200 dedicated to controlling the electric motors 5a, 5b and a full authority electronic control unit for the electric motors 5a, 5b commonly referred to as FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control). The full authority electronic control unit advantageously comprises an electronic control module 100 for the electric motors 5a, 5b commonly referred to as EEC (Electronic Engine Control). The electronic control module 100 itself comprises a first electronic sub-module 100a dedicated to controlling the first movable hood 3a and a second electronic sub-module 100b dedicated to controlling the second movable hood 3b.

[0028] According to the configuration shown, each electric motor 5a, 5b is electrically connected to the electronic control unit 200 which manages the movement sequence of the two movable covers 3a, 3b by regulating the rotation speed of the electric motors 5a, 5b.

[0029] The electronic control unit 200 is electrically connected by a bidirectional link 100', 100" to each of the electronic sub-modules 100a, 100b. The bidirectional link 100', 100" is advantageously of the ARINC type. This bidirectional link comprises two bidirectional data exchange channels 100', 100". A first channel 100' is electrically connected to the first electronic sub-module 100a and a second channel 100" is electrically connected to the second electronic sub-module 100b. Each channel 100', 100" transmits, from the electronic control unit 200 to its associated electronic sub-module 100a, 100b, data relating to the position of each of the movable covers 3a, 3b, so that the position of the first movable cover 3a and of the second movable cover 3b is known to each electronic sub-module 100a, 100b.

[0030] Depending on this data, the order to deploy or retract the mobile structure of the thrust reverser 4 is sent by the electronic control module 100 to the electronic control unit 200. It is also possible to integrate the electronic control unit 200 into the full authority electronic regulation unit. The electronic control unit 200 is designed to transform control instructions received by the electronic control module 100 from the electric motors 5a, 5b into current control of the electric motors 5a, 5b.

[0031] The control actuators 2a, 2b of the thrust reverser are of the electromechanical type. They are driven by gearboxes mounted on each actuator. A control law (speed or all-or-nothing type) of the actuators 2a, 2b of the movable cowls 3a, 3b of the thrust reverser 4 is transmitted from the electronic control unit 200 to each control actuator 2a, 2b via the electric motors 5a, 5b, the threaded actuating rods 20 and the gearboxes 21.

[0032] Each control actuator 2a, 2b advantageously comprises a motor sensor 6a, 6b. This angular type motor sensor 6a, 6b is provided to generate information relating to an angle measurement of a rotor of the associated electric motor 5a, 5b. The information generated by the motor sensor 6a, 6b is transmitted to the electronic control unit 200.

[0033] The rotor angle measurement makes it possible to determine the displacement stroke of the actuating rod 20 of the associated actuator 2a, 2b. More particularly, from an angle measurement, the number of turns made by the actuating rod 20 of the actuator 2a, 2b secured to the rotor can be known. The displacement of the actuator 2a, 2b can then be calculated as a function of this number of turns and the pitch of the threaded actuating rod 20. Thus, the position of the movable cover 3a, 3b moved by the rod 20 of the corresponding actuator 2a, 2b can be known at any time.

[0034] The electronic control module 100 of the electric motors 5a, 5b connected by the bidirectional channels 100', 100" to the electronic control box 200 can therefore ensure the control and / or monitoring of the position of the movable hoods 3a, 3b at all times.

[0035] According to a first application, in an in-flight configuration, a detection of movement of each movable cowl 3a, 3b can be provided at the actuators 2a, 2b in order to prevent deployment of the thrust reverser 4. For this, the electronic control unit 200 calculates a difference between two measurements of the angle of the rotor of the electric motor 5a, 5b received by the engine sensor 6a, 6b at two distinct times. The comparison of this difference with respect to a reference value allows the detection of a displacement of the stroke of the actuating rod 20 and, consequently, the detection of a movement of the associated movable cowl 3a, 3b.

[0036] According to a second application, in a thrust reversal configuration, the deployed position of the movable cowls 3a, 3b can be identified by calculating an integral of a rotor angle measurement between an initial instant t0, corresponding to the initial position of the movable structure, and a given instant t, corresponding to the deployed position of the movable cowls 3a, 3b. It is then possible to identify a deployed position of the movable cowl 3a, 3b, without a sensor for detecting this position.

[0037] In these two applications, the motor sensor 6a, 6b makes it possible, on the one hand, to ensure control of the corresponding electric motor 5a, 5b, and on the other hand, to control and / or monitor the position of the movable cover 3a, 3b associated with this electric motor 5a, 5b.

[0038] The thrust reverser 4 may have three locking levels which individually ensure the retention of the thrust reverser.

[0039] A first level of locking is achieved by a first type of mechanical lock called a primary lock, associated with each movable cover 3a, 3b of the inverter 4. Each primary lock is mounted directly on an electric motor 5a, 5b. These primary locks ensure retention of the movable cover 3a, 3b associated with it. For example, they may be of the disc brake type or of the pin locking type hindering the movement of the actuating rod 20.

[0040] Given that the two movable covers 3a, 4b are mechanically linked by means of mechanical links (not shown), the primary lock of one of the movable covers 3a, 3b constitutes a second level of locking for the other movable cover 3a, 3b of which it forms a secondary lock. The secondary lock is intended to take over the loads of the movable cover 3a, 3b in the event of failure of the primary lock. Thus, if the first type of mechanical lock of one of the movable covers 3a, 3b is considered to be the primary lock, the first type of mechanical lock of the other movable cover 3a, 3b can be considered to be the secondary lock and vice versa.

[0041] The third level of locking is achieved by a second type of mechanical stop lock, called a tertiary lock, which is positioned at a lateral end of each movable cowl 3a, 3b or of a single movable cowl 3a, 3b. This or these tertiary lock(s) may be connected to the electronic control unit 200, to the electronic control module 100 of the electric motors 5a, 5b and / or directly to the cockpit of the aircraft. They are preferably controlled directly from the cockpit of the aircraft in order to ensure sufficient operational safety and to overcome possible common modes. Indeed, when connected to the electronic control module 100 or to the cockpit of the aircraft, the tertiary lock(s) remain(s) operational even in the event of failure of the electronic control unit 200. This lock(s) allows the resumption of loading of the movable cowl 3a, 3b of the reverser 4 in the event of failure of the primary and secondary locks.

[0042] In this first embodiment shown in the figure 1 , architecture 1 comprises, for each movable cover 3a, 3b, two dual-channel sensors 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b for the status of the primary locks. Each dual-channel sensor 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b is electrically connected to each of the electronic sub-modules 100a, 100b, so as to ensure redundancy of the data emitted by these dual-channel sensors 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b between each of the electronic sub-modules 100a, 100b.

[0043] This redundancy, called first redundancy, is then carried out by each electronic sub-module 100a, 100b between the state of the two-way sensors 7a, 7b of the primary locks associated with this electronic sub-module 100a, 100b.

[0044] This first embodiment illustrates an alternative embodiment according to claim 1 in which the motor sensor 6a the actuator 2a of the first movable hood 3a is electrically connected to the first electronic sub-module 100a, and where the motor sensor 6b the actuator 2b of the second movable hood 3b is electrically connected to the second electronic sub-module 100a. In this alternative, the first electronic sub-module 100a is configured to independently calculate the position of the first movable hood 3a and the second electronic sub-module 100b can be configured to independently calculate the position of the second movable hood 3b. For each of the motor sensors 6a, 6b, the information generated is then received by the corresponding electronic sub-module 100a, 100b.

[0045] Another redundancy, called second redundancy, is then carried out by each electronic sub-module 100a, 100b and for each movable cover 3a, 3b, between, on the one hand, the position of the corresponding movable cover 3a, 3b which is calculated by the electronic control unit 200 and, on the other hand, the position of the same movable cover 3a, 3b which is calculated by the electronic sub-module 100a, 100b itself.

[0046] In the event of a failure in the calculation of the position of the movable hood 3a, 3b by the electronic control unit 200, the position of the corresponding movable hood 3a, 3b which is calculated by the electronic sub-module 100a, 100b itself may have authority and vice versa.

[0047] The first redundancy and the second redundancy used in combination with each other make it possible to carry out checks and / or monitoring of the position of the movable hoods 3a, 3b in order to ensure a synchronized position or movement of one of the movable hoods 3a, 3b relative to the other movable hood 3a, 3b.

[0048] It should be noted that this first embodiment makes it possible to dispense with a tertiary lock status sensor, as well as, for each movable cover 3a, 3b, a sensor for detecting the position of this cover.

[0049] To the figure 2 , a second embodiment of the architecture shown in the figure 1 . The architecture 1 according to this second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the two-way sensors 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b are single-way sensors 7a', 7b', 8a', 8b' and of which, for each movable cover 3a, 3b, a first single-way sensor 7a', 8a' is electrically connected to the first electronic sub-module 100a and a second single-way sensor 7b', 8b' is electrically connected to the second electronic sub-module 100a. This architecture 1 further comprises, for each movable cover 3a, 3b, a single-way sensor 9a, 9b of the state of a tertiary lock of the corresponding movable cover 3a, 3b.

[0050] In this second embodiment, the first redundancy and the second redundancy are implemented in an identical manner to the first embodiment, this second embodiment further comprises an additional redundancy, called third redundancy, where the state of the single-channel sensor 9a, 9b of the tertiary lock of the associated movable cover 3a, 3b is taken into account.

[0051] The first redundancy, second redundancy and third redundancy are used in combination with each other for the same purpose as architecture 1 of the first embodiment.

[0052] To the figure 3 , a third embodiment of the architecture shown in the figure 1 . The architecture 1 according to this third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it further comprises, for each movable cover 3a, 3b, a single-channel sensor 10a, 10b for detecting its position.

[0053] In this third embodiment, the first redundancy and the second redundancy are implemented in an identical manner to the first embodiment, this second embodiment further comprises an additional redundancy, called third redundancy, where the state of the single-channel sensor 10a, 10b for detecting the associated movable cover 3a, 3b is taken into account.

[0054] In this third embodiment, the first redundancy, second redundancy and third redundancy are used in combination with each other for the same purpose as architecture 1 of the first embodiment.

[0055] Advantageously, in this third embodiment, only the second redundancy and third redundancy are used in combination with each other for the same purpose as architecture 1 of the first embodiment.

[0056] To the figure 4 , a fourth embodiment of the architecture shown in the figure 2 . The architecture 1 according to this fourth embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that it further comprises, for each movable cover 3a, 3b, a single-channel sensor 10 for detecting its position.

[0057] In this fourth embodiment, the first redundancy and the second redundancy are implemented in an identical manner to the second embodiment, this fourth embodiment further comprises an additional redundancy, called third redundancy, where the state of the single-channel sensor of the tertiary lock of the associated movable cover 3b is taken into account.

[0058] In this fourth embodiment, the first redundancy, second redundancy and third redundancy are used in combination with each other for the same purpose as architecture 1 of the first embodiment.

[0059] Obviously, the invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of the architecture described in these different embodiments as examples without, however, departing from the context of the invention.

Claims

1. An architecture (1) for controlling and / or supervising at least one actuator (2a, 2b) of a movable cowl (3a, 3b) of a thrust reverser (4) equipping a nacelle, the actuator (2a, 2b) being powered by at least one motor (5a, 5b) and comprising at least one motor sensor (6a, 6b) to ensure the servo-control thereof depending on setpoints, the architecture (1) comprising an electronic control system for processing at least one piece of information generated by the motor sensor (6a, 6b) and calculating, from at least this one piece of information, the position of the movable cowl (3a, 3b) of the thrust reverser (4), the motor sensor (6a, 6b) being an angular sensor configured to generate said information from an angle measurement of a rotor of the motor (5a, 5b), the architecture (1) being characterized in that, in a thrust reversal configuration, the architecture (1) is configured to calculate, from the electronic control system, an absolute position of the movable cowl (3a, 3b) of the thrust reverser (4) depending on an integral of an angle measurement of the rotor between an initial time t0, corresponding to the initial position of the movable cowl (3a, 3b), and a given time t, in that the electronic control system comprises at least one full authority electronic regulation unit of the motor (5a, 5b) of the actuator (2a, 2b) and an electronic control box (200) dedicated to the servo-control of the motor (5a, 5b), and electrically connected to the full authority electronic regulation unit, the motor sensor (6a, 6b) being electrically connected to the electronic control box (200), the full authority electronic regulation unit comprising an electronic control module (100) of the electric motors (5a, 5b), the electronic control module (100) comprising a first electronic sub-module (100a) dedicated to the control of the first movable cowl (3a) and a second electronic sub-module (100b) dedicated to the control of the second movable cowl (3b), the motor sensor (6a) of the actuator (2a) of the first movable cowl (3a) being electrically connected to the first electronic sub-module (100a), the motor sensor (6b) of the actuator (2b) of the second movable cowl (3b) being electrically connected to the second electronic sub-module (100a), the first electronic sub-module (100a) being configured to independently calculate the position of the first movable cowl (3a) and the second electronic sub-module (100b) being configured to independently calculate the position of the second movable cowl (3b).

2. The architecture (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, in an in-flight configuration, the architecture (1) is configured to detect a movement of the movable cowl (3a, 3b) of the thrust reverser (4) from a calculation, by the electronic control system, of the difference of two angle measurements of the rotor by the motor sensor (6a, 6b) at two distinct times.

3. The architecture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic control system comprises two full authority electronic regulation units, so as to form a duplex system operating in the case of failure of one of these two units.

4. The architecture (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the electronic control unit (200) can be integrated into the at least one full authority electronic regulation unit.

5. The architecture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the architecture (1) comprises two two-channel sensors (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) of the state of the primary locks of the movable cowl (3a, 3b) of the thrust reverser (4), each two-channel sensor (7a, 7a', 7b, 7b', 8a, 8a', 8b, 8b') being electrically connected to the full authority electronic regulation unit.

6. The architecture (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the architecture (1) comprises two single-channel sensors (7a', 7b', 8a', 8b') of the state of the primary locks of the movable cowl (3a, 3b) of the thrust reverser (4), each single-channel sensor (7a', 7b', 8a', 8b') being electrically connected to the full authority electronic regulation unit.

7. The architecture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the architecture (1) comprises at least one single-channel sensor (9) of the state of a tertiary lock of the movable cowl (3a, 3b) electrically connected to the full authority electronic regulation unit.

8. The architecture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the architecture (1) comprises a single-channel sensor (10) for detecting the position of the movable cowl (3a, 3b) of the thrust reverser (4), the single-channel detection sensor (10) being electrically connected to the full authority electronic regulation unit.