Aircraft maintenance and inspection system

Abstract

To provide an airframe maintenance and inspection system that enables efficient maintenance and inspection of the airframe of an aircraft, and can maintain and improve the operation rate of the aircraft.SOLUTION: An airframe maintenance and inspection system 1 includes a plurality of photographing devices 2 mounted on an aircraft 10 for photographing a maintenance and inspection object A during flight of the aircraft 10, and a transmission device 3 for transmitting a plurality of images photographed by the plurality of photographing devices 2, and a display device 4 for displaying the shape of the maintenance and inspection object A in a three-dimensionally viewable state based on the plurality of images transmitted by the transmission device 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aircraft airframe maintenance and inspection system. [Background technology]

[0002] Daily operational maintenance is a must-have item for aircraft operations. Operational maintenance consists of three items: pre-flight inspection, which is performed before the first flight of the day, inter-flight inspection, which is performed for each flight, and post-flight inspection, which is performed after the last flight arrives. During inter-flight inspections, maintenance technicians visually inspect the aircraft at the parking area for signs of bird strikes, oil leaks from the aircraft or engine, and damage to the tires or brakes, and repair any defects as necessary (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

[0003] In addition, maintenance engineers also check flight information from pilots and interview flight crew members. They also inspect the cockpit and passenger cabin. In addition, during post-flight inspections, maintenance technicians will carry out maintenance work in hangars or elsewhere to repair any defective or broken parts, replace parts, and in some cases replace engines. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] ANA Line Maintenance Technics Co., Ltd., "Business Introduction," [Searched on January 22, 2021], Internet<UTL:http: / / www.ltc.ana-g.com / service.html> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Meanwhile, operational maintenance at airports and the like involves visual inspection and repair of defective parts as described above, but if such inspection and maintenance work takes a long time, it may result in delays to aircraft departures or cancellations. However, if aircraft departures are delayed or canceled, problems such as a decrease in aircraft utilization rate can arise, which could lead to a decrease in airline sales.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and has an object to provide an aircraft maintenance and inspection system that enables efficient maintenance and inspection of an aircraft fuselage and maintains and improves the aircraft's operational rate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a maintenance and inspection system for an aircraft, comprising: On board an aircraft, during the aircraft's flight , at a given time A plurality of photographing devices for photographing an object to be inspected and maintained; a transmission device that transmits a plurality of images captured by the plurality of image capture devices; a display device that displays the shape of the maintenance and inspection target in a three-dimensional view based on the plurality of images transmitted by the transmission device; and Equipped with 、 The predetermined timing is a timing when a transmission request is transmitted from the display device via the transmission device, a timing when the aircraft approaches within a predetermined distance from an airport at which the aircraft is scheduled to arrive, or a timing a predetermined time before the scheduled arrival time of the aircraft. It is characterized by:

[0008] The invention described in claim 2 is the aircraft maintenance and inspection system described in claim 1, The display device includes: A headset that is worn on the user's head and displays virtual reality images; a sensor for detecting the movement and orientation of the headset; a generation unit that generates the virtual reality image of the maintenance and inspection target based on the plurality of images in accordance with the movement and orientation of the headset detected by the sensor; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0009] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the aircraft maintenance and inspection system described in claim 1 or claim 2, the transmission of the multiple images from the multiple imaging devices to the transmission device and the supply of power to the multiple imaging devices are performed wirelessly.

[0010] The invention described in claim 4 is a maintenance and inspection system for an aircraft described in any one of claims 1 to 3, The photographing device is a device that photographs a video of the maintenance and inspection target, The maintenance and inspection system is characterized in that it includes an image analyzer that analyzes images of the maintenance and inspection target to detect abnormal vibrations or moving objects, or both, of the maintenance and inspection target. The invention described in claim 5 is the aircraft maintenance and inspection system described in claim 4, The plurality of photographing devices photograph the maintenance and inspection target and a member that is arranged in a swingable manner near the maintenance and inspection target, The image analyzing device analyzes the state of the rocking of the member to detect abnormal vibration of the maintenance and inspection target, and when abnormal vibration is detected, causes the display device to display that fact. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently perform maintenance and inspection of an aircraft body, and to maintain and improve the operational rate of the aircraft. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an aircraft maintenance and inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of image capturing devices are arranged around a stored wheel. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a headset, a sensor, and a generating unit of the display device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an imaging device and the like disposed inside the fuel tank. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of an aircraft maintenance and inspection system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an aircraft maintenance and inspection system according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, an aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 includes a plurality of image capture devices 2 and a transmission device 3 mounted on an aircraft 10, and a display device 4 installed at an airport 20. Hereinafter, a specific description will be given of an example in which the maintenance inspection target A, which is the target of inspection and maintenance during flight maintenance by a mechanic or the like, is the wheel (hereinafter referred to as wheel A1) of the aircraft 10. Note that the term "wheel" includes tires, brakes, etc.

[0015] A plurality of imaging devices 2 of an aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 are mounted on an aircraft 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of image capturing devices 2 are disposed inside the aircraft 10 (for example, on a wall surface not shown) so as to be positioned around the wheels A1 when the wheels A1 are retracted after takeoff.

[0016] The image capturing device 2 may be one capable of capturing still images, but may also be one capable of capturing moving images. Also, in FIG. 2, five image capturing devices 2 are shown arranged around the stored wheel A1, however, it goes without saying that an appropriate number of image capturing devices 2 may be arranged in appropriate positions.

[0017] Furthermore, the maintenance and inspection object A is often located in a dark place inside the aircraft, such as the stored wheel A1. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to provide an illumination device 21 such as a flash, and configure the illumination device 21 to illuminate the maintenance and inspection object A when photographing with the photographing device 2.

[0018] The multiple image capturing devices 2 capture images of the wheels A1 (maintenance and inspection target A) stored inside the aircraft 10 at predetermined timings while the aircraft 10 is flying. In this case, the multiple photographing devices 2 photograph the wheel A1 (maintenance inspection target A) at predetermined times, such as when a transmission request is sent from the display device 4 described later via the transmission device 3, when the aircraft 10 approaches within a predetermined distance from the airport 20 where it is scheduled to land, or a predetermined time before the scheduled arrival time, and transmit the captured images to the transmission device 3.

[0019] Furthermore, when transmitting multiple images from multiple photographing devices 2 to the transmission device 3, if the transmission of multiple images is configured to be performed wirelessly, there is no need to install new wiring within the equipment to transmit multiple images from the multiple photographing devices 2 to the transmission device 3, and it is possible to avoid problems such as the destruction of seals due to wiring. For the same reason, it is also possible to configure the plurality of image capture devices 2 so that power is supplied wirelessly (wireless power supply).

[0020] The transmission device 3 is composed of a wireless communication module and the like. When a plurality of images captured by the plurality of image capturing devices 2 are transmitted to the transmission device 3, the transmission device 3 transmits the images to the display device 4 wirelessly.

[0021] The display device 4 is placed at a designated location in the airport 20 (such as a waiting area for mechanics or a hangar) and is configured to display the shape of the wheel A1 (maintenance and inspection target A) in a three-dimensional manner based on multiple images captured by multiple photographing devices 2 mounted on the aircraft 10 and transmitted by the transmission device 3. In addition, when displaying in a state where it can be viewed in three dimensions, this includes display methods that provide three-dimensional spatial recognition by reflecting the parallax from the left and right compound eyes (for example, virtual reality display using an up-display, etc.), as described below, as well as display methods from a monocular viewpoint only without parallax (so-called panoramic display using multiple displays).

[0022] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the display device 4 includes a headset 41 that is worn on the head of a user, such as a mechanic α, and displays a virtual reality image (hereinafter referred to as a VR image), a sensor 42 that detects the movement and orientation of the headset 41, and a generation unit 43 that generates a VR image of the maintenance and inspection target A based on multiple images of the maintenance and inspection target A transmitted from the aircraft 10 in accordance with the movement and orientation of the headset 41 detected by the sensor 42. It is also possible to integrally form the generating unit 43 within the headset 41, for example by incorporating the generating unit 43 within the headset 41.

[0023] Next, the operation of the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 according to this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, since the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 is configured as described above, when multiple images of the wheel A1 (maintenance and inspection target A) stored within the aircraft are transmitted from the aircraft 10 in flight by the multiple photographing devices 2, the generation unit 43 of the display device 4 located at the airport 20 generates a VR image of the wheel A1 based on the multiple images.

[0024] When a user, such as a mechanic, puts the headset 41 of the display device 4 on his / her head in a waiting area or the like at the airport 20, the generation unit 43 of the display device 4 generates a VR image of the wheel A1 that should be visible in the direction the mechanic is facing, based on multiple images, in accordance with the orientation of the headset 41 detected by the sensor 42. The headset 41 displays the VR image (i.e., an image that allows the wheel A1 (maintenance inspection target A) to be viewed three-dimensionally) to the mechanic. Then, the display device 4 repeats this process.

[0025] Therefore, when a mechanic or the like changes the direction of his / her face, the generation unit 43 generates a VR image of the wheel A1 in accordance with the movement and change in orientation of the headset 41 detected by the sensor 42, and the virtual reality image displayed by the headset 41 changes. In this way, even though the mechanic is at the airport 20, he or she can view the VR image of the wheel A1 as if he or she were on board the aircraft 10 in flight and looking at the retracted wheel A1 right in front of him or her.

[0026] In this way, in the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 of this embodiment, a mechanic or the like at the airport 20 can view a VR image (an image that allows a maintenance and inspection object A to be viewed in three dimensions) while the aircraft 10 is in flight, and visually inspect the maintenance and inspection object A, such as a wheel, stored inside the fuselage of the aircraft 10. That is, in the above example, a mechanic or the like on the ground (at the airport 20) can visually inspect whether there is any damage to the tires or brakes while the aircraft 10 is still in flight.

[0027] Furthermore, if a mechanic or the like views a VR image (an image that allows a maintenance and inspection target A to be viewed in three dimensions) and there is a defect in the maintenance and inspection target A, the mechanic or the like can grasp the state of the defect and determine whether or not repair is required before the aircraft 10 lands. Furthermore, if the defect needs to be repaired, it becomes possible to prepare tools and the like for repairing the defect before the aircraft 10 lands. In this way, the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 according to this embodiment makes it possible to prepare for visual inspection of the maintenance and inspection target A and repair of defective parts before the aircraft 10 lands. Therefore, after the aircraft 10 lands, it becomes possible to quickly and efficiently perform operational maintenance (inter-flight inspection, post-flight inspection, etc.) on the aircraft 10.

[0028] As described above, according to the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to visually inspect and perform inspection work on the maintenance and inspection target A while the aircraft 10 is still in flight, and any malfunctions can be discovered early while the aircraft 10 is in flight. Therefore, after the aircraft 10 lands, operational maintenance of the aircraft 10 can be performed quickly and efficiently. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the probability of delays occurring in the departure of aircraft 10, and to maintain and improve the operating rate of aircraft 10.

[0029] [Extension of the invention] [Objectives and Effects of the Invention] In addition, in the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 of this embodiment, not only mechanics but also employees of the maintenance and inspection target A and the manufacturer of the aircraft 10 can visually check the condition of the maintenance and inspection target A while the aircraft 10 is in flight using VR images (images that allow the maintenance and inspection target A to be viewed in three dimensions). Therefore, by having employees of the manufacturer of the maintenance and inspection object A or the aircraft 10 view the VR images, it will be possible to improve the quality of the maintenance and inspection object A or the aircraft 10.In addition, for example, if a malfunction or abnormality occurs in the maintenance and inspection object A, employees of the manufacturer will be able to advise mechanics, etc., or give advice to the crew of the aircraft 10 on how to deal with passengers and assist the crew in making decisions.

[0030] Furthermore, for example, if the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 of this embodiment is used to educate ground workers such as mechanics, the condition of maintenance and inspection target A while the aircraft 10 is in flight can be viewed in a VR image (an image that allows the maintenance and inspection target A to be viewed in three dimensions), allowing the ground workers to intuitively learn the condition of maintenance and inspection target A. This promotes ground workers' understanding of maintenance and inspection target A, shortening the training period, and enabling ground workers to proceed smoothly without feeling uncomfortable or confused when actually starting their work.

[0031] [About the subject] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was given of the case where the maintenance and inspection object A is a wheel A1 stored inside the aircraft, but the maintenance and inspection object A is not limited to a wheel, and it is also possible for the maintenance and inspection object A to be a part that is subject to operational maintenance, such as an engine. In addition, in addition to the above-mentioned in-flight maintenance, maintenance for the aircraft 10 includes dock maintenance and shop maintenance (also called factory maintenance, etc.), and it is also possible to treat such maintenance as the maintenance and inspection target A.

[0032] For example, when the maintenance and inspection object A is a fuel tank, it is possible to arrange a plurality of photographing devices 2 and lighting devices 21 inside the fuel tank A2 to photograph the inside of the fuel tank A2 as shown in Fig. 4. The photographing devices 2 and the like may also be arranged outside the fuel tank A2 to photograph the outside. With this configuration, it becomes possible to inspect the fuel tank A2 without disassembling the fuel tank A2. In this manner, by adopting the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 according to this embodiment, it becomes possible to perform maintenance and inspection of the maintenance and inspection target A without destroying the sealing structure or sealing structure of the parts.

[0033] On the other hand, by utilizing such features of the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 according to this embodiment, the following beneficial effects can be obtained. That is, for parts of the aircraft 10 that do not need to be inspected, there is a tendency for the number of parts to increase in order to implement protective design to prevent breakdown and to ensure redundancy in case of breakdown. However, if the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 according to the present embodiment is applied to those parts as described above, it is possible to constantly check whether the part is broken and, if broken, it is sufficient to replace it, so that the protective design can be simplified and there is no need to ensure redundancy.

[0034] Therefore, by applying the aircraft maintenance and inspection system 1 of this embodiment to these parts, it is possible to prevent an unnecessary increase in the number of parts and to use cheaper parts, thereby preventing a rise in the price of the aircraft 10 and reducing the weight of the aircraft 10.

[0035] [About abnormal vibration detection and motion detection] On the other hand, for example, when a malfunction occurs in the engine, the engine may experience abnormal vibrations. Furthermore, if a part that should be fixed inside the aircraft becomes loose, or if a cable becomes disconnected, things inside the aircraft that should not move or sway may start to move or sway.

[0036] In this way, when abnormal vibrations are detected in the maintenance and inspection target A or when movement of the maintenance and inspection target A that should not be moving is detected, this often means that some kind of abnormality has occurred. Therefore, it is possible to configure the machine maintenance and inspection system 1 according to this embodiment to use images captured by the imaging device 2 to detect abnormal vibrations and moving objects in the maintenance and inspection target A.

[0037] In this case, even if the photographing device 2 is a device that captures still images, it can be configured to detect abnormal vibrations and moving objects. However, if the photographing device 2 is a device that captures moving images, it can be configured to easily detect abnormal vibrations and moving objects of the maintenance and inspection object A by capturing a video of the maintenance and inspection object A with the photographing device 2. In addition, as the image, it is possible to configure it to use a VR image generated by the generation unit 43 of the display device 4 as described above, but it is also possible to configure it to use images captured by individual shooting devices 2 (raw images before being synthesized into a VR image).

[0038] The image analysis device can be configured to analyze images taken of the maintenance and inspection target A and detect abnormal vibrations and / or moving objects (or detect only one of these, or both) of the maintenance and inspection target A. The generating unit 43 of the display device 4 can be configured to function as an image analyzing device, and an image analyzing device may be provided separately from the generating unit 43. Furthermore, when an abnormal vibration or a moving object is detected, the image analyzing device can be configured to display the fact on, for example, the screen of the headset 41 or the display screen of the image analyzing device itself, or to notify the fact by voice or the like.

[0039] In this way, by configuring the image analyzer to detect abnormal vibrations and motion of the maintenance and inspection target A, it is possible to detect abnormal vibrations of the maintenance and inspection target A and motion of the maintenance and inspection target A that is not supposed to move, and accurately detect the occurrence of some abnormality in the maintenance and inspection target A. In addition, it is possible to detect this while the aircraft 10 is still flying. Therefore, any abnormalities occurring in the maintenance and inspection target A can be dealt with promptly and appropriately during in-flight maintenance, dock maintenance, and shop maintenance, which also makes it possible to properly maintain and improve the operational rate of aircraft 10.

[0040] Furthermore, for example, if abnormal vibrations occur in the maintenance and inspection object A, the imaging device 2 will also vibrate along with the maintenance and inspection object A, which may make it difficult to properly detect the abnormal vibrations through analysis by the image analysis device. In such a case, for example, a rod-shaped, linear (thread-shaped), planar, etc. component that oscillates due to vibrations of the maintenance and inspection object A can be placed near the maintenance and inspection object A, and the component can be photographed when the maintenance and inspection object A is photographed with the photographing device 2, and the image analyzing device can be configured to analyze the oscillation of the component to detect whether or not abnormal vibrations are occurring in the maintenance and inspection object A.

[0041] With this configuration, when abnormal vibration occurs in the maintenance and inspection target A, the image analysis device can appropriately detect the abnormal vibration. It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1 Aircraft maintenance and inspection system 2. Imaging Device 3 Transmission Equipment 4 Display device 10 aircraft 41 Headset 42 Sensors 43 Generation unit (generation unit, image analysis device) A Maintenance and inspection items A1 Wheels (Maintenance inspection subject) A2 Fuel tank (subject to maintenance and inspection) α Mechanic (User)

Claims

1. A plurality of photographing devices are mounted on the aircraft and photograph the maintenance and inspection target at predetermined timings while the aircraft is in flight; a transmission device that transmits a plurality of images captured by the plurality of image capture devices; a display device that displays the shape of the maintenance and inspection target in a three-dimensional view based on the plurality of images transmitted by the transmission device; and Equipped with the predetermined timing is a timing when a transmission request is transmitted from the display device via the transmission device, a timing when the aircraft approaches within a predetermined distance from an airport at which the aircraft is scheduled to arrive, or a timing a predetermined time before the scheduled arrival time of the aircraft. An aircraft maintenance and inspection system comprising:

2. The display device includes: A headset that is worn on the user's head and displays virtual reality images; a sensor for detecting the movement and orientation of the headset; a generation unit that generates the virtual reality image of the maintenance and inspection target based on the plurality of images in accordance with the movement and orientation of the headset detected by the sensor; 2. The aircraft maintenance and inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. 3. The aircraft maintenance and inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of the images from the plurality of image capturing devices to the transmission device and the supply of power to the plurality of image capturing devices are performed wirelessly.

4. The photographing device is a device for photographing a video of the maintenance and inspection target, The aircraft maintenance and inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is provided with an image analysis device that analyzes images taken of the maintenance and inspection target to detect abnormal vibrations or moving objects, or both, of the maintenance and inspection target.

5. The plurality of photographing devices photograph the maintenance inspection target and a member arranged in a swingable manner near the maintenance inspection target, the image analyzing device analyzes the state of the swinging of the member to detect abnormal vibration of the maintenance and inspection target, and when the abnormal vibration is detected, causes the display device to display that fact.

5. The aircraft maintenance and inspection system according to claim 4.

Images