Aircraft Brake Status Indicator Using Electric Actuator Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy aircraft brake systems, particularly those using hydraulic actuation, face issues with weight, performance, and reliability, and their brake status indicator systems rely on inferred data that may not accurately reflect the true brake actuation status, leading to potential inaccuracies in indicating the aircraft's brake status to ground crew.
Innovation Solution
An electric brake system with independently controlled processing channels that obtain and process brake force, parking brake lever status, and parking brake activation data to generate control signals for a brake status indicator, ensuring accurate representation of the brake actuation status, mimicking traditional hydraulic-mechanical systems for intuitive operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If legacy hydraulic brake systems with inferred data are used, then the brake status indicator system is simple to implement, but the accuracy of brake status indication deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the legacy hydraulic-mechanical brake status indication system with an electric brake system that uses electronic sensors and processing channels. Instead of relying on mechanical linkages and hydraulic pressure inference, the system uses electric actuators with direct feedback sensors to measure actual brake application status, thereby improving measurement accuracy while managing system complexity through electronic control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where sensors directly monitor the actual brake application status and feed this information back to the brake status indicator system. This closed-loop feedback ensures that the indicator accurately reflects the true brake status by continuously comparing commanded brake application with actual brake force applied, resolving the accuracy issue without requiring overly complex inference algorithms.
2Reliability
If electric brake systems with direct actuation are implemented, then reliability and performance are improved, but the complexity of the brake control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the electric brake control system into multiple independent processing channels, each handling specific brake functions (e.g., normal braking, parking brake, anti-skid). This segmentation allows each channel to be optimized for its specific function, improving overall reliability through functional independence while managing complexity by organizing the control architecture into modular, manageable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the electric brake system with multi-functional capabilities where a single integrated control system handles multiple brake functions including normal braking, parking brake application, anti-skid control, and status indication. This universal approach improves reliability by consolidating control logic while managing complexity through shared sensors and actuators that serve multiple purposes.
3Measurement precision
If brake status indicator uses inferred data from upstream sensors, then the system is easier to implement, but the data accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediary electronic sensors and processing channels that directly measure brake actuation status rather than inferring it from upstream hydraulic parameters. These intermediary devices act as mediators between the electric brake actuators and the status indicator system, providing accurate direct measurement data while simplifying the overall implementation by using electronic signals that are easier to process and transmit than mechanical linkages.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and procedures for controlling a brake status indicator for an aircraft having an electric brake system are disclosed. Electric activation and deactivation of the brake status indicator mimics that of legacy hydraulic brake systems. The control methodology obtains brake force data that indicates actual clamping force of the electric brake actuators, parking brake lever status data that indicates whether the parking brake lever is raised or lowered, and parking brake activation data that indicates whether the parking brake mechanisms are active or inactive. The individual indicator elements of the brake status indicator are independently and concurrently controlled using multiple processing modules/channels of the electric brake system.