Aircraft Skew Detection via Load Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight control skew detection systems face challenges in detecting small deflections in composite material flight control surfaces, which can induce significant loads, making it difficult to accurately determine skew conditions.
Innovation Solution
A motionless skew detection system using two load sensors for each drive mechanism, with a control module that compares loads to detect freewheeling or power skew conditions by monitoring the difference in loads before and after actuation, eliminating the need to compare motion between intact and non-functioning mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If motion sensors are used to detect skew conditions by comparing motion between intact and non-functioning drive mechanisms, then skew detection capability is provided, but the system becomes problematic for composite material flight control surfaces where small deflections are difficult to detect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces motion-based mechanical sensing with load-based sensing. Instead of using motion sensors to detect physical displacement of composite flight control surfaces, the system uses load sensors to measure forces on linkages. This substitution works because even small deflections in stiff composite materials generate measurable load differences, solving the detection difficulty while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces load sensors as intermediary devices that indirectly detect skew conditions. Rather than directly measuring the difficult-to-detect motion of composite surfaces, the system measures the intermediary parameter of load on the drive mechanism linkages, which provides a more sensitive and reliable indicator of skew conditions.
2Reliability
If motion comparison methods are used to detect skew conditions, then skew detection is achieved, but structural weight increases due to additional sensors and complex detection systems
Solution Approach 1:
The load sensors serve multiple functions: they detect skew conditions, monitor drive mechanism health, and provide data for control system decisions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated skew detection sensors, thereby reducing overall structural weight while maintaining reliable skew detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards the complex motion comparison approach and recovers a simpler load-based detection method. By eliminating motion sensors and their associated complex comparison logic, the system reduces structural weight while maintaining or improving skew detection reliability through the more direct load measurement approach.
3Measurement precision
If load sensors are used to monitor drive mechanism loads, then accurate skew detection is achieved for composite materials, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control logic
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of measuring motion and inferring load, the patent inverts the approach by directly measuring load to detect skew conditions. This inversion simplifies the system because load measurements provide direct information about skew conditions without requiring complex motion analysis, especially for stiff composite materials where motion is minimal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the measurement function into dedicated load sensors positioned on specific linkages. This segmentation allows for targeted measurement of critical load paths, providing accurate deflection detection while keeping the overall system manageable by focusing sensing resources on the most informative locations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A motionless skew detection system for an aircraft is disclosed, and includes a flight control surface (18) of an aircraft wing (14), two drive mechanisms (20) for operating the flight control surface (18), a first load sensor (50) and a second load sensor (52) for each of the two drive mechanisms (20), and a control module (80). Each of the two drive mechanisms (20) are located on opposing sides of the flight control surface (18) and each of the two drive mechanisms (20) includes at least a first linkage (34) including a first outer surface and a second linkage (38) including a second outer surface. The first load sensor (50) is disposed along the first outer surface of the first linkage (34) and the second load sensor (52) is disposed along the second outer surface of the second linkage (38). The control module (80) is in signal communication with the first load sensor (50) and the second load sensor (52) of each drive mechanism.