Aircraft Landing Gear Actuation Control via Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft landing gear assemblies face challenges in achieving quick and efficient actuation times due to overlapping swept volumes and potential component clashes, often requiring centralized hydraulic circuits and multiple actuators, which can lead to increased power requirements and reduced precision.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a controller that calculates and controls the movement of components using speed and position sensors, allowing for independent actuation of electrohydraulic or electromechanical actuators with separate fluid circuits, reducing the need for centralized hydraulics and enhancing precision and customizability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple actuators are used to control components with overlapping swept volumes, then component clashes can be prevented, but actuation time increases and precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller receives feedback from sensors monitoring the position and speed of the first component, then adjusts the actuation command for the second component based on this feedback. This closed-loop control enables precise coordination between multiple actuators, preventing component clashes while maintaining fast actuation speeds through real-time adaptation rather than conservative pre-programmed sequences.
2Device complexity
If centralized hydraulic circuits are used to power multiple actuators, then system complexity is reduced, but aircraft weight increases and precision control decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns separate hydraulic circuits to different actuators, segmenting the hydraulic system into independent zones. This allows each actuator to be controlled precisely without interference from others, while the overall system remains manageable through modular architecture. The segmentation enables weight optimization by allowing selective placement of hydraulic power sources closer to actuators, reducing long heavy fluid lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary between the hydraulic system and actuators, processing sensor data and generating appropriate actuation commands. This intelligent mediation enables precise coordination of multiple actuators with independent hydraulic circuits, achieving both precision control and simplified system management through software-based coordination rather than complex mechanical linkages.
3Loss of time
If sensor precision is increased to reduce actuation time, then component positioning accuracy improves, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic threshold adjustment where the controller adapts its decision-making criteria based on real-time sensor readings and system state. Rather than relying solely on ultra-precise static sensors, the dynamic control algorithm adjusts acceptance criteria and actuation timing based on actual component positions and velocities, achieving fast actuation with moderate-precision sensors through intelligent real-time adaptation.
Data Source
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Figure 2b
AI summary
An aircraft assembly, comprising: a reference component; a first component (106) and a first actuator (102), the first actuator arranged to move the first component relative to the reference component; a second component (108) and a second actuator (102), the second actuator (102) arranged to move the second component relative to the reference component; a position sensor (110) arranged to measure a position of the first component (106), and to output a position value, the sensor being capable of outputting a plurality of non-zero position values; and a controller (100) arranged to control the movement of the second component (108) by the second actuator (104) based at least partially on the position value output by the position sensor (110).