Landing Gear Control System for Ground Clearance Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems for levitated vehicles fail to maintain precise ground clearance during high-speed movement, particularly during braking or acceleration phases, due to slow response times of the landing gear actuation systems, which can lead to detrimental deviations in ground clearance and affect vehicle stability and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A control method that uses load estimation to rapidly adjust the actuation of the landing gear by generating commands based on the difference between the estimated load and a set-point, incorporating a predictive algorithm or PID controller with adaptive gains to minimize deviations in ground clearance, ensuring quick response to load variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional control systems are used for landing gear actuation, then the system structure is simple, but the response speed is slow during braking or acceleration phases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs preliminary action by anticipating ground clearance deviations before they occur. During braking or acceleration phases, the system proactively adjusts the landing gear actuation based on predicted load variations, rather than reacting after deviations occur. This preliminary adjustment compensates for the inherently slow mechanical response of the landing gear actuation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system implements feedback by continuously monitoring actual ground clearance measurements and comparing them against desired setpoints. This feedback loop enables the system to detect deviations caused by load variations during braking or acceleration and generate corrective actuation commands. The feedback mechanism transforms the open-loop slow mechanical system into a closed-loop control system with improved dynamic response.
2Measurement precision
If the landing gear actuation responds slowly to load variations, then the control system is simple, but the ground clearance deviates significantly from the set-point
Solution Approach 1:
The control system applies preliminary action by predicting ground clearance deviations before they fully manifest. When load variations occur during braking or acceleration, the system anticipates the resulting ground clearance changes and initiates corrective actuation in advance. This proactive approach minimizes the time loss associated with the slow mechanical response of the landing gear actuation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism continuously measures actual ground clearance and compares it to the desired setpoint, enabling precise detection of deviations. This real-time monitoring allows the control system to generate corrective commands that compensate for the slow actuation response, thereby maintaining high measurement precision in ground clearance control despite the inherent time delays in the mechanical system.
3Speed
If no load estimation is used, then the control system is simpler, but the response to operating condition variations is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The control system uses feedback from load estimation to rapidly detect changes in operating conditions. By continuously estimating the load on the landing gear and comparing it to reference values, the system can immediately identify variations caused by braking or acceleration. This feedback mechanism enables fast response to load variations without requiring complex additional hardware, as the load estimation is derived from existing sensor data and system models.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for controlling an operating characteristic (for example ground clearance or acceleration) of a vehicle (100) resting on a contact surface (200) by means of at least one landing gear (150) comprising means of actuating (160) adapted to vary a behaviour of the landing gear when the latter is in contact with the contact surface, whereby the said method makes the operating characteristic of the vehicle dependent upon a given set-point by generating a command intended for the means of actuating as a function of a difference (ε) between the operating characteristic and the set-point. According to the invention, the control system comprises the use of an estimation (Pest) of a load (P) seen by the landing gear to generate a modification of the command so as to minimise a variation in the deviation caused by a variation in the load.