Landing Gear Locking Pin Detection via Magnetic Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft are often forced to divert from their flight plans due to failure to remove a locking pin from the landing gear assembly's aperture before take-off, leading to increased fuel consumption and financial costs, as the locking pin inhibits the retraction of the landing gear, causing drag and requiring ground crew intervention.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft landing gear monitoring and alerting system that uses a magnetic sensor to detect the presence of the locking pin within the aperture and transmits an alert to both flight and ground crews via a communication module, ensuring the pin is removed before take-off, allowing the landing gear to retract.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the locking pin is inserted into the aperture to lock the landing gear in extended position, then the landing gear remains securely extended during landing and taxiing, but the landing gear cannot be retracted and causes increased drag during flight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a magnetic sensor that detects the presence of the locking pin in the aperture and provides feedback through a monitoring system. This feedback mechanism alerts the flight crew via display devices or audio warnings when the locking pin is present, preventing the aircraft from taking off with the landing gear locked in extended position, thereby avoiding unnecessary fuel consumption from drag.
2Loss of time
If the locking pin is not removed before take-off, then the aircraft can depart immediately, but the aircraft must divert from flight plan requiring flight diversion and ground crew intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system performs preliminary detection of the locking pin's presence before take-off. By detecting and alerting the flight crew in advance through cockpit display devices or audio warnings, the system enables the locking pin to be removed during pre-flight checks, preventing the need for flight diversions and ensuring smooth flight plan execution.
3Device complexity
If a manual check procedure is used to verify locking pin removal, then the system remains simple, but human error may occur leading to missed detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated magnetic sensing system. The magnetic sensor automatically detects the locking pin's presence in the aperture and triggers alerts through the monitoring system, eliminating human error while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through the use of straightforward magnetic detection technology.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively prevents unnecessary flight diversions and associated costs by ensuring the locking pin is removed in a timely manner, optimizing fuel efficiency and reducing operational expenses.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic sensor disposed proximate the aperture and configured to sense a magnetic response indicative of the locking pin being disposed within the aperture
Data Source
AI summary
A landing gear monitoring and alerting system includes a locking pin configured to be inserted into an aperture extending through a linkage of an extended landing gear assembly. When inserted into the aperture, the locking pin inhibits movement of the linkage to establish a locked state of the extended landing gear assembly. This system further includes a magnetic sensor and a communication module. The magnetic sensor is disposed proximate the aperture and is configured to sense a magnetic response indicative of the locking pin being disposed within the aperture. The magnetic sensor is configured to generate a sensor output indicative of the locking pin being disposed within the aperture. The communication module has a transmitter coupled to the magnetic sensor so as to receive the sensor output and is configured to responsively transmit a signal indicative of the locking pin being disposed within the aperture.