Proportional Brake Control for High-Lift Failure Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern high-lift actuation systems in aircraft face challenges with delayed response times to failure conditions such as asymmetries or un-commanded motion, leading to potential damage due to slow system response.
Innovation Solution
A proportional braking system with variable displacement brakes, comprising interleaved brake and thrust plates, an elastic element, and a coil that generates a flux moment to control braking engagement, allowing for precise control of brake load based on input commands and sensor feedback to manage movable surface movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dual on-or-off operational state (bang-engaged/bang-disengaged) is used for high-lift device control, then the control system is simple, but the response time to failure conditions is too long causing excess damage
Solution Approach 1:
The brake system transitions from a static on-or-off control state to a dynamic proportional control system where brake engagement can be varied continuously. The variable displacement brake allows modulation of brake force between fully engaged and fully disengaged states, enabling rapid response to failure conditions while maintaining system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter from binary (on/off) to continuous variable displacement. The brake force can be adjusted proportionally based on input commands, allowing precise control of the high-lift device movement and rapid response to asymmetries or uncommanded motion.
2Reliability
If variable displacement brakes with proportional control are implemented, then response time to failure is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The variable displacement brake assembly serves multiple functions: it provides both normal operational braking control and emergency failure response. The same proportional control mechanism handles both routine high-lift device positioning and rapid stop commands, reducing the need for separate specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that detect actual high-lift device position and compare it to commanded position. This feedback loop enables the control system to detect asymmetries, skews, or uncommanded motion and automatically apply proportional braking force to correct or stop the deviation, improving reliability without requiring complex external monitoring systems.
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 enables rapid and precise control of brake engagement, reducing damage from un-commanded motion and improving response times, while also providing variable drag capabilities and reduced wear, weight, and cost.
Implementation Method 1
a coil at a first side of the brake plates, which, when energized, generates a flux moment on the second body in opposition to the urging of the spring element
Implementation Method 2
an elastic element that urges the second body to move toward the first body such that the thrust plates are urged toward braking engagements with the brake plates
Implementation Method 3
the thrust plates are urged toward braking engagements with the brake plates to inhibit rotations of the second body with respect to the first body
Data Source
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AI summary
A proportional braking system is provided for use with a movable surface which is movable relative to a housing. The proportional braking system includes a variable displacement brake (151, 152) which is configured for displacement toward or away from braking engagement with the movable surface in proportion to an input command and a brake driver (101) which is receptive of data reflective of movements of the movable surface relative to the housing and which issues the input command to the variable displacement brake in accordance with the data.