Shock Strut Fluid Adjustment for On-Ground Aircraft Servicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shock strut assemblies in aircraft landing gear degrade over time, leading to energy management issues and costly servicing processes, requiring aircraft lift and multiple cycles to remove trapped gas, which is time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A shock strut servicing assistance system that includes a controller with a display and non-transitory memory to calculate and adjust fluid levels, allowing for independent oil and gas servicing without lifting the aircraft, using sensors to monitor and adjust oil volume and gas pressure to optimal levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the aircraft is lifted and the shock strut is cycled multiple times to remove trapped gas during servicing, then the trapped gas can be fully removed, but the servicing process becomes time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting and quantifying trapped gas in the shock strut before servicing begins. The controller calculates the volume of trapped gas using sensor data and displays it to the operator, allowing targeted servicing actions rather than multiple unnecessary cycling operations. This preliminary assessment eliminates the need for repeated strut cycling to ensure complete gas removal.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional shock strut servicing is performed without fluid level monitoring, then the process is simpler, but fluid levels may be incorrect leading to performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by using sensors to continuously monitor fluid levels in the shock strut and comparing them against target values stored in the controller. The controller calculates the difference between current and target fluid levels, then guides the servicing operator through the necessary adjustments. This closed-loop feedback ensures accurate fluid level restoration while providing step-by-step guidance that maintains process simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If shock strut servicing requires lifting the aircraft to fully extend the strut, then access to the strut is improved, but the servicing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by allowing shock strut servicing to be performed with the aircraft on the ground and the strut in its normal retracted position. The electronic controller and sensors automatically perform measurements, calculations, and provide guidance, eliminating the need for manual procedures requiring aircraft lifting and strut extension. The system adapts to the strut's actual position and performs servicing in-situ, making the process both simpler and more accessible.
Data Source
AI summary
A shock strut servicing assistance system may comprise a controller including a display, and a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the controller. The tangible, non-transitory memory may have instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations comprising calculating, by the controller, a first fluid level, generating, by the controller, a first datum corresponding to the first fluid level, receiving, by the shock strut, a fluid in response to the first datum, calculating, by the controller, a second fluid level, generating, by the controller, a second datum, and storing, by the controller, a final fluid level.