Starter Ring Integrated Sensor for Crankshaft Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft engine designs face reliability concerns and imprecision in determining crankshaft position and engine speed due to a separate gear reduction assembly, which also limits space for redundant sensors and fault tolerance.
Innovation Solution
An enhanced engine design integrates a starter ring with a series of indicators, such as magnetic flux perturbations, readable by sensors to determine crankshaft position and speed, allowing for redundant sensors at the front of the engine, reducing space consumption, and providing high precision signaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate gear reduction assembly is used to determine crankshaft position and engine speed, then the determination function is provided, but reliability decreases due to separate failure points and measurement precision decreases due to low resolution output
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the starter ring gear with the crankshaft position sensing function into a single integrated component. The starter ring gear now serves dual purposes: (1) transmitting torque from the starter motor to rotate the engine, and (2) providing high-resolution position and speed signals to the electronic control system. This eliminates the separate gear reduction assembly, removing additional failure points while improving measurement precision through direct coupling with the crankshaft.
2Measurement precision
If a separate gear reduction assembly is used, then crankshaft position determination is provided, but measurement precision decreases due to low resolution output
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensing function from the separate gear reduction assembly and integrates it directly into the starter ring gear. By removing the intermediate gear reduction stage, the system achieves direct coupling between the crankshaft and the position sensing mechanism, thereby extracting and eliminating the source of signal loss and imprecision while maintaining functional simplicity.
3Area of stationary object
If space limitations exist around the back end of the engine, then engine compactness is maintained, but the ability to position multiple sensors for redundant readings is inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the sensor positioning from the traditional rear end location to the front end of the engine, utilizing available space in a different spatial dimension. The starter ring gear with integrated sensing features is positioned at the front, allowing multiple sensors to be mounted in close proximity without requiring extensive rear end space. This dimensional relocation enables redundant sensor placement for fault tolerance while maintaining engine compactness.
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
This design enhances reliability and precision in determining crankshaft position and speed, reduces space requirements, and improves engine access by integrating drive operations and sensor placement, while maintaining fault tolerance.
Implementation Method 1
The trigger portion is configured to provide a series of indicators during rotation of the engine component. The series of indicators (e.g., a series of magnetic field perturbations during rotation of the engine component) is readable by the sensor
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a sensing apparatus senses rotation of an engine component (e.g., a crank shaft) relative to an engine body. The sensing apparatus includes a sensor, and a bracket configured to position the sensor in a fixed location relative to the engine body. The starter ring has (i) a support portion configured to rotate in tandem with the engine component, (ii) a starter interface mounted to the support portion, the starter interface being configured to receive drive from a starter motor during operation of the starter motor, and (iii) a trigger portion mounted to the support portion. The trigger portion is configured to provide a series of indicators during rotation of the engine component. The series of indicators (e.g., a series of magnetic field perturbations during rotation of the engine component) is readable by the sensor thus enabling identification of component positioning and speed.