Aircraft Tire Wear Indicator Imaging for Remaining Landing Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the wear state of aircraft tires fail to predict the remaining life accurately, leading to untimely downtimes and additional operating costs due to unpredictable wear patterns and non-linear wear trends, especially in the touchdown and taxi phases.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the capture and analysis of wear indicators positioned in the thickness of circumferential ridges, using a smartphone or tablet camera to identify the positioning and state patterns, and comparing them to reference patterns to determine the wear state, including steps for identification, capture, analysis, and rendering of information on tire state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional wear measurement methods are used to monitor tire tread depth, then the wear state can be tracked, but the remaining life cannot be accurately predicted due to non-linear wear trends
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images of wear indicators at multiple predetermined positions along the circumferential ridge during different phases of tire usage. These preliminary measurements build a historical wear profile that enables accurate prediction of remaining life, resolving the contradiction between current wear measurement capability and future life prediction reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring wear indicator positions, comparing measured positions against predetermined reference positions, and using this feedback to predict remaining tire life. The feedback loop captures wear progression data and uses it to adjust and improve prediction accuracy, transforming simple wear measurement into reliable remaining life estimation.
2Reliability
If multiple wear indicators are positioned along the circumferential ridge to capture non-linear wear trends, then prediction accuracy improves, but the complexity of the measurement system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses optical copying by capturing images of wear indicators with a camera at multiple positions along the circumferential ridge. Instead of complex physical measurement devices, simple optical copies (images) of the wear indicator positions are taken and analyzed computationally, reducing device complexity while maintaining prediction reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical measurement systems with an optical and computational system. Instead of using complex mechanical gauges or sensors to measure wear indicator positions, a simple camera captures images that are then processed by a computer system to determine positions and predict remaining life, significantly reducing mechanical complexity.
3Loss of information
If wear indicators are used to track tread depth, then wear monitoring is enabled, but the non-linear wear pattern during touchdown and taxi phases cannot be captured
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the wear monitoring process by capturing wear indicator positions at multiple distinct predetermined positions along the circumferential ridge, corresponding to different phases of tire usage (touchdown, taxi, etc.). This segmentation allows the system to capture non-linear wear patterns that occur during different operational phases, preserving complete wear information for accurate trend analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a spatial dimension to wear monitoring by measuring wear indicator positions at multiple locations along the circumferential ridge rather than at a single point. This dimensional expansion captures the non-linear wear progression across different tire phases, transforming simple depth measurement into comprehensive wear trend analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for determining the state of wear of an aeroplane tire to predict its remaining number of landings, wherein the aeroplane tire has a tread with a circumferential ridge having a wear indicator, where the method includes capturing a first positioning pattern of the wear indicator that marks the positioning of the wear indicator in the tread, capturing a second state pattern of the wear indicator that determines the state of wear of the circumferential ridge concerned at a given instant, analyzing the captured first positioning pattern and the captured second state pattern of the wear indicator, by comparison to reference patterns, determining the state of wear of the circumferential ridge at a given instant, and rendering information on the state of the tire.