The Boeing Company

Hydro-aire, Inc.

Hydro-aire, Inc., Subsidiary of Crane Co.

Garrett Howard DeVlieg

John J Gowan

Andrew M Valaas

David T Yamamoto

Matt H Travis

Robert F Mackness

Nathan D Batts

In a system and method for aircraft brake metering to alleviate structural loading, one or more electric brake actuators for wheel brakes having a range of brake clamping force are provided, and a brake actuation controller is configured to monitor commanded initiation of the aircraft, to limit initial brake effort of the electric brake actuators to a preset fraction of a maximum possible braking effort for a preset period of time, and to permit brake effort of the electric brake actuators up to the maximum possible braking effort after the preset period of time after initiation of braking has been commanded. The preset fraction is preferably approximately 50% of the maximum possible braking effort, and may be tuneable. The preset period of time is preferably approximately one second, and also may be tuneable.

System and method for aircraft brake metering to alleviate structural loading

A brake monitoring system is described for use on aircraft having carbon brakes. The system displays the number of times the brakes have been applied in a preselected counting interval such as during each takeoff and landing cycle. By raising the pilot's awareness of the number of times the brakes have been applied, a more efficient brake use is encouraged in view of the knowledge that carbon brake wear is substantially a function of the number of applications rather than the total energy that is converted thereby. Additionally, the monitoring system provides an indication of the temperature of the brakes which encourages the pilot to maintain a minimum temperature therein beyond which wear is reduced.

System for reducing carbon brake wear

A mechanism for increasing the ride height of aircraft by selectively increasing the hydraulic fluid content within landing gear struts. By increasing the hydraulic fluid volume within a strut, the strut is lengthened without adversely affecting its spring rate while the ability to withdraw fluid from a strut maintains the ability of the strut to absorb the impact of landing. The mechanism is readily retrofitable to existing landing gear systems to accommodate more efficient under the wing intake designs and to reduce the likelihood of FOD during taxiing at minimal cost and with very a minimal increase in the aircraft weight.

Landing gear strut extender

A taxi brake inhibit system overcomes problems of discontinuities in pedal 'feel' that can occur by use of a taxi brake inhibit system, by adding a new pedal 'feel' logic in which twice the brake force is commanded for a given brake pedal application when taxi brake inhibit is active. The taxi brake inhibit system relies upon two different brake force vs. brake pedal application curves to compensate for the difference in deceleration that is achieved for a given brake pedal application depending upon whether the taxi brake inhibit is active or inactive. Such system effectively eliminates undesirable deceleration bumps, yaw effects and changes in pedal feel during braking. The taxi brake inhibit feature is also shut off to both fore-aft brake pairs if any non-normal taxi brake inhibit condition exists on either fore-aft brake pair.

Taxi brake inhibit system

The system and method for monitoring wear of one or more aircraft parts, such as an aircraft brake, an aircraft tire, a standby system, and landing gear. One or more sensors are provided for sensing a parameter of usage, and an estimate of usage of the part can be determined based upon the signal indicating the sensed value of the parameter of usage of the aircraft part. A plurality of sensors can be provided for sensing usage of a plurality of parts of the aircraft, and the estimate of usage of the part can be stored for access of the estimate by ground personnel. As applied to monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake moves a discrete distance when the brake is actuated, and a linear position encoder measures the distance traveled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage. A wheel speed monitor may also be provided for measuring the aircraft wheel speed, for distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications, based upon the wheel speed signal.

System and method for aircraft braking system usage monitoring

Methods and systems are provided for improving brake performance, including extending the life of carbon brakes on aircraft. One embodiment of the method comprises measuring the speed of the aircraft and the intensity of braking and comparing these to predetermined maximum values for each. If the values are both lower than the maximum values, one or more of the brakes are selectively disabled.

Carbon brake wear for aircraft

A wheel speed transducer including a magnetic device associated with a wheel and a sensor device associated with the axle of the wheel provides data indicative of the velocity of the wheel. A processor located at the axle receives the wheel speed data and processes it to perform antiskid control functions. The velocity data is stored in a data concentrator also associated with the axle. A tire pressure sensor, a brake temperature sensor and a brake torque sensor, each associated with the wheel, send data to the processor at the axle, for storage in the data concentrator. A transmitting antenna associated with the axle and in communication with the data concentrator transmits stored data to a receiving antenna associated with the wheel. A data port at the wheel and in communication with the receiving antenna provides an interface to an external device for receiving the data.

Antiskid control unit and data collection system for vehicle braking system

System and method for aircraft braking system using monitoring

The system and method for monitoring wear of one or more aircraft parts, such as an aircraft brake, an aircraft tire, a standby system, and landing gear. One or more sensors are provided for sensing a parameter of usage, and an estimate of usage of the part can be determined based upon the signal indicating the sensed value of the parameter of usage of the aircraft part. A plurality of sensors can be provided for sensing usage of a plurality of parts of the aircraft, and the estimate of usage of the part can be stored for access of the estimate by ground personnel. As applied to monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake moves a discrete distance when the brake is actuated, and a linear position encoder measures the distance travelled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage. A wheel speed monitor may also be provided for measuring the aircraft wheel speed, for distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications, based upon the wheel speed signal.

Methods and systems are provided for improving brake performance, including extending the life of carbon brakes on aircraft. One embodiment of the method comprises measuring the speed of the aircraft and the intensity of braking and comparing these to predetermined maximum values for each. If the values are both lower than the maximum values, one or more of the brakes are selectively disabled. In other embodiments, the methods and systems can include other features, including providing selected back forces on brake pedals.

A method and means are provided for extending the life of carbon brakes on aircraft. The method comprises measuring the speed of the aircraft and the intensity of braking and comparing these to predetermined maximum values for each. If the values are both lower than the maximum values, one or more of the brakes are selectively disabled.

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Garrett Howard DeVlieg