Goodrich Corporation

Other

The B. F. Goodrich Company

Mihai Ralea

Franklin C Christ

Robert L Brundrett

Lawrence F Corio

Rollin W Brown

Eric Daniel Cahill

Thomas H Haydon

Derolle E Haugen

Cedrick Lauzier

Jean Pierre Garcia

A system and method for establishing a running clearance position for an electromechanical actuator (), wherein the running clearance is based on an actuator ram () position attained during a force application to a brake stack (). In particular, a running clearance calibrator () determines a position value corresponding to a position of the force applicator when retraction from an application of force on the brake stack commences. The running clearance calibrator also generates a running clearance position as a function of the position value.

Controller for electromechanical braking system with running clearance adjustment and method

An electrically actuated aircraft brake system and method which provides for brake wear measurement, brake running clearance adjustment, ram position-based control and improved construction and operation. Brake wear and running clearance measurement are obtained by analyzing the output of position sensing circuitry. The position sensing circuitry, preferably including a LVDT position sensor, is also used to determine braking load, a brake controller including circuitry for effecting displacement of one or more reciprocating rams to load a brake disk stack by a predetermined amount based on a present displacement value of the position signal obtained from the position sensor. The position sensor preferably includes a LVDT transducer connected between the reciprocating ram and a brake housing, and the motive device preferably includes a servo motor. Also provided is an actuator housing including a guideway for each ram, the guideway and ram having the same polygonal cross-section, whereby the ram nut is guided and restrained from rotation by the guideway as it is translated by a ball screw in threaded engagement with the ram nut for selective movement into and out of forceful engagement with the brake disk stack for applying and releasing braking force on a rotatable wheel. An electric motor is drivingly connected to each ball screw by a first gear integral with the ball screw, a second gear in mesh with the first gear, and a pinion on a rotating drive shaft of the electric motor.

Electronic aircraft braking system with brake wear measurement, running clearance adjustment and plural electric motor-actuator ram assemblies

A parking brake monitor and adjustment control system controls parking brake operation of an electromechanically actuated brake system which applies a parking brake force to a wheel. The system includes a monitor circuit for producing an output signal which intermittently causes the brake system to readjust the parking brake force applied to the wheel.

Low power parking brake force adjustment apparatus and method for electrically actuated brake systems

An aircraft brake assembly, wherein the actuator portion of the brake assembly is no longer provided as part of the brake assembly but instead as part of the aircraft landing gear. Accordingly, the actuator portion or individual actuators assemblies are designated as Line Replacement Units (LRUs), which are replaceable independently of other brake components, e.g., the torque tube and heat sink, which then comprise the brake assembly designated as a separate LRU. This new arrangement is particularly suited to electro-mechanically actuated brakes, where actuator maintenance intervals will typically be more closely related to landing gear maintenance intervals than to brake maintenance (i.e., hydraulic actuator and/or heat sink maintenance). The invention also provides for more effective and desirable mounting of one or more electro-mechanical actuators wherein reactionary loads are transferred in compression as opposed to in tension through mounting bolts or other removable fasteners.

Aircraft landing gear with integrated brake actuation system

A lining wear measurement system which accepts signals from a plurality of movement/displacement sensors coupled to respective auto-adjusters of vehicle brakes and giving information about prevailing brake pad/lining thickness. The system includes a means to hold internally a target wear-out point representing a minimum acceptable brake lining thickness based upon the characteristics of known linings and an internally stored starting point which is set automatically at a suitable point in time after the brake has been equipped with a set of replacement linings so as thereby to take account of the reducing disc or drum thickness as the life of the brake progress. Alternatively, the system can hold an internally stored starting point which is arranged to be manually initiated but actually stored at some suitable point in time thereafter upon each set of replacement linings being installed. The system can also recognise an opening up operation of the brake, such as is necessary to remove worn linings for inspection or replacement purposes, by comparison of pre-opening and post-opening brake position readings.

Electronic aircraft braking system with brake wear measurement, running clearance adjustment and plural electric motor-actuator RAM assemblies

An electromechanical braking system utilizes redundancy features to provide safe and reliable braking. The braking system is configured to operate on power provided by multiple power sources. Different modes of braking are available based on whether a failure has occurred in one or more power sources. Additionally, system redundancy allows for failure in one or more primary components without total loss of braking capacity. Proportional braking is provided even in an emergency braking mode.

Electromechanical braking system with power distribution and redundancy

A method is provided for arranging the components and power connection points within an electromechanical braking system architecture in order to better maintain isolation of the power busses, and thereby improve overall integrity of the system, while still meeting system redundancy, performance and safety requirements as in the past. In addition, a method is provided for connecting and efficiently using available power in emergency braking and parking modes.

Method to connect and distribute power to an electromechanical braking system

An electrically actuated aircraft brake system and method which provides for brake wear measurement and running clearance adjustment. Brake wear and running clearance measurement are obtained by analyzing the output of position sensing circuitry. In a preferred embodiment, present brake disk stack height is measured using actuator position sensors, and the output of the sensors is compared by a controller to a reference brake disk stack height to provide an indication of the amount of brake wear. The reference brake disk stack height is obtained by lightly loading the brake disk stack and using the actuator position sensor or sensors to measure the displacement of the actuator ram or rams to the brake disk stack. The controller also is operable to effect movement of the reciprocating ram for lightly loading the brake disk stack by a predetermined amount to obtain from the position transducer a present displacement value of the position signal, and then using the present displacement value to determine a running clearance position of the reciprocating ram by subtracting a predetermined clearance value from said present displacement value.

Growing community of inventors

Boonton Township, NJ, United States of America

Mihai Ralea