Servicing assisting system for shock struts with negative dead volume

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10017276-B2
Application number	US-201514969874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2015
Priority date	Dec 15, 2015
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

System and methods for servicing and monitoring shock struts are provided. A shock strut servicing assistance system may comprise: a controller in electronic communication with a display; and a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the controller, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations comprising: calculating, by the controller, a dead volume of a shock strut and determining, by the controller, a first decision, the first decision being whether or not the dead volume of the shock strut is negative. A shock strut servicing assistance system may be for servicing a shock strut having a negative dead volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shock strut servicing assistance system, comprising:
a controller in electronic communication with a display; and
a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the controller, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations comprising:
sending, by the controller, visible instructions to the display;
receiving, by the controller, at least one shock strut parameter of a shock strut configured for mechanical coupling to a wheel assembly, the at least one shock strut parameter including at least a gas pressure of a gas;
calculating, by the controller, a stroke of the shock strut;
comparing, by the controller, the stroke of the shock strut with at least one stroke threshold value;
sending, by the controller, an indicator to the display;
calculating, by the controller, a volume of an oil located inside of the shock strut;
calculating, by the controller, a desired number of moles of the gas;
calculating, by the controller, a number of moles of the gas added to the shock strut;
comparing, by the controller, at least one of the desired number of moles of the gas and the number of moles of the gas added to the shock strut with at least one number of moles threshold value;
activating, by the controller, the shock strut servicing assistance system; and
initiating, by the controller, servicing of the shock strut;
wherein the visible instructions include at least one of:
prompting, by the controller, an operator to add oil to the shock strut via a first valve until oil starts to exit the shock strut via a second valve;
promoting, by the controller, the operator to close the second valve;
prompting, by the controller, the operator to add oil to the shock strut until the indicator is displayed;
promoting, by the controller, the operator to disconnect an oil pump from the shock strut;
prompting, by the controller, the operator to add the gas to the shock strut until a pressure inside of the shock strut reaches a pre-determined pressure; or
promoting, by the controller, the operator to add the gas to the shock strut until the indicator is displayed.

2. The shock strut servicing assistance system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one shock strut parameter includes at least one of a gas pressure, a gas temperature, and a shock strut stroke.

3. The shock strut servicing assistance system of claim 1 , wherein the shock strut servicing assistance system is for servicing a shock strut with a negative dead volume.

4. The shock strut servicing assistance system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is sent to the display in response to the comparing.

5. The shock strut servicing assistance system of claim 1 , wherein the shock strut servicing assistance system is for servicing a shock strut of an aircraft under a weight-on-wheel condition.

6. A method for servicing a shock strut, comprising:
sending, by a controller, visible instructions to a display;
receiving, by the controller, at least one shock strut parameter of the shock strut configured for mechanical coupling to a wheel assembly, the at least one shock strut parameter including at least a gas pressure of a gas;
calculating, by the controller, a stroke of the shock strut;
comparing, by the controller, the stroke of the shock strut with at least one stroke threshold value;
sending, by the controller, an indicator to the display;
comparing, by the controller, the gas pressure with at least one gas pressure threshold value;
calculating, by the controller, a volume of an oil located inside of the shock strut;
calculating, by the controller, a desired number of moles of the gas;
calculating, by the controller, a number of moles of the gas added to the shock strut;
comparing, by the controller, at least one of the desired number of moles of the gas and the number of moles of the gas added to the shock strut with at least one number of moles threshold value;
activating, by the controller, a shock strut servicing assistance system: and
initiating, by the controller, servicing of the shock strut;
wherein the visible instructions include at least one of:
prompting, by the controller, an operator to compress the shock strut via a landing gear jack until a stroke setpoint is achieved;
prompting, by the controller, an operator to add oil to the shock strut via a first valve until oil starts to exit the shock strut via a second valve:
prompting, by the controller, the operator to close the second valve; prompting, by the controller, the operator to add oil to the shock strut until the indicator is displayed;
prompting, by the controller, the operator to disconnect an oil pump from the shock strut;
prompting, by the controller, the operator to lower a landing gear jack;
prompting, by the controller, the operator to add the gas to the shock strut until a pressure inside of the shock strut reaches a pre-determined pressure; or
prompting, by the controller, the operator to add the gas to the shock strut until the indicator is displayed.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one shock strut parameter includes at least one of a gas temperature and a shock strut stroke.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the method for servicing the shock strut is for servicing a shock strut with a negative dead volume.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the indicator is sent to the display in response to the comparing.

10. The method for servicing a shock strut of claim 6 , wherein the method for servicing the shock strut is for servicing a shock strut of an aircraft under a weight-off-wheel condition.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Fazeli Amir
• Cepic Adnan

Classifications

• B64F5/40

  Maintaining or repairing aircraft · CPC title

• B64F5/60

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• F16F9/3264 Primary

  Arrangements for indicating, e.g. fluid level; Arrangements for checking dampers (F16F9/3292 takes precedence; testing of vehicle damping G01M17/04) · CPC title

• G07C5/006 Primary

  Indicating maintenance · CPC title

• B64C25/60

  Oleo legs · CPC title