Aircraft autonomous pushback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10252794-B2
Application number	US-201816116705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2018
Priority date	Aug 22, 2013
Publication date	Apr 9, 2019
Grant date	Apr 9, 2019

Abstract

The invention provides methods and systems for controlling speed of an aircraft during an autonomous pushback manoeuvre, i.e. under the aircraft's own power without a pushback tractor. The method includes applying a torque to at least one landing gear wheel of the aircraft, the torque being in a direction opposite to the backwards rolling direction of rotation of the landing gear wheel. The torque applied does not exceed a limit for ensuring aircraft longitudinal stability. For longitudinal stability the torque applied should not cause the aircraft to risk a tip-over event.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling speed of an aircraft during backwards motion of the aircraft when in contact with the ground, the method comprising:
applying a torque to at least one landing gear wheel of the aircraft, the torque is in a direction opposite to the backwards rolling direction of rotation of the landing gear wheel,
wherein the torque applied does not exceed a limit for ensuring aircraft longitudinal stability,
wherein the step of applying torque to the landing gear wheel comprises applying a braking torque to the wheel using a friction brake assembly,
wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
measuring the aircraft speed,
comparing the measured aircraft speed to a predetermined threshold limit, the predetermined threshold limit is that at which the aircraft longitudinal stability is not ensured, and
displaying a warning indication in the aircraft cockpit when the measured speed exceeds that predetermined threshold limit.

2. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the torque applied does not exceed a limit at which aircraft longitudinal stability is ensured such that the aircraft does not tip back onto a tail of the aircraft.

3. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the torque applied does not exceed a limit at which aircraft longitudinal stability is ensured such that a nose landing gear of the aircraft does not part contact with the ground.

4. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the torque applied does not exceed a limit at which aircraft longitudinal stability is ensured such that a substantially vertical load through a nose landing gear wheel does not fall below a threshold at which a steering centering device maintains the wheel of the nose landing gear straight.

5. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the torque limit is based upon one or more of the following instantaneous aircraft parameters when the torque is applied: a slope angle of the ground over which the aircraft is moving; the center of gravity of the aircraft; the mass of the aircraft; an aircraft inertia moment around the aircraft lateral (y) axis; the backwards speed of the aircraft.

6. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the backwards motion of the aircraft is effected by a wheel actuator carried by the aircraft for driving one or more of the aircraft's landing gear wheels in rotation.

7. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the backwards motion of the aircraft is effected autonomously in the absence of an external tractor unit.

8. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the backwards motion of the aircraft is effected by gravity due to a slope angle of the ground over which the aircraft is moving.

9. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the braking torque is initiated by a pilot input.

10. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 , where the braking torque is effected by a braking control system.

11. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the braking torque is effected by a park brake system.

12. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 10 , wherein the aircraft has N braking wheels and the braking control system sends a braking command to a number n of the braking wheels where n<N.

13. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 10 , wherein the braking control system limits the maximum braking clamping pressure applicable to the friction brake assemblies to no more than a limit at which the aircraft longitudinal stability is ensured.

14. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 13 , wherein the maximum braking clamping pressure is variable depending on the mass and longitudinal center of gravity position of the aircraft.

15. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 10 , wherein the braking control system implements a braking law that commands initially a low brake pressure which rises with increasing time.

16. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 6 , wherein the braking torque is applied whilst the wheel actuator is driving the aircraft backwards.

17. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 16 , wherein the wheel actuator torque and the braking torque are controlled by a common controller.

18. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 17 , wherein the controller receives input of the aircraft speed and controls the wheel actuator torque and the braking torque towards a target speed.

19. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the step of applying torque to the landing gear wheel comprises applying a braking torque to the wheel using a generator.

20. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein the generator is coupled either to an electrical network of the aircraft or to a resistor for dissipating the electrical energy generated by the generator.

21. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein the generator is a motor/generator used to drive one or more of the aircraft's landing gear wheels in rotation to effect the backwards motion of the aircraft.

22. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 21 , wherein the motor/generator is selectively coupled to the landing gear wheel(s) by a drive path.

23. The method of controlling speed of an aircraft according to claim 22 , wherein the drive path includes a gear mounted to the wheel rim and a pinion, wherein the pinion is moveable between an engaged position in which the pinion is in driving engagement with the wheel gear and a disengaged position in which the pinion is physically separated from the wheel gear.

24. An autonomous pushback braking system for an aircraft, comprising:
a wheel drive system for driving one or more of the aircraft's landing gear wheels in rotation, wherein the wheel drive system is operable to drive the wheel in rotation to effect backwards motion of the aircraft when in contact with the ground, a friction brake assembly for applying a braking torque to at least one landing gear wheel of the aircraft, the torque is in a direction opposite to the backwards rolling direction of rotation of the landing gear wheel, and wherein the torque applied does not exceed a limit for ensuring aircraft longitudinal stability, wherein a measured aircraft speed is compared to a predetermined threshold limit at which the aircraft longitudinal stability is not ensured, and wherein a warning indication is displayed in the aircraft cockpit when the measured speed exceeds that predetermined threshold limit.

25. The autonomous pushback braking system for an aircraft according to claim 24 , further comprising a friction brake assembly for applying a braking torque to the wheel.

26. The autonomous pushback braking system for an aircraft according to claim 24 , further comprising a sensor for determining the aircraft speed relative to the ground.

27. The autonomous pushback braking system for an aircraft according to claim 26 , further compris

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Morris James
• Colosimo Antonio

Classifications

• B64C25/405 Primary

  Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing · CPC title

• B60T8/1703

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• B64C25/445 Primary

  Brake regulators for preventing somersaulting · CPC title

• B60T8/00 Primary

  Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force (by changing number of effective brake cylinders in power brake systems B60T17/10) · CPC title

• B60T8/32

  responsive to a speed condition, e.g. acceleration or deceleration ({using electrical circuitry or regulation means B60T8/17} ; B60T8/28 takes precedence; electric devices on electrically propelled vehicles indicating the wheel slip B60L3/10; measuring linear or angular speed per se G01P3/00) · CPC title