Apparatus and methods for controlling velocity of aircraft during landing roll-out and/or taxiing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10308353-B2
Application number	US-201615097975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2016
Priority date	May 6, 2015
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

Apparatus for controlling velocity of aircraft during landing roll-out and/or taxiing, the apparatus comprising: a generator for absorbing kinetic energy from a landing gear of the aircraft to generate electrical energy; and a component of the aircraft for receiving and consuming electrical energy from the generator, the generator and the component being electrically connected to one another without an intervening electrical energy storage device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for controlling velocity of aircraft during landing roll-out and/or taxiing, the apparatus comprising:
a generator for absorbing kinetic energy from a landing gear of the aircraft to generate electrical energy; and
a component of the aircraft for receiving and consuming electrical energy from the generator, the generator and the component being electrically connected to one another without an intervening electrical energy storage device,
wherein the component comprises at least one fan for providing thrust to reduce the velocity of the aircraft during landing roll-out and/or taxiing, and
wherein the component is configured to vary a load on the generator by means of charging a power consumed by the at least one fan.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the component comprises an aircraft electrical system.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to vary the load on the generator to vary the landing gear's resistance to rotation.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to receive runway condition information, and to vary the load on the generator using the received runway condition information to prevent skidding of the landing gear on the runway.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to receive runway exit location information, and to vary the load on the generator using the received runway exit location information to enable the aircraft to exit the runway at a predetermined location and/or velocity.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the generator comprises a motor-generator for receiving electrical energy from an auxiliary power unit of the aircraft to provide torque to the landing gear for taxiing.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to receive engine warm-up information, and to vary the load on the generator using the received engine warm-up information to enable the aircraft to taxi at a predetermined speed.

8. An aircraft comprising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .

9. A method for controlling velocity of aircraft comprising a landing gear during landing roll-out and/or taxiing, the method comprising:
varying load on a generator to vary resistance to rotation of the landing gear, the generator being arranged to absorb kinetic energy from the landing gear to generate electrical energy, a component of the aircraft being arranged to receive and consume electrical energy from the generator, the generator and the component being electrically connected to one another without an intervening electrical energy storage device,
wherein the component comprises at least one fan for providing thrust to reduce the velocity of the aircraft during landing roll-out and/or taxiing, and
wherein the component varies the load on the generator by means of changing a power consumed by the at least one fan.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising: receiving runway condition information, and varying the load on the generator using the received runway condition information to prevent skidding of the landing gear on the runway.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising receiving runway exit location information, and varying the load on the generator using the received runway exit location information to enable the aircraft to exit the runway at a predetermined location and/or velocity.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the generator comprises a motor-generator, the method further comprising controlling an auxiliary power unit of the aircraft to provide electrical energy to the motor-generator to cause the motor-generator to provide torque to the landing gear for taxiing.

13. A method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising receiving engine warm-up information, and varying the load on the generator using the received engine warm-up information to enable the aircraft to taxi at a predetermined speed.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the generator comprises a motor generator, the motor generator receiving electrical energy from an auxiliary power unit of the aircraft.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Swann Peter

Classifications

• B64C25/34

  wheeled type, e.g. multi-wheeled bogies · CPC title

• B64C25/405 Primary

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

• B64D2221/00

  Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft · CPC title

• B64D2205/00

  Aircraft with means for ground manoeuvring, such as taxiing, using an auxiliary thrust system, e.g. jet-engines, propellers or compressed air · CPC title

• B64C25/46

  Brake regulators for preventing skidding or aircraft somersaulting · CPC title