Multifunction probe for primary references for aircraft, associated measuring system, aircraft and method for obtaining physical quantities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10495662-B2
Application number	US-201615132978-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2016
Priority date	Apr 20, 2015
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A multifunction probe for primary references for an aircraft, an associated measuring system, aircraft and method for obtaining physical quantities are disclosed. In one aspect, the multifunction probe includes a base designed to be fastened on the cockpit of an aircraft, a plurality of static pressure taps arranged through the base and connected to pressure measuring devices and an optical window transparent to laser radiation and positioned in the base for the passage of laser radiation through the base. The multifunction probe further includes at least one laser anemometry optical head positioned to take laser anemometry measurements through the optical window and a static temperature probe mounted on the base.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multifunction probe for primary references for an aircraft, the multifunction probe for primary references including:
a base configured to be fastened on a cockpit of the aircraft;
a plurality of static pressure taps arranged through the base and connected to pressure measuring devices;
an optical window transparent to laser radiation and positioned in the base so as to enable the passage of laser radiation through the base;
at least one laser anemometry optical head positioned to take laser anemometry measurements through the optical window; and
a static temperature probe mounted on the base.

2. The multifunction probe for primary references according to claim 1 , wherein the optical window has an outer face flush with an outer surface of the base and a first inner face, each optical head being on the side of the first inner face.

3. The multifunction probe for primary references according to claim 1 , wherein the static temperature probe comprises a wall having an outer face flush with an outer surface of the base and an inner face, the temperature probe comprising a temperature-sensitive element configured to measure temperature and positioned on the inner face to measure the static temperature of a flow of air in contact with the outer face through the wall.

4. The multifunction probe for primary references according to claim 1 , comprising a deicing system for the static pressure taps, configured to control deicing as a function of the temperature measured by the static temperature probe.

5. The multifunction probe for primary references according to claim 1 , wherein the base defines a receiving orifice for the static temperature probe, wherein the multifunction probe of primary references comprises a thermal insulating seal for the static temperature probe relative to the base, inserted between the base and the static temperature probe, and wherein the temperature probe comprises a thermal insulating device on its periphery.

6. An anemo-barometric measuring system for an aircraft comprising at least one multifunction probe of primary references connected to at least one device for computing physical properties relative to the aircraft as a function of measurements performed by the at least one multifunction probe of primary references, at least one of the multifunction probes of primary references being according to claim 1 .

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein each computing device is configured to compute one or more physical properties relative to the aircraft selection from among:
a total temperature of the air moving around the aircraft;
a true airspeed;
a computed speed;
an indicated speed;
an angle of attack;
a sideslip;
a pressure altitude;
a corrected pressure altitude;
a standard altitude;
a barometric rate of climb and the Mach number of the aircraft, as a function of the measurements of the static temperature;
a static pressure; and
a local speed of the aircraft taken by each multifunction probe.

8. An aircraft comprising at least one multifunction probe for primary references according to claim 1 .

9. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein for each multifunction probe of primary references, the temperature probe is closer to the ground than the static pressure taps, in the standard flight configuration of the aircraft.

10. A method for obtaining a plurality of physical properties relative to an aircraft, comprising:
providing a multifunction probe for primary references according to claim 1 , on a cockpit of the aircraft;
measuring a static pressure near the aircraft via the static pressure taps;
sending/receiving laser radiation from the inside of the aircraft to the outside of the aircraft through the optical window via the optical head to measure a speed of the aircraft;
measuring a static temperature via the static temperature probe; and
computing physical properties as a function of the measured static temperature, static pressure and speed of the aircraft.

11. A multifunction probe for primary references for an aircraft, the multifunction probe for primary references including:
abase configured to be fastened on a cockpit of the aircraft; a plurality of static pressure taps arranged through the base and connected to pressure measuring devices;
an optical window transparent to laser radiation and positioned in the base so as to enable the passage of laser radiation through the base;
at least one laser anemometry optical head positioned to take laser anemometry measurements through the optical window; and
a static temperature probe mounted on the base,
wherein the static pressure taps, the static temperature probe and each optical head are configured to perform measurements near another, at measuring points situated in a cylindrical volume of revolution, centered on axis globally perpendicular to the base, with a diameter less than about 30 cm and a height less than about 50 cm.

12. A multifunction probe for primary references for an aircraft, the multifunction probe for primary references including:
a base configured to be fastened on a cockpit of the aircraft;
a plurality of static pressure taps arranged through the base and connected to pressure measuring devices;
an optical window transparent to laser radiation and positioned in the base so as to enable the passage of laser radiation through the base;
at least one laser anemometry optical head positioned to take laser anemometry measurements through the optical window;
a static temperature probe mounted on the base; and
a deicing system for the static pressure taps, configured to control deicing as a function of the temperature measured by the static temperature probe,
wherein the temperature probe is closer to the ground than the static pressure taps, in the standard flight configuration of the aircraft.

Assignees

• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Genevrier Gilles
• Mandle Jacques
• Flaven Cédric
• Schlotterbeck Jean-Pierre

Classifications

• G01S7/4813

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• G01S17/86

  Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders · CPC title

• G01P5/26

  by measuring the direct influence of the streaming fluid on the properties of a detecting optical wave · CPC title

• G01P21/025

  for measuring speed of fluids; for measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids (for measuring volume flow G01F25/10) · CPC title

• G01S17/95

  for meteorological use · CPC title