Methods and control systems for controlling a drive system of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10647417-B2
Application number	US-201615207536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2016
Priority date	Jul 13, 2015
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A method of controlling a drive system of an aircraft. The drive system comprised a drive motor arranged to drive at least one wheel of an aircraft landing gear. A power signal indicative of a power level for the drive motor and a speed signal indicative of a rotation speed of the drive motor are received. A torque level for the drive motor is determined using the power signal and the speed signal. The drive motor is then driven such that the torque generated by the drive motor is at the determined torque level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a drive system of an aircraft, wherein the drive system comprises a drive motor arranged to drive at least one wheel of the aircraft landing gear, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a power signal indicative of a desired power level for the drive motor such that the drive motor avoids jerking the aircraft:
receiving a speed signal indicative of a rotation speed of the drive motor;

determining a torque level for the drive motor using the desired power signal and the speed signal; and,
driving the drive motor such that the torque generated by the drive motor is at the determined torque level.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the torque level is determined by dividing the power level indicated by the power signal by the rotation speed indicated by the speed signal.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the torque level is at most a predefined maximum torque level.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the torque level is, if non-zero, at least a predefined minimum torque level.

5. A method of controlling a drive system of an aircraft, wherein the drive system comprises a drive motor arranged to drive at least one wheel of the aircraft landing gear, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a power signal indicative of a power level for the drive motor;
receiving a speed signal indicative of a rotation speed of the drive motor;
determining a torque level for the drive motor using the power signal and the speed signal;
driving the drive motor such that the torque generated by the drive motor is at the determined torque level, wherein the torque level is increased over time by at most a predefined maximum torque rate to provide smooth movement of the aircraft when there are large changes in the power level indicated for the drive motor.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein if the rotation speed indicated by the speed signal is below a predefined minimum rotation speed, the torque level is determined using the predefined minimum rotation speed.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power level indicated by the power signal is a percentage of a predefined maximum power level.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotation speed indicated by the speed signal is determined from sensors on the drive motor.

9. A control system for controlling an aircraft wheel drive system, wherein the drive system comprises a drive motor arranged to drive at least one wheel of the aircraft landing gear, and wherein the control system is arranged to:
receive a power signal indicative of a desired power level for the drive motor such that the drive motor avoids jerking the aircraft;
receive a speed signal indicative of a rotation speed of the drive motor;
determine a torque level for the drive motor using the desired power signal and the speed signal; and,
drive the drive motor such that the torque generated by the drive motor is at the determined torque level.

10. A control system as claimed in claim 9 , arranged to determine the torque level by dividing the power level indicated by the power signal by the rotation speed indicated by the speed signal.

11. A control system as claimed in claim 9 , arranged to determine the torque level to be at most a predefined maximum torque level.

12. A control system as claimed in claim 9 , arranged to determine the torque level to be, if non-zero, at most a predefined minimum torque level.

13. A control system as claimed in claim 9 , arranged to increase the torque level over time by at most a predefined maximum torque rate to provide smooth movement of the aircraft when there are large changes in the power level indicated for the drive motor.

14. A control system as claimed in claim 9 , arranged, if the rotation speed indicated by the speed signal is below a predefined minimum rotation speed, to determine the torque level using the predefined minimum rotation speed.

15. A control system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the power level indicated by the power signal is a percentage of a predefined maximum power level.

16. A control system as claimed in claim 9 , arrange to determine the rotation speed indicated by the speed signal using sensors on the drive motor.

17. An aircraft comprising: an aircraft wheel drive system;
a control system for controlling the aircraft wheel drive system; wherein the drive system comprises a drive motor arranged to drive at least one wheel of the aircraft landing gear, and wherein the control system is arranged to:
receive a power signal indicative of a desired power level for the drive motor such that the drive motor avoids jerking the aircraft;
receive a speed signal indicative of a rotation speed of the drive motor;
determine a torque level for the drive motor using the desired power signal and the speed signal; and,
drive the drive motor such that the torque generated by the drive motor is at the determined torque level.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the torque level is increased over time by at most a predefined maximum torque rate to provide smooth movement of the aircraft when there are large changes in the power level indicated for the drive motor.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd
• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Colosimo Antonio
• Sznajder Lukasz
• Guery Xavier

Classifications

• B64D31/00 Primary

  Power plant control systems; Arrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft · CPC title

• B64C25/405 Primary

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

• B64C19/00

  Aircraft control not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60L2200/10

  Air crafts · CPC title

• Y02T50/823

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic