Configurable rotary encoder including two point inflight auto calibration and error adjustment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11440647-B2
Application number	US-201916393019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2019
Priority date	Oct 5, 2018
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

A landing gear system includes a landing gear collar and a strut assembly supported by the landing gear collar. The strut assembly includes a piston that is adjustable between a fully extended position and a fully compress position. The landing gear system further includes a rotary encoder and a controller. The rotary encoder rotates in response adjusting the piston and to outputs a data value in response to its rotation. The controller is in signal communication with the rotary encoder and determines a stroke of the piston based on the data value output from the rotary encoder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A landing gear system comprises:
a landing gear collar;
a strut assembly supported by the landing gear collar, the strut assembly including a piston that is adjustable between a fully extended position and a fully compress position;
a rotary encoder rotatably coupled to the strut assembly, the rotary encoder configured to rotate in response to adjusting the piston and to output a data value indicative of a voltage level in response to rotating the rotary encoder; and
a controller in signal communication with the rotary encoder and configured to determine a stroke of the piston based on the data value output from the rotary encoder,
wherein the controller stores a plurality of pre-determined voltages that are cross-referenced to a respective stroke position of the piston, and determines the stroke based on a comparison between the voltage level and the plurality of pre-determined voltages.

2. The landing gear of claim 1 , wherein the strut assembly further comprises a strut linkage configured to adjust in response to adjusting the piston.

3. The landing gear of claim 2 wherein the rotary encoder is coupled to the strut linkage and rotates in response to adjusting the strut linkage.

4. The landing gear of claim 3 , wherein the piston is configured to move between a fully extended position and a fully compressed position.

5. The landing gear of claim 1 , wherein the controller dynamically adjusts the voltage level based on a correction value, and determines the stroke based on the adjusted voltage level.

6. A method of determining a stroke of a piston, the method comprising:
storing, in a look-up table of a controller, a plurality of pre-determined voltages that are cross-referenced to a respective stroke position of a piston included in a strut assembly;
adjusting the piston between a fully extended position and a fully compress position;
rotating a rotary encoder in response to adjusting the piston; and
outputting a data value indicative of a voltage level from the rotating encoder in response to rotating the rotary encoder;
determining, via the controller, the stroke of the piston based on the data value output from the rotary encoder; and
determining, via the controller, the stroke based on a comparison between the voltage level and the plurality of pre-determined voltages.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprises rotatably coupling the rotary encoder to a strut linkage.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising outputting the data value in response to adjusting the strut linkage.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising moving the piston between a fully extended position and a fully compressed position, and determining the data value based on a difference between an adjusted position of the piston and the fully compressed position.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining a correction value;
storing the correction value in a memory unit; and
dynamically adjusting, via the controller, the voltage level based on the correction value.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining, via the controller, the stroke based on the adjusted voltage level.

Assignees

• Simmonds Precision Products

Inventors

• Berenbaum Arthur M
• Kekan Rajendra S
• Choudhury Sanat Kumar
• Hilloowala Rohin

Classifications

• G01D2205/22

  by converting the rotary movement into a linear movement · CPC title

• G01D5/2449

  using hard-stored calibration data · CPC title

• B64C25/001

  Devices not provided for in the groups B64C25/02 - B64C25/68 · CPC title

• G01D18/006 Primary

  Intermittent recalibration · CPC title

• B64C25/62 Primary

  Spring shock-absorbers; Springs · CPC title