Fiber optic actuator overload trip sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12337990-B2
Application number	US-202318154503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2023
Priority date	Jan 13, 2023
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus and a method of determining a state of an actuator in an airplane. The apparatus includes a mirror coupled to the actuator, wherein a location of the mirror is dependent on the state of the actuator, a shaft for moving the mirror upon a change in the state of the actuator, and a processor. Incident light is reflected off of the mirror to create a reflected light. The processor receives the reflected light from the mirror, detects a change in a parameter of the reflected light generated by moving of the mirror, and determines the state of the actuator based on the change in the parameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling operation of an airplane, comprising:
reflecting incident light off of a mirror to create a reflected light, wherein the mirror is coupled to an actuator via a spring, spring is held in a non-equilibrium position by a mechanical trip indicator of the actuator under normal operation of the actuator, and the actuator is coupled to a slat or a flap of the airplane;
moving the mechanical trip indicator when the actuator is over torqued to allow the spring to relax to its equilibrium position, thereby moving the mirror;
detecting a change in a phase of the reflected light generated by moving the mirror;
determining the actuator to be over-torqued based on the change in the phase; and
controlling operation of another slat or another flap based on the actuator being over-torqued to control operation of the airplane.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the mirror further comprises tilting the mirror.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising translating a wedge via the spring to tilt the mirror.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting the change in the phase using an interferometer that includes the mirror as an arm of the interferometer.

5. An apparatus for controlling an airplane, comprising:
an actuator for controlling a slat or a flap of the airplane;
a spring held in a non-equilibrium position by a mechanical trip indicator of the actuator under normal operation of the actuator, wherein the mechanical trip indicator moves when the actuator is over-torqued to allow the spring to relax to its equilibrium position;
a shaft configured to move via the spring;
a mirror movable via the shaft;
a processor configured to:
project incident light onto the mirror;
receive reflected light from the mirror;
detect a change in a phase of the reflected light generated by moving the mirror; and
determine the actuator to be over-torqued based on the change in the phase; and
control operation of another slat or another flap based on the actuator being over-torqued to control operation of the airplane.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a wedge coupled to the shaft, wherein the wedges moves with the shaft to tilt the mirror.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising an interferometer that includes the mirror as an arm of the interferometer and is configured to detect the change in the phase.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Ankney Darrell E

Classifications

• G01D5/266

  by interferometric means (G01D5/353 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64D2045/0085

  Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration · CPC title

• B64F5/60

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• B64D2045/001

  for indicating symmetry of flaps deflection · CPC title

• G01L3/08

  involving optical means for indicating · CPC title