Methods and apparatus for operating flight control systems of aircrafts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016104331-A1
Application number	US-201414511036-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 9, 2014
Priority date	Oct 9, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for operating flight control systems of aircrafts are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a flight control system including a first sensor and a second sensor. The example apparatus also includes a processor to, based on data from the first and second sensors, determine first and second input values and, based the input values, determine an approximate location of a jam in the flight control system of an aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
determining first and second values; based on the values, determining a location of a jam in a flight control system of an aircraft.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flight control system comprises an elevator control system, a lateral control system, or a directional control system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second values comprise first and second input force values associated with control columns of the flight control system.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flight control system comprises a mechanical control system or a fly-by-wire control system.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the jam is determined based on a first summation of the first and second values.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the approximate location of the jam comprises determining if the first summation is approximately equal to or above a predetermined value.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the jam comprises an aft jam if the first summation is approximately equal to or above a predetermined value.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the jam comprises a forward jam if the first summation is approximately less than a predetermined value.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein based on the jam being the forward jam, enabling a forward jam override device to mitigate the jam.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the jam comprises an elevator jam.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising, based on the elevator jam being an aft jam, determining a direct lift control command to mitigate the elevator jam.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, based on the direct lift control command, commanding wing spoilers of the aircraft to mitigate the elevator jam.

13 . An apparatus, comprising:
a flight control system comprising a first sensor and a second sensor; and a processor to:
based on data from the first and second sensors, determine first and second input values;
based the input values, determine an approximate location of a jam in the flight control system of an aircraft.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the flight control system comprises an elevator control system, a lateral control system, or a directional control system.

15 . An apparatus, comprising:
an elevator control system comprising a first sensor and a second sensor; and a processor to:
based on data from the first and second sensors, determine first and second input force values;
based a first summation of the first and second input force values, determine an approximate location of an elevator jam in an elevator control system of an aircraft.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is to identify the elevator jam as being an aft jam if the first summation is approximately equal to or above a predetermined value.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein when the processor identifies the elevator jam as being an aft jam, the processor is to determine a direct lift control command to mitigate the elevator jam.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein, based on the direct lift control command determined, the processor is to command the wing spoilers of the aircraft to mitigate the elevator jam.

19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is to identify the elevator jam as being a forward jam if the first summation is approximately less than a predetermined value.

20 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein when the processor identifies the elevator jam as being a forward jam, the processor is to enable a forward jam override device to mitigate the elevator jam.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Huynh Neal V
• Eick Robert S
• Heineman Thomas G
• Bills Michael D
• Fahey Patrick M
• Nicholas John C

Classifications

• B64D2045/0085

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

• G07C5/0808 Primary

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title

• B64D45/00 Primary

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G05B23/0205 Primary

  by means of a monitoring system capable of detecting and responding to faults · CPC title

• B64D2045/001

  for indicating symmetry of flaps deflection · CPC title