System and method for correcting wing twist of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018099740-A1
Application number	US-201715455353-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 10, 2017
Priority date	Oct 12, 2016
Publication date	Apr 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system which includes a first light beam locating sensor associated with a first position to be located on a wing of an aircraft. The first light beam locating sensor senses a first light beam at an identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor. A processor is configured to receive a first signal from the first light beam locating sensor wherein the first signal includes a first identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor. The processor is configured to determine a location of the first position on the wing and perform a first comparison of the location of the first position on the wing to a predetermined analyzed location of the first position on the wing.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A system comprising:
a first light beam locating sensor associated with a first position to be located on a wing of an aircraft; wherein the first light beam locating sensor senses a first light beam at a first identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor; and a processor configured to:
receive a first signal from the first light beam locating sensor, the first signal including the first identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor;
determine a location of the first position on the wing; and
perform a first comparison of the location of the first position on the wing to a predetermined analyzed location of the first position on the wing.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein:
the processor is further configured to send an instruction to control moving of a movable control surface if there is a difference in the first comparison; and
an actuator controller configured to receive the instruction and to operate an actuator to move the movable control surface based on the instruction.

3 . The system of claim 1 further includes a second light beam locating sensor associated with a second position on the wing of the aircraft, wherein the second light beam locating sensor senses a second light beam at a second identifiable position on the second light beam locating sensor.

4 . The system of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a second signal from the second light beam locating sensor, the second signal including the second identifiable position on the second light beam locating sensor;
determine a location of the second position on the wing; and
perform a second comparison of the location of the second position on the wing to a predetermined analyzed location of the second position on the wing.

5 . The system of claim 4 wherein:
the processor is further configured to send an instruction to control moving of a movable control surface if there is a difference in the second comparison; and
an actuator controller configured to receive the instruction and to operate an actuator to move the movable control surface based on the instruction.

6 . The system of claim 3 wherein:
the first light beam locating sensor is associated with the first position to be located on the wing wherein the first position to be located on the wing comprises a leading edge of the wing at a chord of the wing; and
the second light beam locating sensor is associated with the second position to be located on the wing wherein the second position to be located on the wing comprises a trailing edge of the wing at the chord of the wing.

7 . The system of claim 3 further includes:
a first reflective surface positioned on the wing associated with the first position to be located on the wing; and
a second reflective surface positioned on the wing associated with the second position to be located on the wing.

8 . The system of claim 7 wherein:
the first light beam locating sensor is secured to a fuselage of the aircraft and receives first light beam reflected from the first reflective surface; and
the second light beam locating sensor is secured to the fuselage of the aircraft and receives the second light beam reflected from the second reflective surface.

9 . The system of claim 3 wherein:
the first light beam locating sensor is positioned on the wing associated with the first position on the wing of the aircraft; and
the second light beam locating sensor is positioned on the wing associated with the second position on the wing of the aircraft.

10 . The system of claim 3 further includes:
a first laser secured to a fuselage of the aircraft, located forward of the wing and positioned to emit the first light beam toward the wing and a second laser secured to the fuselage of the aircraft, or located aft of the wing and positioned to emit a second light beam toward the wing; and
wherein:
the first laser is mounted to a first gimbal having a first gimbal controller; and
the second laser is mounted to a second gimbal having a second gimbal controller.

11 . The system of claim 10 wherein:
the first gimbal controller is communicatively coupled to the first light beam locating sensor and the second gimbal controller is communicatively coupled to the second light beam locating sensor;
the first light beam locating sensor sends a first signal to the first gimbal controller including the first identifiable position of the first light beam on the first light beam locating sensor; and
the second light beam locating sensor sends a second signal to the second gimbal controller including the second identifiable position of the second light beam on the second light beam locating sensor.

12 . The system of claim 11 wherein:
the first gimbal controller determines whether the first identifiable position of the first light beam on the first light beam locating sensor is positioned within an acceptable distance from an edge of the first light beam locating sensor or is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor, and if the first identifiable position is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor, the first gimbal controller sends an instruction to the first gimbal to move the first laser so as to move the first light beam of the first laser to a distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor to within the acceptable distance from the edge of the first light beam locating sensor; and
the second gimbal controller determines whether the second identifiable position of the second light beam on the second light beam locating sensor is positioned within an acceptable distance from an edge of the second light beam locating sensor or is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor, and if the second identifiable position is positioned outside of the acceptable distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor, the second gimbal controller sends an instruction to the second gimbal to move the second laser so as to move the second light beam of the second laser to a distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor to within the acceptable distance from the edge of the second light beam locating sensor.

13 . A method comprising the steps of:
sensing a first light beam at a first identifiable position on a first light beam locating sensor, wherein the first light beam locating sensor is associated with a first position to be located on a wing of an aircraft; receiving by a processor a first signal from the first light beam locating sensor, the first signal including the first identifiable position on the first light beam locating sensor; determining by the processor a location of the first position on the wing; and performing by the processor a first comparison of the location of the first position on the wing to a predetermined analyzed location of the first position on the wing.

14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:
sending by the processor a first instruction to control moving of a movable control surface if there is a difference in the first comparison; and
receiving by an actuator controller configured to receive the first instruction and the actuator controller operating an actuator to move the movable control surface based on the first instruction.

15 . The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:
sensing a second light beam at a second identifiable position on the second li

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Provost Stephen N
• Pitt Dale M

Classifications

• B64C13/16 Primary

  actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors · CPC title

• B64D43/00

  Arrangements or adaptations of instruments · CPC title

• G01B11/16

  for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge · CPC title

• B64D45/00

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C3/00 Primary

  Wings (ornithopter wings B64C33/02) · CPC title