Variable area fan nozzle position and skew sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9551295-B2
Application number	US-201313949945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2013
Priority date	Jul 24, 2012
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are presented for detecting a misaligned or otherwise skewed variable area fan nozzle (VAFN) that is mounted on a thrust reverser sleeve of an aircraft engine. Rods project from different parts around the arcuate VAFN, the rods having patterns at their ends. In normal operation when the thrust reverser is stowed, the rods project over the thrust reverser into a fixed area of the engine. Sensors in the fixed area determine the position of the VAFN from the patterns on the rods. When the thrust reverser deploys, the rods are pulled aft with the VAFN, which is mounted on the thrust reverser sleeve, and separate from the sensors. When the thrust reverser stows, the rods move forward with the VAFN and re-engage with the sensors. Repeating patterns on the rods allow for simple, relatively low-cost sensors to read their relative positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A skew sensing apparatus for an aircraft engine variable area fan nozzle (VAFN) assembly, the apparatus comprising:
an arcuate VAFN section;
a translatable sleeve of a thrust reverser assembly that is moved between a stowed position and a deployed position, the arcuate VAFN section supported by the translatable sleeve and translatable with respect to the translatable sleeve:
a first rod attached to a first portion of the VAFN section spanning along the translatable sleeve in a longitudinal direction, the first rod having a first pattern along a length of the first rod;
a second rod attached to a second portion of the VAFN section and spanning along the translatable sleeve in the longitudinal direction, the second rod having a second pattern along a length of the second rod;
a first sensor adapted to sense a position of the first rod using the first pattern;
a second sensor adapted to sense a position of the second rod using the second pattern; and
a circuit comparing the position of the first rod and the position of the second rod from the first sensor and the second sensor respectively and taking a corrective action when the skew is determined between the first rod and the second rod.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first rod and the second rod are configured to move away from the first sensor and the second sensor when the translatable sleeve is moved to the deployed position, and are configured to be sensed by the first sensor and the second sensor when the translatable sleeve is moved to the stowed position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern includes a repeating pattern having a wavelength of repetition, a half wavelength of the repeating pattern being less than a maximum distance for indicating a skewed VAFN configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern includes a non-repeating pattern configured to allow the first sensor to determine an absolute position of the first rod.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pattern of the first rod includes physical notches or protrusions on the first rod; and
the first sensor includes a position-sensing switch.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the position-sensing switch includes a proximity sensor, the apparatus further comprising:
a roller configured to contact the first pattern of the first rod;
a crank coupled with the roller, an axle of the crank extending through a beam; and
a flap coupled with the crank on a side of the beam opposite the roller, the crank configured to rotate the flap toward or away from the proximity sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pattern of the first rod includes conductive and non-conductive portions; and
the first sensor includes a conductive coupler.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pattern of the first rod includes markings; and
the first sensor includes an optical or infrared detector.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pattern of the first rod includes magnets; and
the first sensor includes a magnetic field detector.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first rod is coupled with a top portion of the arcuate VAFN section and the second rod is coupled with a bottom portion of the arcuate VAFN section.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a switch configured to prevent movement of the VAFN assembly based upon a signal from the circuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern and the second pattern are identical.

13. A method of sensing skew of an aircraft engine variable area fan nozzle (VAFN) assembly, the method comprising:
moving an arcuate VAFN section fore or aft relative to the aircraft engine, the VAFN section movable between a stowed position and a deployed position with respect to the translatable sleeve in accordance with thrust reverser sleeve positions, the VAFN section having a first portion with a first rod and a second portion with a second rod, the first rod having a first pattern and the second rod having a second pattern along their respective length, wherein the first rod is attached to the first portion, and the second rod is attached to the second portion:
sensing, using a first sensor, a position of the first rod using the first pattern;
sensing, using a second sensor, a position of the second rod using the second pattern;
comparing the sensed positions of the first rod and the second rod using data from the first sensor and the second sensor respectively; and
preventing movement of the VAFN section based on the comparison, the preventing movement comprising taking a corrective action when the skew is determined between the first rod and the second rod.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising: moving the first rod and the second rod away from the first sensor and the second sensor, respectively, upon moving the VAFN section to the deployed position; and engaging the first rod and the second rod with the first sensor and the second sensor, respectively, upon moving the VAFN section to the stowed position.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first pattern includes a repeating pattern having a wavelength of repetition, a half wavelength of the repeating pattern being less than a maximum distance for indicating a skewed VAFN.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first pattern includes a non-repeating pattern configured to allow the first sensor to determine an absolute position of the first rod.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the first pattern of the first rod includes physical notches or protrusions on the first rod; and
the first sensor includes a position-sensing switch.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein sensing the position of the first rod comprises receiving a signal from a proximity switch and detecting a flap connected with a crank and roller, the method further comprising:
rolling the roller over the physical notches or protrusions on the first rod.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first rod is coupled with a top portion of the arcuate VAFN section and the second rod is coupled with a bottom portion of the arcuate VAFN section.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Gormley Timothy

Classifications

• F02K1/09 Primary

  by axially moving an external member, e.g. a shroud (F02K1/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02K1/15 Primary

  Control or regulation · CPC title

• F02K1/76

  Control or regulation of thrust reversers · CPC title