Clutch driven aircraft electric taxi system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9975626-B2
Application number	US-201514932342-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2015
Priority date	Nov 5, 2014
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A clutch driven aircraft electric taxi system is provided with a clutch assembly designed to be automatically selectively engaged or disengaged as required to drive an aircraft autonomously during ground operations. The clutch assembly is mounted integrally with other electric taxi system components completely within an aircraft landing gear wheel and may be designed with one way overrunning or selectable clutch engagement capability in one or both rotational directions, preferably using an arrangement of ratcheting struts and clutch elements adapted specifically for use in an aircraft landing gear drive wheel environment. The clutch assembly may automatically disengage in response to predetermined defined conditions or operating parameters. A failsafe overrunning capability ensures that the clutch assembly will not engage taxi system drive components so that an aircraft's wheel will not be driven during aircraft operation when safety considerations dictate that the aircraft electric taxi system should not be engaged.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for to selectively control operation of a clutch driven aircraft electric taxi system and move an aircraft autonomously and safely during ground operations without operating engines, comprising
a. providing a clutch driven aircraft electric taxi system mounted completely within a space defined by inboard and outboard walls of a wheel rotatably mounted on an aircraft landing gear to move the aircraft autonomously on the ground, said electric taxi system comprising an electric motor, a drive system in actuating and torque transfer contact with the electric motor, and a controllable clutch assembly comprising a torque coupling element and a plurality of engagement elements in selectively engageable or disengageable torque transfer contact with said drive system and said electric motor to selectively transfer or not transfer torque to said electric motor to drive the landing gear-mounted wheel and move the aircraft on the ground;
c. determining electric taxi system or aircraft operating parameters and conditions that define when the controllable clutch assembly may be safely engaged in torque transfer contact with the drive system and the electric motor to transfer torque to the electric motor to drive the landing gear-mounted wheel and move the aircraft on the ground; and
d. automatically or manually controlling operation of said controllable clutch assembly to engage the torque coupling element and the plurality of engagement elements to transfer torque through said drive system and said electric motor only when the determined electric taxi system or aircraft operating parameters and conditions indicate that the electric taxi system may be safely operated to move the aircraft on the ground.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the electric taxi system or aircraft operating parameters and conditions that define when the torque coupling element and the plurality of engagement elements of the controllable clutch assembly may not be safely engaged to transfer torque through the electric taxi system, and automatically disengaging the torque coupling element and the plurality of engagement elements from engagement and torque transfer contact with the drive system and the electric motor to prevent operation of the electric taxi system when the electric taxi system may not be safely operated.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically controlling operation of the controllable clutch assembly to engage the torque coupling element and the plurality of engagement elements and transfer torque through the electric taxi system to move the aircraft only when the defined operating parameters indicate that the aircraft may be safely moved in a forward drive mode.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising manually controlling operation of the controllable clutch assembly to engage the torque coupling element and the plurality of engagement elements and transfer torque through the electric taxi system to move the aircraft when the defined operating parameters indicate that the aircraft may be safely moved in a reverse drive mode.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising defining a predetermined maximum drive speed for each of a forward drive mode and reverse drive mode for moving the aircraft on the ground, providing an overrunning capability in the controllable clutch assembly, and automatically enabling the overrunning capability of the controllable clutch assembly when the aircraft is operating in the forward drive mode, the defined maximum speed is exceeded, and the torque coupling element and the plurality of engagement elements are not in torque transfer contact with the drive system or the electric motor.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining electric taxi system or aircraft operating parameters and conditions comprising a target speed of said aircraft landing gear wheel or a target speed of said drive system or a rotating component of said electric motor and controlling the controllable clutch assembly to engage and disengage the torque coupling element and the plurality of engagement elements into and out of torque transfer contact with said drive system and said electric motor as required at said target speed.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a failsafe capability for said controllable clutch assembly, determining electric taxi system or aircraft operating parameters and conditions when torque transfer through the electric taxi system should be prevented, and automatically activating the failsafe capability to disengage the torque coupling element and the plurality of engagement elements from torque transfer contact with the drive system and the electric motor and prevent torque transfer through the electric taxi system when the determined electric taxi system or aircraft operating conditions indicate that the electric taxi system should not be operational to move the aircraft on the ground.

Assignees

• Borealis Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Cox Isaiah W
• Cox Joseph J

Classifications

• F16D2500/10493

  One way clutch · CPC title

• F16D41/125

  the pawl movement having an axial component · CPC title

• F16D2500/3108

  Vehicle speed · CPC title

• F16D41/14

  the effective stroke of the pawl being adjustable · CPC title

• B64C25/405 Primary

  Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing · CPC title