Redundant hydraulic power pack architecture for aircraft main landing gear system
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsJoshua Boone Pepper, Brady Powell Dearing
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The left and right main landing gears on an aircraft are normally controlled by separate hydraulic power packs (HPP). Each HPP is sized for the load of the respective main landing gear. During failure of one of the HPP, a backup valve actuates to allow the other HPP to operate both main landing gears. With the backup valve actuated, the pump of the functioning HPP is coupled to the reservoirs of both HPPs and to the load paths to both main landing gears.
Claims20
A hydraulic system to operate a main landing gear system on an aircraft, the main landing gear system including a left main landing gear actuator and a right main landing gear actuator, the hydraulic system comprising:
- a first hydraulic power pack configured to actuate the left main landing gear actuator, the first hydraulic power pack defining a load interface, a first return interface, and a second return interface, the first hydraulic power pack including a reservoir, which is fluidly coupled to the first and second return interfaces of the first hydraulic power pack, and a pump configured to draw fluid from the reservoir of the first hydraulic power pack, to pressurize the drawn fluid, and to direct the pressurized fluid to the load interface of the first hydraulic power pack;
- a second hydraulic power pack configured to actuate the right main landing gear actuator, the second hydraulic power pack defining a load interface, a first return interface, and a second return interface, the second hydraulic power pack including a reservoir, which is fluidly coupled to the first and second return interfaces of the second hydraulic power pack, and a pump configured to draw fluid from the reservoir of the second hydraulic power pack, to pressurize the drawn fluid, and to direct the pressurized fluid to the load interface of the second hydraulic power pack;
- and
- a backup valve arrangement including a first load bypass interface, a second load bypass interface, a first tank bypass interface, and a second tank bypass interface, wherein the first load bypass interface is fluidly coupled to the load interface of the first hydraulic power pack, the second load bypass interface is fluidly coupled to the load interface of the second hydraulic power pack, the first tank bypass interface is fluidly coupled to the second return interface of the first hydraulic power pack, and the second tank bypass interface is fluidly coupled to the second return interface of the second hydraulic power pack.
A hydraulic system to operate a main landing gear system on an aircraft, the main landing gear system including a first main landing gear actuator and a second main landing gear actuator, each of the first and second main landing gear actuators operating a respective one of the left and right main landing gears, the hydraulic system comprising:
- a first high pressure fluid path extending between a first pump and the first main landing gear actuator;
- a first pressure sensor disposed along the first high pressure fluid path;
- a first low pressure fluid path extending between the first main landing gear actuator and a first return interface;
- a second high pressure fluid path extending between a second pump and the second main landing gear actuator;
- a second pressure sensor disposed along the second high pressure fluid path;
- a second low pressure fluid path extending between the second main landing gear actuator and a second return interface;
- a backup load path extending between the first high pressure fluid path and the second high pressure fluid path, wherein the backup load path is selectively disrupted and connected by a backup valve when the backup valve moves between the closed and open positions, respectively;
- a backup return path extending between the first and second low pressure fluid paths, wherein the backup return path is selectively disrupted and connected by the backup valve when the backup valve moves between closed and open positions, respectively;
- a piloting solenoid valve operationally coupled to the backup valve to move the backup valve between the closed and open positions;
- and
- an electronic control system configured to receive pressure data from the first and second pressure sensors and to actuate the piloting solenoid valve to move the backup valve between the closed and open positions.
A method of deploying a main landing gear system on an aircraft, the main landing gear system including a left main landing gear and a right main landing gear, the method comprising:
- actuating a first hydraulic power pack to supply high pressure fluid along a first load path to an actuator of the left main landing gear and to receive low pressure fluid from the actuator of the left main landing gear along a first return path;
- actuating a second hydraulic power pack to supply high pressure fluid along a second load path to an actuator of the right main landing gear and to receive low pressure fluid from the actuator of the right main landing gear along a second return path;
- monitoring pressure readings along the first and second load paths;
- determining a failure in a failed one of the first and second hydraulic power packs based on the pressure readings;
- sending a failure alert to a system controller;
- ceasing operation of the failed one of the first and second hydraulic power packs;
- and
- continuing normal operation of the other of the first and second hydraulic power packs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.