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US 12,654,875 B2Granted
Monitoring adaptable segments of an airfoil
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorsJörg Wyrembek, Lynn Janning, Sarah Dehnbostel, Christoph Naue
Life of this patent
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Abstract
To provide an improved monitoring, a monitoring arrangement for adaptable segments of an airfoil includes sensor cable segments, cable connections, and a signal data processor. The sensor cable segments are each configured to be attached between adjacent adaptable segments and to detect a spatial relative movement of the adjacent adaptable segments and to generate a signal representing the relative movement. The cable connections are configured to supply the signals of the sensor cable segments to the data processor. The data processor is configured to determine relative changes in a spatial arrangement of the adaptable segments based on the supplied signals.
Claims21
A monitoring arrangement for a plurality of adaptable segments of an airfoil, the monitoring arrangement comprising:
- a plurality of sensor cable segments, each of which is configured for:
- attachment between adjacent adaptable segments of the plurality of the adaptable segments;
- detecting a spatial relative movement of the adjacent adaptable segments;
- and
- generating a signal representing the relative movement;
- a signal data processor configured to determine relative changes in a spatial arrangement of the plurality of adaptable segments based on the signal generated by each of the plurality of sensor cable segments;
- and
- a plurality of cable connections configured to supply the signal generated by each of the plurality of sensor cable segments to the data processor;
- wherein at least a part of at least one of the plurality of cable connections comprises interconnecting cable segments configured for:
- arranging between successive sensor cable segments of the plurality of sensor cable segments;
- and
- connecting the successive sensor cable segments to the data processor.
9 more elements
A method for monitoring a plurality of adaptable segments of an airfoil, the method comprising:
- detecting spatial relative movements of adjacent adaptable segments of the plurality of adaptable segments with sensor cable segments of a plurality of sensor cable segments that are attached between the adjacent adaptable segments of the plurality of the adaptable segments;
- generating signals representing the relative movements;
- supplying the signals of the sensor cable segments to a data processor with a plurality of cable connections;
- and
- determining, based on the supplied signals, relative changes in a spatial arrangement of the plurality of adaptable segments with the data processor;
- wherein at least a part of at least one of the plurality of cable connections comprises interconnecting cable segments for:
- arranging between successive sensor cable segments of the plurality of sensor cable segments;
- and
- connecting the successive sensor cable segments to the data processor.
6 more elements
A monitoring arrangement for a plurality of adaptable segments of an airfoil, the monitoring arrangement comprising:
- a plurality of sensor cable segments, each of which comprises a first and second sensor segment arranged in a common cable, and each of which is configured for:
- attachment between adjacent adaptable segments of the plurality of the adaptable segments;
- detecting a spatial relative movement of the adjacent adaptable segments;
- and
- generating a signal representing the relative movement;
- a signal data processor configured to determine relative changes in a spatial arrangement of the plurality of adaptable segments based on the signal generated by each of the plurality of sensor cable segments;
- and
- a plurality of cable connections configured to supply the signal generated by each of the plurality of sensor cable segments to the data processor.
5 more elements
A monitoring arrangement for a plurality of adaptable segments of an airfoil, the monitoring arrangement comprising:
- a plurality of sensor cable segments, each of which is configured for:
- attachment between adjacent adaptable segments of the plurality of the adaptable segments;
- detecting a spatial relative movement of the adjacent adaptable segments;
- and
- generating a signal representing the relative movement;
- a signal data processor configured to determine relative changes in a spatial arrangement of the plurality of adaptable segments based on the signal generated by each of the plurality of sensor cable segments;
- and
- a plurality of cable connections configured to supply the signal generated by each of the plurality of sensor cable segments to the data processor
- wherein at least a part of at least one of the plurality of cable connections comprises a second plurality of sensor cable segments;
- and
- wherein each of the second plurality of sensor cable segments is configured for:
- attachment to one of the adaptable segments;
- detecting a spatial deforming of a respective adaptable segment;
- and
- generating a second signal representing the spatial deforming of the respective adaptable segment.
12 more elements
An airfoil comprising:
- a support structure;
- and
- an adaptable surface configuration comprising:
- a plurality of adaptable segments that are mounted to the support structure;
- a mechanism for changing locations or shapes of the adaptable segments in relation to the support structure;
- and
- a monitoring arrangement for the plurality of adaptable segment, the monitoring arrangement comprising:
- a plurality of sensor cable segments, each of which is configured for:
- attachment between adjacent adaptable segments of the plurality of the adaptable segments;
- detecting a spatial relative movement of the adjacent adaptable segments;
- and
- generating a signal representing the relative movement;
- a signal data processor configured to determine relative changes in a spatial arrangement of the plurality of adaptable segments based on the signal generated by each of the plurality of sensor cable segments;
- and
- a plurality of cable connections configured to supply the signal generated by each of the plurality of sensor cable segments to the data processor;
- wherein the plurality of sensor cable segments of the monitoring arrangement are configured to detect relative movement between adjacent segments of the plurality of adaptable segments;
- wherein at least a part of the airfoil has an aerodynamically effective geometry that is adjustable based on changes of the plurality of sensor cable segments;
- and
- wherein at least one of the plurality of cable connections is along each of the plurality of adaptable segments.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.