Pitot tube sensing apparatus
AssigneeAirbus SAS
InventorAnmol DHANDHANIA
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Abstract
A pitot tube sensing apparatus and method are disclosed for determining the presence or absence of a foreign object within the pitot tube sensing apparatus, and including a pitot tube having a channel, a pressure sensor coupled to the channel, a capacitor and a system. The capacitor includes two electrodes on opposing sides of the channel. The system measures a parameter indicative of a capacitance between the two electrodes and determines the presence or absence of a foreign object within the channel based on the parameter.
Claims21
A pitot tube sensing apparatus comprising:
- a pitot tube comprising a channel;
- a pressure sensor coupled to the channel;
- a capacitor comprising two electrodes on opposing sides of the channel, wherein the two electrodes conform to the shape of an inner surface of the channel;
- and
- a system configured to:
- measure a parameter indicative of a capacitance between the two electrodes;
- and
- determine the presence or absence of a foreign object within the channel based on the parameter.
A method of determining the presence or absence of a foreign object within a pitot tube sensing apparatus, wherein the pitot tube sensing apparatus comprises:
- a pitot tube comprising a channel with an opening;
- a pressure sensor coupled to the channel;
- and
- a capacitor comprising two electrodes on opposing sides of the channel,
- the method comprising:
- measuring a parameter indicative of a capacitance between the two electrodes;
- and
- determining the presence or absence of a foreign object within the channel based on the parameter.
(canceled)
A pitot tube sensing apparatus comprising:
- a pitot tube comprising a channel;
- a pressure sensor coupled to the channel;
- a capacitor comprising two electrodes on opposing sides of the channel;
- and
- a system configured to:
- measure a parameter indicative of a capacitance between the two electrodes;
- determine the presence or absence of a foreign object within the channel based on the parameter;
- and
- calculate a rate of change in the parameter, wherein the determination of the presence or absence of a foreign object is based on a comparison of the rate of change in the parameter to a detection threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.