Aircraft drive
AssigneeBorealis Technical Limited
InventorsIsaiah Watas Cox, Robert Lincoln Carman, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention describes a drive system for an aircraft involving one or more nose wheel motors. Data regarding the nose wheel rotation is used to control the ground travel of the aircraft, to predict potential problems, to provide more precise control over the aircraft, and to improve aircraft safety.
Claims25
A drive system for an aircraft including two nosegear wheels and main gear wheels, comprising
- a. at least one onboard motor connected to at least one aircraft nosegear wheel or an aircraft main gear wheel for powering taxi operations of said aircraft;
- b. data collector means attached to said nosegear or a main gear for collecting data from said nosegear or main gear wheels or said at least one onboard motor relating to the operation of said wheels or said at least one onboard motor;
- c. data processor means for receiving and processing said data collected by said data collector means;
- and
- d. data compare means for comparing processed data from said data processor means and from sources other than said nosegear wheels or said at least one onboard motor, including said main gear wheels, wherein said compared data is used to control ground travel of said aircraft.
A method for controlling ground travel of an aircraft equipped with two nose wheels and an onboard motor located within each nose wheel to electrically power the nose wheel, said method comprising
- a. providing data collector means attached to said nose wheels and said motors for collecting data relating to the rotation of each said nose wheels and said onboard motors and collecting said data;
- b. providing data processor means to receive and process the collected data and receiving and processing the collected data;
- c. providing data compare means to compare the processed data with data from sources other than said nose wheels and said onboard motors and comparing the processed data with the data from other sources to compare between the rotational data of each nose wheel and onboard motor and determine the rate of change of the rotational data;
- and
- d. using the compared data to determine a desired speed or torque of the nose wheels or motors and driving the aircraft on the ground by electrically powering said onboard motors to move the nose wheels at the desired speed or torque.
A method for controlling ground travel of an aircraft equipped with two nose wheels and an onboard motor located within each nose wheel to electrically power the nose wheel, said method comprising
- a. providing data collector means for collecting data relating to the rotation of each said nose wheels and said onboard motors;
- b. providing data processor means to receive and process the collected data and receiving and processing the collected data;
- c. providing data compare means to compare the processed data with data from sources other than said nose wheels and said onboard motors and comparing the processed data with the data from other sources to compare between the rotational data of each nose wheel and onboard motor and determine the rate of change of the rotational data;
- and
- d. using the compared data to determine a desired speed or torque and driving the aircraft on the ground by electrically powering said onboard motors to move the nose wheels at the desired speed or torque, wherein said aircraft is steered during ground travel by providing a speed differential between the nose wheels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.