Methods of monitoring hydraulic fluid levels in an aircraft
AssigneeGE Aviation Systems LLC
InventorsRobert William Horabin, Julia Ann Howard, Daniel James Heath
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of monitoring hydraulic fluid levels in an aircraft includes identifying segments of operation where the aircraft meets a predetermined stability criteria, receiving output from the fluid sensor, calculating hydraulic fluid levels within the at least one hydraulic storage tank, determining a hydraulic fluid value indicative of the amount of hydraulic fluid in the aircraft based on at least the calculated hydraulic fluid level, and providing an indication of the hydraulic fluid value.
Claims19
A method of monitoring hydraulic fluid levels in an aircraft hydraulic system having at least one hydraulic storage tank supplying hydraulic fluid to at least one component of the aircraft, with a fluid sensor providing an output indicative of an amount of hydraulic fluid in the storage tank, the method comprising:
- identifying segments of operation where the aircraft meets predetermined stability criteria while the aircraft is in operation;
- receiving output from the fluid sensor during the identified segments of operation to define a stable output;
- calculating hydraulic fluid levels within the at least one hydraulic storage tank based on the stable output;
- determining a hydraulic fluid value indicative of the amount of hydraulic fluid in the aircraft based on at least the calculated hydraulic fluid level;
- and
- providing an indication of the hydraulic fluid value.
A method of monitoring hydraulic fluid levels in an aircraft hydraulic system having two hydraulic storage tanks supplying hydraulic fluid to at least one movable component of the aircraft, with a fluid sensor operably coupled to each of the hydraulic storage tanks and providing an output indicative of an amount of hydraulic fluid in its related storage tank, the method comprising:
- determining a position of the aircraft and movement of the aircraft;
- determining a position of the at least one movable component of the aircraft;
- identifying segments of operation where the aircraft meets predetermined stability criteria while the aircraft is in operation;
- receiving output from the fluid sensors during the identified segments of operation to define a stable output;
- calculating hydraulic fluid levels within the hydraulic storage tanks based on the stable output;
- determining hydraulic fluid values indicative of the amount of hydraulic fluid in each of the hydraulic storage tanks based on at least the calculated hydraulic fluid levels;
- determining one of an overfill condition, a refill required condition, and a leak condition from the determined hydraulic fluid values;
- and
- providing an indication related to the determined condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.