RU2446405C2 - Method of testing aircraft electrical systems and testing device - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: method comprises the following steps: connecting a test device (1) to a plurality of separate test points in an aircraft control system simultaneously; selecting each of the plurality of test points individually, such that the test device can be electrically connected to the selected one of the plurality of test points; conducting a test on the control system at each of the plurality of test points selected by means of a selector unit (20, 22) using the test device, including detecting a signal or voltage at the test point selected by means of the selector unit; and displaying the result of the test at the selected test point to an operator. Disclosed also is a device for realising said method.

EFFECT: easier testing of aircraft control systems.

6 cl, 4 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus, in particular to a method for testing one or more electrical systems of an aircraft and to a device for implementing the method.

State of the art

Modern aircraft, and in particular large commercial aircraft, are extremely sophisticated vehicles containing many electrical systems that ensure the control of these vehicles and their safety. When assembling and commissioning a new aircraft, it is necessary to verify the correct connection and operation of many electrical circuits in various control systems and ensure the safety of the aircraft.

Testing and evaluating the suitability of various control and safety systems during aircraft assembly usually involves conducting a certain testing procedure at a number of control points. In other words, essentially the same procedure has to be repeated for each series of control points. This procedure may include, for example, testing a single avionics unit at a plurality of connecting or input points in order to determine the presence or absence of a specific voltage at each input. A significant drawback of such a test mode is that testing is extremely time-consuming and therefore expensive because it involves sequential manual verification of all control points. This requires placing the test equipment in different places and establishing a new contact or connection at each control point. In addition, if there are a large number of separate control points, in such a traditional test mode, there is a significant risk that one or more control points may be skipped.

Disclosure of invention

Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for testing aircraft control and safety systems that are simpler to use and optimized in terms of time and cost. Another objective of the invention is the provision of a method and device that can reduce the risk that the control point will be missed or not noticed.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a method for testing an aircraft electrical system, comprising the steps of:

connect the device for testing simultaneously to many individual control points in the electrical system of the aircraft,

separately selecting any one of a plurality of test points so as to provide an electrical connection to the testing device with a selected one of the plurality of test points, and

testing an electrical system at one of a plurality of control points selected using a selector unit using a testing device.

The above expression "provide electrical connection" should be understood in such a way that there is the possibility of electric current flowing, although it may be necessary to apply a certain threshold voltage to the connection before the current can flow.

The method according to the invention typically includes an operation in which each of the plurality of control points of the electrical system is individually selected, one after the other, so that all control points of the electrical system are tested in series. The number of control points is preferably equal to at least three, more preferably, is in the range of four to ten, and may even be equal to twenty or more.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method includes an operation in which the control points of the electrical system are combined into a group and the control points in this group are distributed for simultaneous connection to the testing device. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, at the connection operation, a plurality of connecting elements of the testing device are simultaneously connected to a plurality of individual control points of the electrical system.

Thus, the present invention provides a new test mode, which significantly improves the method of the prior art. In particular, an important advantage of the present invention is a very large saving of time and effort. This translates into the fact that the user does not have to move the test equipment to various control points located in different places of the aircraft, and then establish a new connection at each of the many control points. Thus, the invention allows testing to be carried out much more efficiently by simultaneously connecting the testing device to the entire group of control points of the electrical system in one place and then individually selecting and testing all points of the system one after the other.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, one or more signals are detected in a test operation of an electrical system at a control point of an electrical system selected with a selector unit. So, for example, the detection operation may include determining the presence or absence of a specific voltage at the selected test point.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method also includes indicating the test result for the operator at the selected control point. So, for example, the indication operation may include providing a visual display of the test result and preferably is turning on and / or not turning on the lamp or light-emitting diode (light-emitting diode, LED) in order to show the state of the electrical system at the selected control point.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method also includes an operation in which the characteristics of the signal detected at the selected control point of the electrical system are measured. In addition, the method may include the operation of generating one or more control signals, which are used as input signals for one of the selected control points of the electrical system.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for implementing the above method of the invention. In fact, the essence of the method according to the invention will become more clear from the following description of the specified device. In particular, the invention provides an apparatus for testing an aircraft electrical system, comprising:

connecting means for simultaneously connecting the device to a plurality of separate control points of the aircraft electrical system and

a selector unit configured to separately select one of the plurality of test points in such a way as to provide an electrical connection between the testing device and the selected one of the plurality of test points,

wherein the device is configured to test an electrical system at any of a plurality of control points selected with a selector unit.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connecting means comprises a plurality of connecting elements for simultaneously connecting the testing device to a plurality of individual control points of the aircraft electrical system. In particular, control points can be combined into separate groups, each of which contains its own connecting element. Each group of control points may, for example, correspond to a specific function or operation of the aircraft electrical system. In one embodiment, a plurality of individual control points may correspond to a plurality of signal input points for an aircraft electrical system. For example, the electrical system may be an aircraft control system comprising a processor with multiple input points for control signals, for example, sensor signals or feedback signals that provide the processor with aircraft status information. Therefore, in this case, the connecting means may contain many connecting elements for simultaneously connecting the device to all input points of the processor in the electrical system of the aircraft. In this way, the device can determine whether the input points of the control system are in an appropriate state for receiving signals.

In another embodiment, the plurality of individual control points may correspond to the plurality of individual circuits of an electrical system. Accordingly, the connecting means comprises a plurality of connecting elements for simultaneously connecting to a plurality of individual circuits of the system so that the testing device can determine the correct connection and functioning of these circuits.

In a preferred embodiment, the selector unit comprises a switching device for selectively electrically connecting the testing device to any of a plurality of test points. The switching device is preferably configured to be manually controlled by an operator, however, remote-controlled operation is also contemplated by this invention. The switching device may include a rotary dial and / or a push button type switch.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the testing device comprises detection means for detecting one or more signals at a control point of the electrical system selected by the selector unit. So, for example, the detection means can be configured to determine the presence or absence of a specific voltage at a test point of a system selected with a selector unit. Thus, the device detection means can test the electrical system at a selected test point.

The detection means of the testing device preferably comprises indicative means for displaying the test result at the selected control point for the operator controlling the device. The indicator means is usually configured to visually display the test result and may comprise, for example, a lamp or a light emitting diode (LED), the inclusion or non-inclusion of which indicates a certain state of the electrical system at the selected control point. Alternatively or additionally, the indicating means may provide an audible indication of the test result.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the detection means may also be configured to measure a signal detected at a selected reference point of the electrical system. For this purpose, the detection means may comprise a meter designed, for example, to measure the voltage detected at the selected test point.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the testing device may also comprise signal means for generating one or more control signals as input signals for one selected control point of the electrical system. So, for example, the signaling means may be configured to generate one control signal as an input signal for each of the selected control points. Alternatively, the signaling means may be configured to generate a plurality of different control signals as input signals for the selected control points. In accordance with this, the selector unit may be configured to select one of the plurality of control signals and input the selected control signal to the selected control point of the electrical system.

As described above in the description of the method, the device according to the invention provides a great saving of time and effort during testing of the aircraft electrical system, since the user does not have to move the test equipment to various control points located in different places of the aircraft. In addition, there is no need to manually establish a new connection with each of the many control points in order to conduct each individual test. Therefore, testing is much more effective in terms of time and cost. In addition, the risk that any control point will be skipped or not noticed is reduced, since the switching device of the testing device can provide sequential switching to select each of the control points. In addition, the device according to the invention provides the user with a direct visual display of the test result.

The following is a description of the present invention by way of example with reference to specific embodiments that illustrate the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the preferred embodiments do not limit the general nature of the concept of the invention, which is described above and defined in the attached claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The following is a description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numbers denote the same details and which show:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a commercial aviation aircraft illustrating the location of flaps and slats;

Figure 2 is a schematic front perspective view of a testing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic rear view in perspective of the testing device shown in Figure 2;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the testing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

The implementation of the invention

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is for testing a control system that provides control of wing flaps and slats of an aircraft. As shown in FIG. 1, aircraft flaps F are pivot planes mounted on the trailing edge of each wing relative to the aircraft body. Flaps F can be deflected down to increase the curvature of the wing and thereby create additional lift when flying at low speed and at a high angle of attack, which is typical during landing. Similarly, aircraft slats S are small extensions of the aerodynamic surface mounted on the leading edge of each wing, which can be extended to create additional lift and allow the wing to function at large angles of attack. Slats S, as a rule, are used during take-off and landing, however, they are usually removed during a cruise flight.

Aircraft flaps F and S slats are typically controlled in accordance with signals from the Feedback Position Pickoff Unit (FPPU) and the Asymmetry Position Pickoff Unit (APPU). FPPU signals provide information on the position of the flaps and slats, and APPU signals provide information on the asymmetry between the right-hand (RH) wing and the left (left-hand, LH) wing. The control processor is used to read FPPU and APPU signals. When conducting ground tests of an aircraft, for example, during assembly or commissioning, it is necessary to test the FPPU inputs and APPU inputs of the control processor. In particular, it is necessary to check the presence of a certain voltage at these inputs, which corresponds to the actual angle or position of the flap / slat. This particular or specific voltage is read by the angle measuring device.

In this regard, the present invention provides a testing apparatus 1 and a corresponding testing method, which are described below with reference to FIGS. 2-4. In particular, the FPPU inputs and APPU inputs of the control processor are arranged in a certain order and are combined for plug-in connection to the connecting block 10 of the device 1 for testing. The connecting unit 10 includes a portable housing 11, the rear panel of which is equipped with a handle 12 for easy carrying. On the front side of the housing 11 of the connecting unit 10, there are a number of connecting elements 13, made in the form of plug sockets and designed to connect the input points of the FPPU and the input points APPU of the control processor.

In addition, the testing apparatus 1 comprises a portable selector unit 20 for individually selecting any FPPU input points and APPU input points of interest and to be tested. In this regard, it should be noted that the control processor of the flaps and slats control system of the aircraft contains: (1) the entry point FPPU, entry point RH APPU and entry point LH APPU for flaps F; and (2) an FPPU entry point, an RH APPU entry point, and an LH APPU entry point for slats S. Accordingly, a switching device 22 with a dial pad that has discrete switching positions 24 is installed on the front panel 21 of the selector unit 20. The switching positions are marked to indicate how to turn the dial 22 to select the processor entry points for monitoring the slats S from the "SLAT" side on the front panel 21 and the processor entry points for controlling the flaps F from the "FLAP" side on the front panel. When the disk is rotated to select a specific FPPU or APPU input (i.e., control point) of the control processor, an electrical connection is established between device 1 and the selected processor control point.

The selector unit 20 is operatively connected to the rear panel 14 of the connecting unit 10 via a cable 15, which may be of any suitable length. As can be seen in FIG. 2, an indication device or display 25 is installed on the front panel 21 of the selector unit 20, which displays the word “OFF” (“NO VOLTAGE”). If a certain voltage (which corresponds to the flap / slat position) is detected at the selected entry point (i.e., at the control point) of the control processor, this display device 25 may display the corresponding word, for example, "ACTIVE" or, alternatively, it may just be highlighted.

As can be seen in the circuit diagram shown in Figure 4, the device 1 contains a group of relay switches 26, which establish a connection with each of the multi-circuit inputs of the processor. In the circuit diagram of FIG. 4, an indication device 25 is shown in the form of a lamp or a light emitting diode (LED), which is turned on when a certain voltage is detected at the selected control point. In this case, the lamp or LED 25 serves as a detector that determines the presence or absence of a certain voltage at the selected control point, and at the same time as an indicator that shows the device operator the test result. Thus, when the user applies the selector unit 20 to select the individual control points of the processor by turning the dial 22, the LED or display 25 immediately indicates to the user whether the control point is in a satisfactory condition.

The method and device 1 according to the invention preferably uses only one operation of connecting to the processor, and the various processor inputs for controlling the flaps F and the slats S can be sequentially tested in a simple and effective way by turning the switching device 22 and observing the indications of the indication device 25.

It should be understood that various changes and / or additions can be made to the elements of a particular embodiment of the method and device according to the invention, which are described above with reference to the drawings, without deviating from the scope of the invention, which is determined by the attached claims.

In this regard, another embodiment of the invention, which is not shown separately in the drawings, is the use of a method and apparatus for testing the fire safety system of an aircraft. In particular, an aircraft’s fire safety system typically contains a series of ignition detection circuits or “circuits” that, in the event of a fire, generate an electrical signal capable of triggering an alarm in the cockpit and / or activating a fire extinguishing system. Fire detection loops typically contain waxed cables. At elevated temperatures that the fire causes (and which are set at a certain threshold level), the wax coating melts, with the cables coming into contact with the outer skin of the aircraft, which in turn leads to the generation of an electrical signal.

When conducting ground tests, it is necessary to make sure that the fire detection circuits of the aircraft’s fire safety system are connected correctly, with the formation of closed circuits, and that they do not have breaks or integrity damage due to cable damage. Thus, a device and method using the basic concepts of the present invention can be used to selectively and sequentially monitor the integrity of all fire detection loops. To this end, the device according to the invention can be connected to a unit receiving signals from the ignition detection loops, so that the output of each ignition detection loop at this signal receiving unit forms a separate control point. Then the outputs of each circuit can be individually selected and tested using the device and method according to the invention in order to verify the integrity of each circuit.

Another embodiment of the invention, not shown in the drawings, relates to the use of the device and method according to the invention for the selective testing of individual channels of an aircraft communication system. In this case, the channels of the communication system must also form closed circuits so that the integrity of each channel can be determined in a similar way.

Claims (6)

1. A method for testing an aircraft control system, comprising the following operations: connecting a plurality of connecting elements (13) of a portable connecting unit (10) of a device (1) for testing an aircraft control system to a plurality of individual input points in an aircraft control system to be tested, the portable selector unit (20) is functionally connected to the connecting unit (10) via a cable (15), any of a number of separate input points in the control system is separately selected of a stuffy ship to be tested by means of a switching device (22) of a portable selector unit (20) so as to provide an electrical connection between a selected one of the plurality of separate input points in the control system of the aircraft to be tested and a portable selector unit (20) , and provide detection and indication of the presence or absence of a certain voltage at a selected one of the many separate input points in the aircraft control system to be tested w, with a device (25) detecting and indicating the portable selector unit (20) which is designed as a lamp or a light emitting diode adapted to include the presence of a certain voltage in a selected one of a plurality of individual input points in a system of the aircraft control to be tested. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the selection operation includes sequentially selecting each of a plurality of individual input points in an aircraft control system to be tested, such that the entire set of individual input points in an aircraft control system to be tested, has been consistently tested. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes an operation in which one or more control signals are generated as input signals for a selected one of the plurality of separate input points in the aircraft control system to be tested. 4. An apparatus (1) for testing an aircraft control system, comprising: a portable connecting unit (10) provided with a plurality of connecting elements (13) for simultaneously connecting a portable connecting unit (10) to a plurality of individual input points in an aircraft control system to be testing, and a portable selector unit (20), functionally connected to the connecting unit (10) via a cable (15) and containing a switching device (22) for individually selecting any of a plurality of separate input points in the control system of the aircraft to be tested in order to establish an electrical connection between a selected one of the many individual input points in the control system of the aircraft to be tested and a portable selector unit (20), the selector unit (20) contains a detection and indication device (25) in the form of a lamp or a light-emitting diode, configured to be switched on if there is a certain voltage in a selected one of the many separate input points in Istemi control of the aircraft to be tested. 5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the switching device (22) comprises a rotary dial and / or a push-button type switch. 6. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a signaling means for generating one or more control signals as input signals for a selected one of the plurality of separate input points in the aircraft control system to be tested.

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