Patent ID: 7946394
Filing Date: 2011-05-24
Classification: B60T,F16D

Abstract:
1. A system for monitoring wear of a consumable component of a landing gear assembly of an aircraft, comprising: at least one brake; a wheel speed monitor for generating a wheel speed signal indicating wheel speed of the aircraft; means for sensing aircraft yaw, and for generating a yaw signal indicating aircraft yaw; means for determining an estimate of wear of the component based upon said wheel speed signal and said yaw signal, said means for determining an estimate of wear being operative to distinguish between static brake applications and moving brake applications based upon said wheel speed signal; a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake, wherein each time the brake is actuated, the linear brake wear indicator moves a discrete distance related to the wear of the consumable portion of the brake; a linear position encoder for measuring and generating a linear position signal indicating the distance traveled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage; means for determining an estimate of usage of the brake based upon said linear position signal; means for measuring a period of time elapsed during each usage of the brake and generating an elapsed time signal; and means for determining a distance over which each brake application occurs, based upon the wheel speed during each brake application and said period of time elapsed during each brake application, for determining the degree to which each individual brake application contributes to brake wear.