Brake wear control system

A system, apparatus and method provide a means for managing wear of brake friction material such that even friction material wear is experienced between brakes. The available friction material of each brake is monitored to determine an amount of wear. Based on the amount of wear, a braking force applied by each brake may be varied to ensure even wear between brakes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to brake systems, and more particularly to a brake system for managing brake wear.

BACKGROUND

Known in the prior art are aircraft wheel and brake assemblies including a non-rotatable wheel support, a wheel mounted to the wheel support for rotation, and a brake disk stack having front and rear axial ends and alternating rotor and stator disks mounted with respect to the wheel support and wheel for relative axial movement. Each rotor disk is coupled to the wheel for rotation therewith and each stator disk is coupled to the wheel support against rotation. A back plate is located at the rear end of the disk pack and a brake head is located at the front end. The brake head houses a plurality of actuators that extend to compress the brake disk stack against the back plate. Torque is taken out by the stator disks through a static torque tube or the like.

Each stator disk includes a friction material that engages the rotor disk as the brake disk stack is compressed, thereby converting kinetic energy into heat energy. As a result of the conversion process, the friction material undergoes wear and, thus, the friction material requires periodic maintenance to determine if the friction material is worn out or otherwise requires replacement.

Friction material wear occurs not only when the brakes are applied during a landing stop of an aircraft, but also when the brakes are applied during a taxi stop. In many instances, a taxi stop subjects the friction material to more wear than landing stops.

Present day brake systems have employed wear pin indicators to measure overall wear of friction material in a brake disk stack. In such systems, brake wear is indicated, for example, by the length of the pin relative to a reference plate. This arrangement requires a visual inspection of the pin to determine wear and is inherently imprecise.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,108,107 to Ralea provides a system for electrically measuring brake wear in a brake actuator assembly. As the brake disks wear, the collective axial thickness thereof will decrease. The system includes an electric transducer which detects a change in the thickness of the brake stack in order to provide an indication of brake wear.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Aircraft brakes are not only used to stop the aircraft, but also to steer the aircraft during taxing. As a result, brake wear may be uneven between landing gear. Further, due to differences between brakes (e.g., tolerances, exposure to the elements, variations in the coefficient of friction, differences in wear characteristics, etc.), brakes on the same landing gear may experience different wear rates. This can be problematic, as the brakes require more frequent inspections and maintenance than if they wore evenly. The increased number of inspections not only adds cost associated with maintenance personnel, but the inspections also can prevent use of the aircraft, resulting in lost revenue.

The present invention provides a system, apparatus and method for managing wear of brake friction material such that consistent, controlled and patterned friction material wear is experienced between brakes. More particularly, the available friction material of each brake is monitored to determine an amount of wear. Based on the amount of wear, a braking force applied by each brake may be varied to ensure even wear between brakes. For example, a first brake having little friction material wear may be commanded to apply a greater braking force than a second brake having significant friction material wear.

According to one aspect of the invention, a brake controller for managing friction material wear for each of a plurality of brakes is provided. The controller is configured to receive data indicative of available friction material at each of the plurality of brakes and selectively vary a force applied by each brake as a function of the available friction material to maintain the available friction material for each brake within a predetermined range of one another.

The controller can be configured to determine, based on data indicative of available friction material, which brakes have the most available friction material and which brakes have the least available friction material. Then, during braking the controller can vary the force applied by brakes with the most available friction material relative to the force applied by brakes with the least available friction material. Additionally, to vary the force applied by brakes with the most available friction material, the controller can be configured to calculate a preliminary brake command signal generic to all brakes. The controller can then add or subtract a predetermined offset to the preliminary brake command signal for brakes corresponding to the most available friction material, and subtract or add the same offset to the preliminary command signal for brakes corresponding to the least available friction material. The controller can also be configured to predict when the friction material for each brake will require replacement or maintenance.

According to another aspect of the invention, a braking system is provided that includes the brake controller for managing brake wear and a plurality of brakes, with each brake including a friction material. The system also can include wear sensors operative to provide data indicative of available friction material, wherein the wear sensors are communicatively coupled to the controller.

The controller can be configured to manage wear of the friction material on each landing gear independent of wear of friction material on other landing gear. Alternatively, the controller can be configured to manage wear of the friction material across at least two landing gears.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for managing friction material wear on a plurality of brakes, where each brake includes a brake disk stack and at least one actuator for applying and releasing braking force. The available friction material for each brake of the plurality of brakes is monitored, and then a force applied by each brake is selectively varied to maintain the available friction material for each brake within a predetermined range of one another. Selectively varying the force can include determining which brakes have the least available friction material and which brakes have the most available friction material. Then, brakes with the most available friction material are commanded to apply a greater force than the force commanded for brakes with the least available friction material.

Varying the brake force can include calculating a preliminary brake command signal generic to all brakes. Then, a predetermined offset can be added or subtracted to the preliminary brake command signal for brakes corresponding to the most available friction material. Monitoring the available friction material can include measuring a thickness of the friction material for each brake and calculating the available friction material based on the measured thickness and a predetermined thickness.

Additionally, the method can include predicting when the friction material for each brake will require replacement or maintenance, as well as managing wear by instructing movement of at least one brake from one landing gear to another landing gear to allow for a consistent level of wear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The principles of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Because the invention was conceived and developed for use in an aircraft braking system, it will be herein described chiefly in this context. However, the principles of the invention in their broader aspects can be adapted to other types of braking systems, such as automobile brakes, truck brakes, etc where wear is managed on the front and back of brakes.

As noted above, a problem with conventional brake systems, such as aircraft brake systems, is that the friction material for one or more brakes may wear at a different rate than that of other brakes. As used herein, friction material refers to the consumable portion of the brake that is used to convert kinetic energy into heat energy and may include a carbon material, steel, ceramic, etc.

With reference toFIG. 1, there is shown two exemplary twin landing gears10and16having different amounts of available friction material for each brake. Because the brake friction material has worn unevenly, maintenance will be required on the brakes at different times. As shown, the friction material for each inboard wheel14and20has undergone more wear than the friction material for each outboard wheel12and18. Further, based on the available friction material for each brake, it is likely that the respective friction material will wear out at different times.

The system, apparatus and method in accordance with the present invention alleviates this problem by managing friction material wear between brakes such that wear is consistent, controlled and patterned. More particularly, the available friction material of each brake is monitored and a determination is made with regard to the available friction material for each brake. Based on the determination, a force applied by one or more brakes is varied relative to other brakes (e.g., the force applied by one brake may be greater than or less than the force applied by other brakes) so the friction material is worn at the same rate. Preferably, the braking force applied by each brake is varied during a taxi stop, although it is possible to vary the force during a landing stop, provided full braking force from all brakes is not required. By allowing the friction material of the brakes to be worn at the same rate, the system, apparatus, and method can lessen the variation of torque of the brakes by allowing the braking burden to be better distributed.

The system, apparatus and method in accordance with the invention can be configured such that all the brakes on the aircraft wear out at about the same time, or the brakes on one or more landing gear wear out at about the same time. In other words, the wear of the friction material can be managed on each landing gear independent of the wear of friction material on other landing gear, or the wear of the friction material can be managed across at least two landing gears, including a center landing gear.

The system, apparatus and method in accordance with the present invention will be described in the context of electrically operated brakes. However, it is to be understood that use of electrically operated brakes is merely exemplary, and the principles in accordance with the present invention may be applied to other types of brakes, including hydraulically operated brakes and pneumatically operated brakes.

Referring toFIGS. 2A and 3A, there is shown exemplary aircraft22and24having twin landing gear configuration26and bogie landing gear configuration28, respectively. The exemplary twin landing gear configuration26includes four main wheels and the exemplary bogie landing gear configuration28includes eight main wheels. As will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art, other configurations are possible, e.g., six-wheel bogie gears, two wheels on a “twin” gear, two wheeled aircrafts, etc. The method and device described herein can be applied to any aircraft/gear configuration.

With further reference toFIGS. 2B and 3B, each wheel30on the landing gear includes a wear sensor32and brake34(each wheel, brake and corresponding wear sensor is collectively referred to as a wheel/brake/sensor combination). The brake34may be an electrically operated brake that includes a brake disk stack, a brake head, and at least one actuator mounted to the brake head. The actuator can include a housing, a reciprocating ram and a motive device operatively connected to the reciprocating ram for selectively moving the reciprocating ram into and out of forceful engagement with the brake disk stack for applying and releasing a braking force.

Referring toFIG. 4, a schematic diagram of an exemplary aircraft brake system40in accordance with the invention is shown. The system40includes at least one brake pedal42located in the cockpit, wherein the at least one brake pedal42generates a signal indicative of an amount of force to be applied collectively to the plurality of brakes34. The signal generated by the at least one brake pedal42is provided to a brake controller44, which also receives data relating to brake wear from a plurality of wear sensors, each corresponding to a brake. Although only a single wear sensor32and brake34are shown inFIG. 4, it should be appreciated that the controller44receives data from multiple wear sensors and provides brake commands to multiple brakes.

As described in more detail below, the brake controller44, based on the data from the plurality of wear sensors32and the brake pedal signal, selectively commands an actuator34aof at least one brake to vary an applied force to the brake-disk stack34relative to the commanded force provided to actuators for other brakes so as to maintain the available friction material36of each brake34within a predetermined range of one another. Preferably the range is 0.5%, more preferably, 0.1% of the total thickness of new friction material.

The brake controller44can include a microprocessor44a, read only memory (ROM)44b, random access memory (RAM)44c, and input/output module44d, each of which are communicatively coupled via a system bus44eor the like. A braking program can reside in ROM44band can be executed by the microprocessor44aso as to implement a braking function as described herein. The brake controller44is operatively coupled to a brake actuator34aof each brake34. Exemplary brake actuators include one or more servo valves, electric motors, and their associated controllers, or the like. Based on a braking command from the at least one pedal42and data relating to the brake wear as provided by the wear sensors32, the braking controller44provides a signal to each brake actuator34aso as to provide a braking function and manage wear of the friction material36.

The wear sensors32can be electrical wear sensors, such as LVDT sensors or the like, and can provide a signal indicative of the thickness of the brake-disk stack. The signal provided by the wear sensors32may be an analog signal (e.g., a 0-5 VDC signal or a 4-20 mA signal), or a digital signal communicated via a communication bus. Data from the wear sensors32may be directly provided to the brake controller44, or an intermediate device, such as a data concentrator, may be used to provide the data to the brake controller44.

The wear sensors32can be operatively coupled to the brake-disk stack so as to provide data indicative of the thickness of the entire brake-disk stack. Alternatively, the wear sensors can be configured to provide data indicative of actuator position (e.g., the position of the reciprocating ram within its normal travel). Based on the change in actuator position over time, the thickness of the brake-disk stack (and thus the friction material for each stator) can be calculated.

Referring toFIG. 5, there is shown an exemplary wear sensor that may be used to provide data indicative of friction material wear. More particularly, a brake actuator assembly includes a housing52that provides for the mounting of an electromechanical actuator34a, it being understood that typically multiple actuators will be mounted to the housing, such as four functionally identical actuators located at respective quadrants of the housing. A ram54of each actuator (or a piston of a hydraulic brake system) is mechanically connected to an LVDT position sensor32, such as by bracket50. An LVDT armature32amay be adjustably attached to the bracket (or the sensor body to the brake housing) by suitable means that provides for LVDT setting and position calibration. A cover (not shown), or the like, may be provided to protect for the LVDT mounting mechanism. Although an LVDT sensor is preferred, other types of position sensors/transducers may be used as desired for the particular application.

The brake disk stack34includes alternating rotor disks62and stator disks64(the stator disks64include friction material36) mounted with respect to a torque tube60or similar member and the wheel (not shown) for relative axial movement. Each rotor disk62is coupled to the wheel for rotation therewith and each stator disk64is coupled to the torque tube60against rotation. A back plate58is located at the rear end of the brake disk stack and functions as a force reaction member via the reaction plate56. The brake actuator34ais mounted to the brake housing52fixed with respect to the torque tube60. The ram54of the actuator extends to compress the brake disk stack34against the back plate58, and torque is taken out by the stator disks64through the static torque tube60(or the like).

The displacement of each actuator ram54is measured using the wear sensor32(zero displacement is assumed when the ram is compressing a new brake disk stack). As the friction material decreases, the collective axial thickness thereof will decrease, and the ram displacement will increase. Based on the ram displacement Xd as determined from data provided by the wear sensor32, the available friction material for the brake disk stack34can be calculated. Further details regarding the wear sensor32and the determination of friction material wear can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,108,107, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Based on the data indicative of friction material wear/available friction material, the controller44is configured to selectively vary or alter a force applied by each brake34so as to maintain the available friction material36for each brake34within a predetermined range of one another. More particularly, the brake controller44is configured to determine, based on data from the plurality of wear sensors32, which brakes34have the least available friction material36and which brakes34have the most available friction material36. Then, during braking, the controller44can vary the force applied by the brakes34with the most available friction material36relative to the force applied by the brakes34with the least available friction material36(e.g., the controller can create a force differential between brakes). In this manner, the friction material36of each brake34can be worn so that the brakes34wear evenly, while at the same time provide the total requested braking force. When varying the force, the controller44can estimate the energy received by each brake34so that one or more brakes do not overheat. The controller44can further limit the change in braking force so that the aircraft does not experience too much yaw. In some instances, an algorithm using a control pattern that assumes brake wear increases or decreases as brake force increases or decreases, the opposite may actually be true, e.g., brake wear increases as brake force decreases. This is particularly true when performing repeated taxi stops on brake systems that employ carbon brakes. To compensate for such situations, the algorithm can adapt and switch the control pattern to vary the force applied to compensate for the disproportionate wear.

In determining the force differential to be applied between brakes, the controller can analyze the friction material available for each brake, the requested brake command (e.g., how much braking is being requested by the pilot), and the particular circumstances of the aircraft (e.g., is the aircraft landing, taxiing, turning, etc.). As described in more detail below, the controller44, based on the available friction material, braking request and vehicle circumstances, formulates a command signal indicative of a braking force to be applied by each brake, wherein the command signal for brakes with more available friction material is intentionally varied relative to command signals for brakes with less available friction material (e.g., brakes with the most available friction material perform more work than brakes with the least amount of friction material). The brake controller then provides the command signals to the actuators corresponding to the respective brakes, whereby the actuators (e.g., a motor, servo valve, etc.) cause a braking force to be applied by the brakes.

The force differential between brakes can be based on several factors, including the relative difference in available friction material, the type of stop (e.g., taxi, landing), the amount of brake pressure, etc. For example, during a taxi stop, brakes with the least amount of available friction material may not be used at all (or used minimally). Further, the force differential between brakes may be proportional to the differential of available friction material between brakes. For example, assume a brake-disk stack having four stators, each stator having one inch of friction material when new. Further, assume that brake A is worn ten percent (ninety percent available) and brake B is worn thirty percent (seventy percent available). Thus, brake A has twenty eight percent more friction material than brake B (e.g., 100*(0.9 inches−0.7 inches)/0.7 inches). Then if the pilot requests a total braking force of fifty percent (e.g., the brake pedal is displaced halfway to the floor), the force commanded to brake A can be increased (or decreased) by fourteen percent (e.g., sixty-four percent of full force), and the force commanded to brake B can be decreased (or increased) by fourteen percent (e.g., thirty-six percent of full force). This will result in the approximately the same total braking force as commanded by the pedal (i.e., fifty percent total), yet, due to the force differential between brake A relative to brake B, the friction material for brake A will wear faster than the friction material for brake B.

It is noted that for sake of simplicity the above example assumes a linear relationship between the applied brake force and the actual brake wear. In actual practice, the relationship between the applied brake force and the actual brake wear may be non-linear. To take into account such non-linear wear, conventional brake wear models can be stored in the controller and used to estimate the actual wear of the friction material.

In yet another variation, if the commanded braking pressure (e.g., the braking request as provided by the brake pedal) is low, brakes with the least amount of available friction material may not be used, while if braking pressure is high, all brakes may supply about the same braking force. If a landing stop is taking place (as opposed to a taxi stop), the brake wear management may be disabled, or the force differentials between brakes may be limited to be significantly less than during a taxi stop.

Alternatively, instead of calculating a force differential between the brakes34, a simple fixed differential can be used to generate the force differential to allow the brakes to wear out at the same time. For example, a fixed differential of ten percent can be implemented, wherein brake commands for brakes with the most available friction material are increased (or decreased) by five percent, and brake commands for brakes with the least amount of friction material are decreased (or increased) by five percent. Further, the fixed differential can be based on the requested braking (e.g., if the braking request is low or below a predetermined threshold, then the differential may be five percent, and if the braking request is high (e.g., above the predetermined threshold), the differential can be ten percent. If the friction material cannot be worn so that all the brakes wear out at the same time or if such action is not desired, then one or more of the plurality of gears/brakes can be intentionally worn out before the rest of the gears/brakes.

In addition to providing even friction material wear between brakes, the brake controller also can provide information corresponding to when the friction material for each brake34will wear out, and further allows for optimized usage of each brake34. By better understanding brake wear, airline routes can be optimized and an efficient use of maintenance can be implemented.

Further, by predicting when the friction material will wear out, time and money associated with maintenance inspections can be minimized. Since the amount of wear per unit of time or per braking event is small in comparison to the overall brake wear, the prediction can be made using a simple control algorithm. The algorithm can look at information such as braking force, velocity, estimated landing weight, brake temperature, pressure, distance, reverse thrust, flaps, spoilers, etc. along with information from the wear sensors.

To predict when the friction material on the brakes will require service, the algorithm, based on data from the wear sensors32, can determine the average wear as a function of stops. Based on average wear per stop or the rate of wear after multiple stops, and the known amount of available friction material, the algorithm can predict when the friction material will wear out. For example, if it is determined that the percentage of available friction material is approximately 50% for each brake, and the algorithm has determined that per stop there is 0.06% friction material wear (having approximately 20 applications per stop), then it can be predicted that the friction material will wear out in approximately 833 stops. This information can be communicated to the flight crew and/or maintenance personnel, who then can take appropriate action.

An exemplary graph is shown inFIG. 6, which provides an illustration of a prediction for when the friction material on the brakes will require service. The wear of the brakes is shown by the slope of a line, determined by using the equation for slope of a line, y=mx+b, where y represents the amount the brake is worn and x represents the number of landings. In this example the ideal brake wear model determined by the equation is shown at70. The brakes in the example are expected to last approximately 1500 landings, having approximately 20 applications per landing. The graph illustrates brake wear management on a single landing gear having two brakes, a left hand outboard brake and a left hand inboard brake. The wear of the left hand outboard brake is represented as72and the wear of the left hand inboard brake is represented as74. When these brakes were put into service the algorithm was not in use, as such a difference in the wear of the brakes would not occur if it had been used. When the algorithm begins to manage the wear, the wear of the left and right hand brakes72and74begins to equal out, illustrated by intermediate wear vectors76aand76b. Based on the intermediate wear target78, the left hand inboard brake needs to be worn more and the left hand outboard brake needs to be worn less. The prediction of when the left hand outboard and inboard brakes will require service is shown by line76, although line76is not a static target wear vector.

Upon installation, the algorithm can immediately begin to manage the wear of the brakes by aligning the wear vectors76aand76bto the new vector76within the constraints of the system and not simply by managing the brake wear based on the end desired result (e.g. a single brake on a gear can only absorb so much energy without getting too hot and blowing the fuseplug in the wheel, resulting in a loss of tire pressure and the aircraft wheel/tire needing changed). The algorithm can work continuously and adapt over time to modify operation to allow all the brakes to be worn out at the same time. Additionally, energy estimates can be made using aerodynamic energy losses, tire losses, etc. to estimate the energy the brakes will absorb to provide energy margins to be used in managing brake wear. The algorithm can work from multiple scenarios, such as when a new brake is installed but the remaining brakes are half worn, to develop and predict the friction material wear based on the data mentioned above.

The algorithm also can take into account variables which may lead to more/less friction material wear, such as weight of the vehicle, velocity, environmental variables, friction material properties, the coefficient of friction for the friction material, brake pressure, brake temperature, etc. Additional factors leading to more/less friction material wear are the wheels, tires, brakes, landing gear, etc. The flexibility of the algorithm to take these variables into account allows the operational constraints to change over the life of the brakes (e.g., if fuel prices rise drastically, airlines may not use reverse thrust as much as they previously had, thereby increasing brake wear; or rules may be used such as not managing brake wear during stops over a certain speed). The algorithm is also able to easily adjust itself over the life of service based on time and brake wear adjustment data, without having to correctly manage each brake for each brake application.

As mentioned above,FIG. 1provides an example of brakes on twin landing gears having different amounts of available friction material36. The exemplary brake controller44in accordance with the present invention is configured to correct the difference in available friction material36of the brakes34. It is noted that although the example is for a plane having twin landing gear, wear can be managed on any type of landing gear or vehicle with any percentage of friction material wear.

Left-hand landing gear10has two wheels, outboard wheel12and inboard wheel14. Wear sensors32provide data indicative of friction material thickness/wear of the brakes34on outboard wheel12and inboard wheel14, and this data can be used to calculate the available friction material. In the example ofFIG. 1, the friction material on the brake attached to outboard wheel12is 50% worn while the friction material on the brake attached to inboard wheel14is 70% worn. The next time a braking event occurs, the controller44receives a brake reference signal from the pedal and outputs a command to the brakes34, wherein the command varies the amount of force applied to the brakes based on the available friction material36. Because the outboard wheel12has more available friction material, the controller44varies the force applied by the brake corresponding to the outboard wheel relative to the force applied by the brake corresponding to the inboard wheel, e.g., a higher force is applied by the brake corresponding to the outboard wheel relative to the brake corresponding to the inboard wheel. In this way, the friction material of the brake on the outboard wheel12and inboard wheel14can be managed to wear out at the same time.

Similarly, wear sensors32provide data indicative of the thickness of the friction material of the brakes34on outboard wheel18and inboard wheel20of the right-hand landing gear16, and this data also can be used to calculate the available friction material. In this example, the friction material on the brake attached to outboard wheel18is 20% worn while the friction material on the brake attached to inboard wheel20is 40% worn. As discussed above, because the outboard wheel18has more available friction material, the controller44varies the force applied by the brake corresponding to the outboard wheel18relative to the force applied by the brake corresponding to the inboard wheel (e.g., a higher force is applied by the brake corresponding to the outboard wheel relative to the force applied by the brake corresponding to the inboard wheel). In this way, the friction material of the brake on the outboard wheel18and inboard wheel20can be managed to wear out at the same time.

The controller can vary the force applied to the friction material of each landing gear separately or at the same time. As above mentioned, the signal sent by the controller will generally be equally divided among the left-hand and right-hand gears. For example, where there are two landing gears as shown inFIG. 1, each gear will receive about 50% of the braking force of the aircraft. If this is the case, managing the friction material wear across both landing gears would be done the same way as it would if the friction material wear was managed individually. Although the force generally needs to be equal among the sides of the aircraft, the amount of force applied to the inboard and outboard brakes does not have to be equal (e.g., via modulation of the braking force, there can be a slight differential between the force applied between landing gear without significantly affecting control). This allows for the management of the friction material across the whole aircraft. If the desired wear management is not achievable, the cockpit, maintenance, etc. can be notified and the system can recommend which brakes to move to what positions. When the aircraft is turning, the brake forces on the sides of the aircraft will be different. In this instance, large discrepancies in friction material between sides of the aircraft can be corrected by applying more force to brakes that have more available friction material relative to brakes with less friction material.

In a method for managing friction material wear on a plurality of brakes, the available friction material for each brake of the plurality of brakes is monitored and a force applied by each actuator is selectively varied so as to maintain the available friction material for each brake within a predetermined range of one another.

The method described herein may be implemented in the computer controller44, for example, so as to carry out or supplement friction material management of the vehicle. For example, a computer program may be loaded into memory of the controller and, when executed by the controller, friction material management described herein is executed. Alternatively, logic for implementing the method may be created hardware (e.g., in an ASIC). Such a controller may be located in the avionics bay of an aircraft, for example, and operatively coupled to the brake actuators and wear sensors on the landing gear, and to a brake pedal in the cockpit.

Referring now toFIG. 7, a flow diagram100illustrating an exemplary method for implementing brake wear control is provided. The flow diagram includes a number of process blocks arranged in a particular order. As should be appreciated, many alternatives and equivalents to the illustrated steps may exist and such alternatives and equivalents are intended to fall with the scope of the claims appended hereto. Alternatives may involve carrying out additional steps or actions not specifically recited and/or shown, carrying out steps or actions in a different order from that recited and/or shown, and/or omitting recited and/or shown steps. Alternatives also include carrying out steps or actions concurrently or with partial concurrence.

Beginning at block102, the wear sensors32provide data indicative of the thickness of the friction material of the brakes. The data can be used to determine friction material wear as a function of time, stops, etc. This can be accomplished, for example, by using the LVDT sensor32as shown inFIG. 5. Next at block104, the available friction material of the brakes is calculated based on the data from the wear sensors (e.g., based on a calculated thickness of each stator relative to an initial thickness). The initial thickness of the friction material for each brake is stored in memory44bof the controller44and retrieved when needed.

For example, if Xref is the predetermined thickness of the friction material and Xd is the measured thickness of the friction material, the difference between the two can be determined and would represent the available friction material of the brake. If desired, the difference in friction material from one braking application to the next could be calculated based on the measured thickness of the friction material and the previously measured thickness of the friction material. This information could be used when predicting when the friction material will wear out by determining the amount of wear of the friction material for each stop and then determining the average amount of wear of the friction material per stop.

Next at block106, a check is performed to see if the friction material of each brake is within a predetermined range of the friction material on the other brakes. This can be done for brakes on each landing gear or across multiple landing gears. If the friction material of the brakes being compared is within the predetermined range of one another, then at block108normal braking will occur and the method moves back to block102. However, if the friction material on the brakes is not within the predetermined range of other friction material, then at block110it is determined which brakes have the least available friction material and which brakes have the most available friction material. This can be accomplished by simply comparing the levels of available friction material calculated at block104of the brakes to one another and determining which brake(s) have the most available friction material.

Next at block112, during braking, the force applied by the brakes with the most available friction material is varied relative to the force applied by the brakes with the least available friction material. Varying the force can include calculating a preliminary brake command signal generic to all brakes, and adding or subtracting a predetermined offset to the preliminary brake command signal provided to the brakes corresponding to the most available friction material and subtracting or adding the same offset to the preliminary brake command signal provided to the brakes corresponding to the least available friction material (if force is added for brakes with the most friction material, the force is subtracted for brakes with the least amount of friction material, and vice-versa).

At block114, a prediction is made to determine when the friction material for each brake will require replacement or maintenance. A determination can be made of the wear rate of the friction material based on parameters like time, usage or other operational or aircraft parameters. Considerations such as weight, landing speed and reverse thrust also may be taken into account when determining the rate of wear per brake application. The wear rate of each gear position could also be determined. The wear rate can be represented as inches per landing, inches per application, etc. The determination can be reported to the cockpit, avionics, maintenance, maintenance connector, etc.

Another way of managing wear of the friction material is to move at least one brake (or brake and wheel) from its position on one landing gear to a position on another landing gear. This will allow for a consistent level of wear of the brakes on one or more landing gear. A more worn brake can be moved to the location of a least worn brake, and in this manner the friction material can be managed where one brake was receiving more force in its particular location than the other brakes. This can be done if there is a problem managing the brakes by varying the force applied to each brake, or can be done in conjunction with varying the force.

Accordingly, a system, method and apparatus for managing brake wear of a vehicle, as described herein, can significantly reduce maintenance costs for airlines. Further, since less time is required for maintenance, the aircraft is available to generate revenue.

A person having ordinary skill in the art of computer programming and applications of programming for computer systems would be able in view of the description provided herein to program the BSCU to operate and to carry out the functions described herein. Accordingly, details as to the specific programming code have been omitted for the sake of brevity. Also, while software in the memory or in some other memory of the BSCU may be used to allow the system to carry out the functions and features described herein in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, such functions and features also could be carried out via dedicated hardware, firmware, software, or combinations thereof, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Computer program elements of the invention may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.). The invention may take the form of a computer program product, which can be embodied by a computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable or computer-readable program instructions, “code” or a “computer program” embodied in the medium for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium such as the Internet. Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner. The computer program product and any software and hardware described herein form the various means for carrying out the functions of the invention in the example embodiments.