Technical method, a maintenance device, and an aircraft

1. A technical maintenance method for a piece of equipment of a vehicle that includes an anti-vibration system, the method comprising the following steps:

operating the anti-vibration system either in a normal mode of operation in which the anti-vibration system reduces vibrations occurring while the vehicle is operating or in a degraded mode of operation in which the anti-vibration system reduces less or none of the vibrations occurring while the vehicle is operating whereby the equipment is subjected to more of the vibrations occurring while the vehicle is operating when the anti-vibration system is operating in the degraded mode of operation than when the anti-vibration system is operating in the normal mode of operation;

determining, by a maintenance device in communication with the anti-vibration system, whether the anti-vibration system is operating in the normal mode of operation or in the degraded mode of operation;

determining, by the maintenance device, a first number (D 1 ) of hours of operation of the equipment while the anti-vibration system was operating in the normal mode of operation;

determining, by the maintenance device, a second number (D 2 ) of hours of operation of the equipment while the anti-vibration system was operating in the degraded mode of operation;

converting, by the maintenance device, the second number (D 2 ) of hours of operation into a third number (D 3 ) of hours of operation by applying a predetermined conversion relationship, the third number (D 3 ) of hours of operation acting under normal operating mode conditions to generate damage to the equipment that is equal to the damage caused by the equipment operating during the second number of hours of operation; and

acting on the equipment when the sum of the first number (D 1 ) plus the third number (D 3 ) reaches a predetermined threshold (D 0 ).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold (DO) is equal to the predetermined lifetime of the equipment.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-vibration system operates in the degraded mode of operation when the anti-vibration system has failed, at least in part.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-vibration system is an active device.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, in order to determine the conversion relationship, the following steps are performed:

estimating the vibratory spectrum of the equipment in use while the anti-vibration system is operating in degraded mode, and deducing a mean vibration level therefrom;

determining an alternative threshold associated with the mean vibration level; and

deducing therefrom a conversion relationship corresponding to a multiplicative coefficient equal to the quotient of the predetermined threshold (D 0 ) divided by the alternative threshold.

6. An assembly for maintaining a piece of equipment of a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

an anti-vibration system operating either in a normal mode of operation in which the anti-vibration system reduces vibrations occurring while the vehicle is operating or in a degraded mode of operation in which the anti-vibration system reduces less or none of the vibrations occurring while the vehicle is operating whereby the equipment is subjected to more of the vibrations occurring while the vehicle is operating when the anti-vibration system is operating in the degraded mode of operation than when the anti-vibration system is operating in the normal mode of operation; and

a maintenance device for maintaining the equipment, wherein the maintenance device includes a peripheral member and a processor unit communicating with the anti-vibration system, the processor unit being provided with a memory, the processor unit executing instructions stored in the memory in order to:

determine whether the anti-vibration system is operating in a the normal mode of operation or in the degraded mode of operation;

determine a first number of hours of operation of the equipment while the anti-vibration system was operating in the normal mode of operation;

determine a second number of hours of operation of the equipment while the anti-vibration system was operating in the degraded mode of operation;

convert the second number of hours of operation into a third number of hours of operation by applying a predetermined conversion relationship; and

signal to an operator the sum of the first number of hours of operation plus the third number of hours of operation.

7. An aircraft and an anti vibration system, the aircraft further comprising:

an anti-vibration system operating either in a normal mode of operation in which the anti-vibration system reduces vibrations occurring while the aircraft is in flight or in a degraded mode of operation in which the anti-vibration system reduces less or none of the vibrations occurring while the aircraft is in flight;

a piece of equipment on board the aircraft, the equipment being subjected to more of the vibrations occurring while the aircraft is in flight when the anti-vibration system is operating in the degraded mode of operation than when the anti-vibration system is operating in the normal mode of operation; and

a maintenance device for maintaining the piece of equipment, wherein the maintenance device includes a peripheral member and a processor unit communicating with the anti-vibration system, the processor unit including a memory, the processor unit configured to execute instructions stored in the memory in order to:

determine whether the anti-vibration system is operating in the normal mode of operation or in the degraded mode of operation;

determine a first number of hours of operation of the equipment while the anti-vibration system was operating in the normal mode of operation;

determine a second number of hours of operation of the equipment while the anti-vibration system was operating in the degraded mode of operation;

convert the second number of hours of operation into a third number of hours of operation by applying a predetermined conversion relationship; and

signal to an operator the sum of the first number of hours of operation plus the third number of hours of operation.