Method of managing the braking of an aircraft
View Patent ↗A method of managing the braking of an aircraft, the aircraft having a plurality of wheels R 1 , . . . , R 12 , each fitted with a brake F 1 , . . . , F 12 adapted to generate a braking force in response to brake pedals 5 being depressed. The management method comprising the steps of (1) distributing the wheels fitted with respective brakes in at least two distinct groups G 1 , G 2 , G 3 , G′ 1 , G′ 2 , G′ 3 ; (2) allocating respective braking relationships to each of the groups of wheels for determining how braking force varies as a function of the depression of the brake pedals; and (3) acting at predetermined intervals to permutate the allocation of the relationships to the groups in application of a predefined permutation relationship. The method also includes a step of modifying the permutation relationship in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event.
1. A method of managing the braking of an aircraft, the aircraft having a plurality of wheels (R 1 , . . . , R 12 ), each fitted with a brake (F 1 , . . . , F 12 ) adapted to generate a braking force in response to brake pedals ( 5 ) being depressed, the management method comprising the steps of:
distributing the wheels fitted with respective brakes in at least two distinct groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 , G′ 1 , G′ 2 , G′ 3 );
allocating respective braking relationships (L 1 , L 2 , L 3 ) to each of the groups of wheels for determining how braking force varies as a function of the depression of the brake pedals; and
acting at predetermined intervals to permutate the allocation of the relationships to the groups in application of a predefined permutation relationship;
the method being characterized in that it further comprises the step of modifying the permutation relationship in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event.
2. A braking management method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined event is detecting on at least one wheel (R 1 , . . . , R 12 ):
the unavailability of the brake (F 1 , . . . , F 12 ) of the wheel; or
a temperature of the brake that is particularly high or particularly low compared with the temperatures of the other brakes; or
wear of the brake that is particularly great or particularly small compared with the wear of the other brakes; or
a temperature of a tire that is particularly high or particularly low compared with the temperatures of other tires; or
a pressure of the tire that is particularly high or particularly low compared with the pressures of other tires.
3. A braking management method according to claim 2 , wherein each braking relationship (L 1 , L 2 , L 3 ) defines a respective minimum threshold (E 1 , E 2 , E 3 ) for depression of the brake pedals ( 5 ) from which a braking force is generated, and wherein the modification to the permutation relationship consists in using a new permutation relationship in which the braking relationship (L 3 ) that defines the highest minimum depression threshold is allocated to a group in which one of the wheels has its brake unavailable, and in which the allocation for this group is no longer permutated.
4. A braking management method according to claim 2 , wherein each braking relationship (L 1 , L 2 , L 3 ) defines a respective minimum threshold (E 1 , E 2 , E 3 ) for depression of the brake pedals ( 5 ) from which a braking force is generated, and wherein the modification to the permutation relationship consists in using a new permutation relationship in which the braking relationship (L 3 ) that defines the highest minimum depression threshold is allocated for a plurality of predetermined intervals to a group including a wheel on which there has been detected:
a temperature of the brake that is particularly high compared with the temperatures of the other brakes; or
wear of the brake that is particularly great compared with the wear of the other brakes; or
a temperature of a tire that is particularly high compared with the temperatures of other tires; or
a pressure of the tire that is particularly high compared with the pressures of other tires.
5. A braking management method according to claim 2 , wherein each braking relationship (L 1 , L 2 , L 3 ) defines a respective minimum threshold (E 1 , E 2 , E 3 ) for depression of the brake pedals ( 5 ) from which a braking force is generated, and wherein the modification to the permutation relationship consists in using a new permutation relationship in which the braking relationship (L 1 ) that defines the lowest minimum depression threshold is allocated for a plurality of predetermined intervals to a group including a wheel on which there has been detected:
a temperature of the brake that is particularly low compared with the temperatures of the other brakes; or
wear of the brake that is particularly small compared with the wear of the other brakes; or
a temperature of a tire that is particularly low compared with the temperatures of other tires; or
a pressure of the tire that is particularly low compared with the pressures of other tires.
6. A braking management method according to claim 1 , wherein a predetermined interval is a duration between two occasions on which brake pedals ( 5 ) are released.
7. A braking management method according to claim 2 , wherein a predetermined interval is a duration between two occasions on which brake pedals ( 5 ) are released.
8. A braking management method according to claim 3 , wherein a predetermined interval is a duration between two occasions on which brake pedals ( 5 ) are released.
9. A braking management method according to claim 4 , wherein a predetermined interval is a duration between two occasions on which brake pedals ( 5 ) are released.
10. A braking management method according to claim 5 , wherein a predetermined interval is a duration between two occasions on which brake pedals ( 5 ) are released.