System and method for monitoring a translating cowl thrust reverser

1. A thrust reverser system for a turbine engine, comprising:

a support structure configured to be mounted to the engine;

a transcowl mounted on the support structure and comprising a circumferential front edge, the transcowl movable between a first position, in which the front edge substantially abuts the support structure, and a second position, in which an aperture is formed between the front edge and the support structure to redirect engine airflow, the transcowl comprising the properties of (i) a continuous structure, and (ii) a predetermined flexibility;

a primary locking system comprising a first lock and a second lock, the first and second lock configured to cooperatively lock the front edge to the support structure only when the transcowl is in the first position, the first lock coupled to the front edge at a first location and the second lock coupled to the front edge at a second location, the second location being different than the first location;

a secondary locking system coupled to the support structure and comprising a third lock, the third lock coupled at a third location on the front edge, the third lock configured to lock the front edge to the support structure only when (i) the transcowl is in the first position, and (ii) a separation distance between the front edge and the support structure is substantially a secondary gap distance; and

a system for monitoring the primary and secondary locking system comprising

a first sensor located proximate the first lock,

a second sensor located proximate the second lock, wherein the first and second sensors are each configured to, when the transcowl is in the first position, detect a respective separation distance between the front edge and the support structure,

a sensor module coupled to the first and second sensors, and configured to process respective separation distances and a first gap distance to determine (i) when the first lock has failed, and (ii) when the second lock has failed.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first gap distance is based on the predetermined flexibility of the transcowl.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the secondary gap distance is greater than the first gap distance.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the sensor module is further configured to process a second gap distance that is greater than the secondary gap distance, to determine when the secondary locking system has failed.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first lock and the second lock are two of a plurality of primary locks, each coupled to the front edge and configured to cooperatively lock the front edge to the support structure only when the transcowl is in the first position.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the sensor module is further configured to determine when each of the plurality of primary locks comprising the primary locking system has failed.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first gap distance is from about 0.1 inch to about 0.25 inch, and the second gap distance is from about the first gap distance to about 1 inch.

8. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a turbofan engine, and wherein the engine includes a turbofan coupled to the thrust reverser.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising an aircraft, and wherein the turbofan engine is mounted to the aircraft.

10. A system for monitoring a thrust reverser for a turbine engine, the thrust reverser of the type having a support structure configured to be mounted to the engine, and a transcowl coupled to the support structure; the transcowl having a circumferential front edge, the transcowl movable between a first position, in which the front edge substantially abuts the support structure, and a second position, in which an aperture is formed between the front edge and the support structure to redirect engine airflow; the transcowl having the properties of (i) a continuous structure, and (ii) a predetermined flexibility; the thrust reverser having a primary locking system comprising a first lock and a second lock, the first and second lock configured to cooperatively lock the front edge to the support structure only when the transcowl is in the first position, the first lock coupled to the front edge at a first location and the second lock coupled to the front edge at a second location, the second location being different from the first location, the system for monitoring a thrust reverser comprising:

a first sensor located proximate the first lock and configured to detect a first separation distance between the front edge and the support structure;

a second sensor located proximate the second lock and configured to detect a second separation distance between the front edge and the support structure; and

a processor coupled to the first sensor and second sensor and configured to process the first and second separation distances and the predetermined flexibility of the transcowl to determine (i) when the first lock has failed, and (ii) when the second lock has failed.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a secondary locking system coupled to the support structure and configured to lock the front edge, at a third location on the front edge, to the support structure only when (i) the transcowl is in the first position, and (ii) a separation distance between the front edge and the support structure is substantially a secondary gap distance, wherein the third location is different than the first location and the second location.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a first gap distance that is less than the secondary gap distance, based on the predetermined flexibility of the transcowl.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to process a second gap distance that is greater than the secondary gap distance, to determine when the secondary locking system has failed.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first lock and the second lock are two of a plurality of primary locks, each coupled to the front edge and configured to cooperatively lock the front edge to the support structure only when the transcowl is in the first position.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of sensors coupled to the processor, each sensor of the plurality of sensors is (i) located proximate a respective primary lock, and (ii) configured to determine a respective separation distance, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine when each lock of the plurality of primary locks comprising the primary locking system has failed.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first gap distance is from about 0.1 inch to about 0.25 inch, and the second gap distance is from about the first gap distance to about 1 inch.

17. A method for monitoring a thrust reverser for a turbine engine, the thrust reverser of the type having a support structure configured to be mounted to the turbine engine, and a transcowl coupled to the support structure; the transcowl having a circumferential front edge, the transcowl movable between a first position, in which the front edge substantially abuts the support structure, and a second position, in which an aperture is formed between the front edge and the support structure to redirect engine airflow; the transcowl having the properties of (i) a continuous structure, and (ii) a predetermined flexibility; the thrust reverser having a primary locking system comprising a first lock and a second lock, the first and second lock configured to cooperatively lock the front edge to the support structure only when the transcowl is in the first position, the first lock coupled to the front edge at a first location and the second lock coupled to the front edge at a second location, the second location being different from the first location, the method for monitoring a thrust reverser comprising:

detecting, by a first sensor, a first separation distance between the front edge and the support structure proximate the first lock,

detecting, by a second sensor, a second separation distance between the front edge and the support structure proximate the second lock;

determining, by a processor coupled to the first sensor and second sensor, a first gap distance based on the predetermined flexibility of the transcowl; and

determining, by the processor, (i) when the first lock has failed, and (ii) when the second lock has failed, based on the first and second separation distances, and the first gap distance; and

displaying on a display system one or more failed lock indications when the processor has determined that (i) the first lock has failed, and (ii) the second lock has failed.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising mounting a secondary locking system to the support structure, the secondary locking system configured to lock the front edge, at a third location on the front edge, to the support structure only when (i) the transcowl is in the first position, and (ii) a separation distance between the front edge and the support structure is substantially a secondary gap distance, wherein the third location is different than the first location and the second location, and the secondary gap distance is greater than the first gap distance.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising determining, by the processor, when the secondary locking system has failed based on a second gap distance that is greater than the secondary gap distance.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

coupling a plurality of sensors to the front edge, each sensor of the plurality of sensors located proximate a respective primary lock;

sensing, by each sensor of the plurality of sensors, a respective separation distance; and

determining by the processor, based on a supplementary separation distance and the predetermined flexibility of the transcowl, when a primary lock has failed.