Hydraulic fluid control apparatus
In the field of avionics, it is difficult to justify initiation of new aircraft programmes for replacement of small numbers of niche aircraft. Instead, in many cases, retrofitting existing aircraft is preferred for economic reasons. In this respect, upgrading existing braking systems to accommodate replacement of existing brake units employing sintered friction materials with brake units employing carbon-carbon composite friction materials is desirable. However, when upgrading the braking systems it is necessary to ensure that the integrity of the existing airframe is not compromised by the use of the new brake assemblies employing the carbon-carbon composite friction materials. Consequently, the present invention replaces existing pressure control valves of existing braking systems with an electronic control unit ( 126 ) coupled to a pressure control servovalve ( 128 ) thereby ensuring proper application of hydraulic pressure to brake assemblies ( 122 ). An advantage of this invention is that the pressure profile of the hydraulic fluid is controllable and hence the integrity of the airframe is maintained.
1. An aircraft braking system hydraulic fluid control apparatus for replacing a pressure reducing valve of an aircraft braking system, the apparatus comprising:
electrical control circuitry for receiving an input signal representative of a hydraulic brake demand from a user of an aircraft to which the system is fitted in use and generating an electrical control signal in response thereto; and
hydraulic control means for variably controlling a hydraulic braking output in response to the electrical control signal, the hydraulic control means for variably controlling the hydraulic braking output being coupled to the electrical control circuitry for receiving said electrical control signal, the hydraulic control means arranged to apply the hydraulic braking output to one or more brake assemblies;
wherein said electrical control circuitry is operable such that on receipt of a braking demand signal corresponding to a hydraulic output profile that would exceed acceptable mechanical parameters of the airframe to which the braking system is fitted, in use, it generates an electrical control signal profile irrespective of said input signal, to cause said hydraulic control means to provide the hydraulic braking output of a predetermined hydraulic output profile within acceptable mechanical parameters of the airframe.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said electrical control circuitry comprises an electronic control unit.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said electronic control unit is a programmable processing unit, whereby the electrical control signals generated are configurable by reprogramming the processing unit such that the hydraulic output from the means for variably controlling a hydraulic output can be adjusted by reprogramming the processing unit.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrical control circuitry is an open loop control that generates said electrical control signal without feedback concerning the hydraulic output.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the control circuitry and the hydraulic control means is powered by the input signal.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic control means for is a servovalve.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic control means is arranged to control, when in use, at least one of hydraulic pressure and hydraulic flow.
8. An aircraft braking system comprising an aircraft braking system hydraulic fluid control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .
9. An aircraft comprising an aircraft braking system as claimed in claim 8 .