Open and closed control of actuators, which drive aerodynamic control surfaces of an aircraft

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and to a method for the open and closed control of n actuators A.sub.n, n=1, 2, . . . , N, where N≥1, which drive aerodynamic control surfaces of an aircraft. The proposed device includes a first interface at which, by manually inputting of a pilot into an input means, predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n are generated and made available and/or a second interface at which, by means of an automatic flight controller of the aircraft, predefinitions SV.sub.AutoPilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n are generated and made available, a unit, which on the basis of predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot and/or SV.sub.AutoPilot per actuator A.sub.n, determines a reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint, for controlling the actuator A.sub.n, wherein the reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint specifies a setpoint force or a setpoint torque, and per actuator A.sub.n a force/torque controller REG.sub.n for performing closed control of the actuator A.sub.n on the basis of the assigned reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint and a force/torque F.sub.An generated by the actuator A.sub.n as a closed-control variable which is determined by a sensor device S1.sub.n, which is respectively present at or in the actuator A.sub.n or in the drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n.

Claims

1. A device for open and closed control of n actuators A.sub.n, n=1, 2, . . . , N, where N≥1, the actuators A.sub.n being configured to drive aerodynamic control surfaces of an aircraft, the device comprising: a first interface to generate and make available predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n by a manual input of a pilot into an input means, and/or a second interface to generate and make available predefinitions SV.sub.AutoPilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n by an automatic flight controller of the aircraft; a unit to determine, for a respective actuator A.sub.n, a reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint and/or a time derivative {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint thereof for controlling the respective actuator A.sub.n based on the predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot and/or SV.sub.AutoPilot, wherein the reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint specifies a setpoint force or a setpoint torque; a sensor device S1.sub.n, for the respective actuator A.sub.n, disposed on or in the respective actuator A.sub.n or in a drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n, the sensor device Sin to determine a force/torque F.sub.An generated by the respective actuator A.sub.n; a sensor device S2.sub.n, for the respective actuator A.sub.n, to determine a current position POS.sub.An of the respective actuator A.sub.n, the drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n, or an aerodynamic control surface assigned to the respective actuator A.sub.n; and a force/torque controller REG.sub.n, for the respective actuator A.sub.n, to control the respective actuator A.sub.n based on the determined reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint, and/or the determined time derivative {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint, and a force/torque variable F*.sub.An received as feedback from a function F(POS.sub.An), the function F(POS.sub.An) based on the determined force/torque F.sub.An generated by the respective actuator A.sub.n and the determined current position POS.sub.An of the respective actuator A.sub.n, such that the current position POS.sub.An is limited to an interval I1.sub.An:=[Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An)] defined by interval limits Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An), where: Min(POS.sub.An)≤POS.sub.An≤Max(POS.sub.An), wherein the interval I1.sub.An lies within an interval I2.sub.An:=[Min.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), Max.sub.mech(POS.sub.An)] defined by interval end values Min.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), Max.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), wherein the interval end values Min.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), Max.sub.mech(POS.sub.An) indicate respective positions at which movement of the respective actuator A.sub.n or the aerodynamic control surface assigned to the respective actuator A.sub.n is limited mechanically, wherein the function F(POS.sub.An) is defined by the interval I1.sub.An, with an amount |F(POS.sub.An)| of the function F(POS.sub.An) not being negligible only in a range of the interval limits Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An), wherein the function F(POS.sub.An) is selected such that the following applies: |F(Min(POS.sub.An))|=|F.sub.An,setpoint| and |F(Max(POS.sub.An))|=|F.sub.An,setpoint|, wherein the control variable F*.sub.An is fed back to the force/torque controller REG.sub.n to which the following applies: F*.sub.An=F.sub.An−F(POS.sub.An), and wherein the force/torque variable F*.sub.An allows the controller REG.sub.n to control the respective actuator A.sub.n in the range of the interval limits Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An) so that the current position POS.sub.An of the respective actuator A.sub.n is maintained within the interval I1.sub.An.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the force/torque controller REG.sub.n includes a processor PR.sub.n that functions with a processor clock rate PT.sub.n, and the unit includes a processor PR.sub.E that functions with a processor clock rate PT.sub.E, wherein the following applies: PT.sub.n>PT.sub.E.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the force/torque controller REG.sub.n includes a processor PR.sub.n that functions with a processor clock rate PT.sub.n, and the unit includes a processor PR.sub.E that functions with a processor clock rate PT.sub.E, wherein the following applies: PT.sub.n>2*PT.sub.E.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a control variable F**An is fed back to the force/torque controller REGn, in which the following applies: F**An=F*An+FG, wherein FG is a constant trim force for gravitational compensation of gravitational forces acting on the aerodynamic control surface and/or the drivetrain of the respective actuator An or wherein FG is an auto-trim function that is dependent on the POSAn and/or on a time t.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein a control variable F***.sub.An is fed back to the force/torque controller REG.sub.n, in which the following applies: F***.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.D or F***.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.G+F.sub.D, wherein the following applies: F.sub.D=d(POS.sub.An)/dt*D, wherein D indicates a virtual damping.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein a control variable F****.sub.An is fed back to the force/torque controller REG.sub.n, in which the following applies: F****.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.S or F****.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.G+F.sub.S or F****.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.D+F.sub.S or F****.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.D+F.sub.G+F.sub.S, wherein the following applies: F.sub.S=(POS.sub.An−POS.sub.ref)*S, wherein S represents a virtual rigidity and POS.sub.ref indicates a neutral position of the aerodynamic control surface, wherein the neutral position POS.sub.ref is characterized in that no torque inducing movement of the aircraft is generated by the aerodynamic control surface.

7. An aircraft comprising a device for open and closed control of n actuators A.sub.n, n=1, 2, . . . , N, where N≥1, the actuators A.sub.n being configured to drive aerodynamic control surfaces of the aircraft, the device comprising: a first interface to generate and make available predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n by a manual input of a pilot into an input means, and/or a second interface to generate and make available predefinitions SV.sub.AutoPilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n by an automatic flight controller of the aircraft; a unit to determine, for a respective actuator A.sub.n, a reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint and/or a time derivative {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint thereof for controlling the respective actuator A.sub.n based on the predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot and/or SV.sub.AutoPilot, wherein the reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint specifies a setpoint force or a setpoint torque; a sensor device S1.sub.n, for the respective actuator A.sub.n, disposed on or in the respective actuator A.sub.n or in a drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n, the sensor device S1.sub.n to determine a force/torque F.sub.An generated by the respective actuator A.sub.n; a sensor device S2.sub.n, for the respective actuator A.sub.n, to determine a current position POS.sub.An of the respective actuator A.sub.n, the drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n, or an aerodynamic control surface assigned to the respective actuator A.sub.n; and a force/torque controller REG.sub.n, for the respective actuator A.sub.n, to control the respective actuator A.sub.n based on the determined reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint, and/or the determined time derivative {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint, and a force/torque variable F*.sub.An received as feedback from a function F(POS.sub.An), the function F(POS.sub.An) based on the determined force/torque F.sub.An generated by the respective actuator A.sub.n and the determined current position POS.sub.An of the respective actuator A.sub.n, such that the current position POS.sub.An is limited to an interval I1.sub.An:=[Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An)] defined by interval limits Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An), where: Min(POS.sub.An)≤POS≤Max(POS.sub.An), wherein the interval I1.sub.An lies within an interval I2.sub.An:=[Min.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), Max.sub.mech(POS.sub.An)] defined by interval end values Min.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), Max.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), wherein the interval end values Min.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), Max.sub.mech(POS.sub.An) indicate respective positions at which movement of the respective actuator A.sub.n or the aerodynamic control surface assigned to the respective actuator A.sub.n is limited mechanically, wherein the function F(POS.sub.An) is defined by the interval I1.sub.An, with an amount |F(POS.sub.An)| of the function F(POS.sub.An) not being negligible only in a range of the interval limits Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An), wherein the function F(POS.sub.An) is selected such that the following applies: |F(Min(POS.sub.An))|=|F.sub.An,setpoint| and |F(Max(POS.sub.An))|=|F.sub.An,setpoint|, wherein the control variable F*.sub.An is fed back to the force/torque controller REG.sub.n to which the following applies: F*.sub.An=F.sub.An−F(POS.sub.An), and wherein the force/torque variable F*.sub.An allows the controller REG.sub.n to control the respective actuator A.sub.n in the range of the interval limits Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An) so that the current position POS.sub.An of the respective actuator A.sub.n is maintained within the interval I1.sub.An.

8. A method for the open and closed control of n actuators A.sub.n, n=1, 2, . . . , N, where N≥1, the actuators A.sub.n being configured to drive aerodynamic control surfaces of an aircraft, the method comprising: provisioning a predefinition SV.sub.Pilot, generated by a manual input of a pilot into an input means, to control the actuators A.sub.n, and/or provisioning a predefinition SV.sub.AutoPilot, generated by an automatic flight controller of the aircraft, to control the actuators A.sub.n; determining, for a respective actuator A.sub.n, a reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint and/or a time derivative {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint thereof for controlling the respective actuator A.sub.n based on the predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot and/or SV.sub.AutoPilot, wherein the reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint specifies a setpoint force or a setpoint torque; determining a force/torque F.sub.An generated by the respective actuator A.sub.n, via a sensor device S1.sub.n, for the respective actuator A.sub.n, disposed on or in the respective actuator A.sub.n or in a drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n; determining a current position POS.sub.An of the respective actuator A.sub.n, the drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n, or an aerodynamic control surface assigned to the respective actuator A.sub.n, via a sensor device S2.sub.n, for the respective actuator A.sub.n; and controlling the respective actuator A.sub.n using a force/torque controller REG.sub.n, based on the determined reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint, and/or the determined time derivative {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint, and a force/torque variable F*.sub.An received as feedback from a function F(POS.sub.An), the function F(POS.sub.An) based on the determined force/torque F.sub.An generated by the respective actuator A.sub.n and the determined current position POS.sub.An of the respective actuator A.sub.n, such that the current position POS.sub.An is limited to an interval I1.sub.An:=[Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An)] defined by interval limits Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An), where: Min(POS.sub.An)≤POS.sub.An≤Max(POS.sub.An), wherein the interval I1.sub.An lies within an interval I2.sub.An:=[Min.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), Max.sub.mech(POS.sub.An)] defined by interval end values Min.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), Max.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), wherein the interval end values Min.sub.mech(POS.sub.An), Max.sub.mech(POS.sub.An) indicate respective positions at which movement of the respective actuator A.sub.n or the aerodynamic control surface assigned to the respective actuator A.sub.n is limited mechanically, wherein the function F(POS.sub.An) is defined by the interval I1.sub.An, with an amount |F(POS.sub.An)| of the function F(POS.sub.An) not being negligible only in a range of the interval limits Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An), wherein the function F(POS.sub.An) is selected such that the following applies: |F(Min(POS.sub.An))|=|F.sub.An,setpoint| and |F(Max(POS.sub.An))|=|F.sub.An,setpoint|, wherein the control variable F*.sub.An is fed back to the force/torque controller REG.sub.n to which the following applies: F*.sub.An=F.sub.An−F(POS.sub.An), and wherein the force/torque variable F*.sub.An allows the controller REG.sub.n to control the respective actuator A.sub.n in the range of the interval limits Min(POS.sub.An), Max(POS.sub.An) so that the current position POS.sub.An of the respective actuator A.sub.n is maintained within the interval I1.sub.An.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method comprises: providing the force/torque controller REG.sub.n with a processor PR.sub.n that functions with a processor clock rate PT.sub.n; and providing the unit with a processor PR.sub.E that functions with a processor clock rate PT.sub.E, wherein the following applies: PT.sub.n>PT.sub.E.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method comprises: providing the force/torque controller REG.sub.n with a processor PR.sub.n that functions with a processor clock rate PT.sub.n; and providing the unit with a processor PR.sub.E that functions with a processor clock rate PT.sub.E, wherein the following applies: PT.sub.n>2*PT.sub.E.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method comprises feeding back a control variable F**An to the force/torque controller REGn, in which the following applies: F**An=F*An+FG, wherein FG is a constant trim force for gravitational compensation for gravitational forces acting on the aerodynamic control surface and/or the drivetrain of the respective actuator An or wherein FG is an auto-trim function, which is dependent on the POSAn and/or on a time t.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises feeding back a control variable F***.sub.An to the force/torque controller REG.sub.n, in which the following applies: F***.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.D or F***.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.G+F.sub.D, wherein the following applies: F.sub.D=d(POS.sub.An)/dt*D, wherein D indicates virtual damping.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method comprises feeding back a control variable F****.sub.An to the force/torque controller REG.sub.n, to which the following applies: F****.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.S or F****.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.G+F.sub.S or F****.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.D+F.sub.S or F****.sub.An=F*.sub.An+F.sub.D+F.sub.G+F.sub.S, wherein the following applies: F.sub.S=(POS.sub.An−POS.sub.ref)*S, wherein S represents a virtual rigidity and POS.sub.ref indicates a neutral position of the aerodynamic control surface, wherein the neutral position POS.sub.ref is characterized in that no torque inducing movement of the aircraft is generated by the aerodynamic control surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a diagram representation of the configuration of the device according to the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic flowchart of the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows a diagram representation of the configuration of the device according to the invention for the open and closed control of one of n actuators A.sub.n 101, n=1, 2, . . . , N, where N≥1, which drive the aerodynamic control surfaces (102) of an aircraft.

(5) The device includes a first interface 104, on which predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n (known as elevator, aileron, rudder) are generated and made available through the manual input of a pilot into an input means 110, here including rudder pedals as well as a yoke. Furthermore, the device includes a second interface 103, on which predefinitions SV.sub.AutoPilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n 101 are generated and made available by an automatic flight controller 109 (here an autopilot of the aircraft). For simplification, only one of the n actuators A.sub.n 101 is shown in the diagram in FIG. 1.

(6) The first interface 104 and the second interface 103 are components of the unit 105. To this end, the unit 105 is designed and configured on the basis of the predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot and/or SV.sub.AutoPilot, per actuator A.sub.n 101, to determine a reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint for controlling the actuator A.sub.n 101, wherein the reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint specifies a setpoint torque.

(7) The device further includes, per actuator A.sub.n 101, a torque controller REG.sub.n 106 for controlling the actuator A.sub.n 101 on the basis of the assigned reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint as well as the time derivative {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint thereof and a torque F.sub.An generated by the actuator A.sub.n 101, as well as the time derivative {dot over (F)}.sub.An thereof as a control variable, which is determined by a sensor device S1.sub.n (not shown), which is present on or in the actuator A.sub.n or in the drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n.

(8) The device shown further includes a reference-variable feed-forward control 107, which compensates, based on F.sub.An,setpoint, {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint, F.sub.An, and {dot over (F)}.sub.An, friction in the actuator A.sub.n 101 and friction in the respective drivetrain assigned to the actuator A.sub.n 101, as well as an aerodynamic force to be expected on the control surface 102 due to the deflection of the control surface according to F.sub.An,setpoint The outputs of the reference-variable feed-forward control 107 and of the torque controller REG.sub.n 106 are combined in a totalizer 108 and supplied to the actuator 101 as a control variable. As a result, the actuator effects a movement of the control surface 102. The reference-variable feed-forward control 107 generates the manipulated variable S.sub.FV as an output signal. The torque controller REG.sub.n 106 generates the manipulated variable S.sub.RE as an output signal. The totalizer 108 determines the manipulated variable S.sub.SETPOINT=S.sub.FV+S.sub.RE from the two input manipulated variables.

(9) FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method according to the invention for the open and closed control of n actuators A.sub.n 101, n=1, 2, . . . , N, where N≥1, which drive the aerodynamic control surfaces 102 of an aircraft. The method includes the following steps: In a first step 201, a predefinition SV.sub.Pilot, generated by a manual input of a pilot into an input means, is made available to control the actuators A.sub.n and/or predefinition SV.sub.AutoPilot, generated by an automatic flight controller of the aircraft, is made available to control the actuators A.sub.n. In a second step 202, a reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint as well as the time derivative {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint thereof for controlling the actuator A.sub.n 101 is determined 202 on the basis of predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot and/or SV.sub.AutoPilot, per actuator A.sub.n 101, wherein the reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint specifies a setpoint force or a setpoint torque.

(10) In a third step 203, there is a controlling of the actuator A.sub.n 101 by means of a force/torque controller REG.sub.n 106, for each actuator A.sub.n 101, on the basis of the assigned reference variables F.sub.An,setpoint, {dot over (F)}.sub.An,setpoint and a force/torque F.sub.An generated by the actuator A.sub.n as a reference variable, which is determined by a sensor device S1.sub.n, which is present on or in the actuator A.sub.n or in the drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n.

(11) Although the invention has been illustrated and explained in more detail by using preferred example embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations may be derived by one of ordinary skill in the art without extending beyond the protective scope of the invention. It is thus clear that a plurality of variation options exists. It is likewise clear that example embodiments actually only represent examples, which are not to be interpreted in any manner as a limitation, for example, of the protective scope, the use options, or the configuration of the invention. Rather, the previous description and the description of figures should make one of ordinary skill in the art capable of specifically implementing the example embodiments, wherein one of ordinary skill in the art with knowledge of the disclosed concept of the invention can undertake various changes, for example with respect to the function or the arrangement of individual elements listed in an example embodiment, without going beyond the scope of protection, which is defined by the claims and the legal equivalents thereof such as, for example, more extensive explanations in the description.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(12) 101 Actuators, actuators A.sub.n 102 Control surfaces 103 Second interface 104 First interface 105 Unit 106 Force/torque controller REG.sub.n 107 Reference-variable feed-forward control 108 Totalizer 109 Automatic flight controller, autopilot 110 Input means SV.sub.AutoPilot Autopilot control predefinition SV.sub.Pilot Pilot control predefinition F.sub.An,setpoint Reference variable S.sub.FV Manipulated variable of the reference-variable feed-forward control S.sub.RE Manipulated variable of the torque controller REG.sub.n S.sub.SETPOINT Manipulated variable as a total of S.sub.FV+S.sub.RE POS.sub.An Position of the actuator A.sub.n Min(POS.sub.An) Minimum of the position POS.sub.An Max(POS.sub.An) Maximum of the position POS.sub.An 201-203 Method steps