147 results about "Bird strike" patented technology

Percussive impacts due to bird strikes upon the hollow fan blades 20 are a well known problem. These percussive impacts not only deform previous fan blades but also reduce their stiffness. In accordance with the present invention, hollow fan blades 20 incorporate a cavity 23 within which, a matrix 24 with embedded expandable elements 25, is located. Thus, upon a percussive impact these expandable elements 25 are released in order to create an internal pressure within the cavity 25 which acts outwardly in order to relieve deformation and also stiffen the blade 20 as a result of the over pressure within the cavity 23.

The present invention provides an aircraft engine vibration system that provides information about engine health. Embodiments of the present invention monitor for excessive vibration, monitor for bird strike, monitor for ice build up on the fan section, and monitor general engine health. An embodiment of the present invention utilizes neural network architecture for the detection of excessive vibration and ice detection build-up on the fan section of a turbo-fan engine and to monitor engine health through the high-pressure turbine section of the engine.

An airborne apparatus that employs an advanced computer to analyze bird and aircraft positioning data, programmed to issue a warning about an impending strike, thereby creating the ultimate Bird-Aircraft Strike Prevention System. This system will constantly process the bird positioning data gathered by the Radar / Infrared sensors. In case of a bird-aircraft strike danger the system will immediately alert the pilot as well as Air Traffic Control, and, compute the necessary course correction required to avoid the collision. The advantages of the system include the ability to prevent bird strikes and instantaneously compute an alternative course or action necessary to avoid the bird-aircraft impact. Additionally, because the IBSPS is capable of being airborne, the aircraft will be protected from bird-strikes throughout the entire flight, even in absence of ground systems. Furthermore, the ability to integrate all IBSPS equipped airplanes significantly increases area coverage and enhances the safety of Air Traffic System.

The invention relates to a horizontal tail front edge for a bird strike-resisting airplane. An upper honeycomb sandwich layer, a lower honeycomb sandwich layer, a front edge reinforcing member and an aerofoil lining layer are arranged among spans on the horizontal tail front edge in a spanwise mode along a horizontal tail of the airplane; one angle of the front edge reinforcing member is positioned at the front end of the horizontal tail front edge; the upper honeycomb sandwich layer and the lower honeycomb sandwich layer which are in a shape of a parallelogram are fixed on upper and lower internal surfaces of a horizontal tail skin respectively, the edge of one vertex angle of each honeycomb sandwich layer is fixed with surfaces of the front edge reinforcing member and the horizontal tail skin respectively, and the edge of the other vertex angle is fixed with the surfaces of the horizontal tail skin and the aerofoil lining layer; and the honeycomb sandwich layers and the front edge reinforcing member are coated between the aerofoil lining layer and the internal surfaces of the horizontal tail skin by the aerofoil lining layer. In the horizontal tail front edge, birds are cut by the front edge reinforcing member, the impact force of the birds is absorbed by the honeycomb sandwich layers, and an internal structure of the horizontal tail front edge is protected against damage bythe aerofoil lining layer. The horizontal tail front edge is also suitable for vertical tails, aerofoil front edges and all beam edges which are likely to be subjected to bird strike on the airplane.

An aircraft avian radar is implemented using an existing aircraft transponder, Mode S, or TCAS installation as the radar transmitter. To eliminate self jamming of low level avian target signals by high level transmitter signals, the ending period of the transmission signal is digitized and cross correlated with the ending period of reflected avian target signals received after the transmission signal has ended. In a first implementation, the current transponder antenna is used for both transmission and reception. In a second implementation, an external receive only antenna is mounted in a position that maximizes the transmit antenna to receive antenna isolation. In a third implementation, a signal canceller and sample of the transmit signal are used to cancel or null out as much transmit signal as possible that couples directly to the receive antenna.

A detection system and method for detection of damages on at least one rotating component (10, 20, 30. . . N) of an air vehicle caused by at least one solid, comprising measuring means (S1, S2, S3 . . . Sn) for measuring vibration and / or sound of said rotating components (10, 20, 30 . . . N), to acquire the time signal of vibration and / or sound of any of said rotating components (10, 20, 30 . . . N), and processing means (PRO) for comparing said measured vibration and / or sound with a maximum value or an envelope of standard vibration and / or sound stored in a memory (EM1, EM2, . . . EMn) and warning means (WS) for issuing a warning signal when the measured vibration and / or sound exceeds said standard vibration and / or sound. The air vehicle is an airplane or a helicopter, the solid is a projectile, stones, ice-crystals or bird strike, and the measuring means are vibration sensors (S1, S2, S3 . . . Sn) and / or acoustic sensors (S1, S2, S3 . . . Sn). The reference maximum value / envelope is related to / dependent on relevant actual flight parameter values.

A non-scanning radar system is installed on an aircraft to detect and avoid bird strikes or collisions with other airborne hazards. Target amplitude, range, and Doppler tracking versus time are used to qualify the collision threat. Avoidance is based on a quick minor altitude change by the pilot or autopilot to exit the imminent bird or other airborne hazard altitude window. In one embodiment, a bistatic passive radar receiver antenna is used in conjunction with an existing geostationary satellite signal. Range and Doppler information are obtained via cross correlation processing of the hazard reflection signal with a direct path reference signal from the satellite.

In prop fan and contra fan gas turbine engines particularly utilized with regard to pusher configurations towards the aft of an aircraft, there is a significant problem with regard to debris and bird strikes resulting in particulate matter which may damage the engine thrust core. By providing an inlet rotor which fragments and creates a centrifugal aspect to the inlet flow, particulate matter can be directed to a bypass chute normally in the form of an annular section extending into a number of chute exits. In such circumstances, the particulate matter is removed continuously from the inlet flow and the chutes are normally angled to project any particulate matter towards propellers of the engine at robust positions.

The invention discloses a method for verifying the bird strike resistance performance of a pitch link of a main blade of a helicopter, and belongs to the field of helicopter structural strength tests. The method is used for determining the performance of the pitch link of the main blade of the helicopter after bird strike damage is generated in the flight process. Aiming at the characteristics that the pitch link of the main blade of the helicopter is high in bird strike probability in low airspace, and damage is serous, the bird strike resistance performance of this kind structures is assessed accurately through the bird strike tests of the full size structure under simulated real working environment, fatigue life verification tests half hour after striking and residual strength tests, and it is guaranteed that catastrophic results cannot be generated even if bird strike occurs to the helicopter in the harshest flight process.

A new reduced cost easily manufactured light weight wind turbine design combining the use of downwind passive yaw, large take off rim on the outside of the semi rigid sails, a new method of furling or changing sail AOA, new semi rigid sail design, and new tower design that allows passive yaw for high installation of wind wheels to gain energy from higher wind speeds.Combining these features dramatically lowers weight / simplifies manufacture / avoids need for expensive composite materials / avoids the need for heavy high reduction gearboxes / reduces friction losses to air / reduces noise / reduces bird strikes / catches more energy per area of sails / and ultimately reduces cost in US$ per kwh generated ratio.

The present invention relates to a tail for improving anti-bird strike performance of an aircraft. A leading edge reinforcement having a shape of an isosceles triangle is located inside a tail leading edge. The leading edge reinforcement is spanwisely fixed in sections between respective spans formed by the wing rib inside the tail leading edge along the tail of the aircraft. An apex angle of the leading edge reinforcement is the same as an apex angle or arc transition of the tail leading edge skin. The leading edge reinforcement is fixedly connected with the small front beam by a leading edge reinforcement fixed surface. The present invention additionally installs a leading edge reinforcement in the original tail of the aircraft.

To provide a projectile for bird strike tests, comprising a gel-like or jelly-like material, which makes reproducible and representative results in bird strike tests possible, it is proposed that the projectile comprise a stabilizing device arranged in the projectile for stabilizing the gel-like or jelly-like material.

A bird strike prevention device for covering an air intake of a jet engine of an airplane includes a plurality of stays arranged to form a conical shape as a whole; and a joining portion configured to connect the plurality of stays to each other on an apex side of the conical shape. The plurality of stays is mounted on the jet engine near an outer edge of the air intake at a base of the conical shape. An axis of the conical shape coincides with a rotation axis of the jet engine. The number of the stays included in the plurality of stays is determined based on a minimum size of target birds to be prevented from striking the jet engine.

The invention provides a supporting body for a bird strike-resistant aircraft leading edge. The supporting body comprises an auxiliary beam, a front beam and a leading edge cabin rib, wherein the auxiliary beam is positioned at the front part of the leading edge and stretches longitudinally; the auxiliary beam is corrugated and comprises a front surface side and a back connecting side opposite tothe front surface side; the front beam is positioned on the back part of the leading edge and stretches longitudinally; the leading edge cabin rib is positioned between the auxiliary beam and the front beam; the leading edge cabin rib comprises a front connecting end and a back supporting end opposite to the front connecting end; the auxiliary beam is attached to the back side of leading edge skinof the leading edge so as to form a cavity between the auxiliary beam and the leading edge skin; the back connecting side of the auxiliary beam is connected to the front connecting end of the leadingedge cabin rib through a connecting component; the back supporting end of the leading edge cabin rib is fastened to the front beam through a fastening component. The invention further provides the bird strike-resistant aircraft leading edge using the supporting body. According to the invention, the bird strike resistance of the leading edge of a wing is significantly improved.

The present invention relates to a tail for improving anti-bird strike performance of an aircraft. A leading edge reinforcement having a shape of an isosceles triangle is located inside a tail leading edge. The leading edge reinforcement is spanwisely fixed in sections between respective spans formed by the wing rib inside the tail leading edge along the tail of the aircraft. An apex angle of the leading edge reinforcement is the same as an apex angle or arc transition of the tail leading edge skin. The leading edge reinforcement is fixedly connected with the small front beam by a leading edge reinforcement fixed surface. The present invention additionally installs a leading edge reinforcement in the original tail of the aircraft.

An object of the present invention is to provide a wind turbine generator and an operation control method thereof, which takes measures against issues such as noise, bird strike and a friction heat of a bearing shaft. The wind turbine generator 1 comprises a hydraulic pump 12 of a variable displacement type which is rotated by the main shaft 8, a hydraulic motor 14 of a variable displacement type which is connected to the generator 20, and a high pressure oil line 16 and a low pressure oil line 18 which are arranged between the hydraulic pump 12 and the hydraulic motor 14. An operation mode selection unit 38 switches an operation mode between a normal operation mode and a low rotation speed operation mode. The low rotation speed operation mode has a rated rotation speed of the main shaft 8 lower than that of the normal operation mode, at least one of a rated displacement of the hydraulic pump 12 and a rated pressure of the high pressure oil line that are greater than that of the normal operation mode and a rated output of a generator 20 substantially same as that of the normal operation mode. The operation mode selection unit 38 selects the normal operation mode or the low rotation speed operation mode depending on environment conditions.

Systems and methods for providing passive bird-strike avoidance. A passive L-band receiver system (20) is located on an aircraft (18). The system includes a processor (30) and an antenna (34) having an array of four or more elements. The antenna configured to receive L-band signals. The processor receives the L-band signals from the antenna, determines if the received L-band signals indicate a target, determines distance, direction of travel and speed of any determined targets, determines if the target is a flock of birds based on the determined speed and determines if a hazard condition exists based on the distance, direction and speed.

An aircraft aerodynamic surface includes a torsion box having an upper skin, a lower skin, and a front spar, and a leading edge having an external shell and an impact resisting structure. The external shell may be shaped with an aerodynamic leading edge profile, being configured to provide Laminar Flow Control (LFC) to the leading edge. The impact resisting structure is spanwise arranged between the external shell and the front spar, and is configured for absorbing a bird strike to prevent damage in the front spar. Also, at least one of the external shell and the impact resisting structure is fitted with the upper and lower skins of the torsion box to thereby facilitate leading edge exchange.

The present invention discloses a helicopter blade bird strike performance test verification method. The method comprises the following steps of: the step 1: selecting at least blades in helicopter blades as test pieces, patching strain gages at the strike section area of each test piece, and installing one acceleration sensor near the strike section area of each test piece; the step 2: installingeach test piece to simulate the installation state of each test piece; the step 3: applying the loaded environment when flight of each test piece is simulated; the step 4: performing birdshot test debugging; the step 5: performing checking after a bird strike test is performed; and step 6: performing a fatigue life test and performing assessment after the bird strike test is performed. The helicopter blade bird strike performance test verification method provides a helicopter bird strike flight safety verification method, and therefore the helicopter flight safety can be improved.

A system operative to protect aircraft and possibly other objects against bird strikes by mounting or disposing a protective components including protective lighting and protective reflective coating on the aircraft, wherein the protective coating is structured to enhance the visibility of the aircraft to birds. The protective lighting and or reflective coating is at least partially disposable in a predetermined location on the aircraft which is commonly observed. A controller is operative with said lighting assembly and configured to perform multi-mode capabilities operative to regulate illumination modes of the lighting assembly. The operative illumination modes are variable and at least partially dependent on a geographical location of the aircraft during flight.

Systems and methods for providing passive bird-strike avoidance. A passive L-band receiver system is located on an aircraft. The system includes a processor and an antenna having an array of four or more elements. The antenna configured to receive L-band signals. The processor receives the L-band signals from the antenna, determines if the received L-band signals indicate a target, determines distance, direction of travel and speed of any determined targets, determines if the target is a flock of birds based on the determined speed and determines if a hazard condition exists based on the distance, direction and speed.

An aircraft avian radar is implemented using multiple axial beam antennas mounted on an aircraft. Target range is determined by radar range. Target azimuth and elevation position is determined by triangulation. An end-fire array antenna composed of a series of monopole antenna elements enclosed inside a long thin protective cover fashioned in the form of a stall fence is mounted on the wings, tail, or fuselage to produce a low drag axial beam antenna pattern directed ahead of the aircraft. Other axial beam antenna choices include helical, pyramidal horn, and conical horn antennas mounted on or inside various forward facing surfaces of the aircraft.

To provide a projectile for bird strike tests, comprising a gel-like or jelly-like material, which makes reproducible and representative results in bird strike tests possible, it is proposed that the projectile comprise a stabilizing device arranged in the projectile for stabilizing the gel-like or jelly-like material.

The invention discloses a centrifugal bird strike test method, which adopts a centrifugal bird strike test system and comprises the following steps: (S1) a bird body is revolved by a centrifugal rotating device of the centrifugal bird strike test system; (S2) after the linear velocity of the bird body reaches a set valve, the centrifugal rotating device releases the bird body, and guides the birdbody to strike a tested article; and a driving motor provides driving force for the centrifugal rotating device. According to the centrifugal bird strike test method disclosed by the invention, the centrifugal bird strike test system is adopted, source power is provided by the motor in cooperation with the centrifugal rotating device, consequently, a longer gun barrel and a high-pressure device are not needed, the space occupied by the whole test system is small, and the special management of the high-pressure device is not needed; moreover, the noise of the test system is small, the launchingof the bird body does not produce great explosion sound, so the centrifugal bird strike test method is environment-friendly.

The invention belongs to the technical field of aero-engine bird strike tests, and particularly relates to an aero-engine fan rotor blade bird strike test parameter determination method. The method comprises the following steps: firstly, establishing a blade grid cutting model of a fan rotor blade bird strike test; determining a damage pattern of a blade, determining a velocity component VC perpendicular to the tangential direction of the leading edge blade profile; and finally, determining the maximum value of the velocity component VC in different damage modes in each flight stage and corresponding fan rotor blade bird strike test parameters under the maximum value. According to the method, the test process is simplified according to the damage mode of the blade and the maximum value ofthe velocity component VC, and the influence rule curve of the bird strike parameters can be obtained by adopting the method. Therefore, the specific parameters corresponding to each evaluation stateare determined, and the considered parameter range is more comprehensive and reasonable.

The method of preventing the dangers of birds entering the jet engines of an airplane during take-off and landing by rotating a portion of the jet engines cowling to a blocking position in front of the jet engine during take-off and landing and the rotating the same portion of the jet engine cowling back away from the front of the jet engine during high speed cruising at altitudes.

The invention relates to a numerical simulation method for calculating response of bird strike on an engine blade. Based on a smooth particle method (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics SPH) and a finiteelement method (Finite Element Method FEM), a numerical simulation model considering the impact environment factor influence of the bird body attitude angle is established, and dynamic response simulation is carried out under the model. In addition, technicians in the field can more simply modify different parameters for research in the bird impact dynamics response research process, and a reference basis is provided for research on the design and optimization of the aero-engine structure.

The present invention is a helicopter lighting system. In particular, the present invention is directed to a helicopter lighting system with light that is directed toward a helicopter's rotors to deter bird strikes. The helicopter lighting system preferably has at least one light mounted on the helicopter's tail aimed at the tail rotor, where illumination from the at least one light comprises ultraviolet light between 300 and 400 nm in wavelength and the at least one light flashes at a pre-determined frequency, preferably between 1 Hz and 3 Hz. The light system further preferably comprises at least one roof light mounted on the roof, where illumination from the roof light shines on the main rotor and vertical shaft of the helicopter. The lighting system also preferably has a belly light mounted on the belly of the helicopter.

The invention relates to the airplane safety field, and especially relates to a method of setting an elastic anti-bird strike net in an aircraft engine air inlet; the method comprises the following steps: setting a netted barrier layer vertical to an aircraft engine air inlet air-flow running direction in the aircraft engine air inlet, wherein each grid of the netted barrier layer is smaller than a normal bird size, the outer rim of the netted barrier layer is matched with that of the aircraft engine air inlet, and the barrier layer and the air inlet are mechanically connected through an elastic telescopic device so as to make telescopic motions parallel to the airflow running direction; the netted barrier layer is provided with an anti-icing heating device; when a bird hits the anti-bird strike net, an elastic telescopic unit of the elastic telescopic device can make telescopic motions approximately parallel to the bird hitting direction, thus absorbing the bird hitting energy; the method can use the anti-bird strike net to absorb bird kinetic energy so as to enhance anti-bird strike intensity; in addition, the anti-bird strike net is provided with the anti-icing heating device, so the anti-bird strike net cannot be frozen, and thus blocking the aircraft engine air inlet.

The present invention discloses an airport bird situation defense device and equipment, wherein the airport bird situation defense device includes a detection sensor, a data aggregation platform, a bird strike defense platform and an intelligent control platform; the detection sensor is configured to detect bird situation data of a bird object in an airport region all weather; the data aggregationplatform is configured to receive the bird situation data, acquire external environmental information and construct a bird situation database according to the bird situation data and the external environmental information; the bird strike defense platform is configured to perform big data analysis on a bird situation according to the bird situation database constructed by the data aggregation platform to obtain an analysis result and generate bird strike defense information according to the analysis result; and the intelligent control platform is configured to allocate a comprehensive situation report of the bird situation according to the bird strike defense information generated by the bird strike defense platform and generate a bird situation disposal measure according to the comprehensive situation report of the bird situation. In the above-mentioned way, the activity rule of the bird object may be analyzed, a targeted bird situation disposal measure may be given.