WO2018152277A1

WO2018152277A1 - Health monitoring devices and systems for a linkage

Info

Publication number: WO2018152277A1
Application number: PCT/US2018/018287
Authority: WO
Inventors: Conor MARR; Russell Altieri
Original assignee: Lord Corp
Current assignee: Lord Corp
Priority date: 2017-02-16
Filing date: 2018-02-15
Publication date: 2018-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-16

Abstract

Health monitoring systems, devices, and methods are used in assessing the operational health of a drive link in an aircraft. The drive link has, at each end, a magnetic sensor and a magnet for detecting relative displacement, and at least one strain gauge on the drive link for detecting a load acting on the drive link. A wand provides power, via a wireless antenna of the drive link, to be used in processing sensor signals of the drive link. The rotors are actuated through a series of prescribed movements and the signals from the sensors are recorded. After the series of prescribed movements, the data from the sensor signals is transmitted to the wand, a stiffness value is calculated for the drive link, and the stiffness value calculated is compared against a stiffness value threshold. A drive link health status is then displayed to the operator.

Description

HEALTH MONITORING DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR A LINKAGE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/459,865 filed February 16, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The subject matter herein generally relates to the field of health monitoring of structural components. The subject matter herein more particularly relates to systems, devices, and methods for inspecting and assessing the operational health of a linkage for rotating machinery, particularly a drive link for a rotary aircraft.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Modern day aircraft have many linkages which are subject to wear and degradation if they are not proactively monitored and replaced before failure. In some instances, a "failed" part needing to be replaced will not necessarily present an inherent safety risk, but may allow the aircraft to exhibit undesirable performance characteristics, such as excessive vibration. Elastomeric linkages are examples of such linkages, in that the elastomeric portion provides vibrational compliance and isolation characteristics, but will fatigue and "fail" long before the metal portion of the linkage will fail, which would lead to a catastrophic failure mechanism presenting a significant safety risk to many people, whether in the aircraft or on the ground. As such, while it is not vital for aircraft occupant safety to service such elastomeric components, they provide valuable and desirable performance characteristics which are quite noticeable to occupants when not present or degraded.

[0004] As such, it is common practice for conservative service intervals to be established for inspection and/or repair of such linkages in order to ensure occupant comfort and reduce operator fatigue. Unfortunately, these components are very often inaccessible and cannot be visually inspected by service personnel without time consuming disassembly of at least a part of the aircraft, thus increasing service costs and aircraft downtime due to maintenance. In fact, some such components cannot be visually evaluated for degradation at all, regardless of the ability of service personnel to visually inspect them; in such instances, it is necessary to embed sensors within these components in order to dynamically assess their performance while in motion. [0005] One known approach to dealing with assessing the health and performance of inaccessible parts is to embed sensors in these parts which are then transmitted to the flight computer of the aircraft so as to be monitored for performance aberrations and/or degradations, indicating that service may be necessary. However, these monitoring systems require a physical connection to a power source, a data communications path, consume computational resources of the flight computer, and add to the overall weight and complexity of the aircraft. While these tradeoffs may be worth accounting for in ensuring safe operation of the aircraft, where failure of such components may compromise the safety of the occupants of the aircraft, they may not be warranted for implementing real-time monitoring of components which are primarily directed towards occupant comfort rather than safety. As such, there exists a need to provide embedded sensors within such components that do not require a connection to the aircraft power source and do not require real-time monitoring during operation of the aircraft to ensure occupant safety.

SUMMARY

[0006] In one aspect, a health monitoring system for an aircraft is provided. The health monitoring system comprises a drive link configured to connect one or more rotors to the aircraft. The drive link includes at least one magnetic sensor and magnet, at least one strain gauge, at least one wireless antenna, and an electronic and power module. The at least one magnetic sensor and magnet are located adjacent to an elastomeric member of the drive link. The at least one strain gauge located on the drive link. The electronic and power module has a processor, internal storage, and an energy supply, wherein the electronic and power module is electrically connected to the at least one magnetic sensor, the at least one strain gauge, and the at least one wireless antenna. In some embodiments, the health monitoring system further comprises a wand, which includes a grip portion on a first end of the wand, a computation module, a transponder on a second end of the wand, and a display.

[0007] In another aspect a drive link for connecting one or more rotors in a rotary aircraft is provided. The drive link comprises at least one magnetic sensor and magnet, at least one strain gauge, at least one wireless antenna, and an electronic and power module. The at least one magnetic sensor and magnet are located adjacent to an elastomeric member of the drive link. The at least one strain gauge located on the drive link. The electronic and power module includes a processor, internal storage, and an energy supply, wherein the electronic and power module is electrically connected to the at least one magnetic sensor, the at least one strain gauge, and the at least one wireless antenna. [0008] In yet another aspect, a method of assessing a health of a drive link connecting one or more rotors to an aircraft is provided. The method comprising: manipulating a wand so that a transponder of the wand is located adjacent to a wireless antenna of the drive link; transmitting power wirelessly from the wand to the drive link; actuating the one or more rotors through one or more movements of a series of prescribed movements; recording in an internal storage of the drive link, while the one or more rotors are actuated, data in a form of sensor output signals from at least one magnetic sensor and magnet located adjacent to an elastomeric member of the drive link and from at least one strain gauge located on a surface of the drive link; transmitting the data from the internal storage to the wand using the wireless antenna; calculating a stiffness value for the drive link; comparing the stiffness value for the drive link calculated to a predetermined stiffness value threshold; and displaying a health status to an operator on a display of the wand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a rotating blade propulsion system having a drive link, in accordance with the disclosure herein.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example embodiment for a drive link, in accordance with the disclosure herein.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a side view of a first example embodiment of an energizing data collection wand, in accordance with the disclosure herein.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first example embodiment the wand of FIG. 3, in accordance with the disclosure herein.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a side view of a second example embodiment of an energizing data collection wand, in accordance with the disclosure herein.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a side view of a third example embodiment of an energizing data collection wand, in accordance with the disclosure herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] This disclosure relates to systems and methods for monitoring the health of any suitable and suitably inaccessible component without real-time health monitoring capabilities being integrated therein. Examples of such systems include manufacturing systems and drive systems. One non-limiting example of a drive system is a drive rotor of a helicopter, which has one or more drive links with elastomeric compliance elements therein. The drive system of the drive rotor of a helicopter is used hereinafter as a non-limiting example to illustrate this invention.

[0016] In some systems, these drive links are visually occluded, such that inspection of the drive link requires complete disassembly of the hub for visual inspection of these parts. In some applications, a small "sight hole" allows some visual access, but not enough to perform a full visual inspection, as required. As such, a health monitoring drive link is needed to reduce inspection cost and complexity from disassembly, while increasing reliability of the drive links, as it will be possible to extend useful service life of these parts by taking on-board performance measurements, rather than relying on an inherently less precise visual inspection replacement methodology. The health monitoring systems and methods disclosed herein are configured to be energized temporarily and to then monitor the effect of forces and movements experienced by the drive link as the rotors of the aircraft are put through a series of prescribed movements. Prescribed movements are the rotation of the rotors with actuation in the pitch direction through the limitations of the individual aircraft rotor controls. Accordingly, a health monitoring system is disclosed hereinbelow that may be operated according to a variety of methods and embodiments described herein.

[0017] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a rotorcraft propulsion system, generally designated 100, with a drive link, generally designated 200, configured to connect one or more rotors 130 to the drive shaft 120 and, thus, to the aircraft. In the embodiment shown, rotors 130 are the rotor blades of an aircraft, such as a helicopter, but rotors 130 can be any suitable rotary element. Rotary motion for the drive shaft 120 is generated via the engine housed within the engine nacelle 110. This rotary motion of the drive shaft is transferred from the drive shaft 120 into one end of the drive link 200, through the main body of the drive link 200, and into the rotor 130 at a motion transfer point, generally designated 150, via the connection at the second end of the drive link 200. The construction of the drive link 200 will be discussed further hereinbelow with respect to FIG. 2, but the illustration of the rotorcraft propulsion system 100 shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example of one embodiment capable of using such a drive link 200, and is in no way to be construed as limiting the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0018] Referring now to FIG. 2, an example embodiment of a drive link, generally designated 200, is shown, with the drive link 200 being configured with integrated health monitoring components (e.g., 210, 220, 222, 230, 240). The drive link 200 comprises a portion of a health monitoring system for an aircraft, along with a wand 300, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 and, in some embodiments, a connected device 380. Connected device 380 may be device similar to a smartphone, a tablet PC, a notebook PC, a desktop PC, etc., and the connection may be via an interface such as a wired or wireless communications interface/protocol. The illustrated drive link 200 has a body having a first end 201, a second end 202, and a middle section 203, located between and connecting the first and second ends 201 and 202. At the first and second ends 201 and 202, a cavity 204 is formed, with an elastomeric member 205 being disposed therein concentrically around a non-elastomeric inner member 206. In rotorcraft applications, the non-elastomeric inner members 206 are configured to be connected to either the drive shaft 120 or the rotor 130, with the elastomeric member 205 providing compliant force and vibrational damping behavior. The middle section 203 has a hollow cavity portion 207 formed therein. In the example embodiment of FIG. 2, each of the first and second ends 201 and 202 have an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensor (hereinafter, "magnetic sensor") 220 and magnet 222 pair located adjacent to each elastomeric member 205 of the drive link 200 to measure relative movement, or displacement, between the respective non-elastomeric inner member 206 and the respective elastomeric member 205. In some embodiments, the magnetic sensor 220 and the magnet 220 are located across the elastomeric member 205 such that movement of the inner member 206 relative to an outer member, such as the body of drive link 200 or an annular body installed within the cavity 204, will cause a movement of the magnet 222 relative to the magnetic sensor 220. In such embodiments, the body of the drive link 200 can be the middle section 203 or one of the first end 201 and the second end 202 of the drive link 200 adjacent to the magnet 222 associated with the magnetic sensor 220. In the embodiment shown, a first of the plurality of magnetic sensors 220 and magnets 222 are located at the first end 201 of the drive link 200 and a second of the plurality of magnetic sensors 220 and magnets 222 are located at the second end 202 of the drive link 200. In some embodiments, the magnetic sensors 220 are configured to detect relative movement between each respective magnetic sensor 220 and its corresponding magnet 222 to provide movement data to the electronic and power module 210 for storage and subsequent transmission as part of a health inspection procedure of the drive link 200. The magnetic sensors 220 are configured, based on the relative movement detected, to generate corresponding output displacement signals from each magnetic sensor 220 to the electronic and power module 210. In this example embodiment, the magnetic sensor 220 and magnet 222 pairs are shown as being mounted on a surface of the first and second ends 201 and 202 of the drive link 200, respectively. In this embodiment, the magnetic sensor 220 is mounted on, or partially embedded within, a surface of the body of the drive link 200 and the magnet 222 is mounted on, or embedded within, either partially or entirely, the elastomeric member 205. In other embodiments, the magnetic sensor 220 and magnet 222 pair can be embedded within the non-elastomeric inner member 206, the elastomeric member 205, and/or the body of the drive link 200, which can include the first end 201, the second end 202, or the middle section 203 of the drive link 200. A magnetic sensor 220 is mounted on the exterior surface of the drive link 200 adjacent to the perimeter of the elastomeric member 205 at the first and second ends 201 and 202 of the drive link 200, respectively. This magnetic sensor 220 can, in other embodiments, be integrally formed within the body of the drive link 200.

[0019] Each of the magnetic sensors 220 are electrically connected to the electronic and power module 210, which is disposed within the hollow cavity portion 207 of the middle section 203 of the drive link 200. The drive link 200 comprises at least one or more strain gauge 230 that are surface mounted and located on the middle section 203 of the drive link 200 on either side of the electronic and power module 210 for detecting a load acting on the drive link 200 and measuring the strain acting on the drive link 200, which is the load being reacted by the drive link 200, at the locations selected for the attachment of the strain gauge(s) 230. The strain gauges 230 are configured, based on the strain detected, to generate corresponding output load signals from each strain gauge 230 to the electronic and power module 210. Regardless of the number of strain gauges 230 employed, in some embodiments the strain gauges are configured to provide load data correlating to a strain experienced at each strain gauge 230 of the drive link 200 while the rotors 130 are deflected during an inspection procedure. In some embodiments, two sets of full bridge strain gauges 230 are used to measure loads acting on the drive link, but any suitable number of strain gauges may be installed in order to provide a plurality of strain measurements for analysis. The drive link 200 also comprises an electronic and power module 210 which has a processor, internal storage, and an energy supply, which can be an energy storage device, such as a battery or supercapacitor. In some embodiments, the electronic and power module comprises a wireless communication chip. The wireless communication chip, the internal storage, and/or the processor can be integrated in a system-on-chip (SoC) design in order to allow for a smaller hollow cavity portion 207 to be made in the middle section 203 of the drive link 200 to accommodate the electronic and power module 210 and/or to allow for a larger energy supply. The drive link comprises at least one wireless antenna 240. The electronic and power module 210 is also in electronic communication with the at least one wireless antenna 240 configured for one of any suitable wireless communication protocols, such as near field communication (NFC), radio frequency identification (RFID), Bluetooth®, etc. While the at least one wireless antenna 240 is shown in this embodiment as being external to the electronic and power module 210, in some embodiments the at least one wireless antenna 240 is internal to and/or integral with the electronic and power module 210. The internal storage of the electronic and power module 210 can be any suitable type of storage, including non-volatile (NV) RAM, flash storage, and the like. In some embodiments, the internal storage of the electronic and power module 210 is configured to store the output displacement signals from each of the magnetic sensors 220 and the output load signals from each of the strain gauges 230. In some embodiments, the wireless antenna 240 is configured to receive power from a wireless power source, such as a power storage device 340 of wand 300, as well as to transmit and/or receive data to/from wand 300. Power received from the wireless power source is stored in the energy supply of the electronic and power module 210. In other embodiments, a power receiver, such as a coiled wire, may be provided elsewhere on the drive link 200 electrically connected to the electronic and power module 210 to enable inductive charging. In the embodiment described herein, the drive link 200 is not connected to a power source onboard the example aircraft. The electronic and power module 210 is electrically connected to the at least one magnetic sensor 220, the at least one strain gauge 230, and the at least one wireless antenna 240. In the embodiment shown, the electronic and power module 210 is disconnected from a power source such as an auxiliary power unit of the aircraft. In some embodiments, the energy supply of the electronic and power module 210 is configured to be connected to a power source of the aircraft.

[0020] Continuing on to FIGS. 3 through 6, three example embodiments of a wand are shown. In general, the wand is configured for wireless operation and has a grip portion 310 on a first end of the wand 300, a computation module 350, a display 320, and a wireless transponder 330, such as a wireless transmitter and receiver, on a second end of the wand 300. These example embodiments of wands 300 are all configured to transmit power to the drive link 200 from, for example, the transponder 330 to the wireless antenna 240 of the drive link 200. In some embodiments, the wireless antenna of the drive link 200 may be augmented and/or replaced, at least for the purposes of wireless power reception, with a magnetic coil configured to receive power via an induced magnetic field via inductive charging. In these embodiments, the wand 300 is configured to generate a magnetic field when the transponder 330 is adj acent to the magnetic coil of the electronic and power module 210. As such, the transponder 330 is configured to wirelessly transmit power to the at least one wireless antenna 240 of the drive link 200. Regardless of the type of wireless power transmission, the power source, such as the transponder 330, can be turned on via a proximity sensor, such as an embedder within the wand 300 and/or the drive link 200, a user-operated button, preferably located on the wand 300, a signal received from the drive link 200 via the wireless communication antenna, and the like. The wand 300 also includes an internal power storage device 340 and a computation module 350, the computation module 350 having at least a processor and a memory associated therewith. The processor and memory associated with the computation module may be located within the grip portion 310. The computation module 350 is configured to calculate a stiffness value for the drive link 200 based on the load data and the movement data received from the drive link sensors 220, 230. The computation module 350 is then, in some embodiments, configured to compare the stiffness value calculated with a stored stiffness value threshold, which is a stiffness value threshold for a particular drive link retrieved from a database for use by the computation module 350. Based on this comparison, the computation module 350 is, in some such embodiments, configured to generate an indication of drive link health that is transmitted visually, haptically, auditorily, etc., to an operator. The transmission may be, for example, on the display 320.

[0021] Referring now specifically to the example embodiment of the wand 300 illustrated in FIG. 3, a grip portion 310 is located at a first end of the wand 300 and is configured to be held by an operator. Attached to the other end of the wand 300 is wireless transponder 330. The transponder 330 is configured to wirelessly transmit and/or receive power to the at least one wireless antenna 240 and/or to wirelessly receive data from the at least one wireless antenna, which is in electrical communication with the electronic and power module 210 of the drive link 200. The data received comprises, in some embodiments, movement data from the at least one magnetic sensor 220 and load data from the at least one strain gauge 230 of the drive link 200. In some embodiments, the movement data and/or the load data are generated by a movement of one or more of the rotors 130 through one or more movements of a series of prescribed movements. In some embodiments, operator controls of the aircraft are configured to generate the movement of the one or more rotors of the aircraft through the one or more movements of the series of prescribed movements. In some other embodiments, the movement of the one or more rotors through the one or more movements of the series of prescribed movements is performed manually by an operator of the health monitoring system, which may include drive link 200, wand 300/301/302, and/or connected device 380. In order to enhance the ability of an operator to place the transponder 330 adjacent to the drive link 200, the transponder 330 may be separated from the grip portion 310 by a spacing member in the form of an elongated rigid neck 312, which is in the form of a rod and has a hollow center portion 314 along the length of the rigid neck 312 for the passage of electrical wires 316 between the grip portion 310 and the transponder 330. The transponder 330 is configured to communicate by any suitable wireless communication protocol, including, for example, NFC, RFID, Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi®, and the like. A display 320 is located on the grip portion 310, with three status lights 322 being included thereon in a substantially straight line. Any suitable number and configuration of status lights 322 may be used. In some embodiments, a display screen may be used in place of, or in addition to, the three status lights 322, and may be configured to display the same or different information signified by the three status lights 322. In the embodiment shown, the three status lights 322 are configured to be illuminated in a predetermined pattern according to the health status of the drive link being displayed, based on the results of the inspection procedure.

[0022] In FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view of the example embodiment of the wand 300 of FIG. 3 is shown and to clearly illustrate the internal components of the wand 300 the display is not illustrated. It can be seen in FIG. 4 that the grip portion 310 houses a power storage device 340 in electrical communication with the computation module 350, also housed within the grip portion 310. The computation module 350 has at least a processor and a memory. The memory is configured at least to store data, such as stiffness value thresholds, associated with the types of components, such as drive links 200 that are compatible with inspection via the wand 300, to store the calculated stiffness values and/or the sensor data from the components actually tested, to store instructions for executing the inspection method, as well as other potential identifying information retrieved from the component. Potentially identifying information may include a part number and/or serial number. The processor is configured to do any or all of the following functions: control a discharge of the power storage device 340, control a discharge of the transponder 330, process the data and signals received from the drive link via the transponder 330, to calculate a stiffness value from the sensor data received, to retrieve a stored stiffness value threshold from the memory, to compare the calculated stiffness value with the stored stiffness value threshold, and to output a result to the display 320. In this example, the result may include the health status of drive link 200. In some aspects, the processor is configured to perform predictive failure analysis of the remaining useful life of the component being inspected, with the result of the predictive failure analysis, including the remaining useful life, being displayed to the operator and stored in the memory. [0023] In some embodiments, the wand 300 is configured to have an external communication port configured for data and/or power transfer. The external communication port may be or be something similar to a universal serial bus. The data transfer functionality may include importing updates to wand software and/or firmware. The power transfer functionality may be used for charging the power storage device 340 or, in instances where the power storage device 340 may be degraded, for operating the wand without a power storage device 340. In other embodiments, the processor is configured to have communication protocol functionality to be able to communicate with the component being tested, but the computation module 350 may also have a separate communications module for such functionality. It can be further seen that the computation module 350 is connected to the transponder 330 of the wand 300. In some embodiments, transponder 330 comprises an NFC antenna. Although an NFC antenna is contemplated, any antenna or device configured for wireless power and/or data transmission may be used in lieu of an NFC antenna.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 5, a second embodiment of the wand, generally designated 301, is illustrated. As was the case with the first embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the wand 301 of FIG. 5 has a grip portion 310, and a transponder 330. However, in this embodiment the transponder 330 is spaced apart by a flexible neck 360 rather than a rigid neck 312, as was illustrated and described relative to FIG. 3. This flexible neck 360 provides enhanced maneuverability and more accurate placement of the transponder 330 of the wand 301 so as to be closer to the drive link 200 than is possible using the wand 300 of FIGS. 3 and 4 with the rigid neck 312. In some aspects, this flexible neck 360 is a structure capable of being electrically and/or mechanically controlled by an operator via an input on the grip portion 310, so that the flexible neck 360 can articulate around obstructions with the operator's input. In some further aspects, proximity sensors can be installed so as to automate the articulation of the flexible neck 360 in order to avoid obstructions. The wand of FIG. 5 is illustrated with a digital status display 370. In the embodiment shown, the digital status display 370 comprises a screen 374 and a light 372 separate from the display. Preferably, light 372 is a light emitting diode (LED) light 372, but may be any light source capable of providing a visual cue to the operator. The screen 374 and the light 372 are configured to present information to the operator concerning the operation of the wand 301 and/or the health of the drive link undergoing inspection.

[0025] Referring now to FIG. 6, the wand, generally designated 302, is configured similar to the wand 300 of FIG. 3, but incorporates the digital status display 370 of the wand 301 shown in FIG. 5 to provide enhanced data presentation capabilities. While the wand 302 is shown with a rigid neck 312 separating the transponder 330 from the grip portion 310, it is contemplated that the flexible neck 360 from FIG. 5 can be incorporated in the embodiment of the wand 302 of this embodiment. The wand 302 of FIG. 6 is further in electronic communication with a connected device 380 via an interface as defined above. The wand 302 according to this embodiment is wirelessly connected to the connected device 380, but the wand 302 may be connected via a wired connection to the connected device 380 for more secure data transmission. The connected device 380 is, in some embodiments, configured to query a database remote from the connected device 380 or stored onboard the connected device 380 to receive a stored stiffness value threshold for use by the computation module 350. In some embodiments, the database comprises a plurality of calculated stiffness values and/or stiffness value thresholds for the drive link and the wand 302 or the connected device 380 is configured to display a remaining useful life for the drive link. In this embodiment, the display screen 382 for the connected device 380 is used as the main display of information to be presented to the operator of the wand 302, with the digital status display 370 being used as a supplemental screen to present the same or other data to the operator during inspection of a drive link or other suitable component. Other data may include operational instructions to the operator. In such embodiments where the connected device 380 is configured as the main display, the display screen 382 of the connected device 380 is configured to present the health status of the drive link 200 and other associated information for the drive link to the operator. Other associated information includes, but is not limited to, the date of last inspection, predictive failure analysis data, and other pertinent information an operator needs or wants to know.

[0026] While the embodiments of FIGS. 3 through 6 are provided merely for purposes of illustration, the features included in each of these embodiments may be combined in any possible combination, as would be readily understood by those having ordinary skill in the art.

[0027] Before the inspection process is initiated, the electronic and power module 210 of the drive link 200 will be wirelessly powered via the wand 300, 301, 302. When placed adj acent to the wireless antenna 240 or power receiver, the wand will wirelessly transmit power via the transponder 330 to the wireless antenna 240, which converts the wireless power into electrical energy that is stored in an energy supply of the drive link 200 such as the electronic and power module 210. The energy supply of the drive link 200 is configured to provide a specified amount of operational time before the energy supply of the drive link 200 will be depleted. That specified amount of operational time is defined by the operator's need and the capacity to store energy. An example of a specified amount of operational time might be 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, and on up to an hour or more.

[0028] A method of inspecting drive link 200 is also provided. The method comprises a step of an operator manipulating wand 300, 301, 302 so that the transponder 330 of the wand

300, 301, 302 is located adjacent to the wireless antenna 240 and/or power receiver of the drive link 200. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of transmitting power wirelessly from the wand 300, 301, 302 to the drive link 200 to be stored in an energy supply of the drive link 200. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of receiving, at the wand 300,

301, 302, a signal from the drive link 200 that the energy supply of the drive link 200 is charged for the inspection process to proceed. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of displaying the signal to the operator via the wand 300, 301, 302. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of actuating one or more rotors 130 of an aircraft or rotorcraft through one or more of a series of prescribed movements. In some such embodiments, the operator actuates the rotor(s) associated with the drive link 200 through a series of prescribed movements. In some embodiments, the actuation of the rotors is done manually by the operator. In some other embodiments, the actuation of the rotors is performed by manipulating an operator control of the aircraft such as the flight controls in the cockpit of the aircraft. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of, during the actuation of the rotors 130, whether manually or via a control input, detecting, using the sensors, loads acting on and movement of the drive link 200 relative movement between the components of the drive link 200, and transmitting this load and movement data to the electronic and power module 210. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of recording in the internal storage of the electronic and power module 210 of the drive link 200, while the one or more rotors 130 are actuated, data in a form of sensor output signals from at least one magnetic sensor and magnet located across an elastomeric member of the drive link 200 and from at least one strain gauge located on a surface of the drive link 200. In some embodiments, the sensor output signals from the at least one magnetic sensor and the at least one strain gauge correspond to a displacement and load experienced by and/or within the drive link 200. The method comprises, in some embodiments, re-inserting the transponder of the wand 300, 301, 302 so as to be located adjacent to the wireless antenna 240 after the rotors 130 have come to rest. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of transmitting the data from the drive link 200 from the internal storage of the electronic and power module 210 to the wand 300, 301, 302 via the transponder of the wand 300, 301, 302 using the wireless antenna 240. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of calculating a stiffness value for the drive link 200. In some embodiments, the calculations for determining the stiffness of the drive link 200 are performed by the wand 300, 301, 302, but these calculations can be performed by the processor of the drive link 200 in some other embodiments. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of comparing the stiffness value for the drive link 200 calculated to a predetermined stiffness value threshold associated with the type of drive link 200 being inspected. In some such embodiments, this stiffness value threshold is stored within the internal storage of the wand 300, 301, 302. The method comprises, in some embodiments, a step of displaying a health status, such as "healthy," "replace soon," or "replace immediately," for the drive link 200 to an operator on a display of the wand. In some embodiments, the display comprises a plurality of status lights that are illuminated in a predetermined partem according to the health status being displayed.

[0029] In some aspects, the method can include connecting the wand 300, 301, 302 to a connected device 380, such as illustrated in FIG. 6, which is connected to a database for storing and transmitting calculated stiffness values associated with the drive link 200. In some aspects, the database contains a plurality of stiffness values and/or stiffness value thresholds for drive links 200. This database is configured to provide data suitable for performing predictive failure analysis, so that a remaining useful life of the drive link 200 can be calculated. In some embodiments, the connected device 380 is configured as a primary display for the wand 300, 301, 302 to present the health status and other associated information to the operator. In some such embodiments, the connected device 380 is configured to calculate or receive a remaining useful life of the drive link 200. While the steps recited hereinabove are recited in a given order, it is contemplated that one or more steps can be omitted and/or the steps can be performed in another order without deviating from the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0030] The embodiments described herein are examples only and are not limiting. Many variations and modifications of the systems, apparatus, and processes described herein are possible and are within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but is only limited by the claims that follow, the scope of which shall include all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A health monitoring system for an aircraft, the health monitoring system comprising: a drive link configured to connect one or more rotors to the aircraft, the drive link including:

at least one magnetic sensor and magnet, which are located adjacent to an elastomeric member of the drive link;

at least one strain gauge located on the drive link;

at least one wireless antenna; and

an electronic and power module includes a processor, internal storage, and an energy supply, wherein the electronic and power module is electrically connected to the at least one magnetic sensor, the at least one strain gauge, and the at least one wireless antenna.

2. The health monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a wand, the wand including:

a grip portion on a first end of the wand;

a computation module;

a transponder on a second end of the wand; and

a display.

3. The health monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the transponder is configured to wirelessly transmit power to the at least one wireless antenna, and the transponder is configured to wirelessly receive data from the at least one wireless antenna.

4. The health monitoring system of claim 3, wherein:

the data received comprises movement data from the at least one magnetic sensor and load data from the at least one strain gauge, and

the computation module is configured to calculate a stiffness value for the drive link based on the data received, to compare the stiffness value calculated with a stored stiffness value threshold, and to generate an indication of drive link health to an operator on the display.

5. The health monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the movement data and the load data are generated by a movement of one or more rotors through one or more movements of a series of prescribed movements.

6. The health monitoring system of claim 5, wherein operator controls of the aircraft are configured to generate the movement of the one or more rotors through the one or more movements of the series of prescribed movements.

7. The health monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the movement of the one or more rotors through the one or more movements of the series of prescribed movements is performed manually by an operator of the health monitoring system.

8. The health monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the wand is in electronic communication with a connected device via an interface.

9. The health monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the connected device is configured to be a main display of information to an operator of the health monitoring system.

10. The health monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the connected device is configured to query a database to receive the stored stiffness value threshold.

11. The health monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the database comprises a plurality of calculated stiffness values for the drive link and wherein the wand or the connected device is configured to display a remaining useful life for the drive link.

12. The health monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the interface is wired or wireless.

13. The health monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the electronic and power module is disconnected from a power source of the aircraft.

14. A drive link for connecting one or more rotors in a rotary aircraft, the drive link comprising:

at least one strain gauge located on the drive link;

at least one wireless antenna; and

an electronic and power module including a processor, internal storage, and an energy supply, wherein the electronic and power module is electrically connected to the at least one magnetic sensor, the at least one strain gauge, and the at least one wireless antenna.

15. The drive link of claim 14, wherein the at least one wireless antenna is configured to receive power from a wireless power source and to transmit data to a wand wirelessly, and wherein the power received is stored in the energy supply.

16. The drive link of claim 14, wherein the at least one strain gauge is a plurality of strain gauges.

17. The drive link of claim 14, wherein the at least one magnetic sensor and magnet are a plurality of magnetic sensors and magnets, with a first of the plurality of magnetic sensors and magnets being located at a first end of the drive link and a second of the plurality of magnetic sensors and magnets being located at a second end of the drive link.

18. The drive link of claim 17, wherein the plurality of magnetic sensors and magnets are configured to detect relative displacement and generate corresponding output displacement signals, wherein the plurality of strain gauges are configured to detect a load acting on the drive link and generate corresponding output load signals, and wherein the internal storage of the electronic and power module is configured to store the output displacement signals and the output load signals.

19. A method of assessing a health of a drive link connecting one or more rotors to an aircraft, the method comprising:

manipulating a wand so that a transponder of the wand is located adjacent to a wireless antenna of the drive link;

transmitting power wirelessly from the wand to the drive link;

actuating the one or more rotors through one or more movements of a series of prescribed movements;

recording in an internal storage of the drive link, while the one or more rotors are actuated, data in a form of sensor output signals from at least one magnetic sensor and magnet located adjacent to an elastomeric member of the drive link and from at least one strain gauge located on a surface of the drive link;

transmitting the data from the internal storage to the wand using the wireless antenna; calculating a stiffness value for the drive link;

comparing the stiffness value for the drive link calculated to a predetermined stiffness value threshold; and

displaying a health status to an operator on a display of the wand.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the sensor output signals from the at least one magnetic sensor and the at least one strain gauge correspond to a displacement and load.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the actuating of the one or more rotors is performed manually by the operator or by manipulating an operator control of the aircraft.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the wand is in communication with a connected device, which is configured to query a database containing a plurality of stiffness values for drive links.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the connected device is configured as a primary display for the wand to present the health status and other associated information to the operator, and wherein the connected device is configured to calculate or receive a remaining useful life of the drive link.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the display comprises a plurality of status lights that are illuminated in a predetermined partem according to the health status being displayed.