阅读说明：本技术 用于标识飞行器的机身后方的结构物件的投影仪及方法 (Projector and method for identifying a structural object behind the fuselage of an aircraft ) 是由 佩德罗·瓦莱拉罗德里格斯 亚历杭德罗·罗西克戈麦斯 于 2019-06-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明的目的是一种将图案投影到飞行器的表面上的投影仪,所述投影仪包括用于读取图案的软件装置、用于将所读取的图案投影到所述飞行器的表面上的投影装置。所述图案包括与所述飞行器的机身后方的结构物件相关联的结构参考和与所述飞行器的机身的预定可见点相关联的框架参考。所述框架参考与所述机身的预定可见点对准,以使所述图案与所述飞行器相匹配,并且所述结构物件基于所述结构参考来进行标识。(The object of the invention is a projector for projecting a pattern onto a surface of an aircraft, said projector comprising software means for reading the pattern, projection means for projecting the read pattern onto the surface of the aircraft. The pattern includes a structural reference associated with a structural object aft of a fuselage of the aircraft and a frame reference associated with a predetermined visible point of the fuselage of the aircraft. The frame reference is aligned with a predetermined visible point of the fuselage to match the pattern with the aircraft, and the structural object is identified based on the structural reference.)

1. A projector for identifying a structural object aft of a fuselage of an aircraft, the projector comprising:

software means for reading the pattern;

a projection device for projecting the read pattern onto a surface of the aircraft;

wherein the pattern comprises:

a structural reference associated with a structural object aft of a fuselage of the aircraft; and

a frame reference associated with a predetermined visible point of a fuselage of the aircraft; and is

Wherein the frame reference is aligned with a predetermined visible point of the fuselage to match the pattern with the aircraft, and

wherein the structural object is identified based on the structural reference.

2. The projector according to claim 1, further comprising: an optical device and/or a digital device for enlarging/reducing the read pattern to scale the projected pattern to a desired size.

3. The projector of claim 2 wherein the pattern further comprises a coordinate axis to measure a ratio of the projected pattern to the desired dimension.

4. A projector according to any preceding claim further comprising support means for providing alignment between the frame reference and a predetermined point of visibility of the fuselage of the aircraft.

5. A projector according to any preceding claim, further comprising wireless and non-wireless interface means for receiving the pattern.

6. A projector according to any preceding claim wherein the projector is a high contrast projector.

7. A projector according to any preceding claim wherein the structural items of the aircraft comprise frames, stringers, ties, stringers, fuselage mechanical supports and spars located aft of the fuselage of the aircraft.

8. A projector according to any preceding claim wherein the pattern is based on the clad thickness of the composite skin of the fuselage of the aircraft and the step program.

9. A projector according to any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein the support means comprises a tripod providing height to the projector, stability to facilitate normal operation of the projector, and appropriate positioning of the projector by aligning the frame reference with a predetermined visible point of the fuselage to match the pattern to the aircraft.

10. A method performed with a projector for identifying a structural object aft of a fuselage of an aircraft, the method comprising:

reading a first pattern comprising a structural reference associated with a structural object aft of a fuselage of the aircraft and a frame reference associated with a visible point of the fuselage of the aircraft;

projecting the first pattern onto a surface of the aircraft;

aligning the frame reference with a visible point of a fuselage of the aircraft to match the first pattern with the aircraft; and is

Identifying the structural object based on the structural reference.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

projecting at least a second pattern onto the surface of the aircraft with at least a second projector; and is

Overlapping the second pattern with the first pattern to obtain an overlapped pattern,

wherein the overlapping patterns allow for the identification of new structural items.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a projector and a method for identifying a structural object behind the fuselage of an aircraft.

Background

Today, to map structural objects behind the fuselage of an aircraft, maps and sketches are used, which results in a tedious, time-consuming, and inaccurate process.

What is desired, therefore, is a device and procedure that allows for the identification of structural elements and features behind the fuselage of an aircraft that addresses the aforementioned shortcomings.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure proposes a projector for identifying a structural object behind the fuselage of an aircraft by projecting a pattern on the surface of the aircraft. The present disclosure also proposes a procedure for identifying structural objects behind the fuselage of an aircraft based on the projection of these patterns. The use of maps and sketches is therefore no longer necessary, since the proposed projector allows structural objects behind the fuselage of the aircraft to be easily identified in a rapid manner. In fact, the maps and sketches are replaced by patterns projected on the outer surface of the fuselage of the aircraft. In this regard, the pattern includes a structural reference. The structural reference identifies a structural object aft of the fuselage of the aircraft. The structural reference may be a numerical reference showing, for example, the position of a structural element aft of the fuselage of the aircraft. In addition, the pattern includes frame references that are associated with predetermined visible points of the fuselage and allow the pattern to be properly aligned with the aircraft. In this regard, the frame reference is intended to be superimposed on a predetermined visible point of the fuselage of the aircraft. In other words, the frame reference is designed to match a predetermined visibility point of the fuselage of the aircraft.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to identify items behind the fuselage of an aircraft and to this end, to provide a device for projecting a pattern representing the aircraft structure on the fuselage of an aircraft. To provide accuracy and alignment between the pattern and the fuselage, the frame references included in the pattern may be aligned with predetermined visible points of the fuselage to match the pattern to the aircraft. Thus, the object can be identified quickly, ensuring an optimal solution during the evaluation phase of the aircraft structure. In addition, the proposed projector may be used to obtain the thickness or step (lapping) of the fuselage composite skin of an aircraft without being qualified for non-destructive testing of NDT, since the proposed projector is not an NDT device.

In addition, the proposed projector can be used during maintenance evaluations when only the outer surface of the aircraft is visible. Moreover, for any structural modification of the aircraft, the proposed projector can be used, so as to have an initial reference of the structure behind the fuselage. In some instances, systems of the aircraft may be projected rather than structural elements in order to understand the space and layout before unscrewing the panels.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention relates to a projector for identifying a structural object behind the fuselage of an aircraft by projecting a pattern on a surface of the aircraft. The projector comprises software means for reading the pattern and projection means for projecting the read pattern onto the surface of the aircraft. The pattern includes structural references (e.g., numerical elements identifying structural objects behind the fuselage of the aircraft), as well as frame references to be aligned with predetermined visible points of the fuselage of the aircraft to ensure accuracy. In some examples, the projector includes a support device that improves alignment between the projected pattern and the fuselage of the aircraft based on the frame reference.

In some examples, the projector includes an optical and/or digital device for enlarging/reducing the read pattern to scale the projected pattern to a particular size. Scaling the pattern to a specific size allows the size of the pattern to be adapted to a desired size matching the actual size of the fuselage of the aircraft. In this regard, the pattern may further include a coordinate axis to measure a ratio of the projected pattern to a particular dimension. For example, the coordinate axes may include two axes in millimeters.

In another aspect of the invention, a method for identifying a structural object behind a fuselage of an aircraft based on projecting a pattern onto a surface of the aircraft is presented. The method comprises a step for reading a pattern comprising a structural reference representing the aircraft structural object and a frame reference for alignment with a predetermined visible point of the fuselage. Further, the method comprises steps for: projecting a pattern onto a surface of an aircraft; aligning the frame reference with a predetermined visibility point of a fuselage of the aircraft; and, after the alignment, identifying the structural article based on the structural reference.

Thus, the frame reference is aligned with a predetermined visible point of the fuselage of the aircraft to allow the pattern to be correctly projected onto the fuselage of the aircraft to identify structural objects behind the fuselage of the aircraft.

In some examples, the method allows projecting at least a second pattern onto the surface of the aircraft with at least a second projector and overlapping the second pattern with the first pattern to obtain an overlapping pattern, wherein the overlapping pattern allows identifying new structural objects. In some other examples, more than two patterns may be overlapped in order to obtain an overlapped pattern from a number of separate patterns. The overlapping patterns may be projected onto regions of the fuselage that include, for example, curves or corners.

Drawings

For a better understanding of the above description and for the purpose of providing examples only, some non-limiting drawings are included, which schematically depict practical embodiments.

Fig. 1 shows an example of a pattern according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of a pattern according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a projection of a portion of a pattern according to the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an example of a pattern 100 according to the present disclosure. The pattern 100 may be obtained from a computing system associated with a projector (not shown in the figures) for projecting a pattern according to the present disclosure. Examples of computing systems may be, for example, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and the like. Furthermore, the projector comprises a projection device for projecting the read pattern onto a surface of the aircraft. In a preferred embodiment, the projector is a high contrast projector. The pattern may be generated by the computing system and transmitted to a projector comprising software means for reading the pattern. In a preferred embodiment, the software means comprises a media player for reading the pattern 100. The projector includes a wireless device and a non-wireless device for receiving and loading the pattern transmitted from the computing system. The pattern 100 illustrates a fuselage 120 of an aircraft, a digital structural reference 110 associated with a set of structural items located behind the fuselage 120 of the aircraft, and several frame reference points (e.g., reference axes 115) that will be aligned with predetermined visible points of the fuselage of the aircraft to accurately match the pattern to the aircraft. In some examples, the pattern 100 is based on the clad thickness and the step of the composite material of the fuselage skin of the aircraft.

The set of structural objects identified by the numeral structural reference 110 may refer to, for example, a frame, a system support, a stringer, and the like. In some examples, other structural elements behind the fuselage of the aircraft or even the entire system of the aircraft (e.g., electronic systems, ventilation systems, pressurization systems, etc.) may be identified by the proposed projector. In addition, fig. 1 shows a pattern section 130 that is selected for projection with a projector. Thus, once the pattern section 130 is properly projected onto the fuselage of an aircraft, any structural object or system behind the fuselage skin can be easily and quickly identified and located.

The apparatus may be based on commercially available off-the-shelf COTS products provided by third parties, thereby reducing costs. The projector may include purchased software, such as a media player that allows any portion of the pattern 100 to be projected on the surface of the aircraft. In some examples, the projector may include a tripod that ensures the correct projection height. The tripod also gives the projector stability to operate correctly and gives the projector proper positioning by aligning the frame reference with a predetermined visible point of the fuselage to match the pattern to the aircraft.

Fig. 2 shows a pattern section 130 selected for projection by a projector (not shown in this figure). The pattern section 130 includes a numerical reference to structural objects (e.g., frames, system supports, stringers, etc.) located aft of the fuselage of the aircraft.

Fig. 3 shows a projection 300 of the pattern section 130. The projection 300 is performed by the proposed projector on the outer surface of the fuselage of the aircraft in order to map structural objects behind the fuselage, which are identified by the numerical structural references included in the pattern section 130.

Although reference has been made to specific embodiments of the invention, it is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the lightning protection device described herein is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications, and that all the details mentioned may be substituted by other technically equivalent details without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.