Refuel valve assembly and method for refuelling an aircraft
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65B-001/30
B64D-037/00
출원번호
US-0137095
(2011-07-20)
등록번호
US-8844583
(2014-09-30)
우선권정보
GB-1012730.6 (2010-07-29)
발명자
/ 주소
French, Clive
출원인 / 주소
Airbus Operations Limited
대리인 / 주소
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
3
초록▼
The invention provides a refuel valve assembly 240 for refuelling a first and a second fuel tank on an aircraft, wherein the refuel valve assembly 240 comprises an inlet for receiving fuel from an orifice 215 in a structure 213 of the aircraft, a first 251a and a second outlet 251b for delivering fu
The invention provides a refuel valve assembly 240 for refuelling a first and a second fuel tank on an aircraft, wherein the refuel valve assembly 240 comprises an inlet for receiving fuel from an orifice 215 in a structure 213 of the aircraft, a first 251a and a second outlet 251b for delivering fuel from behind the structure to the first 211a and second 211b fuel tanks, and a refuel control apparatus for controlling fuel flow to the first and second outlets; wherein the refuel control apparatus includes a controllable valve assembly, so that delivery of fuel through the first outlet to a first fuel tank can be controlled independently of delivery through the second outlet of fuel to a second fuel tank. The invention also provides a method of refuelling a first and a second fuel tank on an aircraft.
대표청구항▼
1. A refuel valve assembly for refuelling a first and a second fuel tank on an aircraft, wherein the refuel valve assembly comprises: an inlet for receiving fuel from an orifice in a structure of the aircraft,a first and a second outlet for delivering fuel from behind the structure to the first and
1. A refuel valve assembly for refuelling a first and a second fuel tank on an aircraft, wherein the refuel valve assembly comprises: an inlet for receiving fuel from an orifice in a structure of the aircraft,a first and a second outlet for delivering fuel from behind the structure to the first and second fuel tanks, anda refuel control apparatus for controlling fuel flow to the first and second outlets;wherein the refuel control apparatus comprises: a refuel computer; anda controllable valve assembly including at least one motor controlled valve connected to the refuel computer, said refuel computer configured to independently control delivery of fuel through the first outlet to said first fuel tank and delivery of fuel through the second outlet to said second fuel tank via real-time data. 2. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure of the aircraft is a spar of the aircraft or a wing skin. 3. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controllable valve assembly comprises: a first controllable valve for controlling fuel flow to the first outlet, anda second controllable valve for controlling fuel flow to the second outlet;wherein the first and second controllable valves are operable independently of each other. 4. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controllable valve assembly comprises a controllable valve with multiple ports that can be controlled to open and close access of fuel to at least two outlets. 5. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controllable valve assembly includes at least one controllable valve, said at least one controllable valve is rotatable such that ports of the valves can rotate to align with the refuel valve assembly outlets. 6. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controllable valve assembly includes at least one controllable valve, said at least one controllable valve is moveable to vary the degree of alignment of ports of the valves with the refuel valve assembly outlets. 7. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one motor controlled valve can be controlled based on real time refuel data. 8. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein each controllable valve is controlled by a different motor. 9. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the motor is located on a motor drive head, in front of the refuel valve assembly inlet so that the motor is located in front of the structure. 10. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refuel control apparatus comprises a shut-off valve, said shut-off valve is moveable to close fuel access to the refuel valve assembly outlets independently of the controllable valve assembly. 11. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the shut-off valve is in the form of a sleeve at least partially enclosing at least one controllable valve, wherein the sleeve is slideable with respect to the at least one controllable valve between an open position and a closed position. 12. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the shut-off valve is biased towards the closed position so that in the absence of fuel flow through at least part of the refuel valve assembly, the shut-off valve closes. 13. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein when there is a loss of electrical power to the refuel valve assembly, fuel flow through at least part of the refuel valve assembly is prevented, such that the shut-off valve closes. 14. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the shut-off valve can be moved into the open position to allow refuelling, in the absence of power, by activating a manual override apparatus. 15. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refuel valve assembly comprises a defuel inlet for receiving fuel, and wherein the controllable valve assembly comprises a controllable valve for controlling fuel flow through the defuel inlet to the refuel valve assembly, to allow defueling. 16. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the controllable valve for controlling flow through the defuel inlet can also control flow through an outlet of the refuel valve assembly. 17. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the refuel control apparatus comprises a shut-off valve, said shut-off valve is moveable to close fuel access to the refuel valve assembly outlets independently of the controllable valve assembly, and wherein the shut-off valve is also moveable to close fuel access to the refuel valve assembly from the defuel inlet independently of the controllable valve assembly. 18. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the shut-off valve can be moved into the open position to allow defueling, in the absence of power, by activating a manual override apparatus. 19. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refuel valve assembly is mounted in a manifold shaft and wherein tank delivery lines are connectable to attachment points on the manifold shaft, the attachment points corresponding to the location of the outlets of the valve assembly. 20. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the controllable valve assembly is contained within a casing in the manifold shaft and wherein the casing can be removed from the manifold shaft through the front of the structure orifice. 21. A refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refuel valve assembly is connected to two refuel couplings such that fuel delivered to either refuel coupling is supplied to an inlet of the refuel valve assembly. 22. A refuel structure comprising a refuel valve assembly of claim 1 and a plurality of tank delivery lines connected to the outlets of the refuel valve assembly. 23. A tank refuel system comprising the refuel structure according to claim 22 and a plurality of fuel tanks, each of said plurality of fuel tanks is attached to a different one of said plurality of tank delivery lines. 24. An aircraft comprising the refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 1. 25. A method of refuelling a first and a second fuel tank on an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of: delivering fuel to an orifice in a structure of the aircraft, thenreceiving the fuel in an inlet of a refuel valve assembly behind the structure, andoperating a controllable valve assembly by means of a refuel computer to control fuel flow to a first and a second outlet of the refuel valve assembly,so that delivery of fuel through the first outlet to the first fuel tank is controlled independently of delivery through the second outlet of fuel to the second fuel tank. 26. A refuel valve assembly for refuelling a first and a second fuel tank on an aircraft, wherein the refuel valve assembly comprises: an inlet for receiving fuel from an orifice in a structure of the aircraft,a first and a second outlet for delivering fuel from behind the structure to the first and second fuel tanks, anda refuel control apparatus for controlling fuel flow to the first and second outlets;wherein the refuel control apparatus comprises: a refuel computer; anda controllable valve assembly connected to the refuel computer, so that delivery of fuel through the first outlet to said first fuel tank is controlled independently of delivery through the second outlet of fuel to said second fuel tank, wherein the refuel valve assembly is mounted in a manifold shaft and wherein tank delivery lines are connectable to attachment points on the manifold shaft, the attachment points corresponding to the location of the outlets of the valve assembly, wherein the controllable valve assembly is contained within a casing in the manifold shaft and wherein the casing can be removed from the manifold shaft through the front of the structure orifice. 27. A refuel structure comprising a refuel valve assembly as claimed in claim 26 and a plurality of tank delivery lines connected to the outlets of the refuel valve assembly.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (3)
Bell Douglas A. (Glendale AZ), Apparatus for controlling fuel transfers in a distributed fuel tank system.
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