Clamps and methods of using clamps to measure angular positions of components
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G01C-009/06
G01C-009/02
G01B-003/00
출원번호
US-0893091
(2013-05-13)
등록번호
US-9182227
(2015-11-10)
발명자
/ 주소
Paesano, Antonio
Kendra, Francis
Gill, Frank J.
출원인 / 주소
THE BOEING COMPANY
대리인 / 주소
Hanley, Flight & Zimmerman, LLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
10
초록▼
Methods and apparatus to measure an angular position of craft components are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an opening to receive a component along a first plane, and a first magnetic coupler positioned along a first exterior side of the apparatus to removably couple an inclinometer to the
Methods and apparatus to measure an angular position of craft components are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an opening to receive a component along a first plane, and a first magnetic coupler positioned along a first exterior side of the apparatus to removably couple an inclinometer to the apparatus at a first angle relative to the first plane.
대표청구항▼
1. An apparatus to measure an angular position of a component, comprising: a C-shaped frame;an opening in the C-shaped frame to receive a component along a first plane; anda first magnetic coupler positioned along a first exterior side of the C-shaped frame to removably couple an inclinometer to the
1. An apparatus to measure an angular position of a component, comprising: a C-shaped frame;an opening in the C-shaped frame to receive a component along a first plane; anda first magnetic coupler positioned along a first exterior side of the C-shaped frame to removably couple an inclinometer to the apparatus at a first angle relative to the first plane. 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a second coupler positioned along a second exterior side of the C-shaped frame to removably couple the inclinometer to the apparatus at a second angle relative to the first plane. 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the first angle is ninety degrees relative to the first plane and the second angle is zero degrees relative to the first plane. 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a mechanism to secure the component along the first plane to a receiving surface of the C-shaped frame, wherein the receiving surface is parallel to the first plane. 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the component comprises a trim tab of a rotor blade. 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the component comprises a trailing edge of a rotor blade. 7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a rigid plate including brackets to define a second opening having a shape complimentary to an airfoil of a rotor blade; anda first surface to removably couple the inclinometer to the rigid plate to establish a reference angle corresponding to an angular position of a chord of the airfoil. 8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the first surface of the rigid plate is perpendicular to the chord of the airfoil. 9. An apparatus to measure an angular position of a component of a rotor blade, comprising: means for obtaining a reference angle having an opening to receive a portion of the rotor blade, the opening being shaped similarly to an airfoil of the rotor blade, wherein the means for obtaining the reference angle includes a first planar surface to receive a first sensor for obtaining the reference angle; andmeans for obtaining a measured angle of the component of the rotor blade, the means for obtaining the measured angle to be coupled to the component via a coupler such that a second planar surface of the means for obtaining the measured angle is aligned with the component, wherein the second planar surface is to receive a second sensor for obtaining the measured angle. 10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the coupler comprises a rotatable handle operatively coupled to a plunger to force the means for obtaining the measured angle against the component of the rotor blade. 11. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the first planar surface of the means for obtaining the reference angle is perpendicular to a chord reference line of the airfoil when the rotor blade is inserted into the opening. 12. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising a processor coupled to the first and second sensors to calculate a difference between the first and second angles. 13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the component is a trim tab and the calculated difference represents the angular position of the trim tab relative to the airfoil of the rotor blade. 14. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the component is a trailing edge of the rotor blade and the calculated difference represents the angular position of the trailing edge relative to the airfoil of the rotor blade. 15. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the means for obtaining the reference angle includes brackets to define the opening and to define the opening to correspond to the airfoil of the rotor blade. 16. A method to measure an angular position of a trim tab, comprising: securing a trim tab of a rotor blade to a receiving surface of a clamp;removably coupling an inclinometer to a first magnetic coupler positioned along a first exterior side of the clamp, the first exterior side of the clamp being oriented at a first angle relative to the receiving surface of the clamp;obtaining a first reading from the inclinometer as a first angular position of the trim tab while the inclinometer is coupled to the first exterior side of the clamp and while the trim tab is secured to the receiving surface of the clamp;positioning the rotor blade in an opening of an apparatus, the opening having a shape complimentary to an airfoil of the rotor blade; andobtaining a second reading from the inclinometer at a second angular position of a reference line of the airfoil. 17. The method as defined in claim 16, further comprising securing a trailing edge of the rotor blade to the receiving surface of the clamp. 18. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising removably coupling the inclinometer to the first magnetic coupler of the clamp and recording a third reading from the inclinometer as a third angular position of the trailing edge while the inclinometer is coupled to the first exterior side of the clamp and while the trailing edge is secured to the receiving surface of the clamp. 19. The method as defined in claim 18, further comprising calculating a difference between the first angular position of the trim tab and the third angular position of the trailing edge. 20. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein the apparatus is a rigid plate having a planar surface oriented in relation to a chord of the airfoil when the rigid plate is placed on the rotor blade. 21. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein obtaining the second angular position includes electronically obtaining the second angular position via the inclinometer. 22. The method as defined in claim 16, further comprising adjusting brackets of the apparatus to define the opening to have the shape complimentary to the airfoil of the rotor blade. 23. A measurement system, comprising: a clamp to secure a component to a receiving surface, the clamp having a first exterior side to be oriented relative to the receiving surface at a first angle, wherein the first exterior side is to removably couple a first sensor of a digital protractor to the clamp at the first angle, and a second exterior side to be oriented relative to the receiving surface at a second angle, wherein the second exterior side is to removably couple the first angular position sensor of the digital protractor to the clamp at the second angle; anda rigid plate including an opening having a shape complimentary to an airfoil of a rotor blade, the rigid plate having a first surface to removably couple a second sensor of the digital protractor to the rigid plate. 24. A method as defined in claim 16, further comprising generating a difference between the first and second angular positions.
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