IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0947767
(2007-11-29)
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등록번호 |
US-9302785
(2016-04-05)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Buckus, Gary M.
- Tanzini, Michael John
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Miller, Matthias & Hull LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
3 |
초록
▼
Installation of an engine to a support structure includes temporarily attaching first and second alignment structures to the support structure and the engine. One of the alignment structures has a target pattern on its surface. The installation further includes using a machine vision system from the
Installation of an engine to a support structure includes temporarily attaching first and second alignment structures to the support structure and the engine. One of the alignment structures has a target pattern on its surface. The installation further includes using a machine vision system from the other of the mounting structures to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to a reference. The relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference provides information about relative position of an engine mounting element (e.g., bolt hole) with respect to a corresponding mounting element (e.g., bolt hole) in the support structure. The relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference can be used to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements.
대표청구항
▼
1. A method of installing an engine to a support structure, the method comprising: temporarily attaching first and second alignment structures to the support structure and the engine, including engaging mounting holes of the support structure and the engine, one of the alignment structures having a
1. A method of installing an engine to a support structure, the method comprising: temporarily attaching first and second alignment structures to the support structure and the engine, including engaging mounting holes of the support structure and the engine, one of the alignment structures having a target pattern on its surface;using a machine vision system from the other of the alignment structures to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to a reference, wherein the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference provides information about relative position of a mounting element of the engine with respect to a corresponding mounting element of the support structure; andusing the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements. 2. A method of installing an engine to a support structure, the method comprising: temporarily attaching first and second alignment structures to the support structure and the engine, one of the alignment structures having an imaging surface and a target pattern on the imaging surface;using a machine vision system from the other of the alignment structures to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to a reference, including protecting the reference onto the imaging surface, and creating real-time images of the imaging surface, the images indicating the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference, wherein the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference provides information about relative position of a mounting element of the engine with respect to a corresponding mounting element of the support structure; andusing the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the machine vision system uses pattern recognition of the imaging surface to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference. 4. A method of installing an engine to a support structure, the method comprising: temporarily attaching first and second alignment structures to the support structure and the engine, one of the alignment structures having a target pattern on its surface;using a machine vision system from the other of the alignment structures to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to a reference, wherein the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference provides information about relative position of a mounting element of the engine with respect to a corresponding mounting element of the support structure;using the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements; andadjusting field of view of the machine vision system. 5. A method of installing an engine to a support structure, the method comprising: temporarily attaching first and second alignment structures to the support structure and the engine, one of the alignment structures having a target pattern on its surface;using a machine vision system from the other of the alignment structures to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to a reference, including computing real-time information about position and direction of the target pattern from the reference as the engine is being moved towards the support structure, wherein the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference provides information about relative position of a mounting element of the engine with respect to a corresponding mounting element of the support structure; andusing the real-time information to maneuver the engine, including displaying the real-time information to a human operator so the human operator can use a transporter/loader to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements. 6. A method of installing an engine to a support structure, the method comprising: temporarily attaching first and second alignment structures to the support structure and the engine, one of the alignment structures having a target pattern on its surface;using a machine vision system from the other of the alignment structures to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to a reference, including computing real-time information about position and direction of the target pattern from the reference as the engine is being moved towards the support structure, wherein the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference provides information about relative position of a mounting element of the engine with respect to a corresponding mounting element of the support structure; andsending the information to a closed loop control for a transporter/loader, the transporter/loader maneuvering the engine in response to the information in order to align the mounting elements. 7. A method of installing an engine to a support structure, the method comprising: temporarily attaching first and second alignment structures to the support structure and the engine, one of the alignment structures having a target pattern on its surface;using a machine vision system from the other of the alignment structures to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to a reference, wherein the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference provides information about relative position of a mounting element of the engine with respect to a corresponding mounting element of the support structure; andusing the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements;wherein the engine is an aircraft engine of a wide body aircraft, wherein the engine is maneuvered by a loader/transporter that can move, lift and maneuver the engine in multiple axes; and wherein one of an operator and a closed loop control of the transporter/loader uses the information to control the loader in order to maneuver the engine with respect to the support structure. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mounting holes are shear pin holes, the method further comprising removing both alignment plates once shear pin engagement has begun. 9. The method of claim 2, wherein the machine vision system stores a picture of the imaging surface at an alignment position, the picture providing the target pattern, and wherein the maneuvering includes performing pattern matching to find the target pattern picture in the images. 10. A method of installing an engine to a support structure including a pylon, the method comprising: temporarily attaching first and second alignment plates to mounting holes on the pylon and the engine, one of the alignment plates having a target pattern on its surface;using a machine vision system from the other of the alignment plates to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to a reference, wherein the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference provides information about relative position of a mounting element of the engine with respect to a corresponding mounting element of the support structure; andusing the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements;wherein the reference is at a known location on the pylon and the target pattern is at a known location with respect to the engine. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine vision system projects the reference onto the surface, and creates real-time images of the surface, and uses pattern recognition of the surface to determine the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the projected reference. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine vision system stores a picture of the surface with the target pattern at an alignment position, and wherein using the relative position includes performing pattern matching to find the picture in the images. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein field of view of the machine vision system is adjusted while using the relative position. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein using the relative position includes displaying real-time information to a human operator so the human operator can use a transporter/loader to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein using the relative position includes sending the relative position to a closed loop control for a transporter/loader, the transporter/loader maneuvering the engine in response to the relative position to align the mounting elements. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine is an aircraft engine of a wide body aircraft, wherein the engine is maneuvered by a loader/transporter that can move, lift and maneuver the engine in multiple axes, and wherein one of an operator and a closed loop control of the transporter/loader uses the relative position to command the loader in order to maneuver the engine. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the support structure includes a pylon, the engine includes an engine mount, and the first and second alignment structures are first and second plates that are temporarily attached to mounting holes in the pylon and the engine mount. 18. The method of claim 2, wherein field of view of the machine vision system is adjusted while using the relative position to maneuver the engine. 19. The method of claim 2, wherein using the relative position includes displaying real-time information to a human operator so the human operator can use a transporter/loader to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements. 20. The method of claim 2, wherein using the relative position includes sending the relative position to a closed loop control of a transporter/loader, the transporter/loader maneuvering the engine in response to the relative position to align the mounting elements. 21. The method of claim 2, wherein the engine is an aircraft engine of a wide body aircraft, wherein the engine is maneuvered by a loader/transporter that can move, lift and maneuver the engine in multiple axes, and wherein one of an operator and a closed loop control of the transporter/loader uses the relative position to command the loader/transporter to maneuver the engine. 22. The method of claim 4, wherein using the relative position includes displaying real-time information to a human operator so the human operator can use a transporter/loader to maneuver the engine in order to align the mounting elements. 23. The method of claim 4, wherein using the relative position includes sending the relative position to a closed loop control of a transporter/loader, the transporter/loader maneuvering the engine in response to the relative position to align the mounting elements. 24. The method of claim 4, wherein the engine is an aircraft engine of a wide body aircraft, wherein the engine is maneuvered by a loader/transporter that can move, lift and maneuver the engine in multiple axes, and wherein one of an operator and a closed loop control of the transporter/loader uses the relative position to command the loader to maneuver the engine. 25. The method of claim 5, wherein the engine is an aircraft engine of a wide body aircraft, and wherein the engine is maneuvered by a loader/transporter that can move, lift and maneuver the engine in multiple axes. 26. The method of claim 6, wherein the engine is an aircraft engine of a wide body aircraft, and wherein the engine is maneuvered by a loader/transporter that can move, lift and maneuver the engine in multiple axes. 27. The method of claim 7, wherein the machine vision system projects the reference onto the surface, creates real-time images of the surface, and uses pattern recognition of the surface to indicate the relative position of the target pattern with respect to the reference. 28. The method of claim 7, wherein the machine vision system stores a picture of the surface with the target pattern at an alignment position, and wherein using the relative position includes performing pattern matching to find the picture in the images. 29. The method of claim 7, wherein field of view of the machine vision system is adjusted while using the relative position of the target pattern. 30. The method of claim 7, wherein using the relative position includes displaying real-time information to the human operator so the human operator can use the transporter/loader to maneuver the engine. 31. The method of claim 7, wherein using the relative position includes sending the relative position to the closed loop control of the transporter/loader. 32. The method of claim 7, wherein the support structure includes a pylon, and the first and second alignment structures are first and second plates that are temporarily attached to holes in the pylon and the engine. 33. The method of claim 7, wherein the mounting structure includes a pylon, the engine includes an engine mount, the mounting holes are shear pin holes, and the first and second alignment structures are first and second plates, and wherein using the relative position includes: aligning the shear pin holes in the engine mount and the pylon;removing both plates once shear pin engagement has begun;moving the engine to its final mounting position; andfastening the engine to the pylon.
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