Process and device for braking a wheel by integrated pressure pulses

Claim 2

A process for braking a wheel, particularly of an aircraft taxiing on the ground, by means of a brake supplied with fluid under pressure from a source under stable pressure, and via a control member actuated voluntarily, said process comprising the steps of: converting the actuation of said control member into a first temporal sequence of electrical pulses at constant frequency, such that the duration of each of them is a function of the instantaneous amplitude of said actuation, converting said first sequence of pulses into a corresponding second temporal sequence of fluid pressure pulses, such that with each electrical pulse is associated a pressure pulse representative of said electrical pulse, integrating the pressure pulses of said second sequence in order to obtain a mean pressure, and applying said means pressure to said brake.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1, wherein said first and second sequences are constituted by pulses of constant amplitude and frequency, but of variable width as a function of the amplitude of the actuation of said control member.

Claim 4

The process of either one of claims 1 or 2, wherein, below a certain pressure threshold of the fluid in the brake, the integration is at least partially suppressed.

Claim 5

A braking device for a wheel comprising a brake associated with said wheel and adapted to be actuated by fluid pressure; a source of fluid under stable pressure, said source having a pressure outlet and a return; a control member; first means for converting voluntary actuation of said control member into an analog signal comprising a first temporal sequence of electrical pulses at constant frequency, the duration of each pulse being a function of the instantaneous amplitude of said actuation; second means for converting said first sequence of pulses into a corresponding second temporal sequence of pressure pulses of said fluid, each pressure pulse being associated with and representative of an electrical pulse in said first temporal sequence; means for integrating said pressure pulses to obtain a mean fluid pressure, and means for supplying said mean fluid pressure to said brake for actuation thereof.

Claim 6

A braking device for a wheel comprising a brake associated with said wheel and adapted to be actuated by fluid pressure; a source of fluid under stable pressure, said source having a pressure outlet and a return; a control member; first means for converting voluntary actuation of said control member into an analog signal comprising a first temporal sequence of electrical pulses at constant frequency, the duration of each pulse being a function of the instantaneous amplitude of said actuation; second means for converting said first sequence of pulses into a corresponding second temporal sequence of pressure pulses of said fluid, each pressure pulse being associated with and representative of an electrical pulse in said first temporal sequence; means for integrating said pressure pulses to obtain a mean fluid pressure, and means for supplying said mean fluid pressure to said brake for actuation thereof.

Claim 7

The device of claim 4, wherein said second means comprises a three-way, two-position valve, adapted to place in communication, in a first position, the brake and the return towards said source, and, in a second position, the brake and the pressure outlet of said source.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5, wherein said valve comprises a slide distributor, said slide being controlled by an electromagnet receiving said first sequence of pulses.

Claim 9

The device of claim 4, wherein said integration means comprises a calibrated orifice.

Claim 10

The device of claim 4, wherein said first means comprises a multivibrator having at least one component with a characteristic which varies as a function of the amplitude of said analog signal.

Claim 11

The device of claim 8, wherein said integration means comprises a calibrated orifice.

Claim 12

The device of claim 8, wherein said second means comprises a three-way, two-position valve, adapted to place in communication, in a first position, the brake and the return to said source, and, second position, the brake and the pressure outlet of said source.

Claim 13

The device of claim 10, wherein said integration means comprises a calibrated orifice.

Claim 14

The device of claim 10, wherein said valve comprises a slide distributor, said slide being controlled by an electromagnet receiving said first sequence of pulses.

Claim 15

The device of claim 12, wherein said integration comprises a calibrated orifice.

Claim 17

The device of claim 14, wherein said valve is controlled by control means responsive to the fluid pressure supplied to said brake, said control means maintaining said valve open when said fluid pressure falls below a predetermined threshold value and closed when the fluid pressure equals or exceeds said threshold value.