US 12,079,735 B2
Control logic for thrust link whiffle-tree hinge positioning for improved clearances
Kudum Shinde, Bangalore (IN); and Mahesh Khandeparker, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company
Filed on May 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/323,667.
Prior Publication US 2022/0371738 A1, Nov. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. F01D 11/14 (2006.01); F01D 5/12 (2006.01); F01D 11/22 (2006.01); F01D 11/24 (2006.01); F02C 7/20 (2006.01); G06N 5/00 (2023.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)
CPC G06N 5/00 (2013.01) [F01D 5/12 (2013.01); F01D 11/14 (2013.01); F01D 11/22 (2013.01); F01D 11/24 (2013.01); F02C 7/20 (2013.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); F05D 2270/54 (2013.01); F05D 2270/70 (2013.01); F05D 2270/709 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for optimizing clearances within an aircraft engine comprising:
an adjustable coupling configured to couple a thrust link to the aircraft engine, wherein the adjustable coupling includes apertures for coupling to the thrust link and a slot defining a hinge point of the adjustable coupling;
an actuator coupled to the adjustable coupling, wherein motion produced by the actuator adjusts the hinge point of the adjustable coupling;
one or more sensors configured to capture real time flight data; and
an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the actuator and the one or more sensors, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:
receive flight data from the one or more sensors;
implement a machine learning model trained to predict one or more clearance values within the aircraft engine based on the received flight data;
predict, with the machine learning model, the one or more clearance values within the aircraft engine based on the received flight data;
determine an actuator position based on the one or more clearance values; and
cause the actuator to adjust to the determined actuator position, wherein the adjustment of the actuator to the determined actuator position displaces a pivot pin slidably coupled within the slot by a distance from a centerline “C” with respect to a length “L” between the apertures of the adjustable coupling.