Aircraft hand controller with decoupled throttle

• US 10,301,009 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2016
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
• Inventors: Roop, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abell, Tye William
• Application Number:
  US15/249,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20180057147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/042 operated by hand
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0421 control sticks for primary flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0423 yokes or steering wheels for primary flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/04 Controlling members for hand actuation by pivoting movement, e.g. levers
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/06 Details of their grip parts G05G1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04774 with additional switches or sensors on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04

Abstract

An aircraft hand controller is disclosed. The hand controller includes a set of finger controls on a single hand grip structure, the set of finger controls including a first finger control configured to control throttle of the aircraft and a second finger control, separate from the first, configured to control rotation about a first rotational axis of the aircraft.

Claims

1. An aircraft hand controller, comprising:

a single hand grip body having two opposite ends, wherein the single hand grip body is rigidly mounted to the aircraft;

a set of finger controls on the single hand grip body, the set of finger controls including;

a first finger control configured to control throttle of the aircraft, wherein the first finger control is mounted at one end of the hand grip body and an opposite end of the hand grip body is configured to be attached to an aircraft, and

a second finger control, separate from the first, configured to control rotation about a first rotational axis of the aircraft, wherein the second finger control is mounted on a side of the hand grip body configured to face away from a pilot.

2. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, comprising a third finger control separate from the first and the second, wherein the third finger control is configured to control rotation about a second rotational axis of the aircraft.

3. The aircraft hand controller of claim 2, wherein the third finger control controls multiple degrees of freedom of the aircraft.

4. The aircraft hand controller of claim 2, wherein the third finger control is configured to pitch the aircraft forward, pitch the aircraft back, roll the aircraft left, or roll the aircraft right.

5. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the single hand grip body is a first single hand grip body of the aircraft hand controller and the aircraft hand controller comprises a second single hand grip body.

6. The aircraft hand controller of claim 5, comprising a third finger control separate from the first and the second, wherein the third finger control is configured to control rotation about a second rotational axis of the aircraft, wherein the third finger control is on the second single hand grip body.

7. The aircraft hand controller of claim 6, wherein the third finger control comprises a joystick mounted at the top of the second single hand grip body.

8. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the first finger control configured to control throttle is decoupled from all aircraft rotation controls.

9. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the second finger control is configured to control yaw.

10. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the first finger control is a joystick mounted at the top of the single hand grip body.

11. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the first finger control is designed to be manipulated by a thumb.

12. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the second finger control is a wheel switch.

13. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the first finger control is designed to be manipulated by an index finger.

14. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the second finger control is situated near the top of the single hand grip body on a side facing away from a pilot.

15. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the set of finger controls are self-centering.

16. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein a location or position of a finger control of the set of finger controls on the single hand grip body is adjustable.

17. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the set of finger controls are situated on a single hand grip body that is configured to bear a load of up to 200 pounds.

18. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the single hand grip body is positioned on a handlebar mounted rigidly to an aircraft.

19. The aircraft hand controller of claim 1, wherein the single hand grip body is positioned on a side of a recumbent seat of an aircraft.