Active pilot flight control stick system with passive electromagnetic feedback
First Claim
1. An aircraft flight control surface actuation haptic feedback system, comprising:
- a flight control stick adapted to receive an input force supplied by a pilot and configured, upon receipt of the input force, to move at least a portion thereof to a control position in a displacement direction;
a motor control unit operable to selectively supply motor feedback signals;
a motor coupled to the flight control stick and to receive the motor feedback signals, the motor operable, upon receipt of the motor feedback signals, to supply a variable feedback force to the flight control stick in a direction that opposes the displacement direction; and
a passive electromagnetic damping mechanism electrically coupled to the motor and operable to at least selectively and passively supply a non-braking damping force to the flight control stick.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pilot flight control stick haptic feedback mechanism provides variable force feedback to the pilot flight control stick. The flight control stick is movable to a control position in a displacement direction. A motor control unit is operable to selectively supply motor feedback signals to a motor that is coupled to the flight control stick. The motor is responsive to the motor feedback signals to supply a variable feedback force to the flight control stick in a direction that opposes the displacement direction. A passive electromagnetic damping mechanism is electrically coupled to the motor and is at least selectively and passively supplies a non-braking damping force to the flight control stick.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An aircraft flight control surface actuation haptic feedback system, comprising:
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a flight control stick adapted to receive an input force supplied by a pilot and configured, upon receipt of the input force, to move at least a portion thereof to a control position in a displacement direction; a motor control unit operable to selectively supply motor feedback signals; a motor coupled to the flight control stick and to receive the motor feedback signals, the motor operable, upon receipt of the motor feedback signals, to supply a variable feedback force to the flight control stick in a direction that opposes the displacement direction; and a passive electromagnetic damping mechanism electrically coupled to the motor and operable to at least selectively and passively supply a non-braking damping force to the flight control stick. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An aircraft flight control surface actuation haptic feedback system, comprising:
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a flight control stick adapted to receive an input force supplied by a pilot and configured, upon receipt of the input force, to move at least a portion thereof to a control position in a displacement direction; a motor control unit operable to selectively supply motor feedback signals; a passively damped brushless DC motor coupled to the flight control stick and to receive the motor feedback signals, the motor operable, upon receipt of the motor feedback signals, to supply a variable feedback force to the flight control stick in a direction that opposes the displacement direction, the motor including; a rotationally mounted permanent magnet rotor coupled to the flight control stick, a multi-phase drive stator at least partially surrounding at least a portion of the permanent magnet rotor and coupled to receive the motor feedback signals, each phase of the multi-phase drive stator includes a first number of turns, and a multi-phase damping stator at least partially surrounding at least a portion of the permanent magnet rotor, each phase of the multi-phase damping stator having a second number of turns that is less than the first number of turns. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. An aircraft flight control surface actuation haptic feedback system, comprising:
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a flight control stick adapted to receive an input force supplied by a pilot and configured, upon receipt of the input force, to move at least a portion thereof to a control position in a displacement direction; a motor control unit operable to selectively supply motor feedback signals; a motor coupled to the flight control stick and to receive the motor feedback signals, the motor operable, upon receipt of the motor feedback signals, to supply a variable feedback force to the flight control stick in a direction that opposes the displacement direction, the motor including a rotationally mounted permanent magnet rotor coupled to the flight control stick, a multi-phase stator at least partially surrounding the permanent magnet rotor and coupled to receive the motor feedback signals; and a plurality of electrical resistor circuits, each electrical resistor circuit having a substantially fixed amount of electrical resistance and electrically coupled in parallel with one phase of the multi-phase stator, whereby the motor is passively damped.
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Specification