DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR USE IN VTOL-TYPE AIRCRAFT

• US 3,577,120 A
• Filed: 10/14/1968
• Issued: 05/04/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Archie T. Sherbert Jr
• Original Assignee: Archie T. Sherbert Jr
• Inventors: Sherbert, Archie T. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US04/767,182
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• US Class Current: 340/973
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32

Abstract

A system for displaying information relating to the operation of a vehicle, such as an aircraft. An integrated approach/hover indicator provides a pictorial representation of an intended landing site for the aircraft and indicates the position of the aircraft relative to the landing site and relative to a preselected path leading to the landing site. The pictorial representation is displayed in proper perspective such that a pilot viewing the instrument would think he is actually viewing the landing site. In addition, the instrument provides digital readout and other devices which visually display a number of operating values relating to the performance of the aircraft.

Claims

1. A flight information system for use in aircraft capable of flying in a variety of controlled flight path modes including horizontal, hovering, and vertical, and comprising means for indicating a desired flight path, operative means for determining the position of said aircraft relative to said desired flight path, means for indicating said relative position, display means responsive to said operative means for visually displaying an analog analog image of a predetermined location related to said flight path, said display means including means for generating said analog image and drive means for continually orienting said image in a plane perpendicular to said flight path regardless of said aircraft'"'"''"'"'s flight path mode.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said display means includes a screen, an opaque masking member having an opeNing therein and movable about a plurality of axes, optical means for projecting an image of said opening onto said screen, said image representing an analog of said predetermined location, and said drive means being responsive to said operative means for maintaining said image in said plane perpendicular to said flight path.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said display means includes an image size lens movable intermediate said member and said screen for adjusting the size of image on said screen, and drive means for moving said lens between said member and said screen.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said display means includes a positioning lens intermediate said masking member and said screen, said positioning lens being movable about a plurality of axes for positioning the image on said screen, and drive means responsive to displacement of the vehicle from said flight path for moving said positioning lens about said axes.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said operative means includes input means responsive to operation of the vehicle and operable for providing information relative to the position of the vehicle with respect to the flight path, computational means responsive to operation of said input means and operable for analyzing the position information with respect to a viewing plane oriented substantially perpendicular to the flight path, and generating means responsive to operation of said computational means for transmitting to said display means display signals which are analog functions of the position information.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said computational means include a plurality of electronic circuits for performing logical and computational operations.

7. A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said input means includes a primary device continuously generating a plurality of primary signals relating to performance of the vehicle and a secondary device continuously generating a plurality of signals relating to performance of the vehicle, and including switch means selectively operable to provide to said system at least one of said primary signals and, alternatively, at least one of said secondary signals.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said primary device is a navigation computer and said secondary device is a radio navigation device.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said display means includes a screen for displaying an image of said predetermined location, and a first cross-pointer responsive to said operative means and movable across said screen for indicating displacement of the vehicle relative to said flight path, said horizontal cross-pointer indicating vertical displacement when the vehicle is at a first position substantially distant from said predetermined location, indicating longitudinal displacement when the vehicle is at a second position directly above said predetermined location, and indicating a combination of vertical and longitudinal displacements when the vehicle is at a position intermediate said first and second positions.

10. A system of claim 9 including means for measuring said aircraft'"'"''"'"'s vertical speed and means for indicating said vertical speed, said indicating means comprising a pointer slidable in a groove adjacent said screen and being movable colinearly with said horizontal cross-pointer for enabling smooth vertical control of said aircraft.

11. A system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said display means includes a second cross-pointer transverse to said first cross-pointer and movable across said screen for indicating lateral displacement of the vehicle relative to said flight path.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said display means includes a reticle on said screen for representing the position of the vehicle and said first and second cross-pointers are mutually perpendicular and represent said flight path at their point of intersection, the displacement of said reticle from said point of intErsection representing the displacement of the vehicle from said flight path.

13. A system for displaying information relating to the operation of a vehicle comprising:

operative means responsive to operation of the vehicle relative to an intended flight path and operable for determining the position of the vehicle with respect to said flight path, a screen, a masking member having a window representing a predetermined location related to said flight path and mounted for movement about a plurality of axes, projection means for projecting an image of said window onto said screen, said image pictorially depicting said predetermined location as viewed from the vehicle, drive means responsive to said operative means for maintaining said image as if located in a plane perpendicular to said flight path, said image appearing substantially as a dot when the vehicle is at a first position substantially distant from said predetermined location, said image appearing substantially in true shape when the vehicle is at a second position directly above said predetermined location, and said image appearing in perspective when the vehicle is at a position intermediate said first and second positions, and a first cross-pointer responsive to said operative means and movable across said screen for indicating displacement of the vehicle relative to said flight path, said first cross-pointer indicating vertical displacement when the vehicle is at said first position, indicating longitudinal displacement when the vehicle is at said second position, and indicating a combination of vertical and longitudinal displacements when the vehicle is at said intermediate position.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13 including a second cross-pointer transverse to said first cross-pointer and movable across said screen for indicating lateral displacement of the vehicle relative to said flight path.

15. A system as set forth in claim 14 including a reticle on said screen for representing the position of the vehicle and wherein said first and second cross-pointers are mutually perpendicular and represent said flight path at their point of intersection, the displacement of said reticle from said point of intersection representing the displacement of the vehicle from said flight path.