Modular rudder pedal and brake control assembly for aircraft

• US 5,056,742 A
• Filed: 10/06/1989
• Issued: 10/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boeing Company The Seattle King Washington
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sakurai, Seiya
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANNOFSKY, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US07/418,389
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 244/235, 74/478, 74/478.5, 74/512, 74/480 R, 74/522
• US Class Current: 244/235
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/044 operated by feet, e.g. pedals
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/06 adjustable to suit individual persons
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/12 Dual control apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/503 Fly-by-Wire
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/42 Arrangement or adaptation of brakes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20189 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20213 Interconnected
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/206 Adjustable

Abstract

A modular, pedal-type rudder, brake, and nose gear steering control assembly for an aircraft. The modules are installed below the instrument panel in the cockpit of the aircraft, thus avoiding the need for floor or bulkhead penetrations. Mechanical linkage arrangements are provided for dual side-by-side pilot stations. Adjustable positioning of control pedals relative to each pilot is provided. Pedal adjustment is accomplished by moving the pedals toward or away from a pilot along an arcuate path to an extent dependent upon the length of the pilot'"'"'s legs. The arcuate path of adjustment is inclined upwardly with respect to the horizontal, providing ergometrically improved operation of the control pedals.

Claims

1. An aircraft utilizing a fly-by-wire control system and having:

a. a yaw control surface;

b. landing gear;

c. brakes;

d. a forward cockpit area with an instrument panel, a forward bulkhead, and a floor;

e. a first pilot station including;

(i) a first left rudder pedal and a first right rudder pedal and

(ii) a first right brake actuating mechanism and a first left brake actuating mechanism;

f. a second pilot station including;

(i) a second left rudder pedal and a second right rudder pedal and

(ii) a second right brake actuating mechanism and a second left brake actuating mechanism;

g. support means mounting said first left and right rudder pedals and said second left and right rudder pedals for pivotal movement about fixed, transverse, generally horizontal axes;

h. means for converting pivotal displacements of said rudder pedals at each of said pilot stations into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to and for control of aircraft yaw control surfaces;

i. means for causing each of said brake actuating mechanisms to provide a linear motion corresponding to a pivotable movement of the corresponding left and right pedals about a movable, transverse, generally horizontal axis;

j. means for converting the linear motions provided by said brake actuating mechanisms into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to and for control of the aircraft brakes; and

k. means for converting said pivotable displacements of said rudder pedals into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to said landing gear for directional control of said aircraft;

l. the support means of each pilot station having a structural frame, said structural frame including attachment means and said attachment means being adapted to suspend said structural frame and the pilot station in which that frame is incorporated;

(i) from the underside of said instrument panel,

(ii) above said cockpit floor, and

(iii) rearward of said forward bulkhead, to thereby;

(iv) eliminate the need for space below the cockpit floor for components of the several converting means in the pilot station, and

(v) eliminate the requirement for floor and bulkhead penetration in the installation of the pilot station.

2. An aircraft as defined in claim 1, wherein said brake actuating mechanism include:

a. a first left brake crank and a first right brake crank at said first pilot station;

b. a second left brake crank and a second right brake crank at said second pilot station;

c. each of said brake cranks so being mounted as to extend from the front toward the rear of the cockpit area and each said crank being pivotable at one end thereof about a fixed, transverse, generally horizontal axis;

d. a first left tension rod mechanism and a first right tension rod mechanism in said first pilot station;

e. a second left tension rod mechanism and a second right tension rod mechanism in said second pilot station; and

f. each of said tension rod mechanisms being operatively connected to an associated rudder pedal and each tension rod mechanism also being operably connected to a corresponding brake crank for effecting a pivotable displacement of said corresponding brake crank in response to a force being applied to said corresponding rudder pedal to rotate that pedal about the corresponding, movable, transverse, generally horizontal axis.

3. An aircraft as defined in claim 2, further including:

a. a left brake torque tube means, said left brake torque tube means extending between said first and second left brake cranks;

b. a right brake torque tube means, said right brake torque tube means extending between said first and second right brake cranks;

c. said left brake torque tube means being operatively connected between said first and second left brake cranks;

d. said right torque tube means being operatively connected between said first and second right brake cranks;

e. the operative connections being such that displacement of either said first or said second left brake crank in response to pivotable displacement of a rudder pedal operatively connected to the corresponding brake crank will effect displacement of the left torque tube means, thereby causing displacement of the opposite left brake crank and causing rotation of the opposite rudder pedal an amount equal to displacement of the rudder pedal that a pilot is then manipulating to provide a braking control input; and

f. the operative connections also being so made that displacement of either said first or said second right brake crank in response to pivotable displacement of a rudder pedal operatively connected to the corresponding brake crank will effect displacement of the right torque tube means, thereby causing displacement of the opposite right brake crank and causing rotation of the opposite rudder pedal in an amount equal to the displacement of the rudder pedal that a pilot is then manipulating to provide a braking control input.

4. An aircraft as defined in claim 1, wherein said first pilot station and said second pilot station each include an assembly for adjusting the neutral positions of the pedals at that station, said assembly comprising:

a. a summing bellcrank;

b. a jackshaft assembly for adjusting said summing bellcrank;

c. linkage means independently connecting said right and left pedals to the associated summing bellcrank; and

d. a pilot operable adjustment crank so operatively connected to said jackshaft assembly as to provide adjustment of said summing bellcrank that a pilot may adjust the neutral position of said pedals in a fore-and-aft direction and thereby provide for comfortable operation of said pedals.

5. An aircraft as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said pilot stations further comprises:

a. a feel and control crank;

b. a reaction rod means; and

c. a reaction shaft housing;

d. said summing bellcrank and said feel and control crank being so assembled to said summing bellcrank as to move as a rotatable assemblage about said reaction rod means;

e. said reaction rod means extending downwardly from said reaction shaft housing;

f. said reaction shaft housing being securely attached to said structural frame; and

g. said rotatable assemblage being so secured on said reaction rod means that, when a pilot displaces said left pedal or said right pedal, said displacement is transmitted to said rotatable assemblage by said left linkage means and said right linkage means, whereby, in response to said displacement, said assemblage rotates about said reaction shaft, thereby causing said means for converting displacement into yaw control signals and said feel and control unit to be displaced an amount proportional to the displacement of said pedals by said pilot.

6. An aircraft as defined in claim 5, further including a yaw control feel and centering unit in each of said pilot stations.

7. An aircraft as defined in claim 5, further including a yaw control viscous damper in each of said pilot stations.

8. An aircraft as defined in claim 1, wherein the means in each of said pilot stations for converting linear motion of brake actuating mechanisms into electrical signals further includes a feel spring.

9. An aircraft as defined in claim 1, wherein the means in each of said pilot stations for converting linear motion of the brake actuating mechanism into electrical signals includes a viscous damper.

10. An aircraft utilizing a fly-by-wire control system and having:

a. a yaw control surface;

b. landing gear;

c. brakes;

d. a forward cockpit area with an instrument panel, a forward bulkhead, and a floor;

e. a first pilot station including;

(i) a first left rudder pedal and a first right rudder pedal and

(ii) a first right brake actuating mechanism and a first left brake actuating mechanism;

f. a second pilot station including;

(i) a second left rudder pedal and a second right rudder pedal and

(ii) a second right brake actuating mechanism and a second left brake actuating mechanism;

g. support means mounting said first left and right rudder pedals and said second left and right rudder pedals for pivotal movement about fixed, transverse, generally horizontal axes;

h. means for converting pivotal displacements of said rudder pedals into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to and for control of aircraft yaw control surfaces;

i. means for causing each of said brake actuating mechanisms to provide a linear motion corresponding to a pivotable movement of the corresponding left and right pedals about a movable, transverse, generally horizontal axis;

j. means for converting the linear motions provided by said brake actuating mechanisms into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to and for control of the aircraft brakes;

k. means for converting said pivotable displacements of said rudder pedals into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to said landing gear for directional control of said aircraft; and

l. means, in each of said first and second pilot stations, for independent forward and rearward adjustment of the neutral positions of said left and right rudder pedals to thereby accommodate pilots with different physical dimensions;

m. said first pilot station and said second pilot station each including an assembly for adjusting the neutral positions of the rudder pedals at that station, said assembly comprising;

(i) a summing bellcrank,

(ii) a jackshaft assembly for adjusting said summing bellcrank,

(iii) linkage means independently connecting said right and left rudder pedals to the associated summing bellcrank,

(iv) a pilot operable adjustment crank so operatively connected to said jackshaft assembly as to provide adjustment of said summing bellcrank in a manner that a pilot may employ to adjust the neutral positions of said pedals in a fore-and-aft direction and thereby provide for comfortable operation of said pedals,

(v) a feel and control crank,

(vi) a reaction rod means, and

(vii) a reaction shaft housing,

(viii) said summing bellcrank and said feel and control crank being so assembled as to move as a rotatable assemblage about said reaction rod means,

(ix) said reaction rod means extending downwardly from said reaction shaft housing,

(x) said reaction shaft housing being securely attached to said support means, and

(xi) said rotatable assemblage being so secured on said reaction rod means that, when a pilot displaces said left pedal or said right pedal, said displacement is transmitted to said rotatable assemblage by said left linkage means and said right linkage means, whereby, in response to said displacement, said assemblage rotates about said reaction shaft, thereby causing said means for converting displacement into yaw control signals and said feel and control crank to be displaced an amount proportional to the displacement of said pedals by said pilot.

11. An aircraft as defined in claim 10, further including a yaw control feel and centering unit in each of said pilot stations.

12. An aircraft as defined in claim 10, further including a yaw control viscous damper in each of said pilot stations.

13. An aircraft utilizing a fly-by-wire control system and having:

a. a yaw control surface;

b. landing gear;

c. brakes;

d. a forward cockpit area with an instrument panel, a forward bulkhead, and a floor;

e. a first pilot station including;

(i) a first left rudder pedal and a first right rudder pedal and

(ii) a first right brake actuating mechanism and a first left brake actuating mechanism;

f. a second pilot station including;

(i) a second left rudder pedal and a second right rudder pedal and

(ii) a second right brake actuating mechanism and a second left brake actuating mechanism;

g. support means mounting said first left and right rudder pedals and said second left and right rudder pedals for pivotal movement about fixed, transverse, generally horizontal axes;

h. means for converting pivotal displacement of said rudder pedals at each of said pilot stations into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to and for control of aircraft yaw control surfaces;

i. means for causing each of said brake actuating mechanisms to provide a linear motion corresponding to a pivotable movement of the corresponding left and right pedals about a movable, transverse, generally horizontal axis;

j. means for converting the linear motions provided by said brake actuating mechanisms into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to and for control of the aircraft brakes;

k. means for converting said pivotable displacements of said rudder pedals into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to said landing gear for directional control of said aircraft; and

l. means, in each of said first and second pilot stations, for independent forward and rearward adjustment of the neutral positions of said left and right rudder pedals to thereby accommodate pilots with different physical dimensions;

m. the support means of each pilot station having a structural frame, said structural frame including attachment means and said attachment means being adapted to suspend said structural frame and the pilot station in which that frame is incorporated;

(i) from the underside of said instrument panel,

(ii) above said cockpit floor, and

(iii) rearward of said forward bulkhead, to thereby;

(iv) eliminate the need for space below the cockpit floor for components of the several converting means in the pilot station, and

(v) eliminate the requirement for floor and bulkhead penetration in the installation of the pilot station.

14. An aircraft as defined in claim 13, wherein the means in each of said pilot stations for converting linear motion of the brake actuating mechanism in that station into electrical signals includes a viscous damper.

15. For use in an aircraft having a pilot seat, an instrument panel, a rudder, a nose gear steering system, and brakes, a unitized control assembly which is adapted to be positioned in front of said seat and beneath said instrument panel, said control assembly comprising:

a. a frame having two pairs of spaced apart, generally forwardly extending supports interconnected at the forward portion of said frame by a transversely extending support;

b. an assembly attachment means at the top of said frame for suspending said control assembly below said instrument panel;

c. a pair of downwardly extending, right and left beams mounted at their upper ends for independent pivotable movement about a common, transverse, generally horizontal axis;

d. a pair of foot-operated pedals, each fixed to one of said downwardly extending beams;

e. adjustment means for so pivotally moving said pedal beams as to place the neutral positions in a location affording safe and comfortable operation of said pedals by a seated aircraft pilot;

f. means for generating electronic signals for controlling said rudder, said nose gear steering system, and said brakes;

g. linkage means for so operationally connecting said pedals to said signal generating means that displacement of a pedal will result in a control signal being generated, said linkage means including a summing bellcrank and two pairs of elongated, generally upwardly extending rods;

h. a lower end of each rod in said first pair being so connected to said pedals that said first rod pair moves either upwardly or downwardly depending on the direction of pedal rotational movement and thereby translates said movement of said pedals to that signal generation means which generates the signal for controlling said brakes;

i. the upper ends of the rods of said second pair being so connected to said pedal beams that said second rods translate forwardly and rearwardly in the direction of pedal displacement;

j. the lower ends of the rods of said second pair being connected to a summing bellcrank;

k. there being two arms on said summing bellcrank, one for each of the rods of said second rod pair;

l. said bellcrank being pivotally connected to said control assembly frame for rotation about a vertically extending axis;

m. a lower end of each rod in said second rod pair being so connected to one of the arms of said bellcrank that translational movement of either one of said second rods will cause said bellcrank to pivot about said vertically extending axis; and

n. the lower ends of the rods of said second rod pair being so connected to the associated bellcrank and said bellcrank being so connected to said pedal neutral position adjustment means that said second rod pair effects a change in the neutral position of said left and right beams in response to manipulations of said adjustment means.

16. A control assembly as defined in of claim 15, wherein said adjustment means comprises a pilot-operated jackscrew so connected to said summing bellcrank that rotation of said jackscrew results in a concomitant rotation of said bellcrank.

17. A control assembly as defined in claim 15 which has a yaw control feel and centering unit.

18. A control assembly as defined in of claim 15 which has a yaw control viscous damper.

19. A control assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein said linkage includes left and right, brake feel springs.

20. A control assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein said linkage means includes left and right brake viscous dampers.

21. A unitized aircraft yaw, brake, and landing gear steering assembly comprising:

a. a support;

b. depending right and left beams fixed at their upper ends to said support for independent pivotable movement relative thereto about a common, transverse, generally horizontal axis;

c. right and left pedals;

d. means fixing said pedals to the lower ends of said depending beams for rotational movement relative thereto about horizontal transverse axes;

e. a first transducer means for converting rotational movement of said left pedal into electrical left braking signals proportional in magnitude to the magnitude of the rotational displacement of said left pedal;

f. a second transducer means for converting rotational movement of said right pedal into electrical right braking signals proportional in magnitude to the magnitude of the rotational displacement of said right pedal; and

g. a third transducer means for converting pivotable displacements of said beams about said common axis into electrical yaw control signals proportional in magnitude to the displacements of said beams about said common axis.

22. An assembly as defined in claim 21 which further comprises:

a. a summing bellcrank;

b. a jackshaft assembly for effecting a displacement of said summing bellcrank;

c. a pilot-operable means so operatively connected to said jackshaft assembly that manipulation of said pilot-operable means will result in a displacement of said bellcrank; and

d. means so connecting said bellcrank to said right and left pedals that a displacement of said bellcrank as aforesaid will result in a fore-or-aft relocation of the neutral axes of the pedals, whereby a pilot may, by manipulation of the pilot-operable means, adjust the neutral positions of said pedals in a fore-and-aft direction and thereby position said pedals for safe and comfortable operation with no, or only a minimal, fore-or-aft adjustment of the pilot'"'"'s seat.

23. An assembly as defined in claim 21 which also includes a structural frame for housing said support, said structural frame including attachment means, said attachment means being located above said support means, and said attachment means being adapted to support said assembly;

a. from the underside of the instrument panel of an aircraft in which said assembly is installed;

b. above the cockpit floor of the aircraft, and

c. rearward of the forward cockpit bulkhead to thereby;

d. eliminate the need for space below the cockpit floor for components of said assembly, and

e. reduce the requirement for floor and bulkhead penetration in said cockpit.

24. A unitized yaw and brake control assembly for an aircraft having an instrument panel and a floor at the station in the cockpit of the aircraft where said assembly is located, said assembly comprising:

a. an overhead support;

b. right and left pedals;

c. first transducer means for converting pivotable displacements of said pedals about parallel first axes to yaw controlling signals proportional in magnitude to said displacements of said pedals; and

d. second transducer means for converting pivotable displacements of said right pedal about a second axis to right brake controlling signals proportional in magnitude to the displacement of said right pedal about said second axis;

e. third transducer means for converting pivotable displacements of said left pedal means about a third axis to left brake controlling signals proportional in magnitude to the displacement of said left pedal about said third axis; and

f. means for supporting said pedals and said transducer means solely from said overhead support.

25. A control assembly as defined in claim 24, further comprising:

a. a summing bellcrank;

b. a jackshaft assembly for displacing said summing bellcrank;

c. a pilot-operable adjustment means so operatively connected to said jackshaft assembly that manipulation of the pilot-operable adjustment means by a pilot will effect a displacement as aforesaid of said summing bellcrank; and

d. means so connection said bellcrank to said right and left pedals that a displacement of said summing bellcrank as aforesaid will result in a fore-or-aft relocation of said pedals, whereby a pilot may, by manipulation of the pilot-operable adjustment means, adjust the neutral position of said pedals in a fore-and-aft direction and thereby position said pedals at a safe and comfortable operating position with no, or only a minimal, fore-or-aft adjustment of the pilot'"'"'s seat.

26. A control assembly as defined in claim 24 which further includes a structural frame, said structural frame including attachment means, said attachment means being located above said support, and said attachment means being adapted to suspend said frame and the control assembly in which that frame is incorporated:

a. from the underside of the instrument panel of an aircraft;

b. above the floor of the cockpit of the aircraft in which the control assembly is installed; and

c. to the rear of the forward cockpit bulkhead to thereby;

d. eliminate the need for space below the cockpit floor for components of the control assembly signal generation station, and

e. reduce the requirement for floor and bulkhead penetration in said cockpit.

27. An aircraft utilizing a fly-by-wire control system and having:

a. a yaw control surface;

b. landing gear;

c. brakes;

d. a forward cockpit area with an instrument panel, a forward bulkhead, and a floor;

e. a first pilot station including;

(i) a first left rudder pedal and a first right rudder pedal and

(ii) a first right brake actuating mechanism and a first left brake actuating mechanism;

f. a second pilot station including;

(i) a second left rudder pedal and a second right rudder pedal and

(ii) a second right brake actuating mechanism and a second left brake actuating mechanism;

g. support means mounting said first left and right rudder pedals and said second left and right rudder pedals for pivotal movement about fixed, transverse, generally horizontal axes;

h. means for converting pivotal displacements of said rudder pedals at each of said pilot stations into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to and for control of aircraft yaw control surfaces;

i. means for causing each of said brake actuating mechanisms to provide a linear motion corresponding to a pivotable movement of the corresponding left and right pedals about a movable, transverse, generally horizontal axis;

j. means for converting the linear motions provided by said brake actuating mechanisms into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to and for control of the aircraft brakes;

k. means for converting said pivotable displacements of said rudder pedals into electrical signals for direct or indirect transmission to said landing gear for directional control of said aircraft; and

l. means in each of said first and second pilot stations for independent forward and rearward adjustment of the neutral positions of said left and right rudder pedals to thereby accommodate pilots with different physical dimensions;

m. said brake actuating mechanisms including;

(i) a first left brake crank and a first right brake crank at said first pilot station and a second left brake crank and a second right brake crank at said second pilot station, each of said brake cranks so being mounted as to extend from the front toward the rear of the cockpit and each said crank being pivotable at one end thereof about a fixed, transverse, generally horizontal axis;

(ii) a first left tension rod mechanism and a first right tension rod mechanism in said first pilot station and a second left tension rod mechanism and a second right tension rod mechanism in said second pilot station, each of said tension rod mechanisms being operatively connected to an associated rudder pedal and each tension rod mechanism also being operably connected to a corresponding brake crank for effecting a pivotable displacement of said corresponding brake crank in response to a force being applied to said corresponding rudder pedal to rotate that pedal about the corresponding, movable, transverse, generally horizontal axis;

(iii) a left brake torque tube means, said left brake torque tube means extending between said first and second left brake cranks;

(iv) a right brake torque tube means, said right brake torque tube means extending between said first and second right brake cranks;

(v) said left brake torque tube means being operatively connected between said first and second left brake cranks and said right torque tube means being operatively connected between said first and second right brake cranks;

(vi) the operative connections being such that displacement of either said first or said second left brake crank in response to pivotable displacement of a rudder pedal operatively connected to the corresponding brake crank will effect displacement of the left torque tube means, thereby causing displacement of the opposite left brake crank and causing rotation of the opposite rudder pedal an amount equal to the displacement of the rudder pedal that a pilot is then manipulating to provide a braking control input; and

(vii) the operative connections also being so made that displacement of either said first or said second right brake crank in response to pivotable displacement of a rudder pedal operatively connected to the corresponding brake crank will effect displacement of the right torque tube means, thereby causing displacement of the opposite right brake crank and causing rotation of the opposite rudder pedal in an amount equal to the displacement of the rudder pedal that a pilot is then manipulating to provide a braking control input.