Flying aid device for a fly-by-wire aircraft

• US 6,000,662 A
• Filed: 10/14/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle
• Inventors: Vollard, Cecile, Perie, Jean-Claude, Andrieu, Laurent, Todeschi, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ducker, Jr., Charles R
• Application Number:
  US08/950,366
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 244/220, 244/221, 244/223, 244/228, 244/229, 244/236, 340/965, 318/564
• US Class Current: 244/223
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0421 control sticks for primary flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/12 Dual control apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/507 with artificial feel

Abstract

A flying aid device for a fly-by-wire aircraft which has at least two mechanically independent control columns (M1, M2). The device (1) includes: a system (SO) for detecting multiple control corresponding to simultaneous operation of at least two of the control columns (M1, M2); and informing systems (S1, S2, S3, S4), each of which is associated with one of the control columns (M1, M2) and is intended to generate within the control column (M1, M2), when the detection system (SO) detects multiple control, a tactile sensation that informs a pilot of the aircraft who is operating the control column (M1, M2) of the multiple control.

Claims

1. A flying aid device for a fly-by-wire aircraft which has at least two mechanically independent control columns (M1, M2), it being possible for each of said control columns (M1, M2) to be operated to fly said aircraft, which device comprises:

a system (SO) for detecting multiple control corresponding to simultaneous operation of at least two of said control columns (M1, M2); and

informing systems (S1, S2, S3, S4), each of which is associated with one of said control columns (M1, M2) and is intended to generate within said control column (M1, M2), when said detection system (SO) detects multiple control, a tactile sensation that informs a pilot of the aircraft who is operating said control column (M1, M2) of the multiple control, wherein at least one of said informing systems (S4) comprises an active member (20,

     21) which, when multiple control is occurring, causes force sensations, the force sensations felt on one control column (M1, M2) varying as a function of the position of another control column.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, said aircraft comprising a calculation unit which formulates aircraft flight commands from electrical signals the value of which depends on the positions of said control columns (M1, M2), which positions can be altered by operating these control columns, wherein said detection system (SO) detects said electrical signals and, as a function of the value of these electrical signals, determines where the multiple control is occurring.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said informing systems (S1) comprises a vibrator unit (8, 9) built into the associated control column (M1, M2) and causing said control column (M1, M2) to vibrate when multiple control is occurring.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said vibrator unit comprises a flyweight (8) that can be rotated by an electric motor (9).

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the amplitude and frequency of said vibrations are adjusted as a function of the rotational speed of said electric motor (9) and the mass of said flyweight (8).

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, it being possible for each of said control columns (M1, M2) to be operated about two control axes (X--X, Y--Y), wherein at least one of said informing systems (S4) comprises two members (20, 21), each one associated with one of said control axes (X--X, Y--Y).

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, which comprises a display means (V) connected to said detection system (SO) and intended, using characteristic signs, to indicate any multiple control.

8. A flying aid device for a fly-by-wire aircraft which has at least two mechanically independent control columns (M1, M2), it being possible for each of said control columns (M1, M2) to be operated to fly said aircraft, each of which is liable to be operated at least about one control axis (X--X, Y--Y) and comprises at least one electric motor (10, 11) which as a function of a control signal generates force sensations which are felt when said control column (M1, M2) is operated about said control axis (X--X, Y--Y), which device comprises:

a system (SO) for detecting multiple control corresponding to simultaneous operations of at least two of said control columns (M1, M2); and

informing systems (S1, S2, S3, S4), each of which is associated with one of said control columns (M1, M2) and is intended to generate within said control column (M1, M2), when said detection system (SO) detects multiple control, a tactile sensation that informs a pilot of the aircraft who is operating said control column (M1, M2) of the multiple control, wherein at least one of said informing systems (S2) comprises an electrical-signal generator (14) which generates a sinusoidal electrical signal, said sinusoidal electrical signal being superposed, when multiple control is occurring, with said signal controlling the electric motor (11) in such a way that said electric motor (11) then, in addition to generating said force sensations, causes said control column (M1, M2) to vibrate.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, said aircraft comprising a calculation unit which formulates aircraft flight commands from electrical signals the value of which depends on the positions of said control columns (M1, M2), which positions can be altered by operating these control columns, wherein said detection system (SO) detects said electrical signals and, as a function of the value of these electrical signals, determines where the multiple control is occurring.

10. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one said informing systems (S1) comprises a vibrator unit (8,9) built into the associated control column (M1, M2) and causing said control column (M1, M2) to vibrate when multiple control is occurring.

11. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of said informing systems (S3) comprises a gain generator (17) which generates a gain, the signal for controlling said electric motor (11) being multiplied by said gain, when multiple control is occurring, so as to cause a change to said force sensations felt when operating the corresponding control column (M1, M2) about said control axis (X--X, Y--Y).

12. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein it is possible for each of said control columns (M1, M2) to be operated at least about one control axis (X--X, Y--Y) and the force sensations felt on one control column (M1, M2) varying as a function of the position of another control column.

13. The device as claimed in claim 8, which comprises a display means (V) connected to said detection system (SO) and intended, using characteristic signs, to indicate any multiple control.

14. A flying aid device for a fly-by-wire aircraft which has at least two mechanically independent control columns (M1, M2), it being possible for each of said control columns (M1, M2) to be operated to fly said aircraft, each of which is liable to be operated at least about one control axis (X--X, Y--Y) and comprises at least one electric motor (10, 11) which as a function of a control signal generates force sensations which are felt when said control column (M1, M2) is operated about said control axis (X--X, Y--Y), which device comprises:

a system (SO) for detecting multiple control corresponding to simultaneous operation of at least two of said control columns (M1, M2); and

informing systems (S1, S2, S3, S4), each of which is associated with one of said control columns (M1, M2) and is intended to generate within said control column (M1, M2), when said detection system (SO) detects multiple control, a tactile sensation that informs a pilot of the aircraft who is operating said control column (M1, M2) of the multiple control, wherein at least one of said informing systems (S3) comprises a gain generator (17) which generates a gain, the signal for controlling said electric motor (11) being multiplied by said gain, when multiple control is occurring, so as to cause a change to said force sensations felt when operating the corresponding control column (M1,,M2) about said control axis (X--X, Y--Y).

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, said aircraft comprising a calculation unit which formulates aircraft flight commands from electrical signals the value of which depends on the positions of said control columns (M1, M2), which positions can be altered by operating these control columns, wherein said detection system (SO) detects said electrical signals and, as a function of the value of these electric signals, determines where the multiple control is occurring.

16. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of said informing systems (S1) comprises a vibrator unit (8,9) built into the associated control column (M1, M2) and causing said control column (M1, M2) to vibrate when multiple control is occurring.

17. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one said informing systems (S2) comprises an electrical-signal generator (14) which generates a sinusoidal electrical signal, said sinusoidal electrical signal being superposed, when multiple control is occurring, with said signal controlling the electric motor (11) in such a way that said electric motor (11) then, in addition to generating said force sensations, causes said control column (M1, M2) to vibrate.

18. Device as claimed in claim 14, it being possible for each of said control columns (M1, M2) to be operated about two control axes (X--X, Y--Y) and each of said control columns comprising two electric motors (10, 11) associated respectively with said control axes (X--X, Y--Y), wherein at least one of said informing systems (S3) has two gain generators (17), one associated with each of said electric motors (10, 11).

19. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said gain is calculated from the expression (1+x), in which:

x is zero when just one at most of said control columns (M1, M2) is being operated;

x is between 0 and -1 when at least two control columns (M1, M2) are operated simultaneously and in the same direction; and

x is between 0 and +1 when at least two control columns (M1, M2) are being operated simultaneously but in contrary directions.

20. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein it is possible for each of said control columns (M1, M2) to be operated at least about one control axis (X--X, Y--Y) and the force sensations felt on one control column (M1, M2) varying as a function of the position of another control column.

21. The device as claimed in claim 14, which comprises a display means (V) connected to said detection system (SO) and intended, using characteristic signs, to indicate any multiple control.