Hydrostatic sidestick coupling

• US 6,572,055 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bombardier Aerospace Corporation (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Aerospace Corporation (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bernard, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/616,479
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 244/229, 244/235, 244/234, 244/226, 244/220, 605/71, 114/150, 114/171
• US Class Current: 244/229
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/12 Dual control apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 7/003 with multiple outputs
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 7/005 With rotary or crank input
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 7/008 with rotary output
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 7/08 Input units; Master units
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 11/00 Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with two or more controlling members co-operating with one single controlled member
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04

Abstract

In a system for directing the motion of a vehicle, controllers, each of which independently controls motion of the vehicle, are linked to a coupling assembly to cause the controllers to experience substantially identical motion. The coupling assembly includes one or more fluid displacers that are linked to a first vehicle controller which force fluid from a first chamber, through a conduit, into a second chamber and against one or more fluid displacers that are linked to a second vehicle controller. The coupling assembly may be used to control motion of the aircraft in multiple degrees of freedom.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the motion of an aircraft, comprising first and second pilot controllers each of which moves in the same degree of freedom, is directly operable by a pilot and is arranged to independently control motion of in aircraft about at least one axis thereof, and a coupling assembly coupling said first and second controllers to cause substantially identical and simultaneous motion of said controllers by varying a fluid distribution, wherein said coupling assembly comprises:

a first chamber including a first bellows for enabling a fluid in said first chamber to be displaced, said first bellows being coupled to said first controller;

a second chamber including a second bellows for enabling a fluid in said second chamber to be displaced, said second bellows being coupled to said second controller, and a conduit for transporting fluid between said first and second chambers in response to motion of a said bellows.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling assembly further comprises a third chamber including a third bellows for enabling a fluid in said third chamber to be displaced, said third bellows being coupled to said first controller,

a fourth chamber including a fourth bellows for enabling a fluid in said fourth chamber to be displaced, said fourth bellows being coupled to said second controller, and a second conduit for transporting fluid between said third and fourth chambers.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said chambers are arranged such that on moving said first controller in one direction, fluid moves from said first chamber into said second chamber and from said fourth chamber into said third chamber.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said chambers are arranged such that on moving said first controller in the opposite direction, fluid moves from said second chamber into said first chamber and from said third chamber into said fourth chamber.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first and second conduits have substantially identical length, cross-section, co-efficient of radial expansion and total fluid volume.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said coupling assembly further comprises an accumulator for relieving fluid pressure therein.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling assembly further comprises a third chamber including a fluid displacer for enabling a fluid in said third chamber to be displaced, said fluid displacer being coupled to said first controller,

a fourth chamber and a further fluid displacer for enabling fluid in said fourth chamber to be displaced, said further fluid displacer being coupled to said second controller, a second conduit for transporting fluid between third and fourth chambers, said chambers being arranged such that on moving said first controller in one direction, fluid moves from said first chamber into said second chamber and from said fourth chamber into said third chamber.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first and second conduits have substantially identical length, cross-section, co-efficient of radial expansion and total fluid volume.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fluid in said first conduit has the same temperature co-efficient of expansion as the fluid in said second conduit.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a valve operable from a closed position to an open position to allow fluid communication between said first conduit and said second conduit, thereby decoupling both first and second controllers from each other.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first chamber has a first chamber wall and said first bellows has a first flexible wall, said first chamber being defined by said first flexible wall and a portion of said first chamber wall surrounding said first flexible wall, and wherein said second chamber has a second chamber wall and said second bellows has a second flexible wall, said second chamber being defined by said second flexible wall and a portion of said second chamber wall surrounding said second flexible wall.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said of first and second bellows has a respective flexible wall, said first and second controllers have a neutral position in the absence of an external force applied thereto, and the flexible walls of said first and second bellows have a resiliency sufficient to displace said first and second controllers towards said neutral position on removal of an applied force from said first and second controllers.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first and third bellows each have an end connected together and arranged in tandem and said second and fourth bellows each have an end connected together and arranged in tandem.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of conduits for transporting fluid between said first and second chambers.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of second conduits for transporting fluid between said third and fourth chambers.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conduit material has a coefficient or radial expansion not greater than about 1×

10<sup>−

4</sup>% psi (1.5×

10<sup>−

8</sup>% m²/N).

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid is hydrostatic.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid is substantially free of air.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid has bulk modulus of elasticity higher than about 75,000 psi (about 0.5×

10<sup>−

9</sup> N/m²).

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid has a viscosity below about 200 centistokes (about 2×

10<sup>−

4</sup> m²/s).

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid has a thermal expansion coefficient below about 0.000541/°

F.

22. An apparatus for controlling the motion of an aircraft, comprising first and second pilot controllers, each of which moves in the same degree of freedom, is directly operable by a pilot and is arranged to independently control motion of an aircraft about at least one axis thereof, and a coupling assembly coupling said first and second controllers to cause substantially identical and simultaneous motion of said controllers by varying a fluid distribution, wherein said coupling assembly comprises:

a first chamber including a first fluid displacer for enabling a fluid in said first chamber to be displaced, said first fluid displacer being coupled to said first controller,

a second chamber including a second fluid displacer for enabling a fluid in said second chamber to be displaced, said second fluid displacer being coupled to said second controller,

a first conduit for transporting fluid between said first and second chambers in response to motion of a fluid displacer,

a third chamber including a third fluid displacer for enabling a fluid in said third chamber to be displaced, said third fluid displacer being coupled to said first controller,

a fourth chamber including a fourth fluid displacer for enabling a fluid in said fourth chamber to be displaced, said fourth fluid displacer being coupled to said second controller,

a second conduit for transporting fluid between said third and fourth chambers,

said chambers being arranged such that on movement of said first and second controllers in one direction, fluid moves out of said first and fourth chambers and into said second and third chambers, and on movement of said first and second controllers in the opposite direction, fluid moves into said first and fourth chambers and out of said second and third chambers, and

a valve operable from a closed position to an open position to allow, in said open position, fluid communication between said first conduit and said second conduit, thereby decoupling both said first and second controllers from each other.

23. An apparatus for controlling the motion of an aircraft, comprising first and second pilot controllers, each of which moves in the same degree of freedom, is directly operable by a pilot and is arranged to independently control motion of an aircraft about at least one axis thereof, and a coupling assembly coupling said first and second controllers to cause substantially identical and simultaneous motion of said controllers by varying a fluid distribution, wherein said coupling assembly comprises:

a first chamber and a first bellows for enabling fluid in said first chamber to be displaced, the first chamber having a first chamber wall and the first bellows having a first flexible wall, wherein said first chamber is defined by said first flexible wall and a portion of said first chamber wall surrounding said first flexible wall, said first bellows being coupled to said first controller,

a second chamber and a second bellows for enabling fluid in said second chamber to be displaced, the second chamber having a second chamber wall and said second bellows having a second flexible wall, wherein said second chamber is defined by said second flexible wall and a portion of said second chamber wall surrounding said second flexible wall, said second bellows being coupled to said second controller, and

a conduit for transporting fluid between said first and second chambers in response to motion of said bellows.

24. An apparatus for controlling the motion of an aircraft, comprising first and second pilot controllers each of which moves in the same degree of freedom, is directly operable by a pilot and is arranged to independently control motion of an aircraft about at least one axis thereof, and a coupling assembly coupling said first and second controllers to cause substantially identical and simultaneous motion of said controllers by varying a fluid distribution, wherein said coupling assembly comprises:

a first chamber including a first bellows for enabling a fluid in said first chamber to be displaced, said first bellows being coupled to said first controller,

a second chamber including a second bellows for enabling a fluid in said second chamber to be displaced, said second bellows being coupled to said second controller,

a first conduit for transporting fluid between said first and second chambers in response to motion of a said bellows,

a third chamber including a third bellows for enabling a fluid in said third chamber to be displaced, said third bellows being coupled to said first controller,

a fourth chamber including a fourth bellows for enabling a fluid in said fourth chamber to be displaced, said fourth bellows being coupled to said second controller,

a second conduit for transporting fluid between said first and second chambers in response to motion of a said bellows,

wherein said first and second controllers have a neutral position in the absence of an external force applied thereto, and the flexible walls of said first, second, third and fourth bellows have a combined resiliency sufficient to displace said first and second controllers towards said neutral position on removal of an applied force from said first and second controllers.

25. An apparatus for controlling the motion of an aircraft, comprising first and second pilot controllers each of which moves in the same degree of freedom, is directly operable by a pilot and is arranged to independently control motion of an aircraft about at least one axis thereof, and a coupling assembly coupling said first and second controllers to cause substantially identical and simultaneous motion of said controllers by varying a fluid distribution, wherein said coupling assembly comprises:

a first chamber including a first bellows for enabling a fluid in said first chamber to be displaced, said first bellows being coupled to said first controller,

a second chamber including a second bellows for enabling a fluid in said second chamber to be displaced, said second bellows being coupled to said second controller,

a first conduit for transporting fluid between said first and second chambers in response to motion of a said bellows,

a third chamber including a third bellows for enabling a fluid in said third chamber to be displaced, said third bellows being coupled to said first controller,

a fourth chamber including a fourth bellows for enabling a fluid in said fourth chamber to be displaced, said fourth bellows being coupled to said second controller,

a second conduit for transporting fluid between said first and second chambers in response to motion of a said bellows,

said first and third bellows each having a fluid displacer connected together and arranged in tandem, and said second and fourth bellows each having a fluid displacer connected together and arranged in tandem such that on movement of one of said first and second controllers, the fluid displacer of said first bellows moves in the same direction as the fluid displacer of said third bellows, and the fluid displacer of said second bellows moves in the same direction as the fluid displacer of said fourth bellows.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said first and second conduits have substantially identical length, cross-section, co-efficient of radial expansion and total fluid volume.

27. An apparatus for controlling the motion of an aircraft, comprising first and second pilot controllers, each of which moves in the same degree of freedom, is directly operable by a pilot and is arranged to independently control motion of an aircraft about at least one axis thereof, and a coupling assembly coupling said first and second controllers to cause substantially identical and simultaneous motion of said controllers by varying a fluid distribution, wherein said coupling assembly comprises:

a first chamber including a first fluid displacer for enabling a fluid in said first chamber to be displaced, said first fluid displacer being coupled to said first controller,

a second chamber including a second fluid displacer for enabling a fluid in said second chamber to be displaced, said second fluid displacer being coupled to said second controller,

a first conduit for transporting fluid between said first and second chambers in response to motion of a fluid displacer,

a third chamber including a third fluid displacer for enabling a fluid in said third chamber to be displaced, said third fluid displacer being coupled to said first controller,

a fourth chamber including a fourth fluid displacer for enabling a fluid in said fourth chamber to be displaced, said fourth fluid displacer being coupled to said second controller,

a second conduit for transporting fluid between said third and fourth chambers,

said chambers being arranged such that on movement of said first and second controllers in one direction, fluid moves out of said first and fourth chambers and into said second and third chambers, and on movement of said first and second controllers in the opposite direction, fluid moves into said first and fourth chambers and out of said second and third chambers, and

wherein said first and second conduits have substantially identical length, cross-section, co-efficient of radial expansion and total fluid volume.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the volume enclosed by said first and second chambers and the volume enclosed by said third and fourth chambers are sealed.