Fly-by-wire engine power control system

• US 9,096,325 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Oltheten, Erik, McCollough, James M., Scheidler, Peter F., Greenwood, Jeffery S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stehle, Jamie S
• Application Number:
  US14/082,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20150142215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.13, 244/194, 244/195, 244/196, 244/220, 244/221, 244/223, 244/228, 244/229, 244/230, 244/234, 244/236, 318/564
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/06 actuated automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/14 Transmitting means between initiating means and power plants
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/42 specially adapted for the control of two or more plants simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/329 in helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method of managing pilot and copilot control of engine power in an aircraft includes receiving, from a first pilot input device, a first signal representative of a pilot selection of an increase power position or a decrease power position and receiving, from a second pilot input device, a second signal representative of a pilot selection of an increase power position or a decrease power position. One of the first signal and the second signal is prioritized. An aircraft engine is then instructed to change power output based on the prioritized signal.

Claims

1. A rotorcraft, comprising:

a body;

a power train coupled to the body and comprising an engine and a drive shaft coupled to the engine;

a main rotor system coupled to the power train, the main rotor system comprising at least one main rotor blade;

a pilot input device disposed within the body and comprising;

an engine power throttle adjustable among a neutral position, an increase position, and a decrease position, the pilot input device configured to transmit a first signal in response to a pilot selection of the increase position and transmit a second signal in response to a pilot selection of the decrease position;

a shaft coupling the engine power throttle to the body of the rotorcraft; and

a transmission wire disposed within the shaft and configured to electrically communicate signals from the engine power throttle to an engine control unit; and

the engine control unit in electrical communication with the engine power throttle and operable to;

instruct the engine to increase power output in response to receipt of the first signal via the transmission wire; and

instruct the engine to decrease power output in response to receipt of the second signal via the transmission wire.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising a second engine power throttle disposed within the body, the engine control unit configured to:

receive a first engine power throttle signal from the power throttle and a second engine power throttle signal from the second engine power throttle, the first engine power throttle signal comprising one of the first signal and the second signal;

determine whether the first engine power throttle signal received from the engine power throttle is inconsistent with the second engine power throttle signal received from the second engine power throttle;

prioritize one signal from among the first engine power throttle signal received from the engine power throttle and the second engine power throttle signal received from the second engine power throttle; and

instruct the engine to change power output based on the prioritized signal.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 2, wherein the prioritizing one signal from among the first engine power throttle signal received from the engine power throttle and the second engine power throttle signal received from the second engine power throttle comprises prioritizing signals representative of pilot selection of an increase position over signals representative of pilot selection of a decrease position.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 2, wherein prioritizing one signal from among the signal received from the engine power throttle and the signal received from the second engine power throttle comprises prioritizing signals representative of smaller power changes over signals representative of larger power changes.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising a backup engine power throttle, the backup engine power throttle configured to, when engaged by a pilot, to instruct the engine control unit to operate the engine in a flight mode or an idle mode and ignore signals received from the engine power throttle.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1, the engine power throttle further comprising a spring device operable to reposition the engine power throttle from the increase position or the decrease position back to the neutral position.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein:

the engine power throttle is adjustable among a plurality of positions comprising a first position, a second position, a third position, and a fourth position, the first position representing the decrease position prior to a pilot selection, the second position representing the neutral position prior to the pilot selection, and the third position representing the increase position prior to the pilot selection;

the pilot selection of the increase position comprises adjustment of the engine power throttle from selection of the second position to selection of the third position; and

subsequent to the pilot selection, the second position represents the decrease position, the third position represents the neutral position, and the fourth position represents the increase position.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising an audio device configured to produce an audio indication that the engine has been instructed to increase or decrease power.

9. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising a display device configured to produce a visual indication that the engine has been instructed to increase or decrease power.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 1, the engine power throttle comprising a twist grip adjustable among the neutral position, the increase position, and the decrease position.

11. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein:

the engine control unit is operable to instruct the engine to increase power output to a flight mode of operation in response to receipt of the first signal; and

the engine control unit is operable to instruct the engine to decrease power output to an idle mode of operation in response to receipt of the second signal.

12. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein:

the engine control unit is operable to instruct the engine to increase power output by a first predetermined value in response to receipt of the first signal; and

the engine control unit is operable to instruct the engine to decrease power output by a second predetermined value in response to receipt of the second signal.

13. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising an operation mode switch disposed within the body and comprising a first mode position representative of a first operation mode and a second mode position representative of a second operation mode, wherein:

the engine control unit is operable to instruct the engine to increase power output to a flight mode of operation in response to receipt of the first signal in the first operation mode;

the engine control unit is operable to instruct the engine to decrease power output to an idle mode of operation in response to receipt of the second signal in the first operation mode;

the engine control unit is operable to instruct the engine to increase power output by a first value in response to receipt of the first signal in the second operation mode; and

the engine control unit is operable to instruct the engine to decrease power output by a second value in response to receipt of the second signal in the second operation mode.

14. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the shaft is a collective control stick.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the shaft comprises a curved shaft portion.