Active control column with manually activated reversion to passive control column
First Claim
1. A control column for an aircraft comprising:
- a passive feedback arrangement moveable relative to a mechanical ground;
a stick movable relative to the mechanical ground; and
a ground lock mechanism having a locked state in which the passive feedback arrangement is maintained in a fixed position relative to the mechanical ground and a normal state in which the passive feedback arrangement is permitted to move relative to the mechanical ground;
an actuator operably coupled to the passive feedback arrangement when the ground lock mechanism is in the normal state to move the passive feedback arrangement relative to the mechanical ground; and
wherein the ground lock mechanism further includes an intermediate transition state in which the passive feedback arrangement is permitted to move relative to the mechanical ground and the actuator is operably de-coupled from the passive feedback arrangement such that the passive feedback arrangement can be moved relative to the mechanical ground independent of the actuator.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An active control column transitionable to a fully passive state for an aircraft and methods of use are provided. The control column includes a passive feedback arrangement, a stick and a ground lock mechanism is provided. The passive feedback arrangement is moveable relative to a mechanical ground to adjust a feedback profile provided to the stick. The stick is movable relative to the mechanical ground and the passive feedback arrangement. The ground lock mechanism has a locked state in which the passive feedback arrangement is maintained in a fixed position relative to the mechanical ground. This places the control column in a fully passive state. The ground lock mechanism also has a normal state in which the passive feedback arrangement is permitted to move relative to the mechanical ground such that active feedback can be provided to the stick.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A control column for an aircraft comprising:
-
a passive feedback arrangement moveable relative to a mechanical ground; a stick movable relative to the mechanical ground; and a ground lock mechanism having a locked state in which the passive feedback arrangement is maintained in a fixed position relative to the mechanical ground and a normal state in which the passive feedback arrangement is permitted to move relative to the mechanical ground; an actuator operably coupled to the passive feedback arrangement when the ground lock mechanism is in the normal state to move the passive feedback arrangement relative to the mechanical ground; and wherein the ground lock mechanism further includes an intermediate transition state in which the passive feedback arrangement is permitted to move relative to the mechanical ground and the actuator is operably de-coupled from the passive feedback arrangement such that the passive feedback arrangement can be moved relative to the mechanical ground independent of the actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10)
-
-
6. A control column for an aircraft comprising:
-
a passive feedback arrangement moveable relative to a mechanical ground; a stick movable relative to the mechanical ground; a ground lock mechanism having a locked state in which the passive feedback arrangement is maintained in a fixed position relative to the mechanical around and a normal state in which the passive feedback arrangement is permitted to move relative to the mechanical ground; and an actuator operably coupled to the passive feedback arrangement when the ground lock mechanism is in the normal state to move the passive feedback arrangement relative to the mechanical ground; wherein the stick is indirectly coupled to the actuator through the passive feedback arrangement such that the stick is permitted to move relative to the actuator through the passive feedback arrangement in both the normal and locked states.
-
-
7. A control column for an aircraft comprising:
-
a passive feedback arrangement moveable relative to a mechanical ground; a stick movable relative to the mechanical ground; and a ground lock mechanism having a locked state in which the passive feedback arrangement is maintained in a fixed position relative to the mechanical ground and a normal state in which the passive feedback arrangement is permitted to move relative to the mechanical ground; an actuator operably coupled to the passive feedback arrangement when the ground lock mechanism is in the normal state to move the passive feedback arrangement relative to the mechanical ground; wherein the stick is indirectly coupled to the actuator through the passive feedback arrangement such that the stick is permitted to move relative to the actuator through the passive feedback arrangement in both the normal and locked states; and wherein the passive feedback arrangement includes a cam providing a cam surface and a resistance arrangement acting on the cam, the stick includes a cam follower that interacts with the cam surface, movement of the cam follower along the cam surface varies the biasing force applied to the stick via the resistance arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (8)
-
-
11. A control column for an aircraft comprising:
-
a passive feedback arrangement moveable relative to a mechanical ground; a stick movable relative to the mechanical ground; and a ground lock mechanism having a locked state in which the passive feedback arrangement is maintained in a fixed position relative to the mechanical ground and a normal state in which the passive feedback arrangement is permitted to move relative to the mechanical ground; and wherein the ground lock mechanism and the passive feedback arrangement include a catch arrangement therebetween, in the normal state the catch arrangement is decoupled such that the ground lock mechanism does not inhibit movement of the passive feedback arrangement and in the locked state the catch arrangement is coupled such that the ground lock mechanism fixes the position of the feedback arrangement relative to the mechanical ground.
-
-
12. A method of converting a control column from being an active control column to a passive control column that provides passive feedback to a stick of the control column, comprising the steps of:
-
transitioning a ground lock mechanism of the control column between a normal state in which a passive feedback arrangement is permitted to move relative to a mechanical ground and a locked state in which the passive feedback arrangement is maintained in a fixed position relative to the mechanical ground, wherein the stick is permitted to move relative to the mechanical ground and the passive feedback arrangement in both the normal and the locked states through the passive feedback arrangement; decoupling an actuator, which is operably coupled to the passive feedback arrangement when the ground lock mechanism is in the normal state to move the passive feedback arrangement relative to the mechanical ground, from the passive feedback arrangement such that the passive feedback arrangement can be transitioned relative to the mechanical ground independent of the actuator; and engaging a catch arrangement provided by the feedback arrangement and the ground lock mechanism to transition the ground lock mechanism into the locked state. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification