Rotorcraft autopilot and methods
First Claim
1. As part of an autopilot for providing automatic control of a helicopter by actuating one or more flight controls of the helicopter, an actuator arrangement comprising:
- at least one electric motor including an output shaft and a motor coil arrangement for receiving a drive current that produces rotation of the output shaft;
an actuator linkage that is operatively coupled between the output shaft of the motor and the flight controls such that rotation of the output shaft produces a corresponding movement of the actuator linkage and the flight controls; and
a motor drive arrangement that is operable to provide said drive current from a power source during normal operation of the autopilot and at least for shorting the motor coil arrangement responsive to a failure of the power source such that the motor provides a braking force on said actuator linkage that serves to stabilize the flight of the helicopter during said power failure.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A helicopter autopilot system includes an inner loop for attitude hold for the flight of the helicopter including a given level of redundancy applied to the inner loop. An outer loop is configured for providing a navigation function with respect to the flight of the helicopter including a different level of redundancy than the inner loop. An actuator provides a braking force on a linkage that serves to stabilize the flight of the helicopter during a power failure. The actuator is electromechanical and receives electrical drive signals to provide automatic flight control of the helicopter without requiring a hydraulic assistance system in the helicopter. The autopilot can operate the helicopter in a failed mode of the hydraulic assistance system. A number of flight modes are described with associated sensor inputs including rate based and true attitude modes.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. As part of an autopilot for providing automatic control of a helicopter by actuating one or more flight controls of the helicopter, an actuator arrangement comprising:
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at least one electric motor including an output shaft and a motor coil arrangement for receiving a drive current that produces rotation of the output shaft; an actuator linkage that is operatively coupled between the output shaft of the motor and the flight controls such that rotation of the output shaft produces a corresponding movement of the actuator linkage and the flight controls; and a motor drive arrangement that is operable to provide said drive current from a power source during normal operation of the autopilot and at least for shorting the motor coil arrangement responsive to a failure of the power source such that the motor provides a braking force on said actuator linkage that serves to stabilize the flight of the helicopter during said power failure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An autopilot system for a helicopter which includes a hydraulic assistance system that receives flight control inputs from a pilot and, in turn, produces mechanical outputs that are mechanically coupled to the helicopter to provide pilot control of the helicopter, said autopilot system comprising:
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a sensor arrangement that produces a set of sensor outputs that characterize the flight of the helicopter; a control arrangement that receives the sensor outputs and generates electrical drive signals; and an actuator arrangement that is electromechanical and receives said electrical drive signals to generate control outputs responsive thereto that are mechanically coupled to the hydraulic assistance system and which is configured to cooperate with the control arrangement to provide automatic flight control of the helicopter in a first, normal mode with the hydraulic assistance system in a normal operational status and in a second, failed mode with the hydraulic assistance system in a failed operational status to provide automatic flight control of the helicopter in each of the normal mode and the failed mode. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification