Selectively engageable detent system for aircraft operation

An input assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a control lever movable along a lever path and configured to control a system of the vehicle, the control lever configured to be moved by a user when the input assembly is operated in a manual operation mode;
• an actuation system configured to move the control lever along the lever path when the input assembly is operated in an automatic operation mode, thereby controlling the system of the vehicle during the automatic operation mode;
• a selectively engageable detent feature configured to inhibit travel of the control lever when the selectively engageable detent feature is in an engaged configuration;
• a biasing spring;
• and
• an actuator configured to:
• engage the selectively engageable detent feature for operation of the input assembly in the manual operation mode;
• and
• disengage the selectively engageable detent feature for operation of the input assembly in the automatic operation mode, wherein
• the actuator has a first state and a second state;
• in the first state, the actuator overcomes the biasing spring to disengage the selectively engageable detent feature;
• and
• in the second state, the biasing spring engages the selectively engageable detent feature.

A throttle quadrant comprising:

• a base structure;
• a thrust control lever coupled to the base structure and movable along a first lever path;
• a flight control surface lever coupled to the base structure and movable along a second lever path;
• a movable detent assembly movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position and comprising:
• a first support member;
• a second support member;
• a first detent feature extending from the first support member, the first detent feature:
• positioned in the first lever path to block the thrust control lever at a particular location along the first lever path when the movable detent assembly is in the engaged position;
• and
• not positioned in the first lever path when the movable detent assembly is in the disengaged position;
• and
• a second detent feature extending from the second support member, the second detent feature:
• positioned in the second lever path to block the flight control surface lever at a particular location along the second lever path when the movable detent assembly is in the engaged position;
• and
• not positioned in the second lever path when the movable detent assembly is in the disengaged position;
• and
• an actuator configured to move the movable detent assembly between the engaged position the disengaged position.

An aircraft, comprising:

• a control lever movable along a lever path and configured to control a system of the aircraft during a manual flight mode of the aircraft and during an at least partially autonomous flight mode of the aircraft;
• a selectively engageable detent feature configured to inhibit travel of the control lever and operable in:
• a disengaged configuration in which the control lever is movable along the lever path without restriction by the selectively engageable detent feature;
• and
• an engaged configuration in which the selectively engageable detent feature inhibits travel of the control lever at a particular location along the lever path;
• a self-locking detent actuation mechanism configured to lock the selectively engageable detent feature in the engaged configuration during the manual flight mode of the aircraft, wherein:
• the self-locking detent actuation mechanism comprises a mechanical linkage positionable in an over-center configuration;
• and
• the selectively engageable detent feature is locked in the engaged configuration when the mechanical linkage is positioned in the over-center configuration;
• and
• a flight control system configured to:
• cause a detent actuator to move the selectively engageable detent feature into the engaged configuration for operation of the control lever during the manual flight mode of the aircraft;
• and
• cause the detent actuator to move the selectively engageable detent feature into the disengaged configuration for operation of the control lever during the at least partially autonomous flight mode of the aircraft.