Lift lever assembly for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft and a method for its use
AssigneeBeta Air, LLC
InventorsCollin Freiheit, Cody Spiegel, Nicholas Moy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lift lever assembly for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft is disclosed. The assembly includes a lever configured to control a lift propulsor of an aircraft. The assembly additionally includes at least a handle mechanically coupled to the lever, wherein the handle configured to allow transition of the lever from a thrust-engaged position to a thrust-disengaged position when the at least a handle is in an active position. The assembly also includes at least a sensor in communication with the lever, wherein the at least a sensor is configured to identify when the lever transitions from the thrust-engaged position to the thrust-disengaged position.
Claims20
A lift lever assembly for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, wherein the lift lever assembly comprises:
- a lever configured to control a lift propulsor of an aircraft, the lever positionable about a first hinge between a thrust-engaged position and a thrust-disengaged position;
- a handle disposed at a middle portion of a length between the first hinge and a distal end of the lever and mechanically coupled to the lever, the handle coupled to the lever through a second hinge and comprising:
- a latch having an outer surface and an inner surface;
- and
- a torsion spring configured to provide a rotational torque at the second hinge to bias the handle into an inactive position;
- wherein:
- the handle is configured to allow, while the handle is in an active position, transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to the thrust-disengaged position;
- the outer surface comprises a curved surface that contacts a stopper when the lever is pivoted into the thrust-engaged position and causes the handle to transition to the active position without a user input;
- the inner surface contacts the stopper to prevent pivotal motion of the lever into the thrust-disengaged position when the handle is in the inactive position;
- and
- a computing device incorporated with the lift lever assembly, wherein the computing device is communicatively connected to an alert configured to output a notification in response to and describing a transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to the thrust-disengaged position.
A method of use for a lift lever assembly for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:
- controlling, using a lever, a lift propulsor of an aircraft between a thrust-engaged position and a thrust-disengaged position, wherein the lever comprises:
- a handle disposed at a middle portion of a length of the lever between a hinge and a distal end of the lever and mechanically coupled to the lever through a second hinge and comprising:
- a latch having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the outer surface comprises a curved surface that contacts a stopper when the lever is pivoted into the thrust-engaged position and causes the handle to transition to an active position without a user input, and wherein the inner surface contacts the stopper to prevent pivotal motion of the lever into the thrust-disengaged position when the handle is in an inactive position;
- and
- a torsion spring configured to provide a rotational torque at the second hinge to bias the handle into an inactive position;
- wherein the handle is configured to allow transition of the lever from a thrust-engaged position to a thrust-disengaged position, wherein in the thrust-disengaged position the lever is oriented horizontally and in the thrust-engaged position the lever is oriented in a position that is not horizontal;
- an identifier mechanically communicable with the lever and comprising a sensor;
- and
- a computing device incorporated with the lever, wherein the computing device is communicatively connected to an alert;
- allowing transition, using the handle, of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to the thrust-disengaged position when the handle is in an active position;
- sensing, using the sensor and the identifier, a position of the lever;
- determining, using the computing device, a transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to the thrust-disengaged position;
- and
- generating, at the computing device incorporated with the lever and in response to the transition, a notification of the transition to the alert.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.