Active control stick assembly
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsCasey Hanlon, Calvin C. Potter, Paul T. Wingett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An active control stick assembly is provided. In one embodiment, the active control stick assembly includes a housing assembly, and a control stick support body mounted within the housing assembly for rotation about two substantially orthogonal and co-planar rotational axes. A control stick is fixedly coupled to the control stick support body and rotatable along therewith from a null position to a plurality of control positions. A first spring element is coupled between the housing assembly and the control stick support body and passively biases the control stick toward the null position.
Claims20
An active control stick assembly, comprising:
- a housing assembly;
- a control stick support body mounted within the housing assembly for rotation about two substantially orthogonal and co-planar rotational axes;
- a control stick fixedly coupled to the control stick support body and rotatable along therewith from a null position to a plurality of control positions;
- and
- a first spring element coupled between the housing assembly and the control stick support body and passively biasing the control stick toward the null position.
An active control stick assembly, comprising:
- a housing assembly, comprising:
- a cradle;
- and
- a cover fixedly coupled to the cradle and having a central opening therethrough;
- a control stick extending through the central opening;
- a control stick support body rigidly coupled to the control stick and disposed between the cradle and the cover, the control stick support body mounted within the housing assembly for rotation about two substantially orthogonal rotational axes so as to permit the control stick to be rotated from a null position to a plurality of control positions;
- and
- a first spring element coupled between the housing assembly and the control stick support body and passively biasing the control stick toward the null position.
An active control stick assembly, comprising:
- a housing assembly having a socket therein;
- a control stick manually accessible from the exterior of the housing assembly;
- a control stick support body rigidly coupled to the control stick, the control stick support body disposed in the socket and configured to rotate therein to permit the control stick to be rotated from a null position to a plurality of control positions;
- and
- a plurality of spring elements coupled between the housing assembly and the control stick support body and passively biasing the control stick toward the null position, the plurality of spring elements angularly spaced at substantially even intervals about the circumference of the control stick support body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.