US 5,489,830 AGranted

Control system with loadfeel and backdrive

AssigneeMcDonnell Douglas Corporation

InventorCarlos P. Fernandez

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Abstract

The control system includes a control member connected to a control centering device which resists operational control member movement and returns it to a neutral position upon release thereof. Force and position sensors connected to the control member determine operator force exerted thereon as well as the position thereof. Output from the sensors is transmitted to a computer which also receives data relating to position of aircraft controlled surfaces and aerodynamic forces acting on the aircraft as well as flight data, etc. The computer combines and compares that data with other data relating to frictional forces produced by movement of the mechanical control system and data relating to desired control member resistive forces under predetermined operational conditions. The computer thereby determines the magnitude of the control member resistive forces required to produce the desired tactile feel and provides an output based thereon to an actuator which applies these forces to the control member. When in automatic pilot mode, the computer provides an output to the actuator to move the control member to a position representing the command output that the computer provides to the controlled surfaces to control the position thereof.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A control system comprising:

a control member;
a control centering means connected to said member, said control centering means resisting operational movement of said member;
a control force sensor connected to said control member to sense operational forces applied to said member, said control force sensor having an output containing force data relating to the operational forces;
a control position sensor connected to said control member to sense the position of said control member, said control position sensor having an output containing position data relating to the position of the control member;
a control actuator electrically interconnecting said member and controlled structures for applying resistive forces to said member and operative forces to the structures;
a first databank having first data relating to frictional forces resisting operational movement of the controlled structures in response to operational movement of said member;
a second databank having second data relating to desired magnitude of forces resisting operational movement of said member under predetermined operational conditions;
and
a computer processor unit for receiving the data from said databanks and receiving information from said control force sensor and said position sensor and utilizing said data to control said actuator in order to provide a desired resistive force to said member.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.