US 9,340,278 B2 · Flight control system

Abstract

A system and method for a controlling an aircraft with flight control surfaces that are controlled both manually and by a computing device is disclosed. The present invention improves overall flight control operation by reducing the mechanical flight control surface components while providing sufficient back-up control capability in the event of either a mechanical or power-related failure. Through the present invention, natural feedback is provided to the operator from the mechanical flight control surface which operates independent of computer-aided flight control surfaces. Further, through the present invention, force input signals received from the pilot are filtered to improve the operation of the computer-aided flight control surfaces.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A process for operating a powered control surface of an aircraft, the aircraft having a powered control surface operated by a powered actuator and an unpowered control surface operated by a pilot of the aircraft using a control means, wherein the control means are mechanically coupled to the unpowered control surface so that aerodynamic forces acting on the unpowered control surface are exerted on the control means, the process comprising the steps of:

operating the control means to position the unpowered control surface with a desired deflection;
measuring a force signal representing the force applied to the control means by a pilot in response to aerodynamic forces acting on the unpowered control surface at the desired deflection;
converting the force signal into a desired powered control surface deflection;
and
operating the powered actuator to position the powered control surface at the desired powered control surface deflection.

2 more elements

A flight control system for an aircraft comprising:

control means for receiving control input from a pilot;
a first control surface mechanically coupled to the control means without any powered actuators and operated by the control means to a desired deflection;
a second control surface operated by powered actuators;
a force sensor coupled to the control means for measuring a force applied to the control means by a pilot;
and
a computing device configured to receive the measured force, apply a control law to the measured force, and operate the powered actuators to position the second control surface in response to the control law;
wherein the control law comprises the steps of:
measuring a force signal representing the force applied to the control means by a pilot in response to aerodynamic forces acting on the first control surface at the desired deflection;
selecting a filter to generate a desired aircraft response;
applying the filter to the force signal to produce a desired powered control surface deflection, wherein the filter is a second order filter that models a mass-spring-damper system;
and
operating the powered actuator to position the second control surface at the desired powered control surface deflection.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

14/275,102Filed 12 May 2014 · continuation in part

Priority

17 May 2006

Published

US 2014/0288731 A125 Sep 2014

Granted

17 May 2016

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B64C 13/0421
Operated by hand: control sticks for primary flight controls
B64C 9/04
Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders: with compound dependent movements
B64C 9/10
Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders: one surface adjusted by movement of another, e.g. servo tabs
B64C 13/0425
Operated by hand: for actuating trailing or leading edge flaps, air brakes or spoilers

Family

Application11/383,791Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 May 2006

Application11/669,565Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Jan 2007

Application12/708,244Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 18 Feb 2010

US 8,380,364 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Feb 2013

US 8,401,716 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Mar 2013

US 2014/0288731 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 Sep 2014

US 8,725,321 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2007/0267548 A1Published application

US 2007/0271008 A1Published application

US 2010/0145555 A1Published application

US 9,340,278 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Flight control system

Life of this patent

Flight control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24