Vertical thrust lever

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10011348-B1
Application number	US-201715584916-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 2, 2017
Priority date	May 2, 2017
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A vertical thrust lever has a first range of motion and is configured to output a first signal level where the first signal level is based at least in part on the position of the vertical thrust lever and the first signal level is used to control a first set of rotors which rotate in a horizontal plane. A controller has a second range of motion and is configured to output a second signal level where the second signal level is based at least in part on the position of the controller and the second signal level is used to control a second set of rotors which rotate in a vertical plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a vertical thrust lever which has a first range of motion and which is configured to output a first signal level, wherein the first signal level is based at least in part on the position of the vertical thrust lever within the first range of motion and the first signal level is used to control a first set of one or more rotors which rotate in a horizontal plane; and
a thumb controller which is coupled to the vertical thrust lever, which has a second range of motion, and which is configured to output a second signal level, wherein:
the second signal level is based at least in part on the position of the thumb controller within the second range of motion and the second signal level is used to control a second set of one or more rotors which rotate in a vertical plane;
the position of the thumb controller is independent of the position of the vertical thrust lever; and
the thumb controller is configured to control the second set of rotors such that:
in a combined mode, the second set of rotors outputs a first thrust output and a second thrust output that are matching; and
in a differential mode, the second set of rotors outputs a third thrust output and a fourth thrust output with opposite signs.

2. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the vertical thrust lever includes a detent associated with zero thrust.

3. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the vertical thrust lever includes a detent associated with zero thrust; and
the system further includes a lock which is configured to lock the vertical thrust lever at the detent associated with zero thrust.

4. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the vertical thrust lever includes a detent associated with zero thrust; and
the system further includes a lock which is configured to lock the vertical thrust lever at the detent associated with zero thrust, wherein the lock includes a ring lock.

5. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the vertical thrust lever includes a detent associated with zero thrust; and
the system further includes a lock which is configured to lock the vertical thrust lever at the detent associated with zero thrust, wherein the lock includes a cam lock.

6. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of rotors includes a left rotor and a right rotor; and
the thumb controller includes a combined axial thrust thumb slider which is configured to control the second set of rotors such that in the combined mode, the left rotor and the right rotor respectively produce the first thrust output and the second thrust output that are matching thrusts.

7. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of rotors includes a left rotor and a right rotor;
the thumb controller includes a combined axial thrust thumb slider which is configured to control the second set of rotors such that in the combined mode, the left rotor and the right rotor respectively produce the first thrust output and the second thrust output that are matching thrusts; and
the combined axial thrust thumb slider includes a fore-aft thumb slider.

8. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of rotors includes a left rotor and a right rotor;
the thumb controller includes a combined axial thrust thumb slider which is configured to control the second set of rotors such that in the combined mode, the left rotor and the right rotor respectively produce the first thrust output and the second thrust output that are matching thrusts; and
the combined axial thrust thumb slider includes a fore-aft thumb slider which in turn includes a detent associated with zero thrust.

9. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of rotors includes a left rotor and a right rotor;
the thumb controller includes a combined axial thrust thumb slider which is configured to control the second set of rotors such that in the combined mode, the left rotor and the right rotor respectively produce the first thrust output and the second thrust output that are matching thrusts; and
the combined axial thrust thumb slider includes a fore-aft thumb slider which in turn includes a detent associated with a recommended sustained maximum.

10. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of rotors includes a left rotor and a right rotor; and
the thumb controller includes a differential axial thrust thumb slider which is configured to control the second set of rotors such that in the differential mode, the left rotor and the right rotor respectively produce the third thrust output and the fourth thrust output with opposite signs.

11. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of rotors includes a left rotor and a right rotor;
the thumb controller includes a differential axial thrust thumb slider which is configured to control the second set of rotors such that in the differential mode, the left rotor and the right rotor respectively produce the third thrust output and the fourth thrust output with opposite signs; and
the differential axial thrust thumb slider includes a left-right thumb slider.

12. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of rotors includes a left rotor and a right rotor;
the thumb controller includes a differential axial thrust thumb slider which is configured to control the second set of rotors such that in the differential mode, the left rotor and the right rotor respectively produce the third thrust output and the fourth thrust output with opposite signs; and
the differential axial thrust thumb slider includes a left-right thumb slider which in turn includes a detent associated with zero thrust.

13. The system recited in claim 1 , further comprising a momentary push button which is configured to clear at least one displayed message.

14. The system recited in claim 1 , further comprising a momentary push button which is configured to mark an event.

15. The system recited in claim 1 , further comprising a momentary push button which is configured to mark an event, including by storing current coordinates.

16. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the vertical thrust lever is door-mounted.

17. A method, comprising:
outputting a first signal level from a vertical thrust lever which has a first range of motion, wherein the first signal level is based at least in part on the position of the vertical thrust lever within the first range of motion and the first signal level is used to control a first set of one or more rotors which rotate in a horizontal plane; and
outputting a second signal level from a thumb controller which is coupled to the vertical thrust lever and which has a second range of motion, wherein:
the second signal level is based at least in part on the position of the thumb controller within the second range of motion and the second signal level is used to control a second set of one or more rotors which rotate in a vertical plane;
the position of the thumb controller is independent of the position of the vertical thrust lever; and
the thumb controller is configured to control the second set of rotors such that:
in a combined mode, the second set of rotors outputs a first thrust output and a second thrust output that are matching; and
in a differential mode, the second set of rotors outputs a third thrust output and a fourth thrust output with opposite signs.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Wong Sheldon
• Shoemaker William C

Classifications

• B64C13/14 Primary

  lockable · CPC title

• B64C29/0025

  the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage · CPC title

• B64C27/56

  characterised by the control initiating means, e.g. manually actuated · CPC title

• B64D31/04

  actuated personally · CPC title

• B64C13/0421

  control sticks for primary flight controls · CPC title