Adaptive flight control system for the yaw and thrust flight controls of a hybrid helicopter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10507905-B2
Application number	US-201615352924-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2016
Priority date	Nov 20, 2015
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

An adaptive flight control system for controlling the pitch of blades of a propulsive propeller of a hybrid helicopter as a function of the return value of the pitch. The adaptive flight control system comprises control means supplying the pitch control order, a piloting member controlling variation of the pitch, and piloting means applying a control gain in order to transform the control order into a setpoint, and transmitting the setpoint to the piloting member. The piloting means include information return means applying a return gain that is variable to the return value of the variation of the pitch to the piloting means, also modifying the control gain as a function of the return value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adaptive flight control system for an aircraft for modifying a gain applied to a return value of a flight control, the adaptive flight control system comprising:
control means supplying a flight control order by a first movement of the control means;
a piloting member for controlling a flight member of the aircraft;
piloting means comprising a control link and applying a control gain in order to transform the flight control order into a flight control setpoint and transmitting the flight control setpoint to action means via a second movement of the control link;
the action means transforming the flight control setpoint into a flight control action and applying the flight control action to the piloting member; and
information return means supplying the piloting means with a return value for the flight control, the return value being a current value of the flight control as actually applied by the flight member;
wherein the information return means varies a return gain applied to the return value of the flight control, the return gain being variable based on the return value of the flight control,
wherein the information return means comprise transfer means and a transfer link applying the return gain to the return value of the flight control, the transfer means being connected to the piloting member by a first mechanical connection possessing at least one degree of freedom, the piloting member causing a third movement of the transfer means capable of leading to a fourth movement of the transfer link.

2. The adaptive flight control system according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer means are provided with a groove and the transfer link is provided with a peg situated in the groove, the third movement of the transfer means leading to a movement of the peg in the groove and consequently possibly leading to the fourth movement of the transfer link, the movement of the peg in the groove possibly leading to a variation of the return gain.

3. The adaptive flight control system according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer means moves only in translation.

4. The adaptive flight control system according to claim 1 , wherein the piloting means apply the control gain to the flight control order, wherein the control gain is variable as based on the return value of the flight control.

5. The adaptive flight control system according to claim 4 , wherein the piloting means comprise a first yoke connected to the information return means and a second yoke connected to the first yoke, to the control means, and to the control link, the information return means causing a fifth movement of the first yoke, the fifth movement of the first yoke causing a sixth movement of the second yoke and thereby modifying the control gain applied to the flight control order.

6. The adaptive flight control system according to claim 4 , wherein the information return means comprise transfer means and the transfer link, the piloting means comprise a first yoke connected to the transfer link and a second yoke connected to the first yoke, to the control means, and to the control link, the fourth movement of the transfer link causing a fifth movement of the first yoke, the fifth movement of the first yoke causing a sixth movement of the second yoke, thereby modifying the control gain applied to the flight control order.

7. The adaptive flight control system according to claim 6 , wherein the transfer link is secured to the first yoke, wherein the fourth movement of the transfer link and the fifth movement of the first yoke are pivoting movements about a common pivot axis (AA).

8. The adaptive flight control system according to claim 5 , wherein the second yoke is connected to the first yoke by a first pivot connection, wherein the fifth movement of the first yoke causes a movement of the first pivot connection.

9. The adaptive flight control system according to claim 5 , wherein the control means are connected to the second yoke by a second pivot connection, and the first movement of the control means causes the second yoke to pivot about a first pivot connection as a function of the flight control order.

10. A propulsive propeller power transmission system, the propulsive propeller power transmission system comprising an adaptive flight control system and a propulsive propeller power transmission box, and wherein the adaptive flight control system is a system according to claim 1 .

11. The propulsive propeller power transmission system according to claim 10 , wherein the information return means are situated inside the power transmission box of a propulsive propeller so that the information return means are lubricated permanently.

12. An aircraft including at least one flight member and at least one flight control and at least one flight control mechanical linkage in order to pilot the flight member, wherein the aircraft includes at least one propulsive propeller power transmission system according to claim 10 and positioned between the at least one flight control mechanical linkage and the flight member.

13. The aircraft according to claim 12 , wherein the aircraft is a rotary wing aircraft comprising a fuselage, at least one main rotor provided with first blades, and at least two propulsive propellers positioned on either side of the fuselage and provided with second blades, each power transmission system of a propulsive propeller being positioned between the at least one mechanical linkage for controlling pitch of the second blades of the propulsive propellers and the propulsive propellers.

14. The aircraft according to claim 13 , wherein a first flight control is constituted by rudder pedals for yaw flight control of the aircraft and controlling the pitch of the second blades of the propulsive propellers in differential manner, and a second flight control is a thrust lever for the propulsive propellers and controlling the pitch of the second blades of the propulsive propellers in identical manner, the first and second flight controls acting jointly on the control means of the adaptive flight control system of each power transmission system of a propulsive propeller.

15. An adaptive flight control system for an aircraft comprising:
a first control linkage adapted to receive a flight control input, wherein the first control linkage supplies a first movement based on the flight control input;
a piloting linkage assembly comprising:
at least one yoke pivotally connected to the first control linkage;
a control link pivotally connected to the yoke and the first control linkage, wherein the first movement of the first control linkage causes a second movement of the control link,
wherein the piloting linkage assembly applies a control gain to transform the flight control input to a pitch variation setpoint based on the second movement;

a mechanical system connected to the control link to receive the pitch variation setpoint via the second movement of the control link and configured to transform the pitch variation setpoint into a pitch control action;
a piloting link connected to the mechanical system and adapted to be connected to the second blades of propulsive propellers, wherein the piloting link receives the pitch control action from the mechanical system and moves to modify the pitch of the second blades;
an information return linkage connected to the piloting link and the piloting linkage assembly and providing a feedback to indicate a current pitch of the second blades and apply a variable return gain based on the current pitch, the information return linkage comprising:
a transfer fitting connected to the piloting link and defin

Assignees

• Airbus Helicopters

Inventors

• Bihel Jean-Romain
• Groll Arnaud
• Biest Romuald
• Sassi Zouhair

Classifications

• B64C27/28

  with forward-propulsion propellers pivotable to act as lifting rotors · CPC title

• B64C27/26

  characterised by provision of fixed wings · CPC title

• B64C11/36

  non-automatic · CPC title

• B64C13/044 Primary

  operated by feet, e.g. pedals · CPC title

• B64C13/28

  mechanical · CPC title