Electric control mechanism, and an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10840040-B2
Application number	US-201816200919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2018
Priority date	Dec 19, 2017
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

An electrical control mechanism having a support. A central body that is movable in rotation about a central axis of rotation (AXROTC) carries a button that is movable in rotation relative to the central body about an offset axis of rotation (AXROTD) parallel to the central axis of rotation (AXROTC). First return means are interposed between the central body and the button, with second return means being interposed between the central body and the support. Two primary electric switches are interposed between the button and the central body on either side of a plane containing the central axis of rotation (AXROTC) and the offset axis of rotation (AXROTD). Two secondary electric switches are interposed between the support and the central body on either side of the plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical control mechanism having a support and a button, the control mechanism comprising a central body arranged in the support, the button being carried by the central body and presenting a degree of freedom to move relative to the central body, an offset axis of rotation (AXROTD) of the button being parallel to a central axis of rotation (AXROTC), first return means being interposed between the central body and the button and exerting a force on the button in order to position it in a neutral position (POSN), second return means being interposed between the central body and the support and exerting a force on the central body in order to position the button in the neutral position (POSN),
wherein the central body presents only one degree of freedom to move relative to the support in rotation about the central axis of rotation (AXROTC), the button presenting only one degree of freedom to move relative to the central body in rotation about the offset axis of rotation (AXROTD), the control mechanism having two primary electric switches interposed between the button and the central body on either side of a plane containing the central axis of rotation (AXROTC) and the offset axis of rotation (AXROTD) in order to detect a movement in rotation of the button relative to the central body, the control mechanism having two secondary electric switches interposed between the support and the central body on either side of the plane in order to detect a movement in rotation of the central body relative to the support, and wherein the first return means present stiffness less than the stiffness of the second return means.

2. The control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein a radius of a circle centered on the central axis of rotation (AXROTC) is contained in the plane.

3. The control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the support is locally open to an external medium (EXT), the button extending at least in part in the external medium (EXT).

4. The control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the first return means include at least two resilient members situated on either side of the plane, each resilient member having stiffness less than the second return means.

5. The control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the second return means comprise a spring secured to the support and to the central body.

6. The control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein each of the two primary switches comprises an internal primary metal contact fastened to the central body and an external primary metal contact fastened to the button, the internal primary metal contact of each primary switch being in contact with the external primary metal contact of that primary switch when the button is in the neutral position.

7. The control mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein each of the internal primary metal contacts and the external primary metal contacts of each of the two primary switches comprises an elastically deformable primary spring blade.

8. The control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein each of two secondary switches comprises an internal secondary metal contact fastened to the central body and an external secondary metal contact fastened to the support, the internal secondary metal contact of a secondary switch not being in contact with the external secondary metal contact of that secondary switch when the button is in the neutral position.

9. The control mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein the internal secondary metal contact of each of the two secondary switches comprises an elastically deformable secondary spring blade, and the external secondary metal contacts of each of the two secondary switches comprises a spring blade suitable for being in contact against the elastically deformable secondary spring blade of that secondary switch.

10. The control mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein each of two secondary switches comprises an internal secondary metal contact fastened to the central body and an external secondary metal contact fastened to the support, the internal secondary metal contact of a secondary switch not being in contact with the external secondary metal contact of that secondary switch when the button is in the neutral position, and wherein the external primary metal contacts of the two primary switches and the external secondary metal contacts of the two secondary switches are connected respectively to four electrical output connections for connecting to an electrical ground.

11. The control mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein each of two secondary switches comprises an internal secondary metal contact fastened to the central body and an external secondary metal contact fastened to the support, the internal secondary metal contact of a secondary switch not being in contact with the external secondary metal contact of that secondary switch when the button is in the neutral position, and wherein the internal primary metal contacts of the two primary switches and the internal secondary metal contacts of the two secondary switches are respectively connected to four electrical input connections for connecting to a source of electricity.

12. The control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein when the button is in the neutral position:
internal primary metal contacts of the two primary switches are arranged symmetrically on either side of the plane;
internal secondary metal contacts of the two secondary switches are arranged symmetrically on either side of the plane;
external primary metal contacts of the two primary switches are arranged symmetrically on either side of the plane; and
external secondary metal contacts of the two secondary switches are arranged symmetrically on either side of the plane.

13. The control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the central body is hinged to the support via a central pivot connection (ARTC), the button being hinged to the central body by an offset pivot connection (ARID).

14. The control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the central body includes a central core arranged around a pivot rod of the support, the core carrying a peg via a connection rod, the button including a socket in which the peg is arranged.

15. An aircraft including at least one propulsion system generating thrust, wherein the aircraft includes an electrical control mechanism according to claim 1 , the electrical control mechanism being connected to the propulsion system to control the thrust, at least in part.

16. The aircraft according to claim 15 , wherein the propulsion system includes a plurality of variable pitch blades, and the propulsion system includes a pitch modification system for modifying the pitch, the control mechanism being connected to calculation means and the calculation means controlling the pitch modification system.

17. A method of controlling a propulsion system by means of a control mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein while the button is in the neutral position, the two primary electric switches and the two secondary electric switches are either in a closed initial state or else in an open initial state, and the method comprises the following steps in succession:
generating and transmitting a control signal to modify thrust generated by the propulsion system when only one primary electric switch and one secondary electric switch situated on either side of the plane change state; and
stopping the transmission as soon as one of the primary electric switch and the secondary electric switch that have changed state returns to its initial state.

Assignees

• Airbus Helicopters

Inventors

• Abdelli Kamel
• Sellier Olivier

Classifications

• H01H23/30 Primary

  with stable centre positions and one or both end positions unstable · CPC title

• H01H23/003

  with more than one electrically distinguishable condition in one or both positions · CPC title

• H01H25/04

  Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick · CPC title

• H01H2205/002

  fixed to operating part · CPC title

• H01H2235/028

  Blade spring · CPC title