Rudder and brake pedal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11919623-B2
Application number	US-202217689435-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2022
Priority date	Nov 1, 2019
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

An airplane rudder and brake pedal assembly includes a rudder arm assembly having one rudder arm with first upper and lower arm portions, and another rudder arm with second upper and lower arm portions. The rudder arm assembly is assembled to a beam at an intersection of the first upper and lower arm portions, and an intersection of the second upper and lower arm portions. The first and second rudder arms are configured to rotate about the beam at the intersection. The rotation of the first and second rudder arms is configured to adjust control surfaces that control a yaw axis of the airplane. A brake pedal is attached to the first and second lower arm portions. Rotation of the brake pedal brakes the airplane. A rotary sensor is assembled to the brake pedal and the lower arm portion, and configured to determine an extent of the brake pedal rotation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rudder and brake pedal assembly for an airplane, the assembly comprising:
a rudder arm assembly having a first rudder arm with a first upper arm portion coupled to a first lower arm portion, and having a second rudder arm with a second upper arm portion coupled to a second lower arm portion, the rudder arm assembly being assembled to a beam at an intersection of the first upper and lower arm portions, and at an intersection of the second upper and lower arm portions, the first and second rudder arms configured to rotate about the beam at the intersection, the rotation of the first and second rudder arms configured to adjust those control surfaces used to control a yaw axis of the airplane;
a brake pedal attached to an end of at least one of the first and second lower arm portions at an attachment point, wherein rotation of the brake pedal at the attachment point operates the wheel brakes of the airplane; and
a rotary sensor assembled to both the brake pedal and the lower arm portion at the attachment point, the rotary sensor configured to determine an extent of the brake pedal rotation; and
wherein the rotary sensor is a fixed link rotary sensor comprising:
a sensor housing, with a rotating shaft, fixed to the lower arm portion at the attachment point; and
an input lever coupled to the brake pedal and assembled onto the rotating shaft such that rotation of the brake pedal causes the input lever and attached rotating shaft to rotate relative to the sensor housing.

2. The rudder and brake pedal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a housing configured to house a trim mechanism, a bellcrank, a position-sensing mechanism, a friction assembly, a centering mechanism, a load-sensing assembly, and a damper assembly.

3. The rudder and brake pedal assembly of claim 2 , wherein the housing includes means for attachment of the rudder and brake pedal assembly to either a cockpit floor, a cockpit bulkhead, or directly under a cockpit instrument panel.

4. The rudder and brake pedal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a bellcrank configured to rotate about a centering hub shaft, the bellcrank having a first end on a first side of the centering hub shaft, and a second end on a second side of the centering hub shaft opposite the first side, the first end being operatively coupled to the first upper arm portion and the second end being operatively coupled to the second upper arm portion, the bellcrank operating such that when the first rudder arm is rotated in a first direction, the second rudder arm is rotated to the same degree as the first rudder arm but in a second direction opposite the first direction.

5. The rudder and brake pedal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a load-sensing assembly having one or more sensors to sense the forces generated by operation of the rudder arm assembly.

6. The rudder and brake pedal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rudder arm assembly is assembled to a translation block configured to move along a guide path, allowing for adjustment of the first and second rudder arms to adjust a position of the brake pedal.

7. The rudder and brake pedal assembly of claim 6 , wherein movement of the translation block is effected via a hand wheel, a motor, or a release latch.

8. A rudder and brake pedal assembly for an airplane, the assembly comprising:
a rudder arm assembly having a first rudder arm with a first upper arm portion coupled to a first lower arm portion, and having a second rudder arm with a second upper arm portion coupled to a second lower arm portion, the rudder arm assembly being assembled to a beam at an intersection of the first upper and lower arm portions, and at an intersection of the second upper and lower arm portions, the first and second rudder arms configured to rotate about the beam at the intersection, the rotation of the first and second rudder arms configured to adjust those control surfaces used to control a yaw axis of the airplane;
a bellcrank configured to rotate about a centering hub shaft, the bellcrank having a first end on a first side of the centering hub shaft, and a second end on a second side of the centering hub shaft opposite the first side, the first end being operatively coupled to the first upper arm portion and the second end being operatively coupled to the second upper arm portion, the bellcrank operating such that when the first rudder arm is rotated in a first direction, the second rudder arm is rotated to the same degree as the first rudder arm but in a second direction opposite the first direction, the bellcrank being further configured to maintain a fixed position during adjustment of the rudder arm assembly to adjust a position of a brake pedal attached to an end of at least one of the first and second lower arm portions;
a brake pedal assembly having a brake pedal and position sensor to sense a position of the brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal is attached to the first or second rudder arm;
a position-sensing mechanism for sensing a position of the first or second rudder arm;
a trim mechanism coupled to the first and second rudder arms, the trim mechanism configured to adjust those control surfaces used to trim the airplane;
a centering mechanism configured to return the first and second rudder arms to a neutral position;
wherein the brake pedal assembly, trim mechanism, centering mechanism, and position-sensing mechanism are integrated into a single device configured to be positioned below a cockpit instrument panel; and
wherein the bellcrank maintains a fixed position relative to the airplane during adjustment of the rudder arm assembly.

9. The rudder and brake pedal assembly of claim 8 , wherein the position sensor of the brake pedal assembly is an offset-sensor rotary sensor comprising:
a sensor housing with an attached sector gear, the sensor housing fixed to the brake pedal;
a mating gear fixed to the first or second lower arm portion, the mating gear engaging the sector gear such that rotation of the brake pedal causes the mating gear to travel a distance along the sector gear, the distance being proportional to the extent of the brake pedal rotation.

10. The rudder and brake pedal assembly of claim 8 , further comprising an interconnect clevis for connecting the rudder and brake pedal assembly to a second adjacent rudder and brake pedal assembly, wherein the interconnect clevis operates such that the rotation of the first or second rudder arm of the rudder and brake pedal assembly causes the same rotation of the corresponding rudder arm on the second rudder and brake pedal assembly, the interconnect clevis being further configured to maintain a fixed position during adjustment of the rudder arm assembly to adjust the position of the brake pedal.

11. The rudder and brake pedal assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a housing configured to house the position-sensing mechanism, the centering mechanism, and the trim mechanism, the housing including means for attachment of the rudder and brake pedal assembly to either a cockpit floor, a cockpit bulkhead, or directly below the cockpit instrument panel.

Assignees

• Voiles Jeffrey T
• Stachniak Darryl S
• Romana Roy
• Woodward Inc

Inventors

• Voiles Jeffrey T
• Stachniak Darryl S
• Romana Roy

Classifications

• B64C13/044 Primary

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

• B64C13/10

  comprising warning devices · CPC title

• B64C13/18

  using automatic pilot · CPC title

• B64C13/06

  adjustable to suit individual persons · CPC title

• B64C13/08

  Trimming zero positions · CPC title