Aircraft throttle quadrant assembly with integrated visual indicator feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12258138-B2
Application number	US-202217806027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2022
Priority date	Jun 8, 2022
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A throttle quadrant system for an aircraft includes: a first throttle handle to control a first engine of the aircraft, the first throttle handle having a first activatable visual indicator integrated therein; a second throttle handle to control a second engine of the aircraft, the second throttle handle comprising a second activatable visual indicator integrated therein; and at least one controller to control activation and operation of the first activatable visual indicator and the second activatable visual indicator. The at least one controller responds to first engine data related to operating status of the first engine to selectively activate the first activatable visual indicator. The at least one controller also responds to second engine data related to operating status of the second engine to selectively activate the second activatable visual indicator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A throttle quadrant system for an aircraft having a first engine and a second engine, the throttle quadrant system comprising:
a first throttle handle to control the first engine of the aircraft, the first throttle handle comprising a first activatable visual indicator integrated therein;
a second throttle handle to control the second engine of the aircraft, the second throttle handle comprising a second activatable visual indicator integrated therein; and
at least one controller to control activation and operation of the first activatable visual indicator and the second activatable visual indicator; wherein:
the at least one controller responds to first engine data related to operating status of the first engine to selectively activate the first activatable visual indicator;
the at least one controller responds to second engine data related to operating status of the second engine to selectively activate the second activatable visual indicator;
the first activatable visual indicator is configured and controlled to indicate an abnormal operating status, state, condition, or health of the first engine;
the second activatable visual indicator is configured and controlled to indicate an abnormal operating status, state, condition, or health of the second engine;
the first throttle handle comprises a first user interface control element integrated therein;
the second throttle handle comprises a second user interface control element integrated therein;
actuation of the first user interface control element initiates a first corrective action onboard the aircraft to address the abnormal operating status, state, condition, or health of the first engine; and
actuation of the second user interface control element initiates a second corrective action onboard the aircraft to address the abnormal operating status, state, condition, or health of the second engine.

2. The throttle quadrant system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first throttle handle is a left throttle handle;
the first engine is a left engine of the aircraft;
the second throttle handle is a right throttle handle; and
the second engine is a right engine of the aircraft.

3. The throttle quadrant system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller controls operation of the first and second activatable visual indicators such that visual appearance of the first activatable visual indicator is influenced by an operating status, state, condition, or health measurement of the first engine, and such that visual appearance of the second activatable visual indicator is influenced by an operating status, state, condition, or health measurement of the second engine.

4. The throttle quadrant system of claim 3 , wherein:
the at least one controller varies visually distinguishable characteristics of the first activatable visual indicator in accordance with the operating status, state, condition, or health measurement of the first engine; and
the at least one controller varies visually distinguishable characteristics of the second activatable visual indicator in accordance with the operating status, state, condition, or health measurement of the second engine.

5. The throttle quadrant system of claim 4 , wherein the visually distinguishable characteristics of the first and second activatable visual indicators are selected from the group consisting of: colors; brightness; line patterns; line thickness; shapes; sizes; flashing patterns; pulsing patterns; fading patterns; text content; font; background; image content; video content; and animation.

6. The throttle quadrant system of claim 3 , wherein the operating status, state, condition, or health measurement of the first and second engines relates to one or more of: engine fire status; auto-throttle activation state; engine malfunction status; engine temperature; engine oil level; engine vibration status; fan blade off status; foreign object strike; and icing condition.

7. The throttle quadrant system of claim 1 , wherein the first activatable visual indicator and/or the second activatable visual indicator comprises a touch-sensitive user interface control element.

8. A throttle quadrant system for an aircraft, the throttle quadrant system comprising:
a throttle handle to control an engine of the aircraft, the throttle handle comprising an activatable visual indicator integrated therein; and
at least one controller to control activation and operation of the activatable visual indicator;
wherein the at least one controller responds to engine data related to status of the engine to selectively activate the activatable visual indicator;
wherein the at least one controller controls operation of the activatable visual indicator such that visual appearance of the activatable visual indicator is influenced by an operating status, state, condition, or health measurement of the engine;
wherein the activatable visual indicator is configured and controlled to indicate an abnormal operating status, state, condition, or health of the engine;
wherein the throttle handle comprises a user interface control element integrated therein; and
wherein actuation of the user interface control element initiates a corrective action onboard the aircraft to address the abnormal operating status, state, condition, or health of the engine.

9. The throttle quadrant system of claim 8 , wherein:
the at least one controller varies visually distinguishable characteristics of the activatable visual indicator in accordance with the operating status, state, condition, or health measurement of the engine.

10. The throttle quadrant system of claim 9 , wherein the visually distinguishable characteristics of the activatable visual indicator are selected from the group consisting of: colors; brightness; line patterns; line thickness; shapes; sizes; flashing patterns; pulsing patterns; fading patterns; text content; font; background; image content; video content; and animation.

11. The throttle quadrant system of claim 8 , wherein the operating status, state, condition, or health measurement of the engine relates to one or more of: engine fire status; auto-throttle activation state; engine malfunction status; engine temperature; engine oil level; engine vibration status; fan blade off status; foreign object strike; and icing condition.

12. The throttle quadrant system of claim 8 , wherein the activatable visual indicator comprises a touch-sensitive user interface control element.

13. An aircraft comprising:
a left engine;
a right engine;
a left throttle handle to control the left engine, the left throttle handle comprising a first activatable visual indicator integrated therein;
a right throttle handle to control the right engine, the right throttle handle comprising a second activatable visual indicator integrated therein; and
at least one controller to control activation and operation of the first activatable visual indicator and the second activatable visual indicator; wherein:
the at least one controller responds to left engine data associated with the left engine to selectively activate the first activatable visual indicator, and to control operation of the first activatable visual indicator such that visual appearance of the first activatable visual indicator is influenced by an operating status, state, condition, or health measurement of the left engine;
the at least one controller responds to right engine data associated with the right engine to selectively activate the second activatable visual indicator, and to control operation of the second activatable visual indicator such that visual appearance of the second activatable visual indicator is influen

Assignees

• Gulfstream Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Hausmann Jeffrey
• Freeman Gary
• Knight Michael
• Ates Ozan
• Medin Kristin
• Jordan Jim
• Bohanan Scott

Classifications

• G01D2207/10

  Displays which are primarily used in aircraft or display aircraft-specific information · CPC title

• G05G1/025

  actuated by sliding movement · CPC title

• G05G1/015

  Arrangements for indicating the position of a controlling member (means for continuously detecting pedal position G05G1/38; means for detecting position through tactile feedback G05G5/03) · CPC title

• B64D45/00

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64D31/14

  Transmitting means between initiating means and power plants · CPC title