Autothrottle system for aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12583603-B2
Application number	US-202217934706-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2022
Priority date	Sep 24, 2021
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

Disclosed is an automatic throttle arrangement utilizing a servo which receives commands from a controller on an aircraft and responsively rotates a mechanical device that is linked by a cable arrangement with the aircraft's throttle lever enabling automated throttle control. The mechanical device can be fixed to the throttle lever assembly using rivets designed to fail in case the servo/cable arrangement jams. This leaves the lever able to continue manual function.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A throttle system for an aircraft, the throttle system comprising:
a servo configured to rotate a servo output mechanism in response to autopilot commands received from a controller; a throttle lever configured to rotate around a stationary hub, the throttle lever comprising:
an autopilot activation button electrically connected to the controller; and
an autopilot deactivation button electrically connected to the controller;
a mechanical connection made between the servo output mechanism and the throttle lever, the mechanical connection being configured to move in response to a rotation of the servo output mechanism in an autopilot mode during an operation; and a breakable link included in the mechanical connection and configured to disconnect the throttle lever from the servo output mechanism; wherein the throttle system is configured to activate the autopilot mode when the throttle lever's autopilot activation button is pressed; wherein the throttle system is configured to deactivate the autopilot mode whenever a user either presses the throttle lever's autopilot deactivation button or manually rotates the throttle lever; wherein the breakable link is configured to break whenever a predetermined force, which breaks the breakable link, is applied to the throttle lever during a failure mode which is preventing the user from manually rotating the throttle lever to deactivate the autopilot mode; and wherein manually rotating the throttle lever to deactivate the autopilot mode does not cause the breakable link to break unless the throttle lever is prevented from rotating by the failure mode.

2 . The throttle system of claim 1 wherein the mechanical connection is a remote connection.

3 . The throttle system of claim 2 wherein the remote connection is established using a cable.

4 . The system of claim 3 wherein the cable is secured around both the servo output mechanism and an irregularly-shaped disk which rotates with the throttle lever around the hub.

5 . The system of claim 4 wherein the cable is secured into grooved rim on opposed sections established around the irregularly-shaped disk.

6 . The system of claim 3 wherein the servo output mechanism is a capstan.

7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the throttle lever is a single lever configured to control both propeller speed and pitch.

8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the mechanical connection includes a following disk which is fixed to and rotates about the hub along with the throttle lever, the following disk being configured to receive rotation imparted by the servo output mechanism.

9 . The system of claim 8 wherein the following disk rotates in spaced-apart parallel plane on the hub relative to the throttle lever.

10 . The system of claim 8 wherein the following disk is connected to an outer sector having two opposing fanned out areas, each fanned out area including a grooved outer rim, each grooved outer rim securing an end of a cable received and driven by the servo.

11 . The system of claim 8 wherein the following disk has one or more notched-out areas which are defined into a thickness on one side of the following disk directly opposite each of two attachment portions configured in an irregularly-shaped disk, the notched out areas each receiving a fastener and allowing for protruding fastener components to avoid interference with the rotation imparted by the servo output mechanism.

12 . The system of claim 8 further comprising:
a cable connection made between the servo output mechanism and a cable-receiving disk, the cable connection imparting the rotation from the servo into the cable-receiving disk; and
wherein the following disk rotates with and alongside the cable-receiving disk about the hub during the operation;
wherein the following disk and the cable-receiving disk rotate in distinct parallel planes on the hub;
wherein the breakable link comprises one or more frangible fasteners connecting the following disk to the cable-receiving disk during the operation; and
wherein the throttle system is configured to shear the one or more frangible fasteners during a jammed mode of operation, which disconnects the following disk from the cable-receiving disk and enables independent rotation of the following disk relative to the cable-receiving disk.

13 . The system of claim 12 wherein the one or more frangible fasteners are disposed on the hub between the distinct parallel planes in which the following disk and the cable-receiving disk rotate.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more frangible fasteners comprise two rivets which, when sheared, allow for free rotation of the following disk relative to the cable receiving disk on the hub.

15 . The system of claim 1 wherein the breakable link comprises at least one connecting device constructed to fail upon the throttle lever receiving the predetermined force greater than an amount of force that is normally required to move the throttle lever and less than an amount of force which would cause damage to the system.

16 . The system of claim 1 wherein the breakable link is a connecting mechanism that is configured to be subjected to a shearing force upon an occurrence of a dysfunction in a component in the mechanical connection made between the servo output mechanism and the throttle lever, the shearing force breaking the breakable link.

17 . The system of claim 1 wherein the breakable link includes one or more rivets configured to maintain the mechanical connection during the operation, the rivets being further configured to break by shearing upon a jamming of one of the servo or a component of the mechanical connection.

18 . An aircraft system comprising:
a controller configured to operate a servo to create angular movement of a control lever during an autopilot mode, the control lever comprising:
an autopilot activation button electrically connected to the controller; and
an autopilot deactivation button electrically connected to the controller;
a mechanical connection made between the servo and the control lever, the mechanical connection comprising a follower member which rotates with the control lever and on a common axis with the control lever, the follower member receiving rotation from the servo and consequentially imparting rotation into the control lever; and a breakable link included in the mechanical connection and configured to disconnect the control lever from the servo; wherein the aircraft system is configured to activate the autopilot mode when the control lever's autopilot activation button is pressed; wherein the aircraft system is configured to deactivate the autopilot mode whenever a user either presses the control lever's autopilot deactivation button or manually adjusts the control lever; and wherein the breakable link is configured to break whenever a predetermined force, which breaks the breakable link, is applied to the control lever during a failure mode which is preventing the user from manually adjusting the control lever to deactivate the autopilot mode; and wherein manually adjusting the control lever to deactivate the autopilot mode does not cause the breakable link to break unless the control lever is prevented from rotating by the failure mode.

19 . The system of claim 18 wherein:
the follower member rotates in spaced-apart parallel plane on a hub relative to the control lever; and
a sector rotates in an additional parallel plane outside of the follower member, the sector including a

Assignees

• Textron Aviation Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Willford Alec Charles
• Parker Ronald J
• Depinto Michael R

Classifications

• B64D31/06 Primary

  actuated automatically · CPC title

• B64C13/22

  readily revertible to personal control · CPC title

• B64D31/04 Primary

  actuated personally · CPC title