Hover and thrust control assembly for dual-mode aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022017218-A1
Application number	US-202016929206-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 15, 2020
Priority date	Jul 15, 2020
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A combined hover and forward thrust control assembly for a dual-mode aircraft includes a support structure attached to an aircraft frame of an aircraft having at least a vertical thrust propulsor and at least a forward thrust propulsor a throttle lever rotatably mounted to the support structure, wherein rotating the throttle lever in a first direction increases power to at least a vertical thrust propulsor and rotating the throttle lever in a second direction decreases power to at least a vertical thrust propulsor and a linear thrust control mounted on the throttle lever, wherein movement of the linear thrust control in a first direction increases forward thrust of at least a forward thrust propulsor, and movement of the linear thrust control in a second direction decreases forward thrust of the forward thrust propulsor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A combined hover and forward thrust control assembly for a dual-mode aircraft, the assembly comprising:
support structure attached to an aircraft frame of an aircraft having at least a vertical thrust propulsor and at least a forward thrust propulsor; a throttle lever rotatably mounted to the support structure, wherein rotating the throttle lever in a first direction increases power to the at least a vertical thrust propulsor and rotating the throttle lever in a second direction decreases power to the at least a vertical thrust propulsor; and a linear thrust control mounted on the throttle lever, wherein movement of the linear thrust control in a first direction increases forward thrust of the at least a forward thrust propulsor, and movement of the linear thrust control in a second direction decreases forward thrust of the forward thrust propulsor.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the throttle lever further comprises a resistance mechanism, wherein the resistance mechanism generates a force resisting rotation of the throttle lever.

3 . The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the force resisting rotation of the throttle lever is greater than a downward force exerted on the throttle lever by gravity.

4 . The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the force resisting rotation of the throttle lever increases when the linear thrust control is moved in the first direction.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the linear thrust control further comprises a thumb wheel rotatably mounted on the throttle lever.

6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the linear thrust control further includes at least an angular position sensor.

7 . The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least an angular position sensor includes at least a contactless sensor.

8 . The assembly of claim 6 , wherein at least an angular position sensor includes at least a Hall effect sensor.

9 . The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least an angular position sensor includes a plurality of independent sensors.

10 . The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the thumbwheel includes at least a detent.

11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the at least a detent includes a neutral position detent.

12 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the at least a detent includes an optimal cruise position detent.

13 . The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the thumb wheel may be rotated from the optimal cruise detent to a high speed position, and wherein the linear thrust control further comprises a biasing means that urges the thumb wheel from the high speed position to the optimal cruise detent

14 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein a detent includes a regenerative braking detent.

15 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the thumb wheel may be rotated from the regenerative braking detent to a maximal braking position, and wherein the linear thrust control further comprises a biasing means that urges the thumb wheel from the maximal braking position to the to the regenerative braking position.

16 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the linear thrust control further comprises a resistance mechanism that generates a force resisting rotation of thumb wheel.

17 . The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the force resisting rotation of the thumb wheel increases as thrust lever is moved in first direction and decreases as thrust lever is moved in second direction.

18 . The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a battery shut-off switch located on the thrust lever.

19 . The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the battery shut-off switch further comprises a guarded switch.

20 . The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the battery shut-off switch further comprises a battery failure indicator light.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Spiegel Cody
• Williams Dale

Classifications

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• G05G9/047

  the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks {(for switches H01H25/04)} · CPC title

• B64U50/19

  using electrically powered motors · CPC title

• B64U10/20

  Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft (flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17) · CPC title

• B64U50/32

  generated by fuel cells · CPC title