Rudder bar for an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9856015-B2
Application number	US-201514961349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A rudder bar for an aircraft comprising a floor, a steering connecting rod and a braking connecting rod. The rudder bar comprises a base fixed above the floor, a pedal arm mounted rotatably on the base about a first axis of rotation and having a lower end and an upper end, a pedal mounted rotatably on the lower end about a second axis of rotation, a first transmission assembly configured to transmit a movement to the steering connecting rod when the pedal arm pivots about the first axis of rotation, and a second transmission assembly configured to transmit a movement to the braking connecting rod when the pedal pivots about the second axis of rotation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft rudder bar for an aircraft comprising a floor, a steering connecting rod and a braking connecting rod, said rudder bar comprising:
a base fixed above the floor,
a pedal arm mounted rotatably on the base about a first axis of rotation and having a lower end oriented toward the floor relative to the first axis of rotation,
a pedal mounted rotatably on the lower end about a second axis of rotation, which is parallel to and distanced from the first axis of rotation,
a first transmission assembly configured to transmit a movement to the steering connecting rod when the pedal arm pivots about the first axis of rotation, and
a second transmission assembly configured to transmit a movement to the braking connecting rod when the pedal pivots about the second axis of rotation,
wherein the base is formed of a base element fixed above the floor and of a paddle mounted rotatably on the base element about an adjustment axis parallel to and distanced from the first axis of rotation,
wherein the pedal arm is mounted rotatably on the paddle about the first axis of rotation, and
wherein the rudder bar has blocking means configured to assume, in turn, a blocking position, in which said blocking means blocks the rotation of the paddle, or an adjustment position, in which said blocking means allows the paddle to rotate freely.

2. The aircraft rudder bar as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blocking means comprise:
a rack and pinion extending over an arc of a circle centered on the adjustment axis and formed on the paddle, and
a ratchet system comprising a tooth and movement means configured to move the tooth from a ratcheted position, in which the tooth cooperates with the rack and pinion, into a free position, in which the tooth does not cooperate with the rack and pinion.

3. The aircraft rudder bar as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the movement means comprise:
a pedestal fixed relative to the base element,
a lever, which carries the tooth and which is rotatable on the pedestal in order to assume, in turn, the ratcheted position or the free position, and
a return element, which forces the lever into the ratcheted position.

4. The aircraft rudder bar as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a push means creating a force that pushes the paddle toward a pilot of the aircraft.

5. The aircraft rudder bar as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the pedal arm has an upper end, and wherein the lower end and the upper end extend from either side of the first axis of rotation and
wherein the first transmission assembly comprises:
a steering shaft mounted rotatably about a steering axis and fixed to the steering connecting rod, and
a first link, of which a first end is mounted in an articulated manner on the upper end, and of which a second end is mounted in an articulated manner on the steering shaft, such that the rotation of the pedal arm about the first axis of rotation in one direction drives the rotation of the steering shaft in a first direction, and such that the rotation of the pedal arm about the first axis of rotation in the opposite direction drives the rotation of the steering shaft in a second direction, which is opposite said first direction.

6. The aircraft rudder bar as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the articulation of the first end of the first link on the upper end is advantageously a rotation about the adjustment axis.

7. The aircraft rudder bar as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second assembly comprises:
a beam mounted rotatably on the base or the base element about a third axis of rotation, said beam being fixed to the braking connecting rod, and
a second link, of which a first end is mounted in an articulated manner on a first arm of the beam, and of which a second end is mounted in an articulated manner on the pedal.

8. The aircraft rudder bar as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the third axis of rotation coincides with the adjustment axis.

9. The aircraft rudder bar as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a return system configured to exert a restoring force on the beam in order to force the pedal into a neutral position.

10. An aircraft comprising:
a cockpit with a floor,
a rudder,
brakes,
a steering connecting rod configured to transmit a control to the rudder,
a braking connecting rod configured to transmit a control to the brakes, and
a rudder bar comprising:
a base fixed above the cockpit floor,
a pedal arm mounted rotatably on the base about a first axis of rotation and having a lower end oriented toward the floor relative to the first axis of rotation,
a pedal mounted rotatably on the lower end about a second axis of rotation, which is parallel to and distanced from the first axis of rotation,
a first transmission assembly configured to transmit a movement to the steering connecting rod when the pedal arm pivots about the first axis of rotation, and
a second transmission assembly configured to transmit a movement to the braking connecting rod when the pedal pivots about the second axis of rotation,
wherein the base is formed of a base element fixed above the floor and of a paddle mounted rotatably on the base element about an adjustment axis parallel to and distanced from the first axis of rotation,
wherein the pedal arm is mounted rotatably on the paddle about the first axis of rotation, and
wherein the rudder bar has blocking means configured to assume, in turn, a blocking position, in which said blocking means blocks the rotation of the paddle, or an adjustment position, in which said blocking means allows the paddle to rotate freely.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Saint-Marc Laurent
• Mialhe Christophe
• Lieven Patrick
• Delahaye Romain
• Audibert Marc
• Chatrenet Nicolas

Classifications

• G05G1/30

  Controlling members actuated by foot · CPC title

• B64C13/06

  adjustable to suit individual persons · CPC title

• B64C13/04 Primary

  actuated personally · CPC title

• B64D31/04 Primary

  actuated personally · CPC title

• B64C13/044 Primary

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