Cockpit Inceptor Armrest Yaw Control to Minimize Axis Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cockpit control systems experience undesired coupling between different axes during operations, particularly when implementing yaw control on a third axis using a side stick, leading to inefficiencies and the need for additional pedals.
Innovation Solution
A cockpit control inceptor with an armrest that receives a user's forearm, allowing displacement and pivotal movements to provide independent aircraft control commands, including yaw, pitch, and roll, reducing coupling by separating these functions into forearm and wrist operations, and optionally incorporating a side stick for additional control commands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If yaw control is implemented on a third axis using a side stick, then weight is saved by removing pedals, but undesired coupling between different axes occurs during operations
Solution Approach 1:
The control inceptor is segmented into distinct functional zones: the armrest handles yaw control through lateral displacement, while the handle (side stick) manages pitch and roll through rotation and deflection. This spatial segmentation separates the control functions, allowing yaw to be controlled independently without coupling the other axes, thus maintaining ease of operation while reducing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional approach by allowing the armrest to displace laterally along the longitudinal axis for yaw control, rather than using traditional pedal rotation or handle rotation. This dimensional change in control methodology enables independent yaw control without the axis coupling problems of conventional three-axis side stick configurations.
2Weight of moving object
If a third control axis on the side stick is used for yaw control, then pedals are removed to save weight, but coupling between axes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into separate functional components: the armrest dedicated to yaw control via lateral displacement, and the handle dedicated to pitch and roll control. This segmentation eliminates the need for a complex three-axis handle configuration, reducing device complexity while maintaining weight savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The yaw control function is extracted from the handle and assigned to the armrest. By taking out the yaw control function from the traditional side stick rotation mechanism and placing it in the armrest displacement mechanism, the handle can focus solely on pitch and roll control, simplifying the overall device architecture.
3Ease of operation
If pitch and roll are controlled by the wrist and yaw by the forearm, then coupling between control commands is reduced, but the control mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control inceptor is segmented into distinct functional zones: the armrest handles yaw control through lateral displacement, while the handle (side stick) manages pitch and roll through rotation and deflection. This spatial segmentation separates the control functions, allowing yaw to be controlled independently without coupling the other axes, thus maintaining ease of operation while reducing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional approach by allowing the armrest to displace laterally along the longitudinal axis for yaw control, rather than using traditional pedal rotation or handle rotation. This dimensional change in control methodology enables independent yaw control without the axis coupling problems of conventional three-axis side stick configurations.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A cockpit control inceptor (10,100) for an aircraft comprising an armrest (12,120) configured to receive the forearm of a user and to be operated by the forearm of the user in at least one direction. A first end (13,130) of the armrest is coupled to a handle; wherein the armrest (12,120) is connected to a fixed part of the cockpit control inceptor (10,100), wherein the armrest (12,120) is configured to move relative to the fixed part of the cockpit control inceptor (10,100) to provide a first aircraft control command.