Panel-Mounted Aircraft Control Stick With Linkage Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional aircraft control sticks, whether floor-mounted, side-mounted, or panel-mounted, face issues such as restricted cockpit access, limited range of motion, and reduced mechanical advantage, which affect pilot ease of use and safety.
Innovation Solution
A panel-mounted control stick system with a pitch beam assembly and roll input assembly, incorporating a control stick bracket, swivel assembly, spool bearings, and bellcranks, allows for easier access and enhanced mechanical advantage by translating pilot inputs into aircraft pitch and roll movements through a combination of linkages and rotating components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional floor-mounted control stick is used, then mechanical advantage is provided, but cockpit access is blocked and pilot entry/exit becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The control stick is relocated from a floor-mounted vertical orientation to a panel-mounted horizontal orientation on the cockpit side panel. This dimensional change allows the stick to be positioned in unused lateral space, eliminating obstruction of the floor area needed for pilot access while maintaining full operational functionality for flight control inputs.
Solution Approach 2:
A linkage system comprising bellcranks, spool bearings, and connecting rods serves as an intermediary mechanism between the pilot's hand inputs on the panel-mounted stick and the aircraft's flight control surfaces. This mechanical intermediary transmits the control forces and movements from the repositioned stick to the elevators and ailerons, preserving mechanical advantage despite the changed stick location.
2Ease of operation
If a side-mounted control stick is used, then cockpit access is improved, but mechanical advantage is reduced and two-handed operation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The panel-mounted control stick is designed to be universally operable by either hand independently or by both hands simultaneously, unlike traditional side-mounted sticks that favor one-handed operation. The linkage system and control geometry are configured to provide adequate mechanical advantage for both left and right hand inputs, making the system adaptable to different pilot preferences and operational scenarios.
3Ease of operation
If a panel-mounted yoke is used, then cockpit access is improved, but range of motion is limited due to obstruction by pilot's legs
Solution Approach 1:
The control stick is segmented into distinct functional components: the grip portion held by the pilot, the intermediate linkage mechanism with bellcranks and spool bearings, and the connection points to flight control surfaces. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling sufficient range of motion in the linkage mechanisms to compensate for the panel-mounted position and prevent leg obstruction of the control inputs.
4Force
If a traditional floor-mounted control stick is used, then mechanical advantage is maintained, but pilot entry/exit requires climbing over the stick
Solution Approach 1:
The control stick function is extracted from its traditional floor-mounted position and relocated to the side panel mounting. This extraction removes the obstruction from the floor area, allowing pilots to enter and exit the cockpit normally without needing to climb over a vertical stick. The mechanical advantage function is preserved through the linkage system that connects the panel-mounted stick to the flight control surfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A panel-mounted control stick for aircraft providing for roll and pitch input that emulates the response of a traditional floor-mounted control stick. The panel-mounted control stick incorporates a pitch beam input assembly and a roll input assembly for translating the movements of the control stick into movements of aircraft control surfaces.