Control Lever Pivot Bearing With Haptic Failure Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pivot assemblies for control levers in vehicles, such as aircraft, face issues with primary rolling-element bearings failing due to shock loads or wear, leading to jamming and potential safety hazards, where existing redundancy systems only provide stiffness changes that may not be noticeable to operators, especially inexperienced ones.
Innovation Solution
A pivot assembly with a redundant pivot bearing that produces haptic feedback through variations in torque, utilizing a detent mechanism with a detent ring and carrier ring, providing noticeable vibrations or force changes when the redundant bearing becomes operative, allowing for early detection of primary bearing failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a redundant pivot bearing is provided to replace the primary bearing upon failure, then reliability is improved, but the detection of bearing failure becomes more difficult because the stiffness change is not noticeable to operators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by providing haptic feedback through the control lever when the redundant bearing becomes operative. The detent mechanism generates tactile sensations that feed back to the operator, informing them of the bearing failure and redundant bearing activation. This resolves the detection difficulty while maintaining the reliability improvement from the redundant bearing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes mechanical vibration through the detent mechanism, which produces vibrations or tactile sensations in the control lever when the redundant bearing engages. This mechanical feedback makes the bearing failure detectable to the operator through tactile sensation, solving the problem of undetectable failure while preserving the reliability benefit.
2Reliability
If the redundant bearing is designed to be operative only after primary bearing failure, then reliability is improved through redundancy, but the operator awareness of failure is reduced because there is no immediate feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic feedback mechanism through the detent mechanism provides immediate tactile information to the operator when the redundant bearing engages. This feedback loop ensures that the operator is aware of the bearing failure and redundant system activation, preventing information loss while maintaining the reliability improvement from redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses itself to provide feedback - the control lever and detent mechanism directly communicate the bearing status to the operator through tactile sensations without requiring external sensors or indicators. This self-service approach maintains operator awareness while preserving the redundancy benefit.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If visual indicators or sensors are used to detect bearing failure, then detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detent mechanism uses the existing mechanical components of the bearing assembly itself to provide failure detection through haptic feedback. No external sensors, indicators, or complex detection systems are required - the redundant bearing structure directly communicates its activation state to the operator through tactile sensations, improving detection capability while avoiding increased complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control lever acts as an intermediary that transmits the mechanical state of the bearing assembly to the operator's hand. The detent mechanism's engagement and disengagement forces are transmitted through the control lever, providing failure detection information without requiring separate detection devices or complex signaling systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The haptic feedback mechanism ensures that operators can reliably detect the transition to the redundant bearing, minimizing exposure to potential failures and enhancing safety by providing a clear indication of primary bearing malfunction.
Implementation Method 1
The haptic feedback may be produced by a variation in the torque required to pivot the redundant pivot bearing or control lever when the redundant pivot bearing is operative as a bearing
Data Source
AI summary
A pivot assembly for a control lever. The pivot assembly include a primary pivot bearing arranged about a longitudinal axis (A) and a redundant pivot bearing arranged about the longitudinal axis (A). The redundant pivot bearing is configured to become operative as a bearing in the event that the primary pivot bearing malfunctions, and to produce haptic feedback in the control lever throughout operation of the redundant pivot bearing.