Emergency Piloting via Series Actuator in Manual Flight Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing manual flight control systems in aircraft are vulnerable to breakages, leading to loss of control authority and increased pilot workload during emergency situations, particularly in rotary wing aircraft, where breakages result in fixed refuge speeds and potentially hard landings, and existing solutions either increase control forces or require extensive modifications.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a manual flight control system with a series actuator and centering rod configuration, where the series actuator is coupled to an electronic control unit, allowing emergency piloting by maintaining partial authority over the system even after mechanical linkages break, reducing pilot workload and avoiding weight and structural modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a manual flight control system uses traditional mechanical linkages, then the system structure is simple, but the system becomes vulnerable to breakages resulting in loss of control authority

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol authority maintenanceVSAvoidcontrol system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the flight control system into separate functional modules: manual control devices, series actuators, parallel actuators, and mechanical linkages. This segmentation allows the system to maintain control authority through multiple independent pathways, so that if one component fails, others can compensate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces series actuators as intermediary components between the manual control devices and the airfoil surfaces. These actuators serve as mediators that can actively compensate for linkage failures, maintaining control authority without requiring complete redesign of the mechanical transmission system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If existing solutions are implemented to prevent control system breakages, then reliability improves, but control forces increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol system reliabilityVSAvoidpilot control forces

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces purely mechanical linkages with a hybrid system incorporating series actuators that use electrical/electronic control to assist mechanical transmission. This substitution reduces the mechanical forces the pilot must directly apply, as the actuator can provide force multiplication and compensation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operational parameters of the control system by introducing actuators that can dynamically adjust their output forces. This allows the system to maintain high reliability while keeping pilot control forces within acceptable limits, as the actuator can compensate for mechanical disadvantages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If existing solutions are implemented to ensure safety during system failures, then emergency piloting capability improves, but system weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency piloting capabilityVSAvoidcontrol system weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the series actuators to perform multiple functions: they assist normal manual control operations and simultaneously provide emergency piloting capability in case of linkage failures. This multi-functionality avoids the need for separate dedicated emergency systems, thereby limiting weight increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If extensive modifications are made to existing flight control systems, then safety and emergency capability improve, but manufacturing complexity and certification difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency safetyVSAvoidsystem modification ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic control elements (series actuators with electronic control units) that can be integrated into existing mechanical flight control systems. The system can operate in multiple modes (manual-only, assisted, or emergency), allowing progressive implementation and certification without requiring complete system replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8684314B2Emergency piloting by means of a series actuator for a manual flight control system in an aircraft

Publication Date: 2014.04.01 EUROCOPTER FRANCE SA

AI summary

For emergency piloting of a manual flight control system (7) of an aircraft (1), in the event of flexible connection means (26) breaking, an upstream control device (8) takes authority over the electronic control unit (29) of series actuator (21). An output pivoting quadrant (25) is subjected by a centering rod (22) to a blocking and centering action. In the event of the system breaking, the output pivoting quadrant (25) forms a bearing point for the series actuator (21), so that an emergency control actuate a airfoil surface (11).