Three-Axis Flight Control Device with Intersecting Rotation Axes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight control devices for aircraft typically only allow control on two axes (roll and pitch) and require additional pedals for yaw control, limiting cockpit space and integration options.
Innovation Solution
A flight control device with three axes of rotation (roll, pitch, and yaw) is designed, featuring a housing with rotatably mounted drive shafts and connecting pieces that intersect at the center of rotation, allowing motors to generate aligned force feedback, eliminating the need for pedals by enabling control on all three axes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional two-axis control stick is used, then the device structure is simple, but it requires additional pedals for yaw control which increases cockpit clutter and reduces integration options
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the yaw control function into the hand-operated control device by adding a third rotational axis, combining previously separate control functions (stick for roll/pitch, pedals for yaw) into a single integrated device that can control all three aircraft axes from the control column position
Solution Approach 2:
The control device is designed to perform multiple functions - controlling roll, pitch, and yaw axes - all through a single hand-operated interface, making the device universal for three-axis control and eliminating the need for separate pedal operations
2Volume of moving object
If three drive shafts are rotatably mounted along the same axis with intersecting rotation axes, then compact integration is achieved, but the mechanical linkage complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested arrangement where three drive shafts are rotatably mounted along the same axis, with connecting pieces nested between them, allowing compact integration of multiple rotational axes while maintaining a space-efficient structure that can be easily integrated into the cockpit environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a spherical mechanism where connecting pieces are pivotally mounted on different drive shafts around different axes that intersect at the center of rotation, adding rotational freedom in multiple dimensions while keeping the drive shafts aligned along a single axis, thus achieving compact three-axis control
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a flight control device (1) for an aircraft, comprising: - a housing (2), - a handle (4) mounted rotating relative to the housing (2) about a centre of rotation (O), - a first drive shaft (31), a second drive shaft (32) and a third drive shaft (33), the drive shafts (31-33) being mounted rotating relative to the housing (2) about a same axis of rotation (X), - a first connecting part (34) mounted pivoting on the first shaft (31) about a first axis of rotation (A1), and on the handle (4) about a fourth axis of rotation (B1), - a second connecting part (35) mounted pivoting on the second shaft (32) about a second axis of rotation (A2), and on the handle (4) about a fifth axis of rotation (B2), - a third connecting part (36) mounted pivoting on the third shaft (33) about a third axis of rotation (A3), and on the handle (4) about a sixth axis of rotation (B3), the first axis of rotation (A1), the second axis of rotation (A2) and the third axis of rotation (A3) intersecting at the centre of rotation (O) of the handle (4).