US 11,724,794 B2
Cockpit inceptor system
Bruno Seminel, Figeac (FR); Arnaud Delpeuch, Beduer (FR); and Cedric Antraygue, Figeac (FR)
Assigned to RATIER-FIGEAC SAS, Figeac (FR)
Filed by Ratier-Figeac SAS, Figeac (FR)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/205,198.
Claims priority of application No. 20315041 (EP), filed on Mar. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0291963 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. B64C 13/04 (2006.01); G01L 5/00 (2006.01); B64C 13/50 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 13/0421 (2018.01) [B64C 13/503 (2013.01); B64C 13/507 (2018.01); G01L 5/0061 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft inceptor system comprising:
an inceptor member arranged to be operated by a user to cause a corresponding movement of a moveable aircraft surface, the inceptor member comprising a force sensor and at least one of a position sensor to measure a position of the inceptor member, a speed sensor to measure a speed of movement of the inceptor member and an accelerometer to measure acceleration of the inceptor member; and
means for detecting the operation of the inceptor member by the user and for providing a movement signal, associated with the detected operation, to a control device, the control device providing a control signal to an actuator to move the aircraft surface according to the movement signal;
wherein the means for detecting the operation of the inceptor member by the user comprises the force sensor and the force sensor is configured to sense the force applied by the user to the inceptor member, the movement signal being derived based on the sensed force;
wherein the control device provides the control signal based on an algorithm that converts a force signal indicative of the sensed force to a position signal; and
wherein the algorithm takes into account system inertial load, calculated from the output of the at least one of a position sensor to measure a position of the inceptor, the speed sensor to measure a speed of movement of the inceptor and the accelerometer to measure acceleration of the inceptor, in converting the force signal to the position signal;
wherein the algorithm takes into account system damping, calculated from the output of the at least one of the position sensor, the speed sensor and the accelerometer, in converting the force signal to the position signal;
wherein the algorithm uses a vectorial sum of the sensed force and the inertial load and the damping load in converting the force signal to the position signal.