US 11,919,623 B2
Rudder and brake pedal assembly
Jeffrey T. Voiles, Niles, IL (US); Darryl S. Stachniak, Chicago, IL (US); and Roy Romana, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to Woodward, Inc., Fort Collins, CO (US)
Filed by Jeffrey T. Voiles, Niles, IL (US); Darryl S. Stachniak, Chicago, IL (US); and Roy Romana, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/689,435.
Application 17/689,435 is a continuation of application No. 16/672,164, filed on Nov. 1, 2019, granted, now 11,396,362.
Prior Publication US 2022/0185453 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. B64C 13/04 (2006.01); B64C 13/10 (2006.01); B64C 13/18 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 13/044 (2018.01) [B64C 13/10 (2013.01); B64C 13/18 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rudder and brake pedal assembly for an airplane, the assembly comprising:
a rudder arm assembly having a first rudder arm with a first upper arm portion coupled to a first lower arm portion, and having a second rudder arm with a second upper arm portion coupled to a second lower arm portion, the rudder arm assembly being assembled to a beam at an intersection of the first upper and lower arm portions, and at an intersection of the second upper and lower arm portions, the first and second rudder arms configured to rotate about the beam at the intersection, the rotation of the first and second rudder arms configured to adjust those control surfaces used to control a yaw axis of the airplane;
a brake pedal attached to an end of at least one of the first and second lower arm portions at an attachment point, wherein rotation of the brake pedal at the attachment point operates the wheel brakes of the airplane; and
a rotary sensor assembled to both the brake pedal and the lower arm portion at the attachment point, the rotary sensor configured to determine an extent of the brake pedal rotation; and
wherein the rotary sensor is a fixed link rotary sensor comprising:
a sensor housing, with a rotating shaft, fixed to the lower arm portion at the attachment point; and
an input lever coupled to the brake pedal and assembled onto the rotating shaft such that rotation of the brake pedal causes the input lever and attached rotating shaft to rotate relative to the sensor housing.