초록 ▼

Automatic flight control apparatus, preferably for use in a helicopter, comprises a parallel connected servosystem which allows the apparatus to discern manual input forces and to respond naturally to them. The manual forces are sensed internal the parallel servosystem by monitoring the corrective e

Automatic flight control apparatus, preferably for use in a helicopter, comprises a parallel connected servosystem which allows the apparatus to discern manual input forces and to respond naturally to them. The manual forces are sensed internal the parallel servosystem by monitoring the corrective error drive signal to the parallel servomotor. A signal indicative of excess manual force is used to develop other signals, one of which aids in temporarily defeating the command signal generated by the autopilot in trying to do its job, and another of which temporarily contributes positive feedback within the parallel servosystem so as to cause the servomotor to aid the pilot\s manual input force. Another preferred embodiment includes a series connected servosystem.

대표청구항 ▼

For use in an aircraft having an autopilot for providing one or more flight command signals and further having a manually operable device mechanically coupled through appropriate linkages to a flight control surface so as to afford positioning of said surface, the apparatus comprising: (i) signal co

For use in an aircraft having an autopilot for providing one or more flight command signals and further having a manually operable device mechanically coupled through appropriate linkages to a flight control surface so as to afford positioning of said surface, the apparatus comprising: (i) signal combining first means for receiving a command signal Sat from the autopilot, and (b) a signal Sm, and for combining Sm and Sat in a predetermined phase relationship, (ii) second means connected for receiving a control signal Scp from said first means and comprising: (a) servomotor means connected to said linkages so as to operate in parallel with said manually operable device; (b) means for receiving Scp and a feedback signal and producing therefrom a corrective error signal Sep for causing the servomotor output position to change; (c) sensing means comprising circuit means, responsive to Sep, for providing a signal Sx indicative of the excess of Sep over a predetermined reference R1, said excess being caused by a sufficient manual force being applied through said manually operable device and through said linkages to said flight control surface, (d) feedback circuit means for receiving the parallel servomotor output and signal Sx and in response thereto producing said feedback signal, said feedback circuit means responding to signal Sx and to the parallel servomotor output such that Sx and the parallel servomotor output evoke oppositely phased components of said feedback signal; and (iii) third means, responsive to Sx, for producing a signal simulative of the changes in the autopilot command signal Sat which result from the aircraft responding to the manual force, the change-simulative signal provided by said third means being the signal Sm, and said predetermined phase relationship in which Sm and Sat are combined by said first means being a phase relationship such that Sm and said changes in Sat tend to cancel one another.