Abstract: A piloting device for piloting an aircraft includes a piloting member suitable for being actuated by a pilot, a mechanism for mounting and guiding in rotation the piloting member about at least one rotation axis with respect to a frame, at least one force sensor connected between the piloting member. The mechanism includes at least one sensing element configured to produce a signal upon deformation indicative of a force applied to the piloting member. The force sensor comprises at least one pair of bearing surfaces. The device also includes at least one pair of stops configured to limit the angular amplitude of rotation of the piloting member with respect to the frame on abutment of the at least one pair of bearing surfaces with at least one pair of stops. The stops or at least one of the bearing surfaces comprises a compliant material.

Abstract: An aircraft inceptor system includes an inceptor member arranged to be operated by a user to cause a corresponding movement of a moveable aircraft surface. The system also includes 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 flight control computer, the flight control computer providing a control signal to an actuator to move the aircraft surface according to the movement signal. The means for detecting the operation of the inceptor member by the user comprises a force sensor configured to sense the force applied by the user to the inceptor member, the movement signal being derived based on the sensed force.

Abstract: A thrust control assembly includes a balk application arrangement which provides, in response to a received balk command to prohibit command of thrust in a balk direction, a balk force on a rotatable thrust lever acting to oppose an attempt by the pilot to move the lever in a direction so as to command or increase thrust in the balk direction. The balk application arrangement controls an auto-throttle actuator to provide the balk force on the thrust lever.

Abstract: A method and system for simulating pilot controls in a cockpit simulator by controlling one or more arms on which is/are mounted a control grip, pedal or the like, to locate the grip at different positions and allow movement of the grip in a plurality of movement directions and trajectories while allowing varying force feedback.

Abstract: A position sensing system for sensing a position of an input shaft of a variable differential transformer (VDT), comprising said VDT, which comprises first and second AC signal output means that are configured to output a first AC output signal and a second AC output signal respectively. The sensing system further comprises AC/DC converting means configured to convert said first AC output signal to a first DC output signal and an AC/DC converting means configured to convert said second AC output signal to a second DC signal. The first and second DC output signals each indicate an individual position of said input shaft.

Abstract: A flight control actuator for actuating an aircraft flight control system is provided. The flight control actuator comprises a gearbox, an output shaft attached to the gearbox and an output lever provided on the output shaft. The output lever is declutchable from the output shaft. The output lever includes an inner diameter through which the output shaft passes and at least one indentation in said inner diameter. The output shaft includes a hollow cylindrical member with at least one hole provided at the axial position of the at least one indentation of the output lever.

Abstract: A flight control actuator for actuating an aircraft flight control system is provided. The flight control actuator comprises a gearbox, an output shaft attached to the gearbox and an output lever provided on the output shaft. The output lever is declutchable from the output shaft.

Abstract: A magnetic position sensor for determining the angular position of a magnet on a rotatable component, comprising: at least one magnetic sensor for determining different vector components of a magnetic field of the magnet; a memory having a look-up table stored therein that is populated with data representative of different angular positions of the magnet, the data representative of each angular position being correlated with data in the look-up table that is representative of the vector components that would be detected by the at least one magnetic sensor at that angular position; wherein the magnetic position sensor is configured to use the vector components determined by the magnetic sensor and logic to determine the angular position of the magnet from the look-up table.

Abstract: A flight control actuator for actuating an aircraft flight control system is provided. The flight control actuator comprises a gearbox, an output shaft attached to the gearbox and an output lever provided on the output shaft. The output lever is declutchable from the output shaft.

Abstract: A method and system for simulating pilot controls in a cockpit simulator by controlling one or more arms on which is/are mounted a control grip, pedal or the like, to locate the grip at different positions and allow movement of the grip in a plurality of movement directions and trajectories while allowing varying force feedback.

Abstract: A method and a device for coupling piloting members (20, 50), wherein saturation values (SCpsat?, SCpsat+, SCcopsat?, SCcopsat+) of at least one force saturator (28, 58) are adapted such that a force-feedback is exerted for each of these saturation values at a force-feedback value, taken at the force application centre of the manoeuvring handle (21, 51), of between 4 daN and 40 daN, with the result that a function of disconnecting is at least in part performed by the at least one force saturator.

Abstract: A DC voltage rotary position sensor is described herein comprising a shaft and magnet assembly comprising a rotatable shaft having a magnet provided thereon, said shaft and magnet assembly being rotatable about an axis of rotation X to create a magnetic field; a first printed circuit board (PCB) located at a first side of said magnet and on said axis of rotation X; said first PCB having a first integrated circuit (IC) provided thereon and being configured to sense the direction of said magnetic field as said magnet rotates about said axis X to thereby determine relative movement of said sensor. A method of making a sensor is also described.

Abstract: A process and device for controlling a synchronous motor driving an operating lever in opposition to a friction brake, including a sensor for sensing the position of the lever, and a control computer include: a first regulator defining a nominal control voltage (U*) as a function of a difference (??) between the speed of rotation (?_feedback) of the motor and a set-point speed (?_cmd); a second regulator determining saturation limits (?Usat; +Usat) of the nominal control voltage as a function of an instantaneous torque provided by the motor; a saturator providing a limited control voltage (U_cmd) on the basis of the nominal control voltage and on the basis of the saturation limits; a converter feeding each winding of the motor with an alternating-voltage signal (U_alim) worked out on the basis of the limited control voltage as a function of the angular position of the motor.

Abstract: A device for combining force between two control units includes force feedback, each control unit including a control stick (21, 31) and at least one force sensor (24, 34) suitable for providing a value of the control force (Fp, Fcp) exerted by a pilot, the device being suitable for forming a force feedback value from the sum of the values of the control forces of each control unit. A correction device limits the force feedback value (Fcor_p) according to at least one parameter taken from the absolute value of the control force (Fcp) of the second control unit and the difference between the control force values of each control unit. A control unit including such a device for combining forces, and an aircraft provided with such control units are also described.

Abstract: A piloting device (1) for piloting a vehicle, in particular an aircraft, has a frame (10), a cradle (20) pivoting with respect to the frame on a first pivot axis (R), a piloting member, called a stick (30), pivoting with respect to the cradle (20) on a second axis (T) orthogonal to and intersecting the first axis, first return elements (11,11?,12) for returning the cradle to a predetermined position with respect to the frame, called the neutral position of the cradle, second return elements (21,21?,22) for returning the stick to a predetermined position with respect to the cradle, called the neutral position of the stick, wherein at least one of the second return elements, called a stick jack (22), is arranged between the stick and the frame.

Abstract: A device for combining force between two control units includes force feedback, each control unit including a control stick (21, 31) and at least one force sensor (24, 34) suitable for providing a value of the control force (Fp, Fcp) exerted by a pilot, the device being suitable for forming a force feedback value from the sum of the values of the control forces of each control unit. A correction device limits the force feedback value (Fcor_p) according to at least one parameter taken from the absolute value of the control force (Fcp) of the second control unit and the difference between the control force values of each control unit. A control unit including such a device for combining forces, and an aircraft provided with such control units are also described.

Abstract: A piloting device for piloting an aircraft includes a piloting member (11), a mechanism (13) for mounting and guiding in rotation the piloting member about at least one rotation axis with respect to a frame (12), stops (25, 26, 35) arranged so as to cooperate with bearing surfaces (32) integral with the piloting member upstream of the mechanism in order to limit the rotation amplitude thereof, and at least one force sensor (19), these being arranged with respect to one another so that each contact of a bearing surface (32) with a stop (25, 26, 35) generates an abutment reaction, the orientation of which with respect to each deformable sensing element of each force sensor is such that it stresses this deformable sensing element at least substantially outside its deformation modes.

Abstract: An electronic operational control device for an aircraft piloting device with two connected piloting members, includes electronic circuits for main monitoring from signals delivered by sensors associated with one of the piloting members, and at least one electronic circuit (52 to 55) for cross-monitoring, for digital processing of signals delivered by sensors (83, 93) associated with the other piloting member, adapted to detect any deviation of these signals corresponding to a fault and to generate a signal representing such a fault. A piloting device and an aircraft including such an electronic operational control device with cross-monitoring are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a piloting device comprising a piloting component (10) which is connected to at least one steering component (13), at least one force sensor (17) which measures the forces imparted into the kinematic chain (12) by said piloting component (10), a logic circuit (23) which is adapted to develop a speed reference signal according to a predetermined function of said force signals, and a circuit for controlling at least one parallel actuator (14) as regards speed. It extends to a method for the motorised assistance and control of a device of this kind and to an aircraft comprising a device of this kind.

Abstract: A device for piloting includes a piloting member connected to at least one member for driving the craft, an electromechanical support box including, for each pivot connection, at least one actuating motor of the piloting member constituted of an electromagnetic actuator including a movable armature integrally formed with the piloting member and equipped with at least one permanent magnet having a magnetic moment parallel to the axis of the pivot connection, and an electromagnetic circuit including a fixed armature, arranged to allow the movable armature to move in the air gap zone, the magnetic moment of the movable armature sweeping each radial surface portion, and at least one coil winding which is dependent in position on the fixed armature and is capable of generating electromagnetic torque on the movable armature.