Aircraft control wheel force sensor

Claim 2

A force sensOr for independently sensing translational and rotational forces applied to a steering element relative to a reference axis of a mounting element, the sensor comprising: an inner member disposed along the reference axis; an outer member disposed about the inner member, one of the members being adapted to receive forces applied to the steering element; a middle member movable relative to and disposed intermediate the inner and the outer members; a cylindrical bellows that is elastically flexible in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis and rigid in a rotational direction about the reference axis, the bellows being aligned with the reference axis and coupled between the middle member and one of the other members; means elastically flexible in a rotational direction about the reference axis and rigid in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis, the means being coupled between the middle member and the remaining member; and means for independently sensing relative translational movements between the middle member and the one member and rotational movements between the middle member and the remaining member.

Claim 3

The force sensor of claim 1, in which the means elastically flexible in a rotational direction comprise a plurality of substantially flat, elongated, planar leaf springs that are radially disposed about the reference axis, each leaf spring being secured to the middle member and the remaining member.

Claim 4

The force sensor of claim 2, in which the bellows has high lateral stiffness and the inner, outer, and middle members are all supported in spaced apart relationship by the bellows and the leaf springs.

Claim 5

The force sensor of claim 1, in which the bellows has high lateral stiffness and the inner, outer, and middle members are all supported in spaced apart relationship by the bellows and the means elastically flexible in a rotational direction.

Claim 6

The force sensor of claim 1, in which the middle member has first and second separate sections, one end of the bellows is fixed to one end of the outer member, the other end of the bellows is fixed to one end of the first section of the middle member, the means elastically flexible in a rotational direction is coupled between the first section of the middle member and the inner member, and the force sensor additionally comprises an additional cylindrical bellows that is elastically flexible in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis and rigid in a rotational direction about the reference axis, the additional bellows being aligned with the reference axis, having one end fixed to the other end of the outer member and having the other end fixed to one end of the second section of the middle member, and additional means elastically flexible in a rotational direction about the reference axis and rigid in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis, the additional means being coupled between the other end of the second section of the middle member and the inner member, the outer member holding the ends of the two bellows fixed to it in parallel relationship to each other as the forces are applied to the steering element.

Claim 7

The force sensor of claim 5, in which the two means elastically flexible in a rotational direction are each a plurality of planar leaf springs disposed radially about the reference axis, and the inner member has a flange extending radially outward therefrom, one end of each leaf spring being fixed to the flange.

Claim 8

The force sensor of claim 6, in which the two bellows are laterally stiff and the two bellows and the leaf springs support the inner, outer, and middle members in spaced relationship from each other while forces are being applied to the steering element.

Claim 9

The force sensor of claim 7, in which the steering element is an aircraft control wheel fixed to the outer member.

Claim 10

The force sensor of claim 8, in which the bellows are sufficiently long to remain in compression during the full range of the relaTive translational movement between the middle member and the outer member.

Claim 11

The force sensor of claim 1, in which the bellows are sufficiently long to remain in compression during the full range of the relative translational movement between the middle member and the one member.

Claim 12

Apparatus for emitting signals responsive to translational and rotational forces applied to an aircraft control wheel, the apparatus comprising: an elongated, cylindrical inner member disposed about a reference axis; an elongated, cylindrical outer member coaxially disposed about the inner member; a steering column secured to one of the members; a control wheel secured to the other member; an intermediate member coaxially disposed between the outer and inner members; a coaxially disposed laterally stiff cylindrical bellows connected between the intermediate member and one of the other members, the bellows being deflectable in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis and being rigid in a rotational direction about the reference axis so as to absorb translational forces and transmit rotational forces; a rotationally deflectable spring connected between the intermediate member and the remaining member, the spring being deflectable in a rotational direction about the reference axis and being rigid in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis so as to absorb rotational forces and transmit translational forces, the bellows and the rotationally deflectable spring holding the inner, intermediate, and outer members in parallel vertically spaced relationship from each other; means for emitting an electrical signal indicative of the relative translational movement between the intermediate member and the one member; and means for emitting an electrical signal indicative of the relative rotational movement between the intermediate member and the remaining member.

Claim 13

Apparatus for emitting signals responsive to translational and rotational forces applied to an aircraft control wheel, the apparatus comprising: an elongated, cylindrical inner member disposed about a reference axis; an elongated, cylindrical outer member coaxially disposed about the inner member; a steering column secured to one of the members; a control wheel secured to the other member; an intermediate member coaxially disposed between the outer and inner members; a coaxially disposed laterally stiff cylindrical bellows connected between the intermediate member and one of the other members, the bellows being deflectable in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis and being rigid in a rotational direction about the reference axis so as to absorb translational forces and transmit rotational forces; a rotationally deflectable spring connected between the intermediate member and the remaining member, the spring being deflectable in a rotational direction about the reference axis and being rigid in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis so as to absorb rotational forces and transmit translational forces, the bellows and the rotationally deflectable spring holding the inner, intermediate, and outer members in parallel vertically spaced relationship from each other; means for emitting an electrical signal indicative of the relative translational movement between the intermediate member and the one member; and means for emitting an electrical signal indicative of the relative rotational movement between the intermediate member and the remaining member.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11, in which a flange is fixed to the inner member, the intermediate member has a first section disposed between the flange and one end of the outer member and a second section disposed between the flange and the other end of the outer member, the bellows is connected between the first section and one of the other members, an additional coaxially disposed cylindrical bellows is connected between the second section and the one other member, the additional bellows being deflectable in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis and being rigid in a rotational direction about the reference axis so as to absorb translational forces and to transmit rotational forces, the rotationally deflectable spring is connected between the first section and the remaining member, and an additional rotationally deflectable spring is connected between the second section and the remaining member, the additional spring being deflectable in a rotational direction about the reference axis and being rigid in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis so as to absorb rotational forces and to transmit translational forces.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12, in which the two bellow are laterally rigid and the two bellows and the two springs support the inner member, the outer member, and the intermediate member in spaced apart relationship as forces are applied to the control wheel.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13, in which the one member is the outer member and the remaining member is the inner member, one end of each bellows being connected to the outer member and the other end of each bellows being connected to one section of the intermediate member, one end of each rotationally deflectable spring being connected to the flange and the other end of each rotationally deflectable spring being connected to one section of the intermediate member.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 14, in which the ends of the two bellows are fixed to the outer member such that they are held in parallel relationship as forces are applied to the control wheel.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 15, in which the springs comprise two banks of planar leaf springs radially disposed about the reference axis.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 11, in which the bellows are sufficiently long to remain in compression during the full range of the relative translation between the intermediate member and the one member.

Claim 20

Apparatus for emitting signals responsive to translational and rotational forces applied to an aircraft control wheel, the apparatus comprising: an elongated, cylindrical inner member disposed about a reference axis, the inner member having first and second oppositely disposed outer surfaces; an elongated, cylindrical outer member coaxially disposed about the inner member, the outer member having first and second opposite parallel inner surfaces that respectively face the first and second outer surfaces of the inner member; a steering column secured to one of the members; a control wheel secured to the other member; a first intermediate member coaxially disposed between the first surfaces of the outer and inner members; a second intermediate member coaxially disposed between the second surfaces of the outer and inner members; a first coaxially disposed cylindrical bellows connected between the first intermediate member and the first surface of the outer member; a second coaxially disposed cylindrical bellows connected between the second intermediate member and the second surface of the outer member, the first and second bellows being deflectable in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis and being rigid in a rotational direction about the reference axis so as to absorb translational forces and transmit rotational forces; a first rotationally deflectable spring connected between the first intermediate member and the first surface of the inner member; a second rotationally deflectable spring connected between the second intermediate member and the second surface of the inner member, the first and second springs being deflectable in a rotational direction about the reference axis and being rigid in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis so as to absorb rotational forces and transmit translational forces; and means for emitting electrical signals representative of the relative translational movement between the intermediate members and the outer member and the relative rotational movement between the intermediate members and the inner member.

Claim 21

Apparatus for emitting signals responsive to translational and rotational forces applied to an aircraft control wheel, the apparatus comprising: an elongated, cylindrical inner member disposed about a reference axis, the inner member having first and second oppositely disposed outer surfaces; an elongated, cylindrical outer member coaxially disposed about the inner member, the outer member having first and second opposite parallel inner surfaces that respectively face the first and second outer surfaces of the inner member; a steering column secured to one of the members; a control wheel secured to the other member; a first intermediate member coaxially disposed between the first surfaces of the outer and inner members; a second intermediate member coaxially disposed between the second surfaces of the outer and inner members; a first coaxially disposed cylindrical bellows connected between the first intermediate member and the first surface of the outer member; a second coaxially disposed cylindrical bellows connected between the second intermediate member and the second surface of the outer member, the first and second bellows being deflectable in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis and being rigid in a rotational direction about the reference axis so as to absorb translational forces and transmit rotational forces; a first rotationally deflectable spring connected between the first intermediate member and the first surface of the inner member; a second rotationally deflectable spring connected between the second intermediate member and the second surface of the inner member, the first and second springs being deflectable in a rotational direction about the reference axis and being rigid in a translational direction parallel to the reference axis so as to absorb rotational forces and transmit translational forces; and means for emitting electrical signals representative of the relative translational movement between the intermediate members and the outer member and the relative rotational movement between the intermediate members and the inner member.