Fly-by-wire control system for an aircraft comprising detection of pilot induced oscillations and a control for such a system

Abstract

Fly-by-wire control system for an aircraft comprising detection of pilot induced oscillations and a control for such a system. According to the invention, provision is made for the pivotings of said control ( 2 ) to be damped by controllable damping means ( 15, 16 ) controlled by means ( 7 ) detecting oscillations corresponding to pilot induced oscillations.

1 . A fly-by-wire control system involving electric flight commands for an aircraft, comprising: 
 a mobile control able to generate at least one electric command for controlling said aircraft about at least one of its axes of maneuver; and    means for detecting, in said command, any oscillations corresponding to pilot induced oscillations,    wherein said control comprises controllable damping means able to damp the movements of said control and wherein said detection means control said controllable damping means in such a way that these exert on said control an action that opposes the rate of travel of the latter when said detection means detect such oscillations.    
     
     
         2 . The system of flight controls as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the action of said controllable damping means on said control is of an amplitude that is constant irrespective of the amplitude of said oscillations.    
     
     
         3 . The system of flight controls as claimed in  claim 1 , in which said detection means deliver a detection signal the amplitude of which increases with the amplitude of said oscillations, 
 wherein the action of said controllable damping means on said control increases in magnitude with the amplitude of said oscillations.    
     
     
         4 . A mobile control able to generate at least one electric command for controlling an aircraft about at least one of its axes of maneuver, said control being intended for a fly-by-wire control system comprising means for detecting, in said command, any oscillations corresponding to pilot induced oscillations, 
 and which comprises controllable damping means for said control and wherein said controllable damping means are controlled by said detection means in such a way that said controllable damping means exert on said control an action that opposes the rate of travel of the latter when said detection means detect such oscillations.    
     
     
         5 . The mobile control as claimed in  claim 4 , comprising structural damping means able to avoid excessively rapid flight-control movements, 
 wherein said controllable damping means are mounted in parallel on said structural damping means.    
     
     
         6 . The mobile control as claimed in  claim 4 , comprising structural damping means able to avoid excessively rapid flight-control movements and intended for a fly-by-wire control system in which said detection means are incorporated into the fly-by-wire computer of said system, 
 wherein said structural damping means and said controllable damping means are formed of a single controllable damper controlled by said detection means such that:    in the absence of said oscillations, said single damper performs the function of said structural damping means; and    in the presence of said oscillations, said single damper performs the function of said controllable damping means.    
     
     
         7 . The control as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said controllable damping means are mechanical or hydraulic.  
     
     
         8 . The control as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said controllable damping means are formed by a magnetic machine.  
     
     
         9 . The control as claimed in  claim 8 , 
 wherein said magnetic machine is a synchronous machine with a permanent-magnet rotor.    
     
     
         10 . The control as claimed in  claim 4 , able to generate two electric commands for controlling said aircraft about two of its axes of maneuver and intended for a fly-by-wire control system comprising means for detecting, in each of said commands, any oscillations corresponding to pilot induced oscillations, 
 and which comprises controllable damping means controlled by said detection means and able to act on said control in its movements corresponding to each of said commands.