Abstract:
A selector lever with redundant detent pins and detent plates and a method for using the selector lever to test for a failure of one or more detent pins. The selector lever includes at least two slides for independently moving the detent pins within the detent plates. The independent slides allow one detent pin to remain engaged. With only one detent pin engaged, the operator may test the ability to move the shaft and conclude whether or not the detent pin has failed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates generally to selector levers and, more particularly, to a failure detection mechanism for selector levers that may be found, for example, in the cockpit of an aircraft. 
     Conventional aircraft are commonly equipped with a selector lever for manually controlling the actuation of flaps, ailerons, or other moveable features of the aircraft. The selector lever is mounted in the cockpit for the pilot to select the desired equipment configuration by moving the lever to a position corresponding to the desired equipment configuration. The conventional selector lever is typically constructed with a shaft rotatably arranged adjacent one or two detent plates. One or two detent pins corresponding to the detent plates are movably arranged on the shaft. This configuration provides a measure of redundancy that allows the selector lever to be functional after one detent pin has failed. The ability to detect the failure of one or both detent pins would reduce maintenance costs and improve aircraft safety. Accordingly, the industry is receptive to new developments that provide the capability to detect the failure of a detent pin. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Disclosed herein is a selector lever having a shaft with a proximal end disposed in a housing and a distal end extending from the housing. A first slide and a second slide are arranged to be movable along the shaft. The first slide is operatively connected to a first detent pin arranged on the shaft and the second slide is operatively connected to a second detent pin arranged on the shaft. A first detent plate is disposed in the housing having a first plurality of slots for receiving the first detent pin. A second detent plate is disposed in the housing having a second plurality of slots for receiving the second detent pin. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure provides a method of detecting the failure of a selector lever. A first slide and a second slide are each placed in a engaged position along a shaft. The first slide is operatively connected to a first detent pin and the second slide is operatively connected to a second detent pin. The first slide is moved to a disengaged position. The ability to move the shaft is tested. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of an aircraft according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectioned side view of a selector lever according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectioned front view of the selector lever shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a sectioned front view of the selector lever according to another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In particular, the disclosure provides various examples related to a selector lever for aircraft, whereas the advantages of the present disclosure as applied in a related field would be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art and are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows a top view of an aircraft  1  having an aircraft actuator system that employs the selector lever of the present disclosure. For example, the selector lever of the aircraft actuator system may be used to control the position of a plurality of flaps  2  located on the wings  3  of the aircraft  1 . The selector lever enables the operator (or pilot) to accurately control the position of the flaps  2  from the cockpit  4 . As noted above, the selector lever is contemplated to control the position of various control surfaces, such as the flaps of an aircraft. Specifically, the selector lever is contemplated to be employed in connection with one or more of the high lift surfaces associated with an aircraft. The selector lever may find other uses, in differing environments, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectioned side view of a hand-operated selector lever  5  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The selector lever  5  includes a shaft  6  having a proximal end that is rotatably attached to a pivot  7  that is disposed in a housing  8 . The shaft  6  also comprises a distal end  9  that extends from the housing  8 . A first slide  10  is arranged to move along the shaft  6 , the first slide  10  at least partially extending from the housing  8 .  FIG. 2  shows a first detent plate  11  with a plurality of slots  12  disposed in the housing  8  parallel to the path of the pivoting shaft  6 .  FIG. 2  further shows a first detent pin  13  arranged on the shaft  6  to engage the first plurality of slots  12  of the first detent plate  11 . The first detent pin  13  is operatively connected to the first slide  10  such that translational movement of the first slide  10  along the shaft results in movement of the first detent pin  13 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a front view (from the left of the selector lever in  FIG. 2 ) of the selector lever  5 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the selector lever  5  further comprises a second detent plate  14 , (having a second plurality of slots  15 ), arranged opposite from the first detent plate  11 . Further, a second detent pin  16  is arranged on the shaft  6  to engage the second plurality of slots  15  of the second detent plate  14 , the second detent pin  13  being operatively connected to a second slide  17 , the second slide capable of being operated independently from the first slide  10 . The second detent plate  14  and second detent pin  16  mirror the first detent plate  11  and first detent pin  13 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate the selector lever  5  with the first and second slides  10 ,  17  in an engaged position. The “engaged position” refers to the position of the slides  10 ,  17  when the first and second detent pins  13 ,  16  are inserted into one of the first or second plurality of slots  12 ,  15 , respectively.  FIG. 4 , on the other hand, shows the selector lever  5  with the second slide  17  in the engaged position and the first slide  10  in a disengaged position. The disengaged position of the slides  10 ,  17  refers to the position of the slide when the respective first or second detent pin  13 ,  16  is withdrawn from the respective slot. Where both the first and second slides  10 ,  17  are in the disengaged position, the shaft  6  may be rotated about the pivot  7  to a desired position of the shaft. The first and second slides  10 ,  17  can then be moved to the engaged position, which when at least one of the detent pins  13 ,  16  is intact, will effectively lock the shaft  6  in place. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the first and second slides  10 ,  17  are aligned when in the engaged position. The first and second slides  10 ,  17  are also aligned when in the disengaged position. 
     The selector lever  5  of the present disclosure may be used to test the whether the detent pins  13 ,  16  remain intact. The detent pins  13 ,  16  are tested individually, without removing the housing  8  or requiring other maintenance procedures. Normally, the selector lever  5  will be placed in a position with both the first and second slides  10 ,  17  arranged in an engaged position. See  FIG. 3 . The first and second detent pins  13 ,  16  will, in turn, be inserted into one of the slots  12 ,  15  of the respective detent plate  11 ,  14 . One of the slides  10 ,  17  will then be moved to the disengaged position, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     In this position, the integrity of the detent pin that remains in the engaged position can be determined by testing the ability to move the shaft  6 . For example,  FIG. 4  shows the first slide  10  in the disengaged position. The operator tests the ability to move the shaft by exerting a force to rotate or move the shaft  6  about the pivot  7 . If the appropriate force is exerted on the shaft  6  and it does not move, the operator will conclude that the opposite detent pin, in this case the second detent pin  16 , is intact. This conclusion is reasonable because, with the first slide  10  in the disengaged position, the force exerted by the operator would be countered a force between the second detent pin  16  and the second detent plate  14 . 
     The same procedure may then be used to determine the integrity of the remaining detent pin. For example, where the second detent pin  16  has been tested by the procedure described above, the same test can be performed for the first detent pin  13  with the first slide  10  in the engaged position and the second slide  17  in the disengaged position. In this manner, the operator may determine if the first detent pin  13  is intact. 
     The selector lever  5  may also comprise one or more biasing elements. For example, a first biasing element biases the first slide towards an engaged position and a second biasing element biases the second slide towards an engaged position. 
     As those in the art will ascertain, the features described above are merely exemplary and may be provided in many forms to achieve some or all of the advantages herein. In another example, the first slide  10  may be on a different side of the shaft from the first pin  13 . In another example, the first and second slides  10 ,  17  can be coupled and decoupled from one another. In another example, the first and second slides are not aligned when both are in the engaged and/or disengaged positions. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc., do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.