Patent ID: 7559510

Claim:
An elevator variable feel unit for aircraft column and wheel control, comprising: an input crank ( 210 ) coupled to said column and wheel control, having a bottom end and a top end, said input crank being disposed to controllably pivot about a predetermined shaft in response to movement of said column and wheel control; a feel cam ( 325 ) coupled to the top end of said input crank, said feel cam being disposed to controllably pivot in response to movement of said input crank; a cam follower arm ( 332 ) coupled to said feel cam, said cam follower arm having a first end, a second end and a pivot point in-between, said cam follower arm being disposed to controllably pivot about said pivot point in response to movement of said feel cam; at least one base feel spring ( 230 ) coupled to said first end of said cam follower arm, said base feel spring being disposed to controllably vary its length in response to pivoting of said cam follower arm; at least one variable feel arm ( 250 ) hingedly coupled to said second end of said cam follower arm, said variable feel arm being disposed to controllably rotate from a stowed position within said cam follower arm to a deployed position, by rotating about said second end, as airspeed is increased, said deployed position forming an predetermined angle with said variable feel arm based on said airspeed; a variable feel spring ( 260 ) coupled between said variable feel arm and said second end of said cam follower arm, said variable feel spring being disposed to controllably add loading to said base feel spring upon movement by said column and wheel control while said variable feel arm is deployed.