Granted Patent B2

US 12,612,172 · App. 17/966,251 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Inventors: Collin Freiheit (South Burlington, VT); Cody Spiegel (South Burlington, VT); Nicholas Moy (South Burlington, VT)

Assignee: BETA AIR LLC

B64D31/06B64D31/16B64C29/0008

Abstract

Claims (50)

1 . A lift lever assembly for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, wherein the lift lever assembly comprises:

a lever configured to control a lift propulsor of an aircraft, the lever positionable about a first hinge between a thrust-engaged position and a thrust-disengaged position;

a handle disposed at a middle portion of a length between the first hinge and a distal end of the lever and mechanically coupled to the lever, the handle coupled to the lever through a second hinge and comprising:

a latch having an outer surface and an inner surface; and

a torsion spring configured to provide a rotational torque at the second hinge to bias the handle into an inactive position;

wherein:

the handle is configured to allow, while the handle is in an active position, transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to the thrust-disengaged position;

the outer surface comprises a curved surface that contacts a stopper when the lever is pivoted into the thrust-engaged position and causes the handle to transition to the active position without a user input;

the inner surface contacts the stopper to prevent pivotal motion of the lever into the thrust-disengaged position when the handle is in the inactive position; and

a computing device incorporated with the lift lever assembly, wherein the computing device is communicatively connected to an alert configured to output a notification in response to and describing a transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to the thrust-disengaged position.

2 . The lift lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle is configured to restrict transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to a thrust-disengaged position while the at least a handle is in an inactive position.

3 . The lift lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein engaging the lift propulsor comprises:

disengaging at least a stopper;

placing the handle in the active position; and

placing the lever in the thrust-engaged position.

4 . The lift lever assembly of claim 3 , wherein disengaging the stopper comprises rotating the handle on a hinge.

5 . The lift lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein disengaging the lift propulsor comprises:

placing the handle in an inactive position; and

transitioning the lever into the thrust-disengaged position.

6 . The lift lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lift lever assembly further comprises stopper configured to restrict movement of the handle.

7 . The lift lever assembly of claim 6 , wherein the stopper is configured to restrict the transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to a thrust-disengaged position.

8 . The lift lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a position parameter of the lever.

9 . The lift lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lift propulsor comprises an electric motor.

10 . The lift lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft comprises an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

11 . A method of use for a lift lever assembly for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:

controlling, using a lever, a lift propulsor of an aircraft between a thrust-engaged position and a thrust-disengaged position, wherein the lever comprises:

a handle disposed at a middle portion of a length of the lever between a hinge and a distal end of the lever and mechanically coupled to the lever through a second hinge and comprising:

a latch having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the outer surface comprises a curved surface that contacts a stopper when the lever is pivoted into the thrust-engaged position and causes the handle to transition to an active position without a user input, and wherein the inner surface contacts the stopper to prevent pivotal motion of the lever into the thrust-disengaged position when the handle is in an inactive position; and

a torsion spring configured to provide a rotational torque at the second hinge to bias the handle into an inactive position;

wherein the handle is configured to allow transition of the lever from a thrust-engaged position to a thrust-disengaged position, wherein in the thrust-disengaged position the lever is oriented horizontally and in the thrust-engaged position the lever is oriented in a position that is not horizontal;

an identifier mechanically communicable with the lever and comprising a sensor; and

a computing device incorporated with the lever, wherein the computing device is communicatively connected to an alert;

allowing transition, using the handle, of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to the thrust-disengaged position when the handle is in an active position;

sensing, using the sensor and the identifier, a position of the lever;

determining, using the computing device, a transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to the thrust-disengaged position; and

generating, at the computing device incorporated with the lever and in response to the transition, a notification of the transition to the alert.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the handle is configured to restrict transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to a thrust-disengaged position while the handle is in an inactive position.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein engaging the lift propulsor comprises:

disengaging at least a stopper;

placing the handle in an active position; and

placing the lever in the thrust-engaged position.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein disengaging the stopper comprises rotating the handle on a hinge.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein disengaging the lift propulsor comprises:

placing the handle in an inactive position; and

transitioning the lever into the thrust-disengaged position.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises restricting motion of the lever using at least a stopper.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises restricting, using the stopper, the transition of the lever from the thrust-engaged position to a thrust-disengaged position.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises sensing, using the sensor, a position parameter of the lever.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the lift propulsor comprises an electric motor.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the aircraft comprises an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (32)