Crouzet Next Grip Generation

Project Information

2021 GRIP

Grant agreement ID: 831841

DOI

10.3030/831841

Project closed

EC signature date 15 March 2019

Start date 1 April 2019

End date 31 July 2022

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 1 225 968,75

EU contribution

€ 500 000,00

Coordinated by

CROUZET AUTOMATISMES
France

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - 2021 GRIP (Crouzet Next Grip Generation)

Reporting period: 2021-04-01 to 2022-07-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

New generation of active Inceptor gives the opportunity to provide to pilots more and more functionalities, especially fitted directly on the grip.
The aim of this topic is to investigate new grip generation including new sensing devices, and the associated connections constraints, while keeping high integrity level, compliant with aeronautic requirements.

Thanks to 2021 Grip project Crozuet defined, developd, tested and validated technological bricks : low power buttons (switch, analog), visual indicator, hands-on/hands-off, force sensor, light weight technology for the grip and information concentrator to reduce number of wires (space and weight optimization) and exchange information between Grip and calculator of inceptor. These have been integrated in a shipset of Cockpit grip and a Throttle.

This project contribute to maintain and to reinforce CROUZET leadership in the domain of grips and buttons for aircraft with new features and new services to the benefit of system integrators and thus aircraft manufacturers.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

With 2021 GRIP project Crouzet developped :
1. 3D printed new generation of electronic buttons (push button, 2D-4D buttons, thumbwheel) with redundancy (electrical and mechanical) to participate to safety;
2. Controled ring light visual indicator for 2D-4D and push button;
3. A secure concentrator to exchange between grip and FCC via a CAN bus;
4. Hands-On/Hands-Off sensor to ensure correct handling of the grip by the pilot with bared, gloved or wet hand;
5. A Cockpit grip in carbon fiber to have a significant gain in weight 66% versu composite;
6. 2 ways secured force sensor to allow control of an aircraft (pitch and roll);
7. Health monitoring of electrical function;
8. High level of safety architeture for electronic and cabling.

Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the activities on both side, Crouzet and Topic Leader, have been slowdown but not stopped.
Despite this, the results are encouraging, but will require further evaluation beyond the CleanSky2 project and formalization of the necessary corrective actions.




2021 Grip has been presented on Aerotor Show in Valence (France) in July 2022.

Crouzet and teh Topic leader have started to propose 2021 Grip technologies to some aircraft manufacturers and integrators, with very positive interest from these customers and potential for future development.

We published a cross interview Safran/Crouzet to present the 2021 Grip on Crouzet Blog, Safran Electronics & Defense website’s and social networks.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The main results show that :
- Technology used for Hands-On/Hands off detection provides good result;
- The force sensor is able to control pitch and roll with high level of redundancy;
- Aptic feedback for Hall effect button is efficient;
- New electronic architecture for concentrator participate to wire reduction;
- When comparing weight of the same configuration and shape of a Cockpit grip made of composite: 434g vs 2021 Grip on : 228g (without the force sensor), we can see a 47% weight gain.This significant improvement is mainly due to carbon grip, Hall effect buttons and reduction of wiring between the grip and the FCC.

4 patents filled (Crouzet) and 2 additional shared patents and 2 industrial designs (50/50 Crouzet/Topic Manager) are pending.

Electronic buttons

Integration with Active Inceptor

Carbon cockpit grip

Functional tests

Hands on / hands-off sensor

Concentrator

Secured thumbwheel

Force sensor

Throttle grip