Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100181423 | AIRCRAFT SHOCK STRUT HAVING FIXED UPPER BEARING - An aircraft shock strut includes a cylinder and a piston movable within the cylinder. A lower bearing and an upper bearing provide sliding engagement between the cylinder and the piston. The upper bearing is fixed to the cylinder and provides sliding engagement with an outer surface the piston. An upper bearing that is fixed to the cylinder facilitates use of lighter weight materials for the cylinder without sacrificing durability. | 07-22-2010 |
20110214601 | System for indicating an airplane hard landing - An indicator assembly for an aircraft landing gear for providing indication of a hard landing. The indicator assembly including a actuator member movable when the pressure on a shock strut of the aircraft landing gear exceeds a desired load and stroke threshold indicative of a hard landing. A shear pin is coupled to the actuator member which is configured to shear when a desired level of force is applied to at least a portion of the shear pin. A visibly recognizable indictor is moved from a non-indicating position to an indicating position upon shearing of the shear pin. | 09-08-2011 |
20120111999 | VERTICALLY RETRACTING SIDE ARTICULATING LANDING GEAR FOR AIRCRAFT - A side articulating main landing gear assembly for an aircraft is disclosed which includes a wheel axle fitting oriented in a horizontal plane when the landing gear assembly is in an extended condition deployed from a landing gear bay of the aircraft, a shock absorber adapted to stroke between an extended state and a compressed state upon landing the aircraft, a first linkage for maintaining a tire supported on the wheel axle fitting in a substantially vertical plane as the shock absorber strokes between the extended state and the compressed state, and a second linkage for maintaining the wheel axle fitting in the horizontal plane as the shock absorber strokes between the extended state and the compressed state. The first and second linkages are adapted and configured to minimize lateral tire scuffing during shock absorber stroking. | 05-10-2012 |
20120187239 | Steering collar locking mechanism for retractable aircraft nose landing gear - A retractable nose landing gear assembly for an aircraft is disclosed, which includes an elongated strut cylinder defining a longitudinal axis, an elongated strut piston mounted for reciprocal movement relative to the strut cylinder between a shrunk condition when the landing gear is retracted into a wheel well of an aircraft and a fully extended condition when the landing gear is deployed from the wheel well for landing the aircraft, and wherein the strut piston is mounted for rotation about the axis of the strut cylinder for steering the aircraft while taxiing on the ground, and a locking mechanism operatively associated with the strut cylinder for preventing rotation of the strut piston about the axis of the strut cylinder when the landing gear is in a shrunk condition retracted within the wheel well of the aircraft during flight. | 07-26-2012 |
20140239119 | MAIN LANDING GEAR COMPACT AXLE STEERING - A landing gear system comprises a bogie beam, a landing gear axle pivotally mounted to the bogie beam, a steering rack, a linear actuator assembly, and a steering control link. The steering rack is secured transversely to the bogie beam and is longitudinally spaced apart from the landing gear axle. The linear actuator assembly is operable to laterally translate the steering rack. The steering control link is longitudinally extendable and has an actuator end secured to the steering rack, and an axle end of the steering control link engaged with the landing gear axle. The steering control link and the landing gear axle are pivotable relative to the bogie beam about a common axis. | 08-28-2014 |
20140239120 | MAIN LANDING GEAR BIAS AXLE STEERING - A bias steered landing gear system comprises a bogie beam, a first landing gear axle pivotally mounted to the bogie beam, and a steering actuator assembly. The first landing gear axle is pivotable through an axle steering range which includes a maximum inboard steering angle and a maximum outboard steering angle. The steering actuator assembly is operable to apply a steering force to steer the first landing gear axle through the axle steering range between the maximum inboard steering angle and the maximum outboard steering angle. The maximum inboard steering angle is substantially larger than the maximum outboard steering angle. | 08-28-2014 |
20160046366 | COMPLIANT LOWER BEARING WITH TAPERED OUTER DIAMETER - A bearing housing may comprise a cylindrical body and a groove formed in an inner surface of the cylindrical body. The groove may be configured to interface with a bearing. A tapered surface may be formed on an outer diameter of the cylindrical body. A wear plate may be disposed over the tapered surface. An elastic material may be between the tapered surface and the wear plate. The tapered surface may be conical. A length of the tapered surface may be less than half the length of the bearing housing. The tapered surface may be tapered at an angle based on a deflection angle of the piston. A second tapered surface may be formed on the outer diameter of the cylindrical body. An elastic material may be between the second tapered surface and the wear plate. | 02-18-2016 |
20160116015 | Z-HEAD PISTON FOR DUAL CHAMBER SHOCK STRUTS - A shock strut includes a first cylinder defining a first volume. The shock strut includes a first piston head moveably positioned within the first volume and defining a first fluid chamber and a third fluid chamber within the first volume. The shock strut includes a second cylinder defining a second volume. The shock strut includes a second piston head moveably positioned within the second volume and defining a second fluid chamber and a fourth fluid chamber within the second volume. The fourth fluid chamber is in fluid communication with the third fluid chamber. The shock strut also includes a bleed port. The shock strut also includes a tube extending from the fourth fluid chamber through the second piston head and the second fluid chamber to the bleed port. | 04-28-2016 |