# US 10,479,487 B2 · Landing gear folding brace with locking actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,487 B2 - Document ID: US10479487B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/409,070 - Filed: 2017-01-18 - Published: 2018-07-19 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-18 - Assignees: Goodrich Corporation - Applicants: Goodrich Corporation - Inventors: James Acks; Korey Michael Reber - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479487B2 ## CPC - B64C 25/22: fluid - B64C 25/10: retractable, foldable, or the like - B64C 25/12: sideways - B64C 25/26: Control or locking systems therefor - B64C 25/34: wheeled type, e.g. multi-wheeled bogies - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS ## Abstract A locking actuator arrangement may comprise an actuator housing defining a retaining cavity, an actuator piston comprising a piston head and a piston rod extending from the piston head, a receptacle body defining a receiving cavity, wherein the receiving cavity is configured to receive at least a portion of the piston rod, and the piston rod is configured to be received by the receiving cavity in response to alignment of at least two coupled links. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A locking actuator arrangement for a landing gear comprising: a housing link extending from a pivot in a first direction and extending along a first longitudinal axis; an actuator housing extending from the pivot in a second direction, the second direction is opposite the first direction, the actuator housing defining a retaining cavity; a receiving link pivotally coupled to the housing link and defining a receiving cavity, the receiving link comprises a second longitudinal axis; and an actuator piston comprising a piston head and a piston rod extending from the piston head; wherein the receiving cavity is configured to receive at least a portion of the piston rod, and the piston rod is configured to be received by the receiving cavity in response to a pre-determined alignment of the housing link and the receiving link. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The locking actuator arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a spring configured to be disposed in the retaining cavity, wherein the spring is configured to bias the actuator piston to at least one of extend from and retract into the retaining cavity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The locking actuator arrangement of claim 2, wherein the piston head is configured to separate the retaining cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The locking actuator arrangement of claim 3, further comprising a port in fluid communication with the retaining cavity configured to supply a hydraulic pressure to at least one of retract and extend the actuator piston relative to the actuator housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The locking actuator arrangement of claim 4, wherein the spring is housed within the first chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The locking actuator arrangement of claim 2, further comprising: a first stopping feature disposed on the housing link; and a second stopping feature disposed on the receiving link, wherein the first stopping feature is configured to engage the second stopping feature to prevent over rotation of at least one of the housing link and the receiving link. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The locking actuator arrangement of claim 2, further comprising a cam feature disposed on the receiving link configured to make sliding contact with the piston rod. ### Claim 8 A landing gear arrangement, comprising: a housing link comprising a first longitudinal axis; a receiving link pivotally coupled to the housing link, the receiving link comprises a second longitudinal axis; an actuator housing coupled to the housing link and defining a retaining cavity; and an actuator piston comprising a piston head and a piston rod extending from the piston head, the actuator piston moves along a third longitudinal axis, wherein the third longitudinal axis is offset from the first longitudinal axis, wherein the receiving link defines a receiving cavity, and the piston rod is configured to be received by the receiving cavity in response to the landing gear arrangement being deployed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The landing gear arrangement of claim 8, further comprising a spring configured to bias the actuator piston to at least one of extend from and retract into the retaining cavity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The landing gear arrangement of claim 9, wherein the actuator housing extends from the housing link. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The landing gear arrangement of claim 10, further comprising a pivot, wherein the housing link is pivotally coupled to the receiving link via the pivot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The landing gear arrangement of claim 11, wherein the piston head is configured to separate the retaining cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The landing gear arrangement of claim 12, further comprising a port in fluid communication with the retaining cavity configured to supply a hydraulic pressure to at least one of retract and extend the actuator piston relative to the actuator housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The landing gear arrangement of claim 13, wherein the spring is housed within the first chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The landing gear arrangement of claim 8, further comprising: a first stopping feature disposed on the housing link; and a second stopping feature disposed on the receiving link, wherein the first stopping feature is configured to engage the second stopping feature to prevent over rotation of at least one of the housing link and the receiving link. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The landing gear arrangement of claim 8, further comprising a cam feature disposed on the receiving link configured to make sliding contact with the piston rod. ### Claim 17 A method for a locking actuator arrangement for a landing gear comprising: biasing an actuator piston to extend from an actuator housing coupled to a housing link; receiving, by a receiving cavity, the actuator piston; engaging, by the actuator piston, the receiving cavity; and preventing, by the actuator piston, the housing link from rotating relative to a receiving link, in response to the engaging, wherein the housing link extends from a pivot in a first direction and extends along a first longitudinal axis; the actuator housing extends from the pivot in a second direction, the second direction is opposite the first direction, the actuator housing defines a retaining cavity; the receiving link is pivotally coupled to the housing link, the receiving link defines the receiving cavity, the receiving link comprises a second longitudinal axis; the actuator piston comprises a piston head and a piston rod extending from the piston head; the receiving cavity is configured to receive at least a portion of the piston rod, and the piston rod is configured to be received by the receiving cavity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: rotating the housing link relative to the receiving link; and biasing, by a spring, the actuator piston.