Energy absorbing landing gear system for a vertical landing apparatus and method of using the same

A vertical landing apparatus comprising:

• a structural frame;
• and
• one or more energy absorbing landing gear systems, each attached to the structural frame, via one or more attachment members, and each of the one or more energy absorbing landing gear systems comprising:
• a linear damper assembly comprising a linear damper having a piston assembly coupled to a base member;
• and
• a load limiter assembly coupled to the linear damper assembly, the load limiter assembly having a tubular fitting incorporating at least one deformable element, the at least one deformable element comprising two deformable elements aligned opposite each other on the tubular fitting, each of the two deformable elements having a through opening, and the load limiter assembly further having a pin inserted through each through opening of the two deformable elements, and the pin further coupled to the linear damper assembly,
• wherein during a landing phase, the base member of the linear damper assembly contacts a landing surface, and the piston assembly moves a first compression distance toward the load limiter assembly, and
• wherein when the linear damper assembly reaches a maximum compression, the linear damper assembly moves a second compression distance into the load limiter assembly, and the at least one deformable element deforms, and
• wherein when the linear damper assembly moves into the load limiter assembly, the pin tears through the two deformable elements to deform the two deformable elements.

A method of using one or more energy absorbing landing gear systems attached to a vertical landing apparatus during a landing phase of the vertical landing apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• operating the vertical landing apparatus to land in a vertical landing motion during the landing phase, the vertical landing apparatus having the one or more energy absorbing landing gear systems attached to a structural frame of the vertical landing apparatus, each of the one or more energy absorbing landing gear systems comprising:
• a linear damper assembly comprising a linear damper having a piston assembly coupled to a base member;
• and
• a load limiter assembly coupled to the linear damper assembly, the load limiter assembly having a tubular fitting incorporating at least one deformable element, the at least one deformable element comprising two deformable elements aligned opposite each other on the tubular fitting, each of the two deformable elements having a through opening, and the load limiter assembly further having a pin inserted through each through opening of the two deformable elements, and the pin further coupled to the linear damper assembly;
• moving the piston assembly of the linear damper assembly of each of the one or more energy absorbing landing gear systems, a first compression distance toward the load limiter assembly, when the base member of each of the one or more energy absorbing landing gear systems contacts a landing surface during the landing phase;
• moving the linear damper assembly of each of the one or more energy absorbing landing gear systems, a second compression distance into the load limiter assembly, when the linear damper assembly reaches a maximum compression;
• and
• deforming the at least one deformable element of each of the one or more energy absorbing landing gear systems, wherein when the linear damper assembly moves into the load limiter assembly, the pin tears through the two deformable elements to deform the two deformable elements.