Landing gear load detection system
AssigneeSafran Landing Systems Canada Inc.
InventorRoss Trevisan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A load detection system detects loads applied to a landing gear assembly during landing. The landing gear assembly includes an axle coupled to a piston rod of a compressible shock strut and a wheel rotatably mounted the axle. A torque link includes a lower link coupled to the piston rod of the shock strut so that compression of the shock strut rotates the link about a first axis. The load detection system includes a probe rotatably coupled about a second axis. The probe engages a ground surface when the shock strut is uncompressed and the wheel contacts the ground surface. The lower link rotates the probe as the shock strut compresses. A sensor senses a position of the probe, which corresponds to a load on the wheel when the shock strut is uncompressed and the wheel is in contact with the ground surface.
Claims14
A landing gear assembly, comprising:
- an axle coupled to a piston rod of a compressible shock strut, a wheel rotatably mounted the axle about a first axis, and a torque link with a lower link that is rotatable about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis, wherein movement of the shock strut from an uncompressed state to a compressed state rotates the lower link about the second axis in a first direction, and movement of the shock strut from the compressed state to the uncompressed state rotates the lower link about the second axis in a second direction;
- and
- a load detection system comprising:
- a probe assembly having an elongate probe rotatably coupled about a third axis that is parallel to the second axis, the elongate probe being configured to engage a ground surface when the shock strut is in an uncompressed state and the wheel is in contact with the ground surface, wherein rotation of the lower link in the first direction about the second axis engages the lower link with the probe assembly and drives rotation of the elongate probe about the third axis, and rotation of the lower link in the second direction about the second axis disengages the lower link from the probe assembly;
- and
- a sensor configured to sense a position of the probe, wherein the sensed position of the probe corresponds to a load on the wheel when the shock strut is uncompressed and the wheel is in contact with the ground surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.