Shock absorber assembly for power drive unit of a vehicle

An aircraft comprising:

• a fuselage;
• wings securely fixed to the fuselage, wherein each of the wings includes a plurality of control surfaces;
• a power drive unit (PDU) coupled to a drive shaft that is operatively coupled to one or more of the plurality of control surfaces, wherein the PDU includes first and second torque brakes operatively coupled to the drive shaft;
• and
• a shock absorber assembly operatively coupled to the drive shaft between the first and second torque brakes, wherein the shock absorber assembly comprises:
• (a) a first hub;
• (b) a second hub;
• and (c) a bull gear having at least a portion sandwiched between the first and second hubs, wherein the bull gear is configured to rotate independently of the first and second hubs in response to a mechanical malfunction of the PDU.

A shock absorber assembly configured to be operatively connected to a drive shaft of a power drive unit (PDU) of an aircraft, the shock absorber assembly comprising:

• a first hub;
• a second hub that is a mirror image of the first hub, wherein the first and second hubs are securely fixed together in order to prevent the first hub from rotating relative to the second hub;
• a bull gear having at least a portion sandwiched between the first and second hubs, wherein the bull gear is configured to rotate independently of the first and second hubs a controlled distance in response to a mechanical malfunction of the PDU;
• one or more bearings, wherein the bull gear is rotatably secured to the one or more bearings, wherein at least one of the bull gear and the one or more bearings comprises a shaft channel, wherein the drive shaft is configured to be secured within the shaft channel;
• and
• brake lining secured to one or more of the first hub, the second hub, and the bull gear, wherein the brake lining provides a frictional interface between the bull gear and one or both of the first and second hubs, wherein the brake lining provides a coefficient of friction that causes the bull gear to rotate along with the first and second hubs during normal operation of the PDU, and wherein the brake lining dissipates at least a portion of torque energy during the mechanical malfunction.