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AssigneeAerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle
InventorRene L. Coffy
Estimating the term…
The flexible girder made of composite materials and with high energy absorption is in the form of an elongate box of laminated structure comprising two rigid flanges (6,7) connected by two webs (9) which have aligned apertures (13). A deformable energy-absorbing block (14') is arranged between the two flanges (6,7) at the apertures and comprises a block of an elastomeric material (15). The block (14') absorbs the buckling deformation energy of the flange (6) which is subjected to compressive stress during flexion of the girder, by resting on the other flange (7) which is subjected to tensile stress. The block (14') controls the buckling of the flange (6) and only gives back part of the energy absorbed. Application to the equipment in particular of skid landing gear for helicopters and tail skids for aircraft.
A flexible girder made of composite materials and with high energy absorption, having substantially the shape of an elongate box of laminated structure comprising two rigid flanges connected by two webs, characterized in that it comprises in addition at least one deformable energy-absorbing block unit arranged between the two flanges and comprising at least one block of an elastomeric material with high deformation remanence, the block unit being intended, when the girder is deformed in flexion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flanges, to absorb the buckling deformation energy of the flange which is subjected to compressive stress, by resting on the other flange which is subjected to tensile stress, and to control the buckling of the compressed flange, the absorption characteristic of the block bringing about partial restitution of the energy absorbed, when the girder returns to the normal position, at least one of the block units being arranged between two aligned apertures, respectively provided in the webs of the girder.
A landing gear for an aircraft, of the type comprising members intended to come into contact with the ground connected to the fuselage of the aircraft by at least one landing gear strut, characterized in that at least one of the struts comprises at least one flexible girder made of composite materials and with high energy absorption, having substantially the shape of an elongate box of laminated structure comprising two rigid flanges connected by two webs, and in addition at least one deformable energy-absorbing block unit arranged between the two flanges, which block unit comprises at least one block of an elastomeric material with high deformation remanence, the block unit being intended, when the girder is deformed in flexion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flanges, to absorb the buckling deformation energy of the flange which is subjected to compressive stress, by resting on the other flange which is subjected to tensile stress, and to control the buckling of the compressed flange, the absorption characteristic of the block bringing about partial restitution of the energy absorbed, when the girder returns to the normal position, at least one of the block units being arranged between two aligned apertures, respectively provided in the webs of the girder.
A landing gear for an aircraft with at least one rotor, such as a helicopter, in which the members coming into contact with the ground are two lateral skids, the landing gear struts of which are formed by a front crosspiece and a rear crosspiece, connecting the two skids to each other, and each being in the form of a bow substantially in an inverted U-shape, the base of which is firmly secured to the structure of the fuselage by two connecting members arranged on either side of the central portion of the base, characterized in that each of the two crosspieces is formed by a flexible girder made of composite materials and with high energy absorption, having substantially the shape of an elongate box of laminated structure comprising two rigid flanges which are substantially vertically one above the other, the upper flange being compressed on landing and deformed by buckling between the two connecting members, the flanges being connected by two webs, and comprising in addition at least one deformable energy-absorbing block unit arranged between the two flanges in the central portion of the base, which unit includes at least one block of an elastomeric material with high deformation remanence, the block unit being intended, when the girder is deformed in flexion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flanges, to absorb the buckling deformation energy of the upper flange which is subjected to compressive stress, by resting on the lower flange which is subjected to tensile stress, and to control the buckling of the upper flange, the absorption characteristic of the block bringing about partial restitution of the energy absorbed, when the girder returns to the normal position.
A tail skid for the protection of the rear structure of an aircraft, comprising an elongate member, one end of which is intended to be fixed to the rear structure of the aircraft and the other end of which is free and curved, characterized in that the elongate member comprises at least one girder made of composite materials and with high energy absorption, having substantially the shape of an elongate box of laminated structure comprising two rigid flanges one above the other connected by two webs, and in addition at least one deformable energy-absorbing block unit arranged between the two flanges, which block unit comprises at least one block of an elastomeric material with high deformation remanence, the block unit being intended, when the girder is deformed in flexion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flanges, to absorb the buckling deformation energy of the flange which is subjected to compressive stress, by resting on the other flange which is subjected to tensile stress, and to control the buckling of the compressed flange, the absorption characteristic of the block bringing about partial restitution of the energy absorbed, when the girder returns to the normal position, at least one of the block units being arranged between two aligned apertures, respectively provided in the webs of the girder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.