Linked multi-segment landing gear door for aircraft

A landing gear door assembly for first and second landing gear located on opposite sides of a longitudinal center axis of an airplane, where each landing gear has a stowed position in the airplane and an operating position, said airplane having first and second landing gear door openings, each of which is defined at least in part by a first outer and second inner door opening edge structures, and through which each landing gear travels on a travel path moving between its stowed and operating positions, said door assembly comprising:

• a) first and second panel sections located on opposite sides of the airplane, each of which comprises at least first outer panel and a second inner panel, each of which panels has first and second side edges and an alignment plane extending between the first and second side edges, said panels having a closed position where the panels of the two panel sections are positioned in side by side alignment across said door opening;
• b) first and second positioning sections operatively connected to said first and second panel sections, respectively, to move the two panel sections from the closed position away from each other to open positions where both the first and second panels of each panel section are located laterally outwardly of the travel path of its related landing gear, and where the first and second panels of each panel section are in proximity with one another, with the alignment planes at least partially overlapping one another and said panels are clear of the traveling path of the landing gear.

A landing gear door apparatus for two landing gears of an airplane, where each landing gear has a stowed position in the airplane and an operating position, said airplane having a landing gear door opening region through which each of the landing gear travels on a travel path moving between its stowed and operating positions, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a first landing gear door assembly comprising:
• i. a first panel section comprising at least first and second panels, said panels having a closed position where the panels are positioned side by side to extend across at least a portion of said door opening region;
• ii. a first positioning section operatively connected to said panel section to move said panels from the closed position to an upper open position where the first and second panels are in proximity with one another.
• b) a second landing gear door assembly comprising:
• i) a second panel section comprising at least third and fourth panels, said third and fourth panels having a closed position where the panels extend across at least a portion of said door opening region;
• ii) a second positioning section operatively connected to said second panel section to move said panels from the closed position to a lower open position where the third and fourth panels are in proximity with one another, and positioned lower than said first and second panels in their stowed position.

A landing gear door assembly for a landing gear of an airplane, where the landing gear has a stowed position in the airplane and an operating position, said airplane having a landing gear door opening which is defined at least in part by first and second door opening edge structures, and through which the landing gear travels on a travel path moving between its stowed and operating positions, said door assembly comprising:

• a) a panel section comprising at least first and second panels, each of which has first and second side edges and an alignment plane extending between the first and second side edges, said panels having a closed positioned where the panels are positioned side by side to extend across at least a portion of said door opening;
• b) a positioning section operatively connected to said panel section to move said panels from the closed position to an open position where the panels are in proximity with one another, with the alignment planes at least partially overlapping one another and said panels are clear of the traveling path of the landing gear;
• c) said first and second panels each having an outside surface which in the stowed position is facing ambient atmosphere, and an inside surface, said positioning section being arranged so that the first and second panels are moved to the open position where the inside surface of one of said panels is adjacent to the outside surface of the other of said panels;
• d) said assembly further comprising a third panel having an alignment plane and first and second side edges, said first, second and third panels being positioned, in the stowed position, so that the three panels extend across the door opening, said positioning section being arranged to move said third panel to a location having its alignment plane overlapping with an alignment plane of at least one of said first and second panels.

A landing gear door assembly for a landing gear of an airplane, where the landing gear has a stowed position in the airplane and an operating position, said airplane having a landing gear door opening which is defined at least in part by first and second door opening edge structures, and through which the landing gear travels on a travel path moving between its stowed and operating positions, said door assembly comprising:

• a) a panel section comprising at least first and second panels, each of which has first and second side edges and an alignment plane extending between the first and second side edges, said panels having a closed positioned where the panels are positioned side by side to extend across at least a portion of said door opening;
• b) a positioning section operatively connected to said panel section to move said panels from the closed position to an open position where the panels are in proximity with one another, with the alignment planes at least partially overlapping one another and said panels are clear of the traveling path of the landing gear;
• c) said first and second panels having outside surfaces which are exposed to outside atmosphere when the panels are in their closed position, and inside surfaces, said positioning section being arranged so that in moving the panels from the closed position of the open position, the inside surfaces of the two panels are in the open position facing one another, and the alignment planes of the two panels are at least partially overlapping;
• d) said panels being hinge connected along adjacent side edges, and in the open position, the two panels are rotated toward one another during deployment to the open position, the two panels are rotated toward one another during deployment to the open position so that inside surfaces of the two panels face one another.

An airplane having a fuselage with a longitudinal center axis, and having first and second landing gear assemblies on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, each of said landing gear assemblies comprising:

• a) a door opening structure having an outer door structure edge portion defining an outer edge of said door opening extending from the outer door edge structure toward the longitudinal axis;
• b) a retractable landing gear moveable through said door opening on a path of travel between a stowed position and an operating position;
• c) a panel section having a closed position and an open position, said panel section comprising at least an inner panel and an outer panel, which panels in the closed position extend substantially across said door opening in side-by-side relationship, with the inner panel being closer to the longitudinal axis and the outer panel being further from the longitudinal axis;
• d) a positioning section operatively connected to said panel section to move both of said panels from the closed position to an open position where both panels are on one side of the travel path of the landing gear, and with the panels being clear of the travel path of the landing gear.

An airplane having a fuselage with a longitudinal center axis, and having first and second landing gear assemblies on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, each of said landing gear assemblies comprising:

• a) a door opening structure having an inner door structure edge portion closer to the longitudinal axis, and an outer door structure edge portion further from said longitudinal axis, and defining a door opening;
• b) a retractable landing gear moveable through said door opening on a path of travel between a stowed position and an operating position;
• c) a panel section having a closed position and an open position, said panel section comprising at least an inner panel and an outer panel, which panels in the closed position extend substantially across said door opening in side by side relationship, with the inner panel being closer to the longitudinal axis and the outer panel being further from the longitudinal axis;
• d) a positioning section operatively connected to said panel section to move both of said panels from the closed position to an open position where both panels are on one side of the travel path of the landing gear, and with the panels being clear of the travel path of the landing gear.