Airplane wheel unit
OwnerToshimi Suzukiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive unit for a wheel of an airplane landing gear includes a pneumatic motor having a first impeller which is driven by pneumatic energy of compressed air and a second impeller which is turned by the expanded exhaust from the first impeller. These impellers are fixed to the wheel axle and turn together with a third impeller within an air-tight casing. A fixed vane is provided between the second and third impellers. The pneumatic motor has two functions, (1) as a pneumatic motor which is turned by the pneumatic energy of compressed air and, (2) as a vacuum brake, creating a vacuum within the airtight casing by closing the inlet for the compressed air and driving the impellers by the power of the turning wheel of the landing gear, driven by ground contact upon landing.
Claims6
A wheel unit for an airplane landing gear, said wheel unit comprising:
- at least one wheel having a rim portion with a ground-engaging tire mounted thereon, said one wheel being fixed to a wheel axle for rotation therewith;
- a pneumatic motor for rotatably driving said wheel, said pneumatic motor comprising:
- a first impeller fixed to said wheel axle for rotation therewith;
- a compressed air inlet for feeding compressed air to said first impeller thereby driving said impeller;
- an expansion chamber for receiving and expanding compressed gas exiting said first impeller;
- and
- a second impeller fixed to said wheel axle, said second impeller being driven by expanding air from said expansion chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.