Landing assist apparatus eccentric bushing
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorDarrin Tebon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft landing assist apparatus is designed to be retrofit to existing aircraft having internal constructions that have been modified to support the apparatus. The apparatus is designed so that on rough landings of the aircraft on a ship deck, the apparatus will collapse in a controlled manner to avoid any damage to ammunition and/or fuel storage areas of the aircraft. In one embodiment the apparatus includes a plurality of support struts that each include an eccentric bushing. A locking pin can be used to selectively position the eccentric position to adjust the overall length of its associated strut.
Claims18
An aircraft landing assist apparatus comprising:
- a landing probe having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, the probe proximal end being adapted for connection to an aircraft for movement of the probe relative to the aircraft with the probe length projecting from the aircraft to the probe distal end;
- a plurality of stabilizing struts, each strut having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, each strut proximal end being adapted for connection to the aircraft and each strut distal end being operatively connected to the probe;
- an eccentric bushing mounted on at least one of the struts for rotational movement of the bushing relative to the strut, the bushing having a hole though the bushing, the hole having a center axis that is adjustably positional along the length of the one strut in response to the rotational movement of the bushing relative to the strut;
- the bushing having a cylindrical configuration with an exterior surface;
- the one strut having a bushing hole with an interior surface, and the bushing being mounted on the one strut in the strut hole;
- and,
- the lock mechanism comprising an element that is positioned between the bushing exterior surface and the strut hole interior surface to effectively enable selective control over a length of said one strut when an external link is secured to the one strut.
An aircraft landing assist apparatus comprising:
- a landing probe having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, the probe proximal end being adapted for connection to an aircraft for movement of the probe relative to the aircraft with the probe length projecting from the aircraft to the probe distal end;
- a plurality of stabilizing struts, each strut having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, each strut proximal end being adapted for connection to the aircraft and each strut distal end being operatively connected to the probe;
- a bushing mounted on at least one strut for movement of the bushing relative to the one strut, the bushing having a hole with a center axis that is adjustably positioned along the length of the one strut in response to movement of the bushing relative to the one strut;
- and,
- an element that is engagable with the one strut and the bushing to lock the bushing in an adjusted position relative to the one strut;
- the bushing having a notch formed in the bushing and the one strut having a notch formed in the one strut;
- and,
- the element being removably inserted in the bushing notch and the strut notch to enable control over the effective length of the one strut when an external link is secured to the one strut.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.