Nosewheel control apparatus
AssigneeBorealis Technical Limited
InventorsIsaiah Watas Cox, Joseph Jeremiah Cox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for driving a taxiing aircraft is disclosed, comprising, in an aircraft, two self-propelled nosewheels, each having an electric motor; equipment for flight; dual-function controlling means for controlling said equipment for flight and said nosewheels, said dual-function controlling means being disposed in the cockpit of said aircraft; sensing means; and switching means, —wherein said switching means are operable to switch the function of said dual-function controlling means between controlling said equipment for flight and controlling said nosewheels. Said dual function controlling means may control speed and/or steering of the aircraft. Second controlling means may be provided, and may be disposed externally to the aircraft.
Claims26
An apparatus for driving a taxiing aircraft on the ground, comprising, in an aircraft with a cockpit:
- two self-propelled nosewheels mounted on said aircraft, each said nosewheel having an electric motor drivingly connected thereto;
- equipment for flight located on said aircraft, said equipment for flight being operable when said aircraft is in flight and not operable when said aircraft is taxiing on the ground;
- dual-function controlling means switchable to operate both said equipment for flight and said nosewheels, said dual-function controlling means being disposed in the cockpit of said aircraft;
- sensing means in communication with said dual-function control means for sensing when the aircraft is on the ground;
- and
- switching means switchably connected to said equipment for flight and to said nosewheels and operable to switch said dual-function controlling means between operating said equipment for flight in the air and operating said nosewheels on the ground.
An apparatus for controlling, alternatively, the operation of an aircraft equipped with self-propelled nosewheels for independent ground travel and the operation of said aircraft in flight, wherein said aircraft includes a cockpit, cockpit control devices activatable to sustain the aircraft in flight, and a motor drivingly mounted on each of said nosewheels, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) dual-function control means operatively connected to said cockpit control devices and to each of said nosewheels for controlling operation of said cockpit control devices when said aircraft is in flight and operation of said nosewheels when said aircraft is on the ground;
- (b) motor control means for directing operation of each of said motors on said nosewheel to drive said nosewheels in a required path at a desired speed;
- (c) sensing means in operative communication with said dual function control means for sensing when said aircraft is in flight and when said aircraft is on the ground;
- (d) switch means in switching communication with said sensing means, said dual-function control means, said cockpit control devices, and said motor control means to activate said dual-function control means, said cockpit control devices, or said motor control means as required in response to communication from said sensing means indicating that the aircraft is in flight or on the ground, thereby controlling operation of said aircraft in flight or on the ground.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.