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US 8,939,400 B2Granted
Air-ground detection system for semi-levered landing gear
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorMitchell Loren Ray Mellor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for air-ground detection. A truck beam of a semi-levered landing gear is mounted on a pivot pin. The truck beam is configured to rotate about the pivot pin between a toes down position and a toes up position. A positioning mechanism is connected to a semi-levered linkage assembly that secures an angle of the truck beam in the toes up position. The semi-levered linkage assembly is secured in a steady state and configured to change from the steady state to a locked state in response to an initial ground contact. A sensor is connected to the semi-levered linkage assembly. The sensor is configured to detect a change from the steady state to the locked state.
Claims10
An air-ground detection system comprising:
- a truck beam of a semi-levered landing gear mounted on a pivot pin, wherein the truck beam is configured to rotate about the pivot pin between a toes down position and a toes up position;
- a positioning mechanism connected to a semi-levered linkage assembly that secures an angle of the truck beam in the toes up position, wherein the semi-levered linkage assembly is secured in a steady state and configured to change from the steady state to a locked state in response to an initial ground contact, the semi-levered linkage assembly comprising:
- a compression spring, the compression spring being configured to hold the semi-levered linkage assembly in a steady state under a tension load less than a pre-determined tension load value;
- and
- a tension spring, the tension spring being configured to hold the semi-levered linkage assembly in the steady state under a compression load less than a pre-determined compression load value and further being configured to permit the semi-levered linkage assembly to fold closed under a compression load exceeding the pre-determined compression load value;
- and
- a sensor connected to the semi-levered linkage assembly, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a change from the steady state to the locked state.
4 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a wing connected to the fuselage;
- a semi-levered landing gear assembly connected to at least one of the fuselage, the wing, and an actuator, wherein the semi-levered landing gear assembly comprises:
- a truck beam connected to a shock absorber and mounted on a pivot pin enabling the truck beam to rotate from a toes up position to a toes down position;
- a number of positioning springs connected to a semi-levered linkage assembly, wherein the number of positioning springs comprises a tension spring, the tension spring being configured to hold the semi-levered linkage assembly in the steady state under a compression load less than a pre-determined compression load value and further being configured to permit the semi-levered linkage assembly to fold closed under a compression load exceeding the pre-determined compression load value, and wherein a compression spring exerts force in opposition to secure the semi-levered linkage assembly in a steady state;
- the semi-levered linkage assembly connected to the truck beam and the positioning mechanism in a steady state prior to initial ground contact during a landing procedure;
- a number of links within the semi-levered linkage assembly, wherein the number of links is configured to change orientation from the steady state to a locked state in response to the initial ground contact of a number of aft wheels with a ground;
- a sensor connected to the semi-levered linkage assembly, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a change in the orientation of the number of links from the steady state to the locked state, and wherein the sensor is configured to generate a signal indicating an occurrence of the initial ground contact in response to detecting the change in the orientation from the steady state to the locked state;
- and
- a stop connected to the semi-levered linkage assembly, wherein the stop is configured to prevent opening of the semi-levered linkage assembly at a pre-determined degree of rotation of the truck beam in response to an increased tension load on the semi-levered linkage assembly of the semi-levered landing gear assembly, and wherein the pre-determined degree of rotation is two-tenths of a degree of rotation.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.