Latching apparatus and methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJan A. Kordel, Mark S. Good
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Latching apparatus and methods are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a first latch portion including a first tooth and a first pin disposed in a first aperture defined by the first tooth and a second latch portion including a second tooth and a second pin disposed in an second aperture defined by the second tooth. The second tooth of the second latch portion is to mesh with the first tooth of the first latch portion to substantially orient the first pin and the second pin along an axis. The example apparatus further includes an actuator adjacent a first end of one of the first latch portion or the second latch portion to move the first pin and the second pin along the axis to lock the first latch portion to the second latch portion.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a wing of an aircraft having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions movable relative to each other between a folded position and a spread position;
- a first latch portion coupled to the first portion of the wing, the first latch portion having a first tooth and a pin disposed within a first aperture defined by the first tooth;
- a second latch portion coupled to the second portion of the wing, the second latch portion having a second tooth and a second aperture defined by the second tooth, the second tooth to mesh with the first tooth when the first and second portions of the wing are in the spread position to substantially orient the first and second apertures along an axis;
- and
- an actuator to move the pin along the axis toward the second aperture of the second tooth to lock the first latch portion to the second latch portion.
A method comprising:
- engaging a first latch portion disposed on a first portion of a wing of an aircraft and a second latch portion disposed on a second portion of the wing, the first latch portion including a first tooth and a pin disposed within a first aperture defined by the first tooth, the second latch portion including a second tooth and a second aperture defined by the second tooth;
- actuating an actuator to move the pin from a first position to a second position in which a portion of the pin is disposed within the second aperture of the second tooth to lock the first latch portion into engagement with the second latch portion;
- and
- determining whether the pin has moved from the first position to the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.