초록 ▼

An aircraft landing gear door assembly (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) includes a door (1), which is moveable to an open position, in which an aperture (6) is exposed, the landing gear (10) being able to be deployed through said aperture (6), and moveable to a closed position, in which the door (1) is closed across

An aircraft landing gear door assembly (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) includes a door (1), which is moveable to an open position, in which an aperture (6) is exposed, the landing gear (10) being able to be deployed through said aperture (6), and moveable to a closed position, in which the door (1) is closed across the aperture (6). The door (1) is arranged for rotational movement of a first type, in which the door rotates about an axis that is substantially parallel to the length of the aircraft, between the closed position and the open position. The door (1) is also arranged for movement of a second type, different from the first type, in which the door (1) rotates, about an axis that is substantially transverse to the length of the aircraft, to a position in which it acts as a fairing to reduce the noise caused by the landing gear or a part thereof. In one embodiment, the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis that is substantially parallel to the door when in the closed position and the door (1) forms a ramp type fairing. In another embodiment, the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis that is substantially transverse to the door when in the closed position and the door (31) forms a V-shaped fairing (when viewed from above) with an opposite door (33).

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An aircraft landing gear and door assembly comprising a landing gear and a door, the door being moveable to an open position, in which an aperture is exposed, the landing gear being able to be deployed through said aperture, the door being moveable to a closed position,

The invention claimed is: 1. An aircraft landing gear and door assembly comprising a landing gear and a door, the door being moveable to an open position, in which an aperture is exposed, the landing gear being able to be deployed through said aperture, the door being moveable to a closed position, in which the door is closed across the aperture, wherein at least a part of the door is arranged for movement of a first type, in which the door moves between the closed position and the open position, wherein at least a portion of the same door is also arranged for movement of a second type, in which said at least a portion of the same door moves to a fairing position in which it acts as a fairing to reduce the noise caused by the landing gear or a part thereof when the landing gear is in its fully deployed position, and wherein the first type of movement is different from the second type of movement, said door is coupled to the aircraft using a coupling mechanism that includes first and second linkages so arranged that when the assembly is installed on an aircraft, during movement of the first type the door is coupled to the first linkage and decoupled from the second linkage and during movement of the second type the door is decoupled from the first linkage and coupled to the second linkage. 2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first type of movement is rotational movement. 3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first type of movement is rotational movement about an axis, that in use, is substantially parallel to the length of the aircraft. 4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first type of movement is rotational movement about a fixed axis. 5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the aperture has a longitudinal edge and wherein the first type of movement is rotational movement about an axis adjacent to the longitudinal edge of the aperture. 6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement. 7. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis, that when the assembly is installed on an aircraft, is substantially transverse to the length of the aircraft. 8. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about a fixed axis. 9. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about a movable axis. 10. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis, that when the assembly is installed on an aircraft, is substantially parallel to the door when in the closed position. 11. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis, that when the assembly is installed on an aircraft, is substantially transverse to the length of the aircraft. 12. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the aperture has a fore transverse edge and wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis adjacent to the fore transverse edge of the aperture. 13. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis, that in use when the door is in the position acting as a fairing, is substantially transverse to the door when the door is in the closed position. 14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about a movable axis. 15. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second type of movement of at least a portion of the same door is rotational movement about an axis, that when the assembly is installed on an aircraft, is substantially parallel to a surface of the door and moves with said at least part of the door as it moves between the open and closed positions. 16. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the door assembly is so arranged that the first and second types of movement are effected simultaneously, for at least part of the respective movements. 17. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the door comprises a first section hinged to a second section and the first section is arranged for movement of the second type, in which the first door section moves to the position in which it acts as a fairing. 18. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein, in the fairing position, said at least a portion of the door is positioned to divert air in a substantially downwards direction. 19. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein when the door is in the position acting as a fairing, at least a portion of the door is positioned to divert air in a substantially horizontal direction. 20. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein, in the position acting as a fairing, said at least a portion of the door is positioned to split the airflow, diverting a first portion of the airflow in a first direction and a second portion of the airflow in a second direction. 21. An aircraft including a landing gear and door assembly according to claim 1. 22. A method of reducing noise caused by landing gear on an aircraft including a step of manufacturing a landing gear door assembly according to claim 1. 23. A method of reducing noise caused by a landing gear in an aircraft including deploying a landing gear door assembly according to claim 1. 24. An aircraft landing gear and door assembly including a door movable to and from a closed position, in which the door is closed across an aperture, the aperture when open allowing a landing gear to be deployed through the aperture, wherein the door is arranged to rotate about a first axis substantially parallel to the length of the aircraft to move the door from the closed position to allow in use deployment of the landing gear through the aperture, and at least a portion of the door is rotatable about a second fixed axis, so as to move said at least a portion of the door to a fairing position in which it acts as a fairing to reduce the noise caused by the landing gear or a part thereof, the second fixed axis being both transverse to the length of the aircraft and substantially parallel to the door in a closed position. 25. An assembly according to claim 24, wherein the second axis is disposed at a location adjacent to a fore transverse edge of the aperture. 26. An assembly according to claim 24, wherein said portion of the door in its fairing position acts as a fairing in the form of a ramp. 27. A door assembly for an aircraft landing gear bay, the door assembly comprising a door moveable between a closed position and a fully open position, the fully open position defined as creating a gap within an aircraft landing gear bay sufficient for the extension of a landing gear, wherein at least part of the door is arranged for movement of a first type, in which the door moves from the closed position to the fully open position, at least a portion of the same door is also arranged for movement of a second type, in which said at least a portion of the door moves to a landing gear fairing position the landing gear fairing position defined as positioning said at least a portion of the door so as to be able to act as a fairing for a fully extended landing gear, said at least a portion of the same door is arranged to move along a first path during the first type of movement and is arranged to move along a second path during the second type of movement, and the first path is different from the second path. 28. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about a movable axis. 29. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about an axis, that in use when the door is in the position acting as a fairing, is substantially transverse to the door when the door is in the closed position. 30. An assembly according to claim 29, wherein the second type of movement is rotational movement about a movable axis. 31. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein the door assembly is so arranged that the first and second types of movement are effected simultaneously, for at least part of the respective movements. 32. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein the door comprises a first section hinged to a second section and the first section is arranged for movement of the second type, in which the first door section moves to the position in which it acts as a fairing. 33. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein when the door is in the position acting as a fairing, at least a portion of the door is positioned to divert airflow from the landing gear. 34. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein, in the position acting as a fairing, said at least a portion of the door is positioned to split the airflow, diverting a first portion of the airflow in a first direction and a second portion of the airflow in a second direction. 35. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein said at least a portion of the same door is arranged such that during movement of the second type said at least a portion of the door moves to a landing gear fairing position from a semi-closed position, the semi-closed position defined as creating a gap within an aircraft landing gear bay, but the gap being insufficient for the extension of a landing gear. 36. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein the second path does not extend along any part of the first path.