IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0245916
(2008-10-06)
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등록번호 |
US-8162255
(2012-04-24)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Weaver, Thomas L.
- Sheahan, Jr., James J.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Hope Baldauff Hartman, LLC
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
7 |
초록
▼
Apparatus and methods provide for the use of a lift-producing body with a landing gear assembly in order to provide a lifting force during landing gear operations that reduces the load on the landing gear actuator. According to embodiments, the lift-producing body may be configured for attachment to
Apparatus and methods provide for the use of a lift-producing body with a landing gear assembly in order to provide a lifting force during landing gear operations that reduces the load on the landing gear actuator. According to embodiments, the lift-producing body may be configured for attachment to the landing gear assembly. The lift-producing body may be reconfigured while the landing gear assembly is being retracted or deployed in order to maximize the aerodynamic lift created by the lift-producing body or to minimize the drag induced by the lift-producing body.
대표청구항
▼
1. A landing gear actuation device, comprising: a lift-producing body configured for attachment to a landing gear assembly to create an aerodynamic lift that assists operation of the landing gear assembly when exposed to an ambient airflow,wherein the lift-producing body is reconfigurable during lan
1. A landing gear actuation device, comprising: a lift-producing body configured for attachment to a landing gear assembly to create an aerodynamic lift that assists operation of the landing gear assembly when exposed to an ambient airflow,wherein the lift-producing body is reconfigurable during landing gear operation to rotate around a pitch axis to change the angle of attack of the lift-producing body to control the aerodynamic lift. 2. The landing gear actuation device of claim 1, wherein the lift-producing body is reconfigurable to maximize the aerodynamic lift or to minimize a drag created by the lift-producing body. 3. The landing gear actuation device of claim 1, wherein the lift-producing body comprises two wings. 4. The landing gear actuation device of claim 3, wherein the two wings are configured to deploy for operation and to retract for stowage. 5. The landing gear actuation device of claim 4, wherein the two wings being configured to deploy for operation comprises being configured to fold away from the landing gear assembly to a deployed operational configuration from a retracted stowed configuration. 6. The landing gear actuation device of claim 4, wherein the two wings being configured to retract for stowage comprises being configured to fold toward the landing gear assembly to a retracted stowed configuration from a deployed operational configuration. 7. The landing gear actuation device of claim 4, wherein each of the two wings comprises a plurality of wing sections, and wherein the lift-producing body being configured to deploy for operation and to retract for stowage comprises being configured to telescopically extend to a deployed operational configuration in which each of the plurality of wing sections is exposed to the ambient airflow, and to telescopically retract to a retracted stowed configuration in which a single wing section of each of the two wings is exposed to the ambient airflow. 8. The landing gear actuation device of claim 1, wherein the lift-producing body comprises a one-piece wing having a wing span that is less than or substantially equal to the width defined by the distance between outer tire walls of the landing gear assembly such that the one-piece wing does not interfere with stowage of the landing gear assembly. 9. The landing gear actuation device of claim 1, wherein the lift-producing body comprises two wings, the two wings being configured to attach to opposite sides of the landing gear assembly and to rotate around the pitch axis independently from one another such that lift created by each wing may be directed in a different direction to aid in rotation of the landing gear assembly during retraction or deployment of the landing gear assembly. 10. The landing gear actuation device of claim 1, wherein the lift-producing body comprises an active flow control mechanism operative to control the aerodynamic lift generated by the lift-producing body during landing gear operation. 11. The landing gear actuation device of claim 1, wherein the lift-producing body is further configured to alter the surface shape of the lift-producing body to control the aerodynamic lift generated by the lift-producing body during landing gear operation. 12. A landing gear actuation system, comprising: a landing gear assembly; anda lift-producing body attached to the landing gear assembly, the lift-producing body comprising an airfoil shaped to provide aerodynamic lift that assists operation of the landing gear assembly and a controlling mechanism operative to control the aerodynamic lift provided by the airfoil to maximize a duration of actuation assistance provided to the landing gear assembly during deployment or retraction of the landing gear assembly by rotating the lift-producing body to change an angle of attack of the lift-producing body with respect to the ambient airflow. 13. The landing gear actuation system of claim 12, wherein the lift-producing body comprises two wings, the two wings being configured to attach to opposite sides of the landing gear assembly, to deploy for providing landing gear actuation assistance, and to retract for stowage. 14. The landing gear actuation system of claim 12, wherein the lift-producing body comprises a one-piece wing having a wing span that is less than or substantially equal to the width defined by the distance between outer tire walls of the landing gear assembly such that the one-piece wing does not interfere with stowage of the landing gear assembly. 15. The landing gear actuation system of claim 12, wherein the lift-producing body is configured to telescopically extend to produce lift and to telescopically retract for stowage. 16. The landing gear actuation system of claim 12, wherein the controlling mechanism is operative to discharge air from at least one aperture in a surface of the lift-producing body to control the aerodynamic lift created by the airfoil. 17. The landing gear actuation system of claim 12, further comprising a wheel drive system operative to reverse a direction of wheel spin after aircraft takeoff to create aerodynamic lift that assists retraction of the landing gear assembly. 18. A method of assisting landing gear actuation during aircraft flight, the method comprising: providing a lift-producing body attached to a landing gear assembly, the lift-producing body configured to create an aerodynamic lift that assists operation of the landing gear assembly when exposed to an ambient airflow; androtating the lift-producing body during operation of the landing gear assembly to control the aerodynamic lift or drag associated with the lift-producing body by changing an angle of attack of the lift-producing body with respect to the ambient airflow. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising deploying the lift-producing body upon an initiation of a retraction of the landing gear assembly such that the lift-producing body reconfigures from a stowed configuration to a lift-producing deployed configuration. 20. A reconfigurable landing gear actuation system for providing aerodynamic lift to assist a landing gear actuator, the system comprising: a landing gear assembly;two wings attached to opposite sides of the landing gear assembly, wherein the two wings are shaped to provide aerodynamic lift that assists operation of the landing gear actuator, and wherein the two wings are configured to fold away from the landing gear assembly to a deployed operational configuration for providing landing gear actuator assistance and to fold toward the landing gear assembly to a retracted stowed configuration from the deployed operational configuration; anda controller operative to rotate the two wings around a pitch axis to change an angle of attack of the two wings with respect to an ambient airflow to maximize a duration of the landing gear actuator assistance provided during deployment or retraction of the landing gear assembly. 21. A method of utilizing a controllable quantity of aerodynamic lift to assist a landing gear actuator, the method comprising: providing a lift-producing body attached to a landing gear assembly, the lift-producing body configured to create the aerodynamic lift that assists the landing gear actuator when exposed to an ambient airflow;deploying the lift-producing body upon an initiation of a retraction of the landing gear assembly such that the lift-producing body folds away from the landing gear assembly from a stowed configuration to a lift-producing deployed configuration;reconfiguring the lift-producing body during the retraction of the landing gear assembly to control the aerodynamic lift created by the lift-producing body as the landing gear assembly raises and changes an angle of attack of the lift-producing body; andretracting the lift-producing body from the lift-producing deployed configuration to the stowed configuration prior to entering an aircraft wheel well such that the lift-producing body folds toward the landing gear assembly to the stowed configuration. 22. A landing gear actuation device, comprising: a lift-producing body configured for attachment to a landing gear assembly to create an aerodynamic lift that assists operation of the landing gear assembly when exposed to an ambient airflow,wherein the lift-producing body is reconfigurable during landing gear operation to control the aerodynamic lift, andwherein the lift-producing body comprises a one-piece wing having a wing span that is less than or substantially equal to the width defined by the distance between outer tire walls of the landing gear assembly such that the one-piece wing does not interfere with stowage of the landing gear assembly. 23. A landing gear actuation system, comprising: a landing gear assembly; anda lift-producing body attached to the landing gear assembly, the lift-producing body comprising a one-piece wing having an airfoil shaped to provide aerodynamic lift that assists operation of the landing gear assembly and a wing span that is less than or substantially equal to the width defined by the distance between outer tire walls of the landing gear assembly such that the one-piece wing does not interfere with stowage of the landing gear assembly, anda controlling mechanism operative to control the aerodynamic lift provided by the airfoil to maximize a duration of actuation assistance provided to the landing gear assembly during deployment or retraction of the landing gear assembly.
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