Load transfer in a powered aircraft drive wheel
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64C-025/50
B64C-025/40
출원번호
US-0449138
(2014-07-31)
등록번호
US-9789957
(2017-10-17)
발명자
/ 주소
Cox, Isaiah W.
Perkins, Scott
출원인 / 주소
Borealis Technical Limited
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
9
초록▼
An efficient system and method are provided wherein aircraft may be retrofitted with non-engine drive means controllable to power landing gear wheels to move the aircraft autonomously during ground movement without engines or tow vehicles so that existing landing gear structures are employed to achi
An efficient system and method are provided wherein aircraft may be retrofitted with non-engine drive means controllable to power landing gear wheels to move the aircraft autonomously during ground movement without engines or tow vehicles so that existing landing gear structures are employed to achieve force distribution and load transfer. Non-engine drive means capable of powering a landing gear wheel to move the aircraft during taxi are integrated into existing landing gear designs so that excess drive forces are transferred and distributed through previously evaluated and certificated landing gear structures, including tow fittings, determined to be capable of handling such forces, which eliminates changes to the landing gear and facilitates retrofit and certification. Engines-off taxi technology can be rapidly designed and developed to be retrofitted on existing aircraft nose and/or main landing gear and then efficiently certificated.
대표청구항▼
1. An aircraft landing gear drive wheel drive system configured to distribute and transfer loads and forces in excess of driving forces through aircraft landing gear components while aircraft are driven autonomously without engines or tow vehicles during aircraft ground movement, comprising: a. an a
1. An aircraft landing gear drive wheel drive system configured to distribute and transfer loads and forces in excess of driving forces through aircraft landing gear components while aircraft are driven autonomously without engines or tow vehicles during aircraft ground movement, comprising: a. an aircraft nose landing gear comprising at least a landing gear shock strut supporting a pair of tire-supporting wheels rotatably mounted on axles connected to the landing gear, and landing gear force-distributing and force-transferring structures located on said nose landing gear to withstand and absorb upward and lateral loading and driving forces and torque on said nose landing gear during aircraft ground movement, wherein said force-distributing and force-transferring structures comprise at least said landing gear shock strut, a landing gear torsion or torque link, and a landing gear tow fitting assembly; andb. a nose landing gear drive wheel drive system mounted within a housing located completely within dimensions of walls of each said wheel comprising a non-engine drive means for driving the aircraft during ground movement without operation of aircraft engines and tow vehicles, a non-engine drive means actuator, and a clutch positioned within said housing in a torque transfer arrangement, wherein said clutch is positioned in direct torque transfer activation with said non-engine drive means actuator and said non-engine drive means actuator is positioned in direct torque transfer actuation with said non-engine drive means, said non-engine drive means is located in direct torque transfer with said wheels, and said drive wheel drive system is located in direct or indirect force transfer relationship said force-distributing and force-transferring structures. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said force-distributing and force-transferring structures comprise a pair of attachment elements on the landing gear tow fitting assembly, and each said attachment element is mounted on a landing gear axle fitting or on said landing gear torsion or torque link in force transfer connection with said drive wheel drive system. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said non-engine drive means comprises an electric drive motor, said non-engine drive means actuator comprises a roller traction drive system or a gear system positioned to receive torque from said clutch and to transfer torque to said electric drive motor. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said non-engine drive means, said non-engine drive means actuator, and said clutch are designed to withstand torque loads in excess of a maximum torque load determined to be optimal for said drive wheel drive system. 5. A method for transferring loads and forces produced on an aircraft landing gear in excess of driving force required to move the aircraft autonomously without engines and tow vehicles as the aircraft is driven during ground movement without redesigning landing gear on an aircraft, comprising: a. retrofitting within a housing mounted completely within wheel walls of one or more aircraft landing gear wheels an engines-off taxi system comprising a non-engine drive means for generating torque and driving force to power and drive the one or more aircraft landing gear wheels during taxi, wherein the engines-off taxi system powers and drives the aircraft during taxi by torque transfer when a clutch activates a non-engine drive means actuator that actuates the non-engine drive means to transfer driving torque to the one or more aircraft landing gear wheels during taxi;b. retaining existing aircraft landing gear force transfer and distribution structures comprising at least a landing gear shock strut, a landing gear torsion or torque link, and a tow fitting assembly previously determined able to withstand loads and forces comprising at least driving upward and lateral forces and torque acting on the landing gear produced when the aircraft is moved by aircraft engines and tow vehicles during ground movement; andb. driving the aircraft with the retrofitted engines-off taxi system during taxi and ground movement, and transferring and distributing loads and forces in excess of the driving torque through the engines-off taxi system from an outboard side to an inboard side of said one or more aircraft landing gear wheels to said existing aircraft landing gear force transfer and distribution structures. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising retrofitting the engines-off taxi system completely within each nose landing gear wheel on an existing aircraft nose landing gear and is directly or indirectly connecting the engines-off taxi system to transfer loads and forces in excess of the driving torque to the existing aircraft landing gear force transfer and distribution structures with minimal changes to said existing aircraft nose landing gear. 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising when the loads and forces in excess of the driving torque comprise excess torque, directing the excess torque to tow bar attachment structures or tow fittings on the tow fitting assembly. 8. The method of claim 5, further comprising mounting the engines-off taxi system and housing completely within each wheel of an aircraft nose landing gear to be in upward and lateral force and torque transfer contact with nose landing gear force transfer and distribution structures, and transferring the upward and lateral forces and torque in excess of the driving torque from said engines-off taxi system to said nose landing gear force transfer and distribution structures while the aircraft is driven with the engines-off taxi system. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising directing said excess upward and lateral forces and torque to said nose landing gear force transfer and distribution structures comprising a tow fitting assembly connected to a nose landing gear axle fitting and to a torsion or torque link on said aircraft nose landing gear. 10. A method for transferring loads and forces produced when engines-off electric taxi systems installed in aircraft landing gear wheels are operated to drive aircraft autonomously during ground operations and taxi without reliance on aircraft engines and tow vehicles that avoids redesigning aircraft landing gear, comprising: a. providing a controllable engines-off electric taxi system comprising a clutch assembly engageable to activate and transfer torque to a drive assembly in actuating and torque transfer contact with an electric motor, wherein controlling the engines-off electric taxi system engages the clutch assembly to activate and transfer torque to the drive assembly, activation of the drive assembly actuates and transfers torque to the electric drive motor, and the actuated electric drive motor transfers driving torque to an aircraft landing gear wheel and drives the aircraft during ground operations and taxi;b. providing an aircraft nose landing gear with a pair of wheels and with force-absorbing structures supported on and attached to the aircraft nose landing gear, comprising at least a landing gear shock strut, a landing gear torsion or torque link, and a tow fitting assembly evaluated and determined able to withstand, transfer, and distribute forces and loads on said force-absorbing structures during aircraft ground operations and taxi;c. retrofitting the engines-off electric taxi system within a housing mounted completely within dimensions of walls of each wheel in the pair of wheels in the aircraft nose landing gear to transfer driving torque to each wheel when the engines-off electric taxi system is controlled to drive the aircraft during ground operations and taxi;d. controlling the engines-off electric taxi system in each of the wheels to engage the clutch assembly, activate the drive assembly, actuate the electric drive motor and transfer torque to the electric drive motor and driving torque to each of the wheels to drive the aircraft during ground operations and taxi; ande. transferring loads and torque in excess of driving torque produced during the aircraft ground operations and taxi from the engines-off electric taxi system to the force-absorbing structures.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (9)
Jenny Robert William (Bellevue WA), Aircraft wheel drive apparatus and method.
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