Landing gear lights having multi-axis rotation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10150574-B2
Application number	US-201514806393-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2015
Priority date	Jul 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

Landing gear lights having multiple degrees of rotation are described herein. One disclosed example apparatus includes an aircraft landing gear light fixture having a first spherical portion, and a light assembly coupled to the light fixture, where the light assembly includes a second spherical portion adjacent the first spherical portion. The disclosed example apparatus also includes first and second pivots to allow the light assembly to rotate relative to the light fixture about two axes, where the rotation of the light assembly relative to the light fixture occurs by the first and second spherical portions moving relative to one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
an aircraft landing gear light fixture having a first spherical portion;
a light assembly coupled to the light fixture, wherein the light assembly includes a second spherical portion adjacent the first spherical portion, the first and second spherical portions having complementary curvature relative to one another such that a distance is maintained therebetween when the first and second spherical portions are moved relative to one another; and
first and second pivots of the light assembly to allow the light assembly to rotate relative to the light fixture, wherein the first pivot is to allow the light assembly to rotate relative to the light fixture about a first axis, wherein the second pivot is to allow the light assembly to rotate relative to the light fixture about a second axis, the first axis different from the second axis, wherein the light assembly is fastened to the light fixture at the first and second pivots, wherein the rotation of the light assembly relative to the light fixture occurs by the first and second spherical portions moving relative to one another, and wherein the light assembly is capable of movement relative to the light fixture along the first and second axes when the light fixture is stationary.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the the maintained distance is zero.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including a lock to prevent rotation of the light assembly about at least one of the first or second axes.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 , wherein the lock includes at least one pin or set screw.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the light assembly further includes a cylindrical portion.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including a slot on one or more of the light fixture or the light assembly to guide a pin to constrain a rotational range of the light assembly relative to the light fixture.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the slot has an arc-shape or a semicircular shape.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including:
an actuator to rotate the light assembly; and
a processor to control the actuator to rotate the light assembly relative to the light fixture.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to a sensor interface or a cockpit interface to determine a degree to which the actuator is to rotate the light assembly.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a light fixture having a first spherical portion;
a light assembly having a second spherical portion, wherein the first and second spherical portions define an interface to allow the light assembly to rotate relative to the light fixture, the first and second spherical portions having complementary curvature relative to one another such that a distance is maintained therebetween when the first and second spherical portions are moved relative to one another;
a first pivot of the light assembly to allow the light assembly to rotate about a first axis;
a second pivot of the light assembly to allow the light assembly to rotate about a second axis, the second axis different from the first axis, wherein the light assembly is fastened to the light fixture at the first and second pivots; and
a slot on the light fixture or the light assembly to guide a pin to affect motion of the light assembly relative to the light fixture, and wherein the light assembly is capable of movement relative to the light fixture along the first and second axes when the light fixture is stationary.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further including a device lock to constrain movement of the light assembly at the first or second pivot.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further including:
an actuator to rotate the light assembly; and
a processor to control the actuator to rotate the light assembly relative to the light fixture.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the light assembly further includes a cylindrical portion.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the light assembly further includes exhaust holes.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the light fixture is disposed within a mounting bracket and the mounting bracket includes openings to allow access to a pin to guide a rotation of the light assembly, or at least one pivot locking device.

16. A method comprising:
positioning a light alignment indicator within a housing of a light assembly that is assembled to a light fixture, wherein the housing includes a first spherical portion and the light fixture includes a second spherical portion, the first and second spherical portions defining a rotational interface between the housing and the light fixture, the first and second spherical portions having complementary curvature relative to one another such that a distance is maintained therebetween when the first and second spherical portions are moved relative to one another at first and second pivots of the light assembly, wherein the first pivot is to allow the light assembly to rotate relative to the light fixture about a first axis, wherein the second pivot is to allow the light assembly to rotate relative to the light fixture about a second axis, the first axis different from the second axis, wherein the light assembly is fastened to the light fixture at the first and second pivots, and wherein the light assembly is capable of movement relative to the light fixture along the first and second axes when the light fixture is stationary;
rotating the housing relative to the light fixture so that a light beam from the light indicator is aligned with a target; and
constraining the light assembly relative to the light fixture when the light beam is aligned with the target.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the light alignment indicator includes a laser source.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the light assembly is rotated via an actuator.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the target includes a reticle mounted located on a tripod.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein constraining the light assembly includes tightening a lock.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Nogales Frank
• Pham Khiem Nguyen

Classifications

• B64D47/04 Primary

  the lighting devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead · CPC title