Landing gear folding brace with locking actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10479487-B2
Application number	US-201715409070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2017
Priority date	Jan 18, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A locking actuator arrangement may comprise an actuator housing defining a retaining cavity, an actuator piston comprising a piston head and a piston rod extending from the piston head, a receptacle body defining a receiving cavity, wherein the receiving cavity is configured to receive at least a portion of the piston rod, and the piston rod is configured to be received by the receiving cavity in response to alignment of at least two coupled links.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A locking actuator arrangement for a landing gear comprising:
a housing link extending from a pivot in a first direction and extending along a first longitudinal axis;
an actuator housing extending from the pivot in a second direction, the second direction is opposite the first direction, the actuator housing defining a retaining cavity;
a receiving link pivotally coupled to the housing link and defining a receiving cavity, the receiving link comprises a second longitudinal axis; and
an actuator piston comprising a piston head and a piston rod extending from the piston head;
wherein the receiving cavity is configured to receive at least a portion of the piston rod, and
the piston rod is configured to be received by the receiving cavity in response to a pre-determined alignment of the housing link and the receiving link.

2. The locking actuator arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a spring configured to be disposed in the retaining cavity, wherein the spring is configured to bias the actuator piston to at least one of extend from and retract into the retaining cavity.

3. The locking actuator arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the piston head is configured to separate the retaining cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber.

4. The locking actuator arrangement of claim 3 , further comprising a port in fluid communication with the retaining cavity configured to supply a hydraulic pressure to at least one of retract and extend the actuator piston relative to the actuator housing.

5. The locking actuator arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the spring is housed within the first chamber.

6. The locking actuator arrangement of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first stopping feature disposed on the housing link; and
a second stopping feature disposed on the receiving link,
wherein the first stopping feature is configured to engage the second stopping feature to prevent over rotation of at least one of the housing link and the receiving link.

7. The locking actuator arrangement of claim 2 , further comprising a cam feature disposed on the receiving link configured to make sliding contact with the piston rod.

8. A landing gear arrangement, comprising:
a housing link comprising a first longitudinal axis;
a receiving link pivotally coupled to the housing link, the receiving link comprises a second longitudinal axis;
an actuator housing coupled to the housing link and defining a retaining cavity; and
an actuator piston comprising a piston head and a piston rod extending from the piston head, the actuator piston moves along a third longitudinal axis, wherein the third longitudinal axis is offset from the first longitudinal axis,
wherein the receiving link defines a receiving cavity, and
the piston rod is configured to be received by the receiving cavity in response to the landing gear arrangement being deployed.

9. The landing gear arrangement of claim 8 , further comprising a spring configured to bias the actuator piston to at least one of extend from and retract into the retaining cavity.

10. The landing gear arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the actuator housing extends from the housing link.

11. The landing gear arrangement of claim 10 , further comprising a pivot, wherein the housing link is pivotally coupled to the receiving link via the pivot.

12. The landing gear arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the piston head is configured to separate the retaining cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber.

13. The landing gear arrangement of claim 12 , further comprising a port in fluid communication with the retaining cavity configured to supply a hydraulic pressure to at least one of retract and extend the actuator piston relative to the actuator housing.

14. The landing gear arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the spring is housed within the first chamber.

15. The landing gear arrangement of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first stopping feature disposed on the housing link; and
a second stopping feature disposed on the receiving link,
wherein the first stopping feature is configured to engage the second stopping feature to prevent over rotation of at least one of the housing link and the receiving link.

16. The landing gear arrangement of claim 8 , further comprising a cam feature disposed on the receiving link configured to make sliding contact with the piston rod.

17. A method for a locking actuator arrangement for a landing gear comprising:
biasing an actuator piston to extend from an actuator housing coupled to a housing link;
receiving, by a receiving cavity, the actuator piston;
engaging, by the actuator piston, the receiving cavity; and
preventing, by the actuator piston, the housing link from rotating relative to a receiving link, in response to the engaging,
wherein the housing link extends from a pivot in a first direction and extends along a first longitudinal axis;
the actuator housing extends from the pivot in a second direction, the second direction is opposite the first direction, the actuator housing defines a retaining cavity;
the receiving link is pivotally coupled to the housing link, the receiving link defines the receiving cavity, the receiving link comprises a second longitudinal axis;
the actuator piston comprises a piston head and a piston rod extending from the piston head;
the receiving cavity is configured to receive at least a portion of the piston rod, and
the piston rod is configured to be received by the receiving cavity.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
rotating the housing link relative to the receiving link; and
biasing, by a spring, the actuator piston.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Acks James
• Reber Korey Michael

Classifications

• B64C25/12

  sideways · CPC title

• B64C25/10

  retractable, foldable, or the like · CPC title

• B64C25/22 Primary

  fluid · CPC title

• B64C25/26 Primary

  Control or locking systems therefor · CPC title

• B64C25/34

  wheeled type, e.g. multi-wheeled bogies · CPC title