Bogie mechanism for a tiltrotor proprotor door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10539180-B2
Application number	US-201715448136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2017
Priority date	Mar 2, 2017
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

A door roller mechanism for cooperation with a roller track including a carriage member having a door attachment feature; at least one roller disposed for rotation on a first side of the carriage member when the carriage member moves in the rolling direction; at least one roller disposed for rotation on an opposite second side of the carriage member when the carriage member moves in the rolling direction; a first rub member disposed on the first side of the carriage; a second rub member disposed on the second side of the carriage; and at least one biasing element disposed on the carriage member for resiliently biasing the first rub member and the second rub member in opposite lateral directions so as to contact a respective first track surface and a second track surface in a manner to dampen lateral vibration of a door connected to the roller mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A door roller mechanism for cooperation with a roller track for movement in a rolling direction, the door roller mechanism for a tiltrotor aircraft, the tiltrotor aircraft including a movable proprotor housing rotatable relative to a fixed portion from a forward flight mode to a vertical flight mode, a proprotor gearbox door connected between the movable proprotor housing and the fixed portion, and a first track member and a second track member disposed in a channel on the fixed portion, the door roller mechanism comprising:
a carriage member having a door attachment feature;
at least one roller disposed for rotation on a first side of the carriage member when the carriage member moves in the rolling direction;
at least one roller disposed for rotation on an opposite second side of the carriage member when the carriage member moves in the rolling direction;
a first rub member disposed on the first side of the carriage member;
a second rub member disposed on the second side of the carriage member; and
at least one biasing element disposed on the carriage member for resiliently biasing the first rub member and the second rub member in opposite lateral directions perpendicular to the rolling direction so as to contact the respective first track member and a second track member in a manner to dampen lateral vibration of the proprotor gearbox door during operation of the tiltrotor aircraft.

2. The door roller mechanism of claim 1 , including an upper roller and a lower roller mounted for rotation on each of the first side and the second side of the carriage member.

3. The door roller mechanism of claim 2 , including an upper forward roller and a lower forward roller on each of the first side and the second side of the carriage member and an upper aft roller and a lower aft roller on each of the first side and the second side of the carriage member; wherein the upper forward and aft rollers are separated from the lower forward and aft rollers by a space that receives the respective first track member and the second track member.

4. The door roller mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the upper forward roller and the lower forward roller and the upper aft roller and the lower aft roller on each of the first side and the second side of the carriage member are arranged in a rectangular pattern on each of the first side and the second side to dampen lateral vibrations.

5. The door roller mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the upper roller on the first side and the upper roller on the second side are each disposed on a common shaft for rotation thereon.

6. The door roller mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the lower roller on the first side and the lower roller on the second side are each disposed on a common shaft for rotation thereon.

7. The door roller mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first rub member and the second rub member each comprises a metallic plate.

8. The door roller mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the first rub member and the second rub member each comprises an aluminum bronze alloy plate.

9. The door roller mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the first rub member and the second rub member each has an outer surface that includes an anti-friction coating.

10. The door roller mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the at least one biasing element comprises at least one biasing spring disposed between the first side of the carriage member and the first rub member.

11. The door roller mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the at least one biasing element comprises at least one biasing spring disposed between the second side of the carriage member and the second rub member.

12. The door roller mechanism of claim 1 , wherein, the at least one roller on each of the first side and the second side of the carriage member comprises corrosion resistant stainless steel.

13. The door roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the door attachment feature comprises a spherical bearing connected to the proprotor gearbox door.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Pravanh Nick
• Rinehart Michael E
• Shafer Bart
• Smith Clegg
• Williams Jeffrey M

Classifications

• B64D29/06

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title

• B64C29/0091

  Accessories not provided for elsewhere · CPC title

• F05D2260/53

  using gears · CPC title

• F16C2204/72

  with nickel as further constituent, e.g. stainless steel · CPC title

• E05Y2201/64

  Carriers · CPC title