Multi-stage reduction of impact forces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10787249-B2
Application number	US-201715782660-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2017
Priority date	Oct 12, 2016
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

Multi-stage reduction of impact forces are disclosed. An example apparatus to reduce impact energy of an aircraft during landing includes a rotatable landing leg having a proximal end near an axis of rotation and a distal end opposite the proximal end, a first flexible portion of the proximal end, where the first flexible portion is to engage a first engaging portion at a first rotation angle of the rotatable landing leg, and a second flexible portion of the distal end, where the second flexible portion is to engage a second engaging portion at a second rotation angle of the rotatable landing leg.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotatable landing leg to absorb impact energy during landing of an aircraft, the aircraft having a frame, the rotatable landing leg comprising:
a first end near an axis of rotation, the first end including a flexible snap to engage a detent at a first rotation angle of the rotatable landing leg, the snap extending from the first end of the rotatable landing leg and offset from the axis of rotation, the detent extending from the frame of the aircraft; and
a second end opposite the first end, the second end including a flexible protrusion to engage the frame at a second rotation angle of the rotatable landing leg, wherein the flexible protrusion converges along a direction having a component toward the frame.

2. The rotatable landing leg as defined in claim 1 , wherein the flexible protrusion includes a first flexible protrusion, and further including a second flexible protrusion at the first end to engage the frame of the aircraft when the rotatable landing leg rotates towards the frame of the aircraft.

3. The rotatable landing leg as defined in claim 1 , further including an antenna.

4. The rotatable landing leg as defined in claim 1 , wherein an end of the flexible protrusion is to contact and slide against a surface of the aircraft at the second rotation angle.

5. The rotatable landing leg as defined in claim 4 , wherein the flexible protrusion is curved towards the surface.

6. The rotatable landing leg as defined in claim 5 , further including a curved contact opposite the end of the flexible protrusion to contact a landing surface prior to the flexible protrusion contacting the frame of the aircraft.

7. The rotatable landing leg as defined in claim 1 , wherein engagement between the flexible protrusion and the frame has an associated force that exceeds a force associated with engagement between the snap and the detent.

8. An aircraft comprising:
a frame having a detent extending therefrom; and
a landing leg that is rotatable relative to the frame about a pivot, the landing leg including a snap at a first end proximate the pivot and a flexible protrusion proximate a second end opposite the first end, the snap to engage the detent at a first angle of rotation of the landing leg, the snap extending in a longitudinal direction of the landing leg and offset from the pivot, the flexible protrusion to engage the frame at a second angle of rotation of the landing leg, the flexible protrusion to converge along a direction having a component toward the frame.

9. The aircraft as defined in claim 8 , further including an antenna disposed within the landing leg.

10. The aircraft as defined in claim 8 , wherein the snap is to disengage from the detent when the landing leg is rotated past the first angle of rotation.

11. The aircraft as defined in claim 8 , wherein engagement between the flexible protrusion and the frame has an associated force that exceeds a force associated with engagement between the snap and the detent.

12. The aircraft as defined in claim 8 , wherein the landing leg is spring-loaded.

13. The aircraft as defined in claim 8 , wherein the flexible protrusion is curved towards a surface of the frame.

14. A method comprising:
defining a snap at a first end of a landing leg, the snap positioned near a pivot of the landing leg to enable the snap to engage a of detent extending from a frame of an aircraft at a first angle of rotation relative to the frame when the landing leg is rotated about the pivot, the snap extending in a length direction of the landing leg and offset from the pivot; and
defining a flexible protrusion at the landing leg proximate a second end of the landing leg opposite the first end to enable the flexible protrusion to engage the frame at a second angle of rotation relative to the frame when the landing leg is rotated about the pivot, the flexible protrusion to converge along a direction having a component toward the frame.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 , further including placing an antenna within the landing leg.

16. The method as defined in claim 14 , further including assembling the landing leg to the frame.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 , further including assembling a spring between the landing leg and the frame.

18. The rotatable landing leg as defined in claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a tubular frame.

19. The rotatable landing leg as defined in claim 1 , wherein the flexible protrusion exhibits an arcuate shape.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Oberndorfer Fabian
• Doth Klaus
• Stobbe Martin

Classifications

• B64C25/06

  fixed · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• B64U60/50

  with landing legs · CPC title

• B64U60/40

  foldable or retractable · CPC title

• B64U10/13

  Flying platforms · CPC title