Composite skid member with varying cross-sections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11299262-B2
Application number	US-201916565129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2019
Priority date	Sep 9, 2019
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

Various implementations directed to composite skid member with varying cross-sections are provided. In one implementation, an aircraft landing gear assembly may include two composite skid members configured to contact the ground, where each composite skid member includes a first cross-section and a second cross-section, and where the first cross-section is different than the second cross-section. The aircraft landing gear assembly may also include two cross members configured to couple to a fuselage of an aircraft and configured to interconnect the two composite skid members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft landing gear assembly, comprising:
two composite skid members configured to contact the ground, wherein each composite skid member comprises a first cross-section at a central portion of each composite skid member and a second cross-section at at least one end portion of each composite skid member, and wherein the first cross-section is different than the second cross-section; and
two cross members configured to couple to a fuselage of an aircraft and configured to interconnect the two composite skid members;
wherein the central portion comprises the first cross-section, wherein the first cross-section has a first dimensional measurement; and the respective end portion comprises the second cross-section, wherein the second cross-section has a second dimensional measurement, and wherein the first dimensional measurement is greater than the second dimensional measurement, and
wherein the central portion and at least one end portion are linear.

2. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein the two cross members comprise a front cross member and a rear cross member.

3. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein the two composite skid members comprise two skid members made of composite material.

4. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 3 , wherein the composite material comprises carbon fiber reinforced polymer.

5. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein a respective composite skid member comprises: the central portion corresponding to a midpoint of the respective composite skid member; and two end portions, wherein a respective end portion corresponds to an end of the respective composite skid member.

6. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 5 , wherein the central portion is disposed between the two end portions.

7. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the first cross-section and the second cross-section are circular; the first dimensional measurement corresponds to a first diameter measurement of the first cross-section of the central portion; and the second dimensional measurement corresponds to a second diameter measurement of the second cross-section of the respective end portion, wherein the first diameter measurement is greater than the second diameter measurement.

8. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the first cross-section and the second cross-section are rectangular; the first dimensional measurement corresponds to a first length measurement of the first cross-section of the central portion; and the second dimensional measurement corresponds to a second length measurement of the second cross-section of the respective end portion, wherein the first length measurement is greater than the second length measurement.

9. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the first cross-section and the second cross-section are rectangular; the first dimensional measurement corresponds to a first width measurement of the first cross-section of the central portion; and the second dimensional measurement corresponds to a second width measurement of the second cross-section of the respective end portion, wherein the first width measurement is greater than the second width measurement.

10. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein the central portion has a higher inertia than the respective end portion.

11. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein the central portion comprises two transitional sections, wherein each transitional section has cross-sections that progressively decrease in size from the first cross-section to the second cross-section.

12. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , further comprising
a scuff guard coupled to each composite skid member, wherein the scuff guard is configured to surround at least a bottom portion of each composite skid member.

13. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein the two composite skid members comprise composite skid members manufactured using a filament winding process, a hand lay-up process, a mandrel of multiple pieces, a eutectic salt mandrel, an inflatable bladder, or combinations thereof.

14. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is a helicopter.

15. An aircraft landing gear assembly, comprising:
two composite skid members configured to contact the ground, wherein each composite skid member comprises a first cross-section and a second cross-section, and wherein the first cross-section is different than the second cross-section; and
two cross members configured to couple to a fuselage of an aircraft and configured to interconnect the two composite skid members, wherein the two cross members are composed of metallic material;
wherein a respective composite skid member comprises: a central portion that corresponds to a midpoint of the respective composite skid member, wherein the central portion comprises the first cross-section, and wherein the first cross-section has a first dimensional measurement; and two end portions, wherein a respective end portion corresponds to an end of the respective composite skid member, wherein the respective end portion comprises the second cross-section, wherein the second cross-section has a second dimensional measurement, and wherein the first dimensional measurement is greater than the second dimensional measurement,
wherein the central portion and at least one end portion are linear.

16. The aircraft landing gear assembly of claim 15 , wherein: the metallic material comprises an aluminum alloy; and the two composite skid members comprise two skid members made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer.

17. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
an aircraft landing gear assembly, comprising:
two composite skid members configured to contact the ground, wherein each composite skid member comprises a first cross-section and a second cross-section, and wherein the first cross-section is different than the second cross-section; and
two cross members configured to couple to the fuselage and configured to interconnect the two composite skid members;

wherein a respective composite skid member comprises: a central portion that corresponds to a midpoint of the respective composite skid member, wherein the central portion comprises the first cross-section, and wherein the first cross-section has a first dimensional measurement; and two end portions, wherein a respective end portion corresponds to an end of the respective composite skid member, wherein the respective end portion comprises the second cross-section, wherein the second cross-section has a second dimensional measurement, and wherein the first dimensional measurement is greater than the second dimensional measurement,
wherein the central portion and the two end portions are linear.

Assignees

• Bell Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Carr Timothy Brian
• Amante William Anthony
• Cox Brian John

Classifications

• B64C25/52 Primary

  Skis or runners · CPC title

• B64C2025/325

  specially adapted for helicopters · CPC title

• B64C25/32

  characterised by elements which contact the ground or similar surface  (arrester hooks B64C25/68) · CPC title