Tilting landing gear systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11939043-B2
Application number	US-202117512421-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2021
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods for mechanically rotating an aircraft about its center-of-gravity (CG) are disclosed. The system can enable the rear, or main, landing gear to squat, while the nose landing gear raises to generate a positive angle of attack for the aircraft for takeoff or landing. The system can also enable the nose gear and main gear to return to a relatively level fuselage attitude for ground operations. The system can include one or more hydraulically linked hydraulic cylinders to control the overall height of the nose gear and the main gear. Because the hydraulic cylinders are linked, a change on the length of the nose cylinder generates a proportional, and opposite, change in the length of the main cylinder, and vice-versa. A method and control system for monitoring and controlling the relative positions of the nose gear and main gear is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A landing gear for an aircraft comprising:
at least a nose gear disposed longitudinally forward of a center of gravity of an aircraft by a first distance and comprising a nose actuator configured to produce a nose actuator force supportive of at least a portion of a weight of the aircraft;
at least a main gear disposed longitudinally aft of the center of gravity of the aircraft by a second distance and comprising a main actuator configured to produce a main actuator force supportive of at least a portion of the aircraft;
a fluidic arrangement disposed between the nose actuator and the main actuator and configured to provide fluidic communication between the nose actuator and the main actuator, the fluidic arrangement comprising a valve configured to selectably affect the fluidic communication between the nose actuator and the main actuator; and
wherein the nose actuator and the main actuator are configured to decrease torque required to rotate the aircraft longitudinally about the center of gravity, while the at least a nose gear and the at least a main gear are in a ground position.

2. The landing gear of claim 1 , wherein the nose actuator force is interdependent with the main actuator force.

3. The landing gear of claim 1 , wherein the nose actuator force is substantially a function of the first distance and the main actuator force is substantially a function of the second distance.

4. The landing gear of claim 1 , wherein both of the nose actuator and the main actuator comprise a fluidic cylinder.

5. The landing gear of claim 1 , wherein the nose actuator, the main actuator, and the fluidic arrangement are configured to interrelate the nose actuator force and the main actuator force.

6. The landing gear of claim 1 , wherein the landing gear is further configured to permit an increase in an angle of attack of the aircraft during take-off.

7. The landing gear of claim 1 , wherein the landing gear is further configured to permit a decrease in an angle of attack of the aircraft during landing.

8. The landing gear of claim 1 , wherein the main gear is located aft of at least a portion of a passenger compartment and the aircraft comprises a blended wing body aircraft.

9. A method of using a landing gear for an aircraft comprising:
producing, using a nose actuator of at least a nose gear disposed longitudinally forward of a center of gravity of an aircraft by a first distance, a nose actuator force supportive of at least a portion of a weight of the aircraft;
producing, using a main actuator of at least a main gear disposed longitudinally aft of the center of gravity of the aircraft by a second distance, a main actuator force supportive of at least a portion of the aircraft;
providing, using a fluidic arrangement disposed between the nose actuator and the main actuator, fluidic communication between the nose actuator and the main actuator;
selectably affecting, using a valve of the fluidic arrangement, the fluidic communication between the nose actuator and the main actuator; and
decreasing, using the nose actuator and the main actuator, torque required to rotate the aircraft longitudinally about the center of gravity, while the at least a nose gear and the at least a main gear are in a ground position.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the nose actuator force is interdependent with the main actuator force.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the nose actuator force is substantially a function of the first distance and the main actuator force is substantially a function of the second distance.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein both of the nose actuator and the main actuator comprise a fluidic cylinder.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising interrelating, using the nose actuator, the main actuator, and the fluidic arrangement, the nose actuator force and the main actuator force.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising permitting, using the landing gear, an increase in an angle of attack of the aircraft during take-off.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising permitting, using the landing gear, a decrease in an angle of attack of the aircraft during landing.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the main gear is located aft of at least a portion of a passenger compartment and the aircraft comprises a blended wing body aircraft.

Assignees

• Jetzero Inc

Inventors

• Page Mark A

Classifications

• B64C25/001 Primary

  Devices not provided for in the groups B64C25/02 - B64C25/68 · CPC title

• B64C25/14

  fore-and-aft · CPC title

• B64C39/10

  All-wing aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2025/008

  Comprising means for modifying their length, e.g. for kneeling, for jumping, or for leveling the aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2039/105

  of blended wing body type · CPC title