Aircraft landing gear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12344366-B2
Application number	US-202318320619-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2023
Priority date	May 20, 2022
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

An aircraft is disclosed having a landing gear with a main support supporting one or more wheels. The landing gear has at least two sidestays by which landing gear loads can be propagated from the landing gear to the body of the aircraft. The sidestays are attached at one end to a rotatable yoke via joints which allow relative movement between the sidestays and the yoke so that the yoke can rotate about a yoke axis. Rotation of the yoke about the yoke axis, permitted by the joints, can help distribute loads between the two sidestays and/or combat negative effects resulting from an unfavourable tolerance stack during assembly, for example.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft comprising a landing gear, the landing gear comprising:
a main support supporting one or more wheels, the main support being movable between stowed and deployed configurations relative to the body of the aircraft;
at least first and second sidestays, each sidestay extending between a first mounting point at the body of the aircraft and a second mounting point at the main support; and
a yoke constrained for rotation about a yoke axis,

wherein:
in use when the landing gear is in the deployed configuration, the main support and the sidestays are arranged to collectively transfer substantially all landing gear loads to the body of the aircraft; and
one of said mounting points of each sidestay is provided on the yoke, and forms a joint arranged to permit relative movement between that sidestay and the yoke so as to allow rotation of the yoke about the yoke axis.

2. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein with the main support in the deployed configuration, the sidestays are positioned to hold the yoke in a fixed rotational position about the yoke axis.

3. An aircraft according to claim 2 , wherein with the main support in the deployed configuration, the first sidestay experiences stress which acts to urge the yoke to rotate about the yoke axis in one direction, and the second sidestay experiences stress which acts to urge the yoke to rotate about the yoke axis in the opposite direction.

4. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the yoke is constrained so as to be substantially prevented from translational movement when the main support is in the deployed configuration.

5. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting points of the first and second sidestays that are provided on the yoke are provided at different locations on the yoke about the yoke axis.

6. An aircraft according to claim 5 , wherein the joint of each sidestay includes a coupling member which is rotatably attached to the yoke and rotatably attached to the respective sidestay, wherein each coupling member is rotatable relative to the yoke about a first axis, and rotatable relative to the respective sidestay about a second axis which is generally perpendicular to the first axis.

7. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the yoke is rotatable in a rotation plane which is normal to the yoke axis, and with the main support in the deployed configuration the sidestays define a sidestay plane, the rotation plane and the sidestay plane being positioned at an angle of no more than 60 degrees to one another.

8. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein with the main support in the deployed configuration, each of said joints allows relative rotation between the respective sidestay and the yoke about an axis which is positioned at an angle of no more than 60 degrees to the yoke axis.

9. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein with the main support in the deployed configuration, the sidestays converge towards the yoke.

10. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein with the main support in the deployed configuration:
the first mounting point of the first sidestay is provided further forward than the second mounting point of the first sidestay; and
the first mounting point of the second sidestay is provided further aft than the second mounting point of the second sidestay.

11. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein with the main support in the deployed configuration, the sidestays are positioned on the same side of the main support along the pitch axis of the aircraft.

12. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sidestays comprises two longitudinal portions which are pivotally connected to one another so as to allow said sidestay to fold.

13. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the main support and the sidestays are configured such that movement of the main support from the deployed configuration towards the stowed configuration includes movement of the main support towards the sidestays.

14. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the sidestays and yoke are arranged such that movement of the main support between the deployed and stowed configurations brings about relative movement between the sidestays and the yoke axis, that relative movement being accommodated by rotation of the yoke about the yoke axis.

15. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the yoke is attached to the main support and movable therewith, wherein the main support comprises a main strut and the yoke is rotatably mounted around said strut in the manner of a collar.

16. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the yoke is rotatably fixed to the body of the aircraft, the main support moving relative to the yoke when moving between the stowed and deployed configurations.

17. An aircraft comprising a landing gear, the landing gear comprising:
a main support supporting one or more wheels, the main support being movable between stowed and deployed configurations relative to the body of the aircraft;
a yoke mounted on the body of the aircraft, the main support moving relative to the yoke when moving between the stowed and deployed configurations; and
at least first and second sidestays, each sidestay extending between a first mounting point on the yoke and a second mounting point at the main support, wherein:
the yoke is mounted for rotation about a yoke axis relative to the body of the aircraft;
each first mounting point forms a pivot joint between the yoke and the respective sidestay which has a pivot joint axis; and
each pivot joint axis is non-perpendicular to the yoke axis.

18. A method of distributing landing gear loads in an aircraft including a landing gear comprising:
a main support supporting one or more wheels, the main support being movable between stowed and deployed configurations relative to the body of the aircraft;
at least first and second sidestays, each sidestay extending between a first mounting point at the body of the aircraft and a second mounting point at main support; and
a yoke constrained for rotation about a yoke axis, one of said mounting points of each sidestay being provided on the yoke and forming a joint arranged to permit relative movement between that sidestay and the yoke,
wherein when the landing gear is in the deployed configuration and under load, the yoke moves relative to each of the sidestays and rotates about the yoke axis so as to redistribute forces between the sidestays.

19. A landing gear for use in an aircraft, comprising:
a main support supporting one or more wheels, the main support being movable between stowed and deployed configurations relative to a body of the aircraft;
at least first and second sidestays, each sidestay extending between a first mounting point at the body of the aircraft and a second mounting point at the main support; and
a yoke constrained for rotation about a yoke axis,

wherein:
in use when the landing gear is in the deployed configuration, the main support and the sidestays are arranged to collectively transfer substantially all landing gear loads to the body of the aircraft; and
one of said mounting points of each sidestay is provided on the yoke, and forms a joint arranged to permit relative movement between that sidestay and the yoke so as to allow rotation of the yoke about the yoke axis.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Bishop Benjamin

Classifications

• B64C25/36

  Arrangements or adaptations of wheels, tyres or axles in general · CPC title

• B64C25/20

  mechanical · CPC title

• B64C25/10 Primary

  retractable, foldable, or the like · CPC title