Landing gear percolation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022017212-A1
Application number	US-202017134427-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2020
Priority date	Jul 16, 2020
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A shock strut is disclosed. The shock strut may include a shock strut cylinder, a shock strut piston that is slidably disposed within the shock strut cylinder, a metering pin, and a percolation seal configured to restrict a flow of liquid between the shock strut cylinder and the shock strut piston.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A shock strut, comprising:
a shock strut cylinder; a shock strut piston that is slidably disposed within the shock strut cylinder; a metering pin; and a percolation seal configured to restrict a flow of liquid between the shock strut cylinder and the shock strut piston.

2 . The shock strut of claim 1 , wherein a liquid chamber is defined on a first side of the percolation seal and a mixed fluid chamber is defined on a second side of the percolation seal and the percolation seal is configured to restrict the flow of liquid from the liquid chamber to the mixed fluid chamber.

3 . The shock strut of claim 2 , wherein the liquid chamber is located within the shock strut piston and the mixed fluid chamber is located within the shock strut cylinder.

4 . The shock strut of claim 3 , wherein the metering pin is connected to the shock strut piston.

5 . The shock strut of claim 1 , further comprising an orifice plate and wherein the metering pin extends through a metering pin aperture within the orifice plate.

6 . The shock strut of claim 5 , further comprising a retainer housing and a retainer plate and wherein the orifice plate is configured to translate along the metering pin between the retainer plate and the retainer housing.

7 . The shock strut of claim 6 , wherein the percolation seal is configured to contact the retainer plate when the percolation seal is in an inflated state.

8 . The shock strut of claim 7 , wherein the metering pin includes a channel and the percolation seal is configured to reside within the channel when the percolation seal is in a deflated state.

9 . The shock strut of claim 8 , wherein the channel is positioned proximate the retainer plate when the shock strut is in an extended position.

10 . The shock strut of claim 9 , wherein the percolation seal is an annular seal configured to contact an annular wall of the retainer plate when the percolation seal is in the inflated state.

11 . A landing gear system, comprising:
a shock strut cylinder; a shock strut piston that is slidably disposed within the shock strut cylinder; a metering pin; a percolation seal configured to restrict a flow of liquid between the shock strut cylinder and the shock strut piston; and a fluid source coupled to the percolation seal, the fluid source configured to pressurize a fluid in order to inflate the percolation seal.

12 . The landing gear system of claim 11 , wherein the fluid source is further configured to depressurize the fluid in order to deflate the percolation seal.

13 . The landing gear system of claim 12 , wherein the fluid source is fluidly coupled to the percolation seal via a conduit that extends through the metering pin.

14 . The landing gear system of claim 13 , wherein the fluid source is located external of the shock strut cylinder and the shock strut piston or internal to at least one of the shock strut cylinder or the shock strut piston.

15 . The landing gear system of claim 14 , further comprising a first sensor configured to sense one or more of a weight on wheel value, a torque link position value, a drag brace position value or a retract actuator position value.

16 . The landing gear system of claim 15 , further comprising a second sensor configured to sense whether the percolation seal is in an inflated state or a deflated state.

17 . A method for restricting percolation within a landing gear assembly via a percolation seal, comprising:
sensing whether the landing gear assembly is being retracted or extended; inflating the percolation seal if the landing gear assembly is being retracted; and deflating the percolation seal if the landing gear assembly is being extended.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising sensing whether the percolation seal is in an inflated state or a deflated state.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the inflating the percolation seal comprises pressurizing a fluid in communication with the percolation seal.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the deflating the percolation seal comprises depressurizing the fluid in communication with the percolation seal.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Bodki Basavaraj
• Nagaraja Hemanth
• Healey Steve

Classifications

• B64C25/60 Primary

  Oleo legs · CPC title

• F16F9/342

  Throttling passages operating with metering pins {(F16F9/486 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16F9/062

  Bi-tubular units · CPC title

• F16F2230/08

  Sensor arrangement · CPC title

• F16F9/369

  Sealings for elements other than pistons or piston rods, e.g. valves · CPC title