Method and apparatus for changing a deployed position for a tail skid assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9248906-B2
Application number	US-201414340521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 9, 2012
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A method and apparatus for positioning a tail skid assembly for a maximum rotation angle for an aircraft may be provided. A determination may be made as to whether the tail skid assembly is to be deployed for takeoff or landing. A set of parameters may be identified based on a determination of whether the tail skid assembly is to be deployed for takeoff or landing. A desired maximum rotation angle for the aircraft may be identified using the set of parameters. The tail skid assembly may be deployed to allow the desired maximum rotation angle for the aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tail skid assembly comprising:
an elongate structure connected to a tail section of an aircraft; and
a deployment device connected to the elongate structure, such that the elongate structure occupies one of a plurality of deployed positions; and
an actuator system connected: at a first end of the actuator system to the aircraft at an axis connecting a first end of the elongate structure to the aircraft, and at a second end of the actuator system to a pin connected to: the deployment device connected to an energy absorbing device, and an elongate opening in the elongate structure.

2. The tail skid assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deployment device is configured to rotate between a first position relative to the elongate structure and a second position relative to the elongate structure such that the elongate structure has a first deployed position in the plurality of deployed positions when the deployment device is in the first position and the elongate structure has a second deployed position in the plurality of deployed positions when the deployment device is in the second position.

3. The tail skid assembly of claim 2 , wherein the elongate structure further comprises a contact member associated with a second end of the elongate structure, the contact member configured to come into contact with a surface and being a first distance from the tail section of the aircraft with the elongate structure in the first deployed position, and a second distance from the tail section of the aircraft with the elongate structure in the second deployed position.

4. The tail skid assembly of claim 3 , wherein the elongate structure has the first deployed position during takeoff and the elongate structure has the second deployed position during landing and wherein the first distance between the contact member and the tail section of the aircraft during takeoff is greater than the second distance between the contact member and the tail section of the aircraft during landing.

5. The tail skid assembly of claim 2 , wherein the elongate structure in the first deployed position allows a first maximum rotation angle for the aircraft and wherein the elongate structure in the second deployed position allows a second maximum rotation angle for the aircraft.

6. The tail skid assembly of claim 5 , wherein the elongate structure has the first deployed position during takeoff and the second deployed position during landing and wherein the second maximum rotation angle is greater than the first maximum rotation angle.

7. The tail skid assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
the actuator system configured to move the deployment device such that the deployment device rotates, wherein rotation of the deployment device changes the deployed position for the elongate structure.

8. The tail skid assembly of claim 7 further comprising:
the pin connecting the deployment device to the elongate structure being inserted through an opening in the deployment device and an elongate opening in the elongate structure; and
the actuator system is configured to move the pin in the elongate opening such that the deployment device moves.

9. The tail skid assembly of claim 7 further comprising:
a reaction link connected to the actuator system and to the deployment device in which the reaction link creates a moment when the actuator system moves the deployment device and in which the moment causes the deployment device to rotate.

10. The tail skid assembly of claim 7 , wherein the actuator system comprises at least one of a hydraulic actuator, a linear actuator, and a pneumatic actuator.

11. The tail skid assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deployment device has an eccentric geometry in which a first length of the deployment device is different from a second length of the deployment device.

12. The tail skid assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elongate structure is a lever and the deployment device is a cam.

13. The tail skid assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
the energy absorbing device connected to the tail section of the aircraft, the deployment device being connected to the energy absorbing device such that the deployment device rotates about an axis through a connection between the energy absorbing device and the deployment device.

14. The tail skid assembly of claim 13 , wherein the connection between the deployment device and the energy absorbing device comprises at least one: of a fastener, a pin, an opening, and a hinge.

15. The tail skid assembly of claim 1 , wherein movement of the deployment device changes the deployed position for the elongate structure to change a maximum rotation angle for the aircraft in which the maximum rotation angle for the aircraft is a maximum angle at which the aircraft can rotate about a pitch axis before the tail skid assembly contacts a surface during at least one of takeoff and landing.

16. A tail skid assembly comprising:
an elongate structure having a first end and a second end in which the first end is connected to a tail section of an aircraft; and
a deployment device connected to: an energy absorbing device, a reaction link, and an actuator system, and the elongate structure via a pin that connects the actuator system to the deployment device, and moves the deployment device such that a distance between the second end of the elongate structure and a bottom of the tail section of the aircraft becomes one of a plurality of selected distances.

17. The tail skid of claim 16 , further comprising the reaction link configured to connect to the actuator system.

18. The tail skid of claim 16 , further comprising a second pin configured to connect the actuator system and the elongate structure to the tail section of the aircraft.

19. The tail skid of claim 16 , further comprising:
the deployment device configured to rotate about: an end of the energy absorbing device, an end of the reaction link; and,
the first end of the elongate structure and an end of the actuator system each rotatably connected to the tail section about an axis.

20. An apparatus configured to deploy a tail skid a distance from a body of an aerial vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a deployment device comprising: eccentric geometry, a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening;
an energy absorbing device rotatably connected to the deployment device via a first pin through the first opening;
a reaction link rotatably connected, at a first end of the reaction link, to the deployment device via a second pin through the second opening, and rotatably connected, at a second end of the reaction link, to an actuator system;
the actuator system rotatably connected at a first end of the actuator system, to the deployment device via a third pin through the third opening, such that the third pin engages in an elongate opening in an elongate structure; and
the elongate structure connected: at a first end of the elongate structure to the vehicle via a fourth pin that connects a second end of the actuator system to the vehicle, and at a second end of the elongate structure to the tail skid.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Cottet Justin Duane

Classifications

• B64C2025/005

  Tail skids for fuselage tail strike protection on tricycle landing gear aircraft · CPC title

• B64C25/58

  Arrangements or adaptations of shock-absorbers or springs (shimmy-dampers B64C25/50) · CPC title

• B64C25/52 Primary

  Skis or runners · CPC title

• B64C25/32 Primary

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