Landing gear drive systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469397-B2
Application number	US-201314353105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2013
Priority date	Aug 8, 2012
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A drive system for rotating a wheel of an aircraft landing gear includes a motor operable to rotate a first drive pinion via a first drive path and a driven gear adapted to be fixed to the wheel. The drive system has a first configuration in which the first drive pinion is capable of meshing with the driven gear to permit the motor to drive the driven gear via the first drive path. One of the first drive pinion and the driven gear comprises a first sprocket and the other of the first drive pinion and the driven gear comprises a series of rollers arranged to form a ring. Each roller being rotatable about a roller axis at a fixed distance from an axis of rotation of the first drive pinion or driven gear, respectively.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive system for rotating a wheel of an aircraft landing gear, the drive system including a motor operable to rotate a first drive pinion via a first drive path, and a driven gear adapted to be fixed to the wheel, wherein the drive system has a first configuration in which the first drive pinion is capable of meshing with the driven gear to permit the motor to drive the driven gear via the first drive path, and wherein one of the first drive pinion and the driven gear comprises a first sprocket and the other of the first drive pinion and the driven gear comprises a series of rollers arranged to form a ring, each roller being rotatable about a roller axis at a fixed distance from an axis of rotation of the first drive pinion or driven gear, respectively.

2. A drive system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the series of rollers is rotatable about a pin, the pins each being fixed at at least one end to an annular support member.

3. A drive system according to claim 1 , wherein the first drive pinion comprises the first sprocket and the driven gear comprises the series of rollers.

4. A drive system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive system is switchable between the first configuration and a third configuration in which the first drive pinion is not capable of meshing with the driven gear.

5. A drive system according to claim 1 , including a second drive pinion, the motor being operable to rotate the second drive pinion via a second drive path, wherein the drive system is switchable between the first configuration and a second configuration in which the second drive pinion is capable of meshing with the driven gear to permit the motor to drive the driven gear via the second drive path, wherein one of the second drive pinion and the driven gear comprises a second sprocket and the other of the second drive pinion and the driven gear comprises the series of rollers, and wherein the first drive path has a higher gearing ratio than the second drive path.

6. A drive system according to claim 5 , wherein the second drive pinion comprises the second sprocket and the driven gear comprises the series of rollers.

7. A drive system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive system is switchable between the first and second configurations and a third configuration in which neither the first nor second drive pinions are capable of meshing with the driven gear.

8. An aircraft landing gear having a wheel and a drive system according to claim 1 , wherein the driven gear of the drive system is fixed to the wheel.

9. A drive system for rotating a wheel of an aircraft landing gear, including a motor, a first drive pinion rotatable by the motor via a first drive path, a second drive pinion rotatable by the motor via a second drive path, and a driven gear adapted to be fixed to the wheel, wherein the drive system is switchable between: a first configuration in which the first drive pinion is capable of meshing with the driven gear to permit the motor to drive the driven gear via the first drive path; and a second configuration in which the second drive pinion is capable of meshing with the driven gear to permit the motor to drive the driven gear via the second drive path, and wherein the first drive path has a higher gearing ratio than the second drive path.

10. A drive system according to claim 9 , wherein the drive system is switchable between the first and second configurations and a third configuration in which neither the first drive pinion nor the second drive pinion is capable of meshing with the driven gear.

11. A drive system according to claim 9 , wherein the first and second drive pinions are movable relative to the driven gear such that it is not possible for the first and second pinions to both mesh with the driven gear at the same time.

12. A drive system according to claim 9 , including an actuator arranged to move the drive system between the first and second configurations.

13. A drive system according to claim 9 , wherein the first drive pinion comprises a first sprocket, the second drive pinion comprises a second sprocket, and the driven gear comprises a series of rollers arranged to form a ring, each roller being rotatable about a roller axis at a fixed distance from an axis of rotation of the driven gear.

14. A drive system according to claim 13 , wherein each of the series of rollers is rotatable about a pin, the pins each being fixed at one end to an annular support member.

15. An aircraft landing gear having a wheel and a drive system according to claim 9 , wherein the driven gear of the drive system is fixed to the wheel.

16. A drive system according to claim 5 , wherein the drive system is switchable between the first and second configurations and a third configuration in which neither the first nor second drive pinions are capable of meshing with the driven gear.

17. A drive system according to claim 6 , wherein the drive system is switchable between the first and second configurations and a third configuration in which neither the first nor second drive pinions are capable of meshing with the driven gear.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Didey Arnaud

Classifications

• F16H55/10

  Constructively simple tooth shapes, e.g. shaped as pins, as balls · CPC title

• Y10T74/19684

  Motor and gearing · CPC title

• F16H1/06

  with parallel axes · CPC title

• B64C25/405 Primary

  Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing · CPC title

• B64C25/50

  Steerable undercarriages; Shimmy-damping · CPC title