Abstract:
Disclosed is a technique for landing a drone using a parachute. The technique includes a parachute deployment system (PDS) that can deploy a parachute installed in a drone and land the drone safely. The parachute may be deployed automatically, e.g., in response to a variety of failures such as a free fall, or manually from a base unit operated by a remote user. For example, the PDS can determine the failure of the drone based on data obtained from an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a barometer of the drone and automatically deploy the parachute if any failure is determined. In another example, the remote user can "kill" the drone, that is, cut off the power supply to the drone and deploy the parachute by activating an onboard "kill" switch from the base unit.
Abstract:
A semi-levered landing gear for an aircraft comprises a main shock absorber strut (1) connected to the airframe; a bogie beam (4) extending fore and aft of the airframe with forward and aft wheels (J, T) and a main pivot connection (5) to the strut (1) between the forward and aft wheels (7, T) and an auxiliary actuator (49) connected between the strut (1) and the front of the bogie beam (4) at an auxiliary pivot (14). The auxiliary actuator (49) comprises a two stage telescopic hydraulic unit comprising a first stage piston and cylinder actuator (59, 63) and a second stage piston and cylinder actuator (56, 50) operating coaxially within an outer casing (50). A respective piston rod (65, 60) each extends from each end of the casing (50) and is connected to a respective one of said (strut 1) and bogie beam (4). The first stage actuator (59, 63) is operable to an extended position, and the second stage actuator (56, 60) is operable between a retracted position (Fig. 11) and an extended position (Fig. 12) defined by respective end stops (75, 77) within the outer casing (50) and serves to control the tilt position of the bogie beam (4) relative to the strut (1). The second stage actuator (56, 60), when in the retracted position with the first stage actuator (59, 63) in the extended position, limits the length of the auxiliary actuator (9) between its connections (62, 67) to the strut (1) and bogie beam (4), so as to assume a predetermined intermediate length in which the bogie beam (4) is restrained to tilt about the auxiliary pivot (14) and thereby lengthens the landing gear during take-off. The second stage actuator (56, 60), when in the extended position with the first stage actuator (59, 63) in the extended position, allows the length of the auxiliary actuator (49) to assume a predetermined maximum length in which the bogie beam (4) is tilted about the main pivot (5) to a stowing position for stowing the landing gear in the aircraft.
Abstract:
Le train d'atterrissage pour avion léger, de type Piper Cub ®, comprend au moins deux roues, est fixé sur une partie du fuselage à l'avant du centre de gravité, et présente un renfort tubulaire fixe (1) de forme générale triangulaire, dont le sommet (la) est dirigé vers le bas, les extrémités (lb) et (le) de la base du renfort (1) et son sommet (la) étant accouplées, avec capacité d'articulation, à un système de suspension relié aux roues. Chaque extrémité (lb) et (le) de la base du renfort (1) est accouplée angulairement à une roue (R), au moyen d'un organe amortisseur (2), tandis que le sommet (la) dudit renfort (1) est accouplé symétriquement à chacune des roues, au moyen d'une barre de traction (3).
Abstract:
Système de motorisation de roue, notamment pour la circulation au sol d'un aéronef comprenant un bloc moteur (22) porté par une partie non suspendue (14b) d'une jambe de train (14) de l'aéronef et comportant un moteur électrique (26) et des moyens de réduction, et un dispositif d'embrayage (24) reliant l'arbre de sortie (26a) du moteur électrique (26) à la roue (12) par l'intermédiaire des moyens de réduction. Le dispositif d'embrayage (24) comprend un mécanisme à crabots (32, 34) comportant une partie motrice (32) solidaire du bloc moteur (22) et une partie réceptrice (34) solidaire du pneumatique (12a) de la roue (12), et un système de déplacement en translation, suivant l'axe de la traverse d'essieu (20) de la jambe de train (14), de la partie motrice (32) dans une position embrayée dans laquelle la partie motrice (32) coopère avec la partie réceptrice (34) et une position débrayée dans laquelle la partie motrice (32) est séparée de la partie réceptrice (34).
Abstract:
An electronic device checks the pressure of an aircraft landing gear oleo by means of a camera capturing and processing an image of the oleo. An image recognition module processes the oleo image to extract a measure of the amount of extension of the oleo. This measure is then processed together with a measure of oleo temperature to calculate a pressure value representative of the expected pressure of the gas within the oleo, which can then be compared with another measurement of oleo pressure to determine whether the two are consistent or whether the oleo might be under- or over-filled with gas. The electronic device may be in the form of a hand-held smart phone or tablet device appropriately programmed with software.
Abstract:
A landing gear for an aircraft comprises: a shock absorber strut (1) with upper and lower telescoping portions (2, 3), the upper portion (2) being connectable to the airframe of the aircraft; an arm (4) to extend fore and aft relative to the aircraft and carrying a landing wheel, (7, 71), and pivotally connected by a main pivot (5) to the lower portion (3) of the shock absorber strut; and a load reacting unit (9) connected between the arm (4) and the shock absorber strut (1) for reacting to load applied between the arm and shock absorber strut on landing, and an indicator (60) for monitoring the load applied to the load reacting unit (9) on landing. The load reacting unit (9) may be connected between a forward end of the arm (4) and the upper portion (2) of the shock absorber strut to make the gear act as a semi-levered landing gear. Alternatively, the load reacting unit (9) may be connected between the arm (4) and the lower portion (3) of the shock absorber strut to act as a pitch trimmer. The arm (4) may comprise a bogie beam with fore and aft landing wheels (7, 71) with the main pivot (5) therebetween. The load reacting unit (9) preferably comprises a fluid pressure unit and the indicator (60) comprises a mechanical indicator that operates at a predetermined pressure threshold.
Abstract:
A combine hydraulic damper and truck positioner mechanism (20) for a landing gear (22) of an airplane. The landing gear being swingingly attached to the airplane for reciprocating movement of the landing gear between an extended position and a retracted position. The landing gear including an elongate main strut (24) having one end swingingly attached to the airplane and a longitudinally spaced second end (36). The landing gear futher including a truck beam assembly (26) pivotally attached to the strut second end. The truck beam assembly having at least two wheels (30) journaled thereto. The combined damper and truck positioner mechanism including a housing (60) having one end (68) adapted to be fastened to the strut. The housing having an interior bore (66) with a predetermined cross-sectional area. The combined damper and truck positioner mechanism further including a piston (64) having a first piston head end (90) and a longitudinally spaced second end (112) adapted to be fastened to the truck beam assembly. The piston head being slidably received within the bore for sliding movement of the piston in response to pivoting movement of the truck beam assembly when the piston second end is attached to the truck beam assembly. The combined damper and truck positioner mechanism also including a damping assembly (54) in fluid communication with the housing. The damping assembly maintaining a substantially constant fluid pressure withint the housing to dampen loads associated with the sliding movement of the piston when the landing gear is in the extended position.
Abstract:
The invention concerns a system of wheel suspension for motor vehicles and/or airplanes with a suspension mechanism for attaching a wheel and attached to a frame, where suspension mechanism (1) arranged in plane (3) of the suspension of wheel (6) is connected to straight line mechanism (2) arranged in plane (4) of the straight line mechanism through spherical joint (5) and attached to frame (10), whereas plane (3) of the suspension of wheel (6) makes a sharp angle with plane (4) of the straight line mechanism. The plane of wheel (6) is perpendicular to or parallel with plane (3) of the suspension of wheel (6). Suspension mechanism (1) involves at least one parallelogram and straight line mechanism (2) at least one rotating arm connected to the parallelogram through spherical joint (5) and attached to frame (10) through a rotational joint. In the system with a plane of wheel (6) perpendicular to plane (3) of the suspension of wheel (6), suspension mechanism (1) involves at least one parallelogram in a plane perpendicular to plane (3) of the wheel suspension consisting of arm (1 10 ) and spherical joints (1 9 ) and (1 11 ).
Abstract:
An electric tail-sitter aircraft configured to transport passengers and/or cargo between locations. The aircraft includes a flight module, a ground module and a payload module. The flight module is a wing that can rotate with respect to the rest of the aircraft, from vertical to horizontal and vice versa. A plurality of electrically driven propellers are attached to the wing, providing vector thrusting (through the rotation of the wing) and differential thrusting to control the different phases of the flight (vertical take-off and landing, horizontal, transition between the previous two). The payload module is an interchangeable component that can be a cabin for passenger transportation or a cargo container. It can actively shift its position in the aircraft in order to control the center of gravity position. The ground module may include wheels, a transmission, suspension, and carry the payload module. It is connected to the flight module through an L-shaped hinge, where the wing rotates to a plane behind the hinging point, in order to have the center of gravity adjusted as to be located on the hinging axis.