36results about "Energy efficient operational measures" patented technology

A lighter-than-air airship has an exoskeleton constructed of spokes and hubs to create a set of connected hexagrams comprised of isosceles triangles wherein the spokes flex and vary in length to produce the slope of said airship's surface. In one embodiment, the exoskeleton connects to a nose cone that includes a cockpit cabin for controlling the airship's operation from a single location that can be physically separated from the exoskeleton in response to catastrophic events and for autonomous and / or remotely piloted operation. An improved means is also provided for landing and unloading cargo, and through use of unmanned aerial vehicles in another embodiment, the airship is configured for remote pickup, transport, delivery and return of payloads such as packages. In yet another embodiment, the airship provides a communications platform for beam form transmission and satellite signal relay, including in combination with the foregoing disclosed attributes.

An aircraft assist system described herein includes an aircraft coupling counterpart attached to a strut of a landing gear of an aircraft, and an assist vehicle. The assist vehicle includes a frame, ground-engaging wheels mounted to the frame, a power source for driving one or more of the ground-engaging wheels, and a vehicle coupling counterpart for engagement with the aircraft coupling counterpart. The aircraft coupling counterpart and the vehicle coupling counterpart define a swivel connection for transferring a propulsive force from the takeoff assist vehicle to the aircraft. The aircraft coupling counterpart is disengageable from the vehicle coupling counterpart by upward movement of the aircraft coupling counterpart relative to the vehicle coupling counterpart.

A method for extending a landing gear system for a vehicle is disclosed. The landing gear system includes a first landing gear assembly and a second landing gear assembly. The method includes the steps of sensing a first load on the first landing gear assembly after the first landing gear assembly has reached a wheels-on-ground state and comparing the first load to a first target value. The method further includes the step of controlling an extension speed of the first landing gear assembly according to a difference between the first load and the first target value.

The invention relates to an aircraft wheel electric motor (1) (1000) comprising a through bore and concentric rings of poles (P) enabling the generation of torque sufficient to operate the aircraft while maintaining a similar overall size to conventional solutions. The invention also relates to an aircraft wheel comprising such a motor (1), an aircraft wheel control assembly, and an aircraft (1000). Advantageously, it is thus possible to use an aircraft electric wheel in place of a conventional wheel, without substantial modification to the aircraft landing gear.

A multi-disk brake system comprises an electrical generator (105) disposed therein. The electrical generator is configured to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. The mechanical energy may be generated during a braking event of the multi-disk brake system. The electric generator may power various electrical components on the aircraft or store the electrical energy in a capacitor bank. The electric generator may also act as a motor and / or power a landing gear in a motor configuration.

The invention relates to a modular vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1) for transporting persons and / or loads, having: — a flight module (2) with multiple drive units (4) arranged on a wing assembly (3), each drive unit (4) having an electric motor (5) and a propeller (6) that is operatively connected to the electric motor (5), — a transport module (7) having a conveying pod (8) and a connection device (9) for connecting the conveying pod (8) to the flight module (2), the connection device (9) having an elongate shaft (10), one end of which is attached to the conveying pod (8), and — a coupling device (11) for connecting the flight module (2) to another end of the elongate shaft (10) of the transport module (7).

The invention discloses a general aircraft electric drive system and a control method, the electric drive system comprises electric drive aircraft wheels and a flight motor, and under the control of a control module, the electric drive aircraft wheels can drive an aircraft to move on the ground at a low speed and can assist propellers driven by the flight motor to take off. When the aircraft lands, the propellers and the aircraft landing gear rollers can charge the energy storage device through the corresponding motors respectively. The control method comprises the following steps: realizing low-speed movement on the ground by utilizing the electrically-driven airplane wheels; the electrically-driven airplane wheels assist the propellers to realize takeoff of the airplane; the flying motor drives the propellers to rotate to drive the aircraft to fly; in the landing process of the aircraft, the propellers are charged through the flight motors; after landing, the tires charge the energy storage device through the airplane wheel motors. The ground scheduling is linked with the take-off stage, the take-off efficiency is improved, and the effective flight time is prolonged; energy recovery is achieved in the airplane deceleration landing process.

The invention relates to an aircraft wheel electric motor (1) (1000) comprising a through bore and concentric rings of poles (P) enabling the generation of torque sufficient to operate the aircraft while maintaining a similar overall size to conventional solutions. The invention also relates to an aircraft wheel comprising such a motor (1), an aircraft wheel control assembly, and an aircraft (1000). Advantageously, it is thus possible to use an aircraft electric wheel in place of a conventional wheel, without substantial modification to the aircraft landing gear. Fig. 2

A passive lateral stability system maintains the position of a vehicle relative to a guideway. The system includes first and second guide assemblies that urge the vehicle away from first and second electrically conductive guide walls, respectively. The first guide assembly includes a wheel configured to reciprocate toward and away from the first guide wall. A biasing element bias biases the wheel toward the first guide wall. The system further includes a magnetic element associated with the wheel, wherein movement of the magnetic element relative to the first guide wall produces a magnetic force that biases the wheel away from the first guide wall. A second guide assembly is mounted to the vehicle and urges the vehicle away from the second guide wall.

A biwheel has large left and right main wheels (1, 2) supported by suspension assemblies (7) acting between rims of each main wheel and a payload carrying cockpit (3) suspended above the ground between the wheels. The arrangement facilitates access to the cockpit payload space through the wheels. Each wheel is cambered to deter pitching motion of the cockpit within the wheel. A rear jockey wheel (61) is provided to further deter pitching. Propulsion to the wheels is via electric motors built into drive wheels (16) which are mounted onto a suspension assembly (7). The torque applied to the electric motors can be controlled by a digital control system responsive to sensors such as a cockpit attitude sensor, to further deter pitching motion of the cockpit. Propulsion may additionally be delivered by a manual propulsion system supplemented by the electric motors.

The invention relates to a landing gear (1) of an aircraft (2) having an upper portion (1a) intended to be joined to a structure (2a) of the aircraft (2) and a lower portion (1b) provided with a first and second axle (3, 4), the first axle (3) being provided with a braked wheel (3a) and the second axle (4) being provided with a motorised wheel (4a). A first actuator (5) moves one of said axles between remote and close positions with respect to the upper portion (la) while the other axle (3) is kept stationary with respect to said upper portion (1a) in one of said remote and close positions, and the wheels (3a, 4a) on the axles (3, 4) are simultaneously in contact with a running surface (P) while, in the other of said remote and close positions, each wheel (4a) on the second axle (4) is at a distance from said running surface (P).

A method of parking an aircraft is disclosed including flight crew pedal braking to cause a brake force to be applied to the aircraft wheel brakes to slow the aircraft to a stationary state in which it is ready to be parked. Flight crew then activate a parking brake device and then release the pedal braking. An electronic control device, forming part of the aircraft's braking system for example, automatically intervenes, following the manual release of the pedal braking, to cause a brake force to continue to be applied to the wheels. This may be until sufficient brake force is applied, as a result of the activation of the parking brake device, to hold the aircraft in its parked state or may be for a predetermined period of time, say, ten seconds.

The invention relates to an aircraft comprising a drive system having a power unit, at least one drive battery, and at least one electric motor drawing electrical energy from the at least one drive battery, wherein the power unit comprises a two-cylinder reciprocating-piston engine having two cylinder-piston units in tandem arrangement and comprises at least one generator for generating electrical energy, wherein each cylinder-piston unit has a crankshaft, and wherein the crankshafts are mechanically coupled to each other, and wherein at least one crankshaft is mechanically connected to the at least one generator. The invention also relates to additional improvements of the aircraft and to an operating method.

A landing gear system includes an axle having an internal cavity and a wheel rotatably coupled to the axle. A drive shaft is mounted in the cavity to be rotatable about an axis. The landing gear system further includes a rod and a clutch, the rod being slidably mounted within the drive shaft. The clutch has a first portion coupled to the rod and rotates with the drive shaft. A second portion of the clutch is fixedly coupled to the wheel. The rod is selectively reciprocated along the axis between a first position and a second position to engage and disengage the clutch.

The invention relates to an aircraft wheel (1) comprising a rim (2) which is provided with rotor discs (11b) which are rotated with the rim by means of first studs (7) which are fixedly joined to the rim and which are engaged in notches of the rotor discs, stator discs (11a) being inserted between the rotor discs and being provided with notches which are engaged with second studs fixedly joined to a torsion brake tube (13) which is arranged to be attached to an axle (4) which supports the wheel. According to the invention, the wheel comprises at least one sintered heat pipe (20) which extends into at least one of the first and second studs parallel with a plane which extends through the rotation axis of the wheel, the heat pipe having an end (20.1) projecting outside the wheel, and at least one heat sink (21) which is fixedly joined to the end of the heat pipe.

A method of taxiing an aircraft may comprise: determining, via a brake controller, whether the aircraft is taxiing with a first thrust provided from a first side of the aircraft, a second thrust from a second side of the aircraft, or both the first thrust and the second thrust; and modifying, via the brake controller, a first brake pressure supplied to a first brake disposed on the first side of the aircraft as a function of pedal deflection in response to the taxiing with the first thrust only.

The application discloses a wheel-holding device of an airplane towing vehicle, which comprises a vehicle body, a base turntable, a load-bearing bottom plate, a mechanical arm and a clamping push plate. The base turntable is transversely arranged in an opening and is in sliding connection with the inner side of the opening, so that the base turntable can rotate around its center along the circumference of the opening. When the wheel is held and fixed with the base turntable as a whole, the airplane and the towing vehicle can be followed, and the operation is simple. The load-bearing bottom plate, the mechanical arm and the clamping push plate are cooperated with each other, so that the load-bearing surface of the load-bearing bottom plate is inclined in the initial state, and the rear end can be in contact with the lower part of the wheel. In the in-place state, the load-bearing surface is horizontal to support the wheel. The wheel is smoothly transferred to the load-bearing bottom plate and is lifted. The working process is stable. In addition, the lifting height of the wheel is determined by the height of the rotating shaft around which the load-bearing bottom plate is turned. Compared with the prior art, the lifting height of the wheel can be higher, and the application range is wider.

Disclosed is a vehicle wheel (1) rotatably mounted on an axle (E) and comprising:-an annular rim (2), a web (3) and a hub (4) delimiting a closed annular space,-an electric motor (10) comprising a first stator (11) and a first rotor (12) arranged coaxially with the wheel, and-a magnetic brake (20). Inside the annular space, the motor and the brake extend one within the other. Or the first rotor is used as a rotor of the brake (22), or the first stator (11) is used as a stator of the brake (21), in order to generate a second magnetic flux capable of inducing an eddy current generating a braking torque. Or the first stator or the first rotor is provided with a Halbach array which is at least partially formed by electromagnets.

The invention relates to a flight module (1) for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft comprising multiple drive units (3) arranged on a wing assembly (2), the wing assembly (2) having wing assembly struts (5) interconnected at node points (4) and each drive unit (3) having an electric motor (6) and a propeller (7) that is operatively connected to the electric motor (6). each drive unit (4) having an electric motor (5) and a propeller (6) that is operatively connected to the electric motor (5)A number of the drive units (3) are arranged outside the node points (4).

A landing gear for an aircraft, having a leg and a wheel support, and two wheels secured to the leg by the wheel support, the wheels being spaced apart from each other such that a space, called an internal volume, is delimited between the two wheels, the landing gear also has an electrical energy receiving device, the electrical energy receiving device comprising a receiver, configured to receive electrical energy emitted by a transmitter, the electrical energy receiving device mounted movably between a retracted position and a deployed position, in which the receiver is arranged outside the internal volume, the electrical energy receiving device comprising an end secured to the wheel support.

The application belongs to the field of green electric taxiing technology of aircraft, and particularly relates to an integrated green taxiing driving device, wherein an in-shaft adapter is fixed with an aircraft landing gear wheel shaft, and an electric motor is installed on the in-shaft adapter; the middle part of a center gear shaft is a gear, both ends of the center gear shaft are transmission shafts, and both ends of the transmission shafts are provided with outer splines; a motor output shaft is connected with the outer spline of one end of the center gear shaft through an inner spline to transmit power; three groups of planetary gear assemblies are connected with the in-shaft adapter and are distributed along the circumference of the center gear shaft; the three groups of planetary gear assemblies are connected with a wind collector support through gears, the wind collector support is connected with an aircraft wheel hub; the gears of the center gear shaft are connected with the three groups of planetary gear assemblies and transmit power to the planetary gear assemblies to drive the wheel movement; one end of a planet carrier is connected with a planetary gear assembly, and the other end of the planet carrier is connected with a fan assembly; the other end of the center gear shaft is connected with the fan assembly through a spline to transmit power.

A landing gear (1) includes a shock strut (2) having a cylinder (3) and a piston (4), and a wheel (5) supported on the piston. The shock strut has a steering mechanism (21) that turns the wheel about the strut axis (Z) together with the piston. A power source for the steering mechanism is an electric motor (6) having a rotor (61) and a stator (62), and the rotor and the stator are coaxial with the strut axis.

The invention relates to an undercarriage for an aircraft, an aircraft and an electric energy transmission system. The invention relates to a landing gear (1) comprising a leg and a wheel support and two wheels fixed to the leg by means of the wheel support, said wheels being spaced apart from each other such that a space, referred to as an internal volume, is defined between the two wheels, the landing gear comprising an electrical energy receiving device comprising a receiver (4) configured to receive electrical energy transmitted by a transmitter (5), the electrical energy receiving device is movably mounted between a retracted position and a deployed position in which the receiver (4) is arranged outside the internal volume, the electrical energy receiving device comprising an end fixed to the wheel support.

A landing gear (1) includes a shock strut (2) having a cylinder (3) and a piston (4), and a wheel (5) supported on the piston. The shock strut has a steering mechanism (21) that turns the wheel about the strut axis (Z) together with the piston. A power source for the steering mechanism is an electric motor (6) having a rotor (61) and a stator (62), and the rotor and the stator are coaxial with the strut axis.

The invention relates to a charging station (2) for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1) comprising one or more energy stores, the station having a charging device for transferring electrical energy to the energy store or stores. The invention also relates to a combined charging station (12) for vertical take-off and landing aircraft, each aircraft comprising one or more energy stores, the combined charging station (12) having multiple charging stations.

An eddy current magnetic braking device includes two outer elements surrounding a central element in relative movement with respect to the two outer elements, the central element being made of an electrically conductive material, the two outer elements having first faces facing opposite second faces of the central element and each of the two outer elements including plural magnets for emitting, via the first faces, a magnetic flow that generates in the central element eddy currents when the two outer elements are in relative movement. The plural magnets are arranged in such a way that the two outer elements attract each other. The central element has a thickness such that a skin effect is generated from each face of the central element over more than half the thickness of the central element over at least a range of possible relative speeds of the central element relative to the two outer elements.

A landing gear wherein it includes at least one static sealing point, the static sealing point comprising a gasket made of elastically deformable material held between a portion of a first part of the landing gear and a portion of a second part of the landing gear, the first and second parts of the landing gear comprising a steel substrate coated with a zinc and nickel alloy coating, including in mass percentage of the alloy between 12% and 18% and nickel, at most 0.5% of elements other than nickel and zinc, the balance being zinc, and the roughness Ra of the surface of the portions of the first and second parts of the landing gear being less than or equal to 1.6 μm.

The invention relates to the technical field of mechanical driving, in particular to an aircraft autonomous taxiing system with a redundancy backup function, which comprises a first hydraulic motor connected with a left aircraft wheel, a first hydraulic loop used for controlling the first hydraulic motor, a second hydraulic motor connected with a right aircraft wheel, and a second hydraulic loop used for controlling the second hydraulic motor, a first servo valve is arranged on the first hydraulic loop; a second servo valve is arranged on the second hydraulic loop; a redundancy backup valve is connected between a pipeline between the first servo valve and the first hydraulic motor and a pipeline between the second servo valve and the second hydraulic motor; the redundancy backup valve is used for controlling the first hydraulic motor and the second hydraulic motor through the second servo valve or controlling the first hydraulic motor and the second hydraulic motor through the second servo valve when the first servo valve or the second servo valve breaks down. According to the invention, timely switching can be realized to avoid the problems of rollover, runway sliding and the like when the aircraft slides due to the fault of any servo valve.

A portable shelter for an aircraft having an exterior contoured form includes a flexible enclosure configured to substantially enclose the aircraft within an interior of the flexible enclosure; an air maintenance unit in fluid communication with the interior of the flexible enclosure; wherein the air maintenance unit further comprises a blower and a temperature control unit in fluid communication with the blower; and wherein the air maintenance unit is configured to provide conditioned air to the interior of the flexible enclosure. An associated method for sheltering an aircraft is also disclosed.

A braking system (4) for an aircraft wheel (2) comprises first and second brake rotor discs (20a, 20b) axially spaced along an axis (A) and rotationally coupled to the wheel (2), a stator disc (24) arranged axially between the first and second rotor discs (20a, 20b), and a heat shield (34) mounted to at least one of the first and second rotor discs (20a, 20b). Radially outer portions (30) of the first and second rotor discs (20a, 20b) extend radially outwardly of the stator disc (24) to define a gap (32) between the radially outer portions (30) of the first and second rotor discs (20a, 20b). The heat shield (34) extends at least partially over or into the gap (32).