Landing Gear Mechanism for Model Airplane

Abstract

A radio controlled model airplane has landing gear including a wheel rotatably mounted on a strut. The wheel and strut are retractable into the airplane wing. The strut is angled forwardly relative to the wing surface where the strut is attached such that the wheel is forward of the airplane center of gravity just prior to takeoff and touchdown. The landing gear includes a control assembly mounted on the wing. The control assembly includes a housing and a pivot pin on which the strut is mounted. The pivot pin is rotatable and pivotable around one of its ends. The control assembly also includes a cam which causes the pivot pin to pivot upon rotation, thereby causing the strut to move through a plane oblique to the wing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 165,208 filed Mar. 31, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates in general to landing gear for radio controlled model airplanes, and more particularly to an improved structure for retractable landing gear.[0003]Most radio controlled model airplanes are equipped with landing gear to facilitate take-offs and landings. Typically, the landing gear includes a wheel supported on the end of a strut. Generally, the landing gear struts are perpendicular to the airplane wings to which they are attached. Some landing gear is permanently fixed in position. Other landing gear is retractable and folds up into the wing after take off. Retractable landing gear is desirable in many types of radio controlled airplanes for reasons such as authenticity, maneuverability and handling.[0004]The center of grav...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a retractable landing gear system for model airplanes that has a strut attached to the wing surface. The system includes a control assembly that causes the strut to move through a plane that is oblique to the wing. The control assembly has a housing and a swivel to which the strut is attached. The swivel is mounted for rotation in the housing and has a fixed end and a free end that can pivot relative to the housing. The swivel also has a cam that can move the free end of the swivel from one position to another as it rotates. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a more efficient and reliable retractable landing gear system for model airplanes that allows for easier and safer landings."

Problems solved by technology

This can cause the plane to teeter on the wheels and often creates “nose over” conditions during both take-offs and landings.

In a “nose over” condition, the tail of a radio controlled model airplane will rise, and the nose of the airplane will hit the ground and stall the engine.

Most runways are grass, causing increased drag and exacerbating the nose over condition because of the higher rolling resistance.

This can be dangerous, as the model airplane may be somewhat uncontrollable for the first few seconds of flight.

This type of take-off also looks unnatural.

No commercially satisfactory design has been made to adequately retract landing gear having forwardly angled struts.

Images