Aircraft Landing Gear Breaker Strut with Adjustable Hinges
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing aircraft landing gear systems face challenges in compactness and efficiency due to the limitations in the design of the breaker strut and retraction mechanism, leading to increased volume and mass of the landing gear compartment, which affects the overall aircraft design and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a breaker strut with adjustable hinge connections and a dual-slider crank mechanism that allows for increased kinematic range and compactness, enabling a more efficient folding mechanism and reduced retraction torque, thereby minimizing the volume of the landing gear compartment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional breaker strut design with fixed hinge connections is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the landing gear compartment volume is increased and compactness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The breaker strut employs adjustable hinge connections that allow dynamic modification of the distance between hinge means, enabling the structure to adapt its geometry for optimal compactness in the folded position while maintaining structural integrity during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The distance between the first and second hinge means is made variable through adjustable connection means, allowing parameter optimization to achieve better compactness in the folded position without compromising the deployed position functionality
2Stability of the object's composition
If the distance between hinge means is fixed, then the structure is stable and easy to manufacture, but the kinematic range is limited and compactness in folded position is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge connection distance is made dynamically adjustable, allowing the structure to change its configuration between deployed and folded positions to achieve both stability during operation and compactness during retraction
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is divided into separate components including adjustable connection means and locking means, allowing independent control of distance modification and position stabilization
3Ease of operation
If a standard retraction mechanism is used, then the design is conventional and easy to implement, but the retraction torque is high and angular displacement is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The slider-crank mechanism parameters are optimized with specifically dimensioned crank and connecting rod, and the phase angle between dual mechanisms is adjusted to reduce the peak retraction torque required while increasing angular displacement capability
4Volume of moving object
If the hinge connection distance is made adjustable, then the compactness and kinematic range are improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable connection system is segmented into modular components including adjustment means and locking means, facilitating standardized manufacturing and assembly while achieving complex functional requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The locking means automatically maintains the selected hinge distance without requiring continuous active control, reducing operational complexity and maintenance requirements despite the adjustable functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A breaker strut of an aircraft landing gear, including means to adjust the length of at least one of its lower and upper portions and/or a space allowing a nesting of the lower and upper portions in the folded position of the strut. A landing gear including such a strut and/or retraction means including two slider-crank mechanisms which are phase shifted by a non-zero angle φ allowing a reduction of the variations of torque C applied to the undercarriage of the gear as it moves between the lowered and raised states of the latter.