Landing Disc WOW Detection for Immediate VTOL Ground Contact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional landing gear systems for vertical take-off and landing aircrafts lack precise and immediate feedback on ground contact during landing and take-off, relying on shock absorber compression which is delayed and unreliable.
Innovation Solution
A weight on wheels (WOW) system with a sensor assembly and landing disc assembly that activates a switch upon minimal ground contact forces, independent of main landing gear compression, providing immediate and reliable ground contact detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional landing gear systems use shock absorber compression to detect ground contact, then the system structure is simple, but the detection precision and reliability are poor due to delayed and unreliable feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The landing gear system is segmented into independent functional components: the shock absorber for mechanical cushioning and the separate sensor assembly with switch for ground contact detection. This segmentation allows the detection function to be optimized independently from the shock absorber compression mechanism, enabling precise ground contact detection through the landing disc assembly contacting the ground surface directly, while maintaining overall system manageability through modular design.
2Measurement precision
If the switch activation force threshold is increased to filter false signals, then reliability improves, but the response time delays and precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The switch activation force threshold is optimized to a low value of 75 N, representing a parameter change from conventional high-threshold systems. This low threshold enables the switch to activate immediately upon minimal ground contact forces applied by the landing disc assembly, achieving both high detection precision and rapid response time without significant time loss, while the system architecture prevents false signals through proper mechanical coupling.
3Ease of manufacture
If cable connections are used for switch signals, then the system is simple to implement, but cable entanglement risks increase during VTOL operations
Solution Approach 1:
The signal transmission system extracts the vulnerable cable connections and replaces them with a wireless communication interface. The sensor assembly with switch communicates ground contact status wirelessly to the control system, eliminating physical cable connections that could become entangled during vertical take-off and landing operations. This extraction maintains manufacturing simplicity while dramatically improving reliability in dynamic VTOL environments.
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment a weight on wheels (WOW) system for a landing gear system includes a sensor assembly with a switch and configured to be mounted to a shock absorber, and a landing disc assembly connected to the sensor assembly, the landing disc assembly configured to contact a ground surface and to be mounted to the shock absorber, wherein the switch is configured to indicate a landing or a taking-off of an aerial vehicle from the ground surface.