Retractable Landing Gear Assembly With Single-Actuator Sidestay Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current retractable aircraft landing gear assemblies are complex, expensive, heavy, and require inefficient and technically difficult installation and maintenance due to their kinematic complexity and multiple attachment points, leading to inefficiencies and high costs.
Innovation Solution
A retractable landing gear assembly with a main strut and sidestay system that pivots between retracted and extended positions, using a single actuator to manage the motion, reducing components and attachment points, and allowing pre-assembly adjustments on a jig to ensure efficient installation and reduced friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple attachment points and complex kinematic arrangements are used in current landing gear assemblies, then the landing gear can achieve stable retraction and extension, but the installation and maintenance become inefficient and technically difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The landing gear assembly is divided into modular components including a main strut assembly and a leg assembly that can be independently handled. The actuator system is segmented into discrete components that can be pre-assembled and tested separately before final installation, simplifying the overall installation process while maintaining functional integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator is pre-configured with defined actuation lengths corresponding to specific landing gear positions (retracted, extended, intermediate) before installation. This preliminary configuration allows the landing gear to be rigged and adjusted in advance on the aircraft, eliminating complex post-installation adjustments and reducing maintenance difficulty
2Reliability
If multiple attachment points and complex kinematic arrangements are used in current landing gear assemblies, then the landing gear can achieve stable retraction and extension, but the installation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The landing gear is segmented into main strut and leg assemblies with standardized attachment interfaces, allowing parallel preparation of components and reducing on-site assembly time
Solution Approach 2:
Critical adjustments and rigging are performed in advance during pre-assembly operations on the aircraft. The actuator's pre-configured lengths ensure correct geometry is established before final installation, significantly reducing the time required during actual installation events
3Reliability
If current landing gear assembly designs are used, then the required functions are achieved, but the assemblies are expensive and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is integrated directly into the landing gear assembly structure, combining functions of actuation, support, and positioning into a unified component. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting structures and reduces overall weight while maintaining all required functions
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator serves multiple functions simultaneously: providing actuation force, defining landing gear geometry through its actuation lengths, and serving as a structural element within the assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing weight and cost
Data Source
AI summary
A retractable landing gear assembly for an aircraft is disclosed having a main strut arranged to pivot between a retracted position and an extended position, and a sidestay having an unfolded position and a folded position. A telescopic actuator is coupled between the main strut and the sidestay, so that when the actuator has a first length the sidestay locks the main strut in the extended position, and when the actuator has a second length the sidestay is in the folded position and the main strut is in the retracted position.