Self-Locking Bushing With Lock Tabs for Landing Gear Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Landing gear components experience issues with bushing migration and rotation due to the lack of effective locking mechanisms, which can lead to instability and performance problems during operation.
Innovation Solution
A self-locking bushing design featuring a cylindrical body with lock tabs extending into a bore, a flange, and a tapered end, which engages a locking pin to prevent lateral movement and rotation, utilizing 3D printing or traditional machining methods for manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional bushings without locking mechanisms are used, then the device complexity is low, but the bushing migrates and rotates during operation reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The lock tab is integrated directly into the bushing body as a monolithic structure, merging the locking function with the bushing itself rather than using separate locking components. This reduces device complexity while maintaining reliability through the unified structure that prevents migration and rotation
Solution Approach 2:
The lock tab automatically engages with the bore wall to prevent bushing migration and rotation without requiring external locking mechanisms or additional components. The bushing self-locks through its own structural features, eliminating the need for separate locking devices
2Reliability
If lock tabs extending into the bore are added to prevent migration, then the bushing stability improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes material property changes through 3D printing technology, allowing the lock tab to be formed with specific geometric parameters that enable automatic engagement with the bore wall. The additive manufacturing process enables complex geometries to be produced with standard tolerances, making the lock tab features manufacturable without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The lock tab features are localized to specific regions of the bushing body, with varying geometries optimized for their specific functions (preventing migration versus preventing rotation). This local differentiation allows each feature to be manufactured efficiently while achieving the overall stability goal
Data Source
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AI summary
A bushing including a body (308) having a first end and a second end, a bore (314) formed through the body from the first end to the second end, and a lock tab (310) coupled to the body at a point between the first end and the second end of the body and extending toward the second end of the body, the lock tab extending from the body and into the bore.