Rotatable Multi-Position Landing Gear for Aircraft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft landing gear is limited to single orientations, requiring multiple sets of landing gear for multi-position capabilities and often necessitates external support equipment for transitioning between positions, which is not always available in field deployments.
Innovation Solution
A multi-position landing gear system featuring rotatable first and second landing skids, coupled to the aircraft's bottom and top sides respectively, with skid actuator mechanisms allowing for reorientation without external support, enabling the aircraft to transition between various orientations and positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sets of landing gear are used to enable multi-position orientation, then the aircraft can be positioned in multiple orientations, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single set of landing gear is designed to perform multiple functions by incorporating rotatable skids that can be positioned in different orientations. The landing gear system serves both as a support structure and as an orientation mechanism, eliminating the need for multiple separate landing gear sets for different positioning requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The landing gear incorporates movable and rotatable components rather than fixed structures. The skids can rotate relative to the aircraft body, transitioning between different angular positions to enable multi-orientation capability. This dynamic design allows one landing gear set to adapt to multiple positioning scenarios that would otherwise require multiple static landing gear configurations
2Adaptability or versatility
If external support equipment is used to transition between landing positions, then the aircraft can be repositioned, but the ease of operation decreases and external tools are required
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft's landing gear system is designed to perform the repositioning operation autonomously without requiring external support equipment. The rotatable skids can be actuated by the aircraft's own systems to transition between different orientations and positions, making the aircraft self-sufficient during positioning operations
Solution Approach 2:
The movable landing gear components enable the aircraft to actively reposition itself through controlled rotation and movement of the skids. This dynamic capability allows the aircraft to transition between positions using its own mechanical systems rather than relying on external static equipment like jacks or cranes
3Device complexity
If conventional single-position landing gear is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different orientations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The landing gear incorporates rotatable skids that can change their angular position relative to the aircraft body. This dynamic capability allows the same landing gear structure to support the aircraft in multiple orientations (e.g., horizontal, vertical, intermediate angles) without requiring multiple separate landing gear assemblies
Solution Approach 2:
A single landing gear assembly is designed to fulfill multiple orientation requirements. The rotatable skid mechanism enables the landing gear to function as both a support structure and an orientation control mechanism, providing universal applicability across different positioning scenarios while maintaining a unified structural design
Data Source
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AI summary
A multi-position landing gear for an aircraft may include a first landing skid (102) disposed on a bottom side of the aircraft (200), and a second landing skid (104) disposed on one of a top side or the bottom side of the aircraft (200), wherein the first landing skid (102) and the second landing skid (2104) are rotatable relative to the aircraft (200).