Towbarless Aircraft Tractor Capture Control for Nose Gear Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tow vehicles require a towbar for coupling with aircraft nose landing gear, which can be cumbersome and inefficient, especially in terms of maneuverability and adaptability to different aircraft types.
Innovation Solution
A towbarless tractor equipped with a capture system, including a chassis, tractive assembly, driveline, braking system, and a controller that adjusts steering, side-shift, and drive commands based on aircraft type to facilitate secure and efficient towing without a towbar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a towbar is used for coupling with aircraft nose landing gear, then the coupling is secure and reliable, but the maneuverability and adaptability to different aircraft types deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The capture system employs dynamic, adjustable components including a movable capture arm that can extend and retract, and a gripper mechanism with adjustable fingers that can adapt to different nose landing gear configurations. The system transitions from static towbar coupling to dynamic capture and release, enabling both secure coupling and adaptability across multiple aircraft types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters such as the position of the capture arm, the opening/closing state of the gripper fingers, and the extension/retraction distance to adapt to different aircraft nose landing gear dimensions and configurations. These parameter adjustments allow the same capture system to securely couple with various aircraft types without requiring different towbars.
2Reliability
If a towbar is used for coupling with aircraft nose landing gear, then the coupling is secure, but the operational complexity and time required for coupling and decoupling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The capture system incorporates self-aligning features where the movable capture arm automatically positions itself relative to the nose landing gear, and the gripper fingers self-adjust to engage the gear components. This self-service capability reduces the need for manual positioning and adjustment by operators, thereby decreasing coupling time while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary positioning actions through the movable capture arm that extends toward the nose landing gear before final engagement. The gripper fingers are pre-positioned and then rapidly closed to secure the coupling, allowing operators to initiate the process earlier and complete coupling more quickly while ensuring secure attachment.
3Strength
If a towbar is used for coupling, then the structural strength is sufficient, but the maneuverability of the tow vehicle deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling function is segmented into separate components: a movable capture arm for approach and engagement, a gripper mechanism for secure holding, and a release mechanism for decoupling. This segmentation allows the tow vehicle to maintain full maneuverability while the capture system provides secure coupling only when needed, eliminating the constraint of a permanent towbar attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The capture system transitions from a static, fixed towbar connection to a dynamic, on-demand coupling mechanism. The movable capture arm and gripper can engage and disengage rapidly, allowing the tow vehicle to switch between coupled and uncoupled states, thereby maintaining maneuverability when towing is not required while providing secure strength when coupling is active.
Data Source
AI summary
A towbarless tractor for towing an airplane having a nose landing gear includes a chassis, a body supported on the chassis, a tractive assembly, a driveline configured to drive and steer the tractive assembly, a braking system configured to apply a brake force to the tractive assembly, a capture system including an actuator configured to facilitate capturing the nose landing gear within the capture system, and a controller. The controller is acquire data regarding the airplane, and generate or modify, based on the data, at least one of (a) a steering command provided to the driveline as the capture system approaches the nose landing gear or (b) a side-shift command provided to the actuator as the capture system approaches the nose landing gear.