Landing gear drive system
First Claim
1. A landing gear drive system for prespinning a landing wheel of an aircraft prior to landing of the aircraft comprising:
- (a) free wheeling clutch means attached to each wheel of said aircraft, said clutch means for coupling to said wheel when the rotational speed of said clutch means is equal to or greater than the rotational speed of said wheel and decoupling from said wheel when the rotational speed of said clutch means is less than the rotational speed of said wheel;
(b) drive motor means coupled to each of said free wheeling clutch means for rotating said clutch means;
(c) first control means for energizing said drive motor means when said wheel is in position for landing;
(d) second control means for adjusting the rotational speed of said clutch means when coupled to said wheel to cause the periphery of said wheel to have the same linear velocity as the ground speed of said aircraft at the point of touchdown thereof, said second control means including means for stopping said drive motor means at said point of touchdown thereby causing said clutch means to decouple from said wheel;
said second control means having(i) a central processing unit (CPU);
(ii) a read only memory having data stored indicative of the circumference of said wheel and the ratio of the rpm of said motor to the rpm of said wheel when said wheel is being driven from said motor;
(iii) a navigational computer having an output connected to said CPU in which digital information representative of the ground speed of said aircraft is presented to said CPU;
(iv) a motor speed controller for controlling the speed of said motor, said motor speed controller connected to and controlled by said CPU;
(v) a tachometer operatively connected to said motor and having an output connected to said CPU;
(vi) a touchdown sensor having an output connected to said CPU;
(vii) a landing gear extension sensor having an output connected to said CPU; and
(viii) said CPU programmed to energize said motor in response to a signal from said landing gear extension sensor to control the speed of said motor to produce a rotational speed of said wheel such that the linear velocity of the periphery of said wheel is equal to the ground speed indication to said CPU from said navigational computer.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A drive motor system is coupled to the landing gear wheels of an air craft via a free wheeling clutch assembly. The drive motor system is energized when the landing gear is extended preparatory for landing either manually or automatically. The drive motor system is controlled to rotate the wheels to have the linear velocity of the periphery of a wheel the same as the ground speed of the aircraft at touchdown. A touchdown sensor stops the drive motor system at touchdown causing the clutch assembly to disengage the wheels when the rpm of the wheel is greater than the drive system rpm. An automatic control system is described.
77 Citations
3 Claims
-
1. A landing gear drive system for prespinning a landing wheel of an aircraft prior to landing of the aircraft comprising:
-
(a) free wheeling clutch means attached to each wheel of said aircraft, said clutch means for coupling to said wheel when the rotational speed of said clutch means is equal to or greater than the rotational speed of said wheel and decoupling from said wheel when the rotational speed of said clutch means is less than the rotational speed of said wheel; (b) drive motor means coupled to each of said free wheeling clutch means for rotating said clutch means; (c) first control means for energizing said drive motor means when said wheel is in position for landing; (d) second control means for adjusting the rotational speed of said clutch means when coupled to said wheel to cause the periphery of said wheel to have the same linear velocity as the ground speed of said aircraft at the point of touchdown thereof, said second control means including means for stopping said drive motor means at said point of touchdown thereby causing said clutch means to decouple from said wheel;
said second control means having(i) a central processing unit (CPU); (ii) a read only memory having data stored indicative of the circumference of said wheel and the ratio of the rpm of said motor to the rpm of said wheel when said wheel is being driven from said motor; (iii) a navigational computer having an output connected to said CPU in which digital information representative of the ground speed of said aircraft is presented to said CPU; (iv) a motor speed controller for controlling the speed of said motor, said motor speed controller connected to and controlled by said CPU; (v) a tachometer operatively connected to said motor and having an output connected to said CPU; (vi) a touchdown sensor having an output connected to said CPU; (vii) a landing gear extension sensor having an output connected to said CPU; and (viii) said CPU programmed to energize said motor in response to a signal from said landing gear extension sensor to control the speed of said motor to produce a rotational speed of said wheel such that the linear velocity of the periphery of said wheel is equal to the ground speed indication to said CPU from said navigational computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
Specification