Patents by Inventor Dominique Ducos

Dominique Ducos has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110005061
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a metal part reinforced with ceramic fibres, in which: a housing for an insert is machined in a metal body (10) having an upper face (10A, 10B); an insert (11) formed from a fibre bundle having a metal matrix is placed in the housing; a metal cover (12) is placed on the body so as to cover the insert (11); the cover (12) is welded onto the metal body (10); the assembly comprising the metal body with the cover undergoes a hot isostatic compression treatment; and said treated assembly is machined so as to obtain said part. The process is characterized in that the insert (11) is a rectilinear insert and the housing forms a rectilinear groove (10A1, 10A2, 10B1, 10B2) that extends beyond the insert and is open at each end, said groove being filled by a tab (14) during closure by the cover (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY SA
    Inventors: Richard Masson, Dominique Ducos
  • Publication number: 20110005060
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a metal part reinforced with ceramic fibres, in which: a housing is formed for an insert in a main metal body (2) having an upper face (21); an insert (3) formed from a bundle of fibres with a metal matrix is placed in the housing; a metal cover (4) is placed on the main body (2) so as to cover the insert (3); the cover is welded onto the metal body; a hot isostatic pressing operation is carried out; and the part obtained is machined to the desired shape. The process is characterized in that the housing has the shape of a notch of L-shaped cross section with a face (23P) perpendicular to the upper face (21) and a face (23S) parallel to the upper face (21), the cover (4) having an internal notch (43) of L-shaped cross section, this having a shape complementary to that of the metal body with said insert, the cover (4) being shaped on the outside so that the pressure forces are exerted perpendicular to said faces of the notch (23).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY SA
    Inventors: Richard Masson, Dominique Ducos
  • Patent number: 7426983
    Abstract: A damper for an airplane landing gear leg comprises a main strut (11) and a rod piston (13) co-operating with the strut (11) to define a main chamber (15) and annular chamber (16) for hydraulic fluid, and presenting internally two adjacent chambers (19, 20) that are isolated from each other by a separator piston (21). The damper (10) further comprises a first secondary strut (26) telescopically Slidable on the above-mentioned rod piston (13), and a second secondary strut (37) telescopically slidable on the other end of the first secondary strut (26). The two second annular chambers (31, 40) as defined in this way are respectively connected to associated control circuits thus enabling the total length of the damper to be shortened or lengthened respectively for the purpose of causing the landing gear to contract or to be extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty SA
    Inventors: Dominique Ducos, Jean-François Locufier, Ian Bennett, David Smart
  • Publication number: 20060163427
    Abstract: A damper for an airplane landing gear leg comprises a main strut (11) and a rod piston (13) co-operating with the strut (11) to define a main chamber (15) and annular chamber (16) for hydraulic fluid, and presenting internally two adjacent chambers (19, 20) that are isolated from each other by a separator piston (21). The damper (10) further comprises a first secondary strut (26) telescopically slidable on the above-mentioned rod piston (13), and a second secondary strut (37) telescopically slidable on the other end of the first secondary strut (26). The two second annular chambers (31, 40) as defined in this way are respectively connected to associated control circuits thus enabling the total length of the damper to be shortened or lengthened respectively for the purpose of causing the landing gear to contract or to be extended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: Messier-Dowty Sa
    Inventors: Dominique Ducos, Ian Bennett, David Smart
  • Patent number: 7007891
    Abstract: Retractable landing gear for an aircraft, the landing gear being of the type that is raised vertically, and comprising a plurality of independent legs, each leg comprising a structural part rigidly secured to a structure of the aircraft, a pivoting rocker beam supporting a pair of wheels, and a shock absorber. In accordance with the invention, the shock absorber of each leg is extended by a positioning portion enabling the total length of the extended shock absorber to be shortened in order to collapse the leg, and each leg further comprises a positioning actuator connected in hinged manner to the extended shock absorber and arranged to lengthen relative to a normal use position in order to lengthen the corresponding leg. This makes it possible to shorten and/or lengthen one or another of the legs of the landing gear while the aircraft is stationary or taxiing slowly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty SA
    Inventors: Dominique Ducos, Jean-François Locufier
  • Publication number: 20050011991
    Abstract: The invention relates to retractable landing gear for an aircraft, the landing gear being of the type that is raised vertically, and comprising a plurality of independent legs, each leg comprising a structural part rigidly secured to a structure of the aircraft, a pivoting rocker beam supporting a pair of wheels, and a shock absorber. In accordance with the invention, the shock absorber of each leg is extended by a positioning portion enabling the total length of the extended shock absorber to be shortened in order to collapse said leg, and each leg further comprises a positioning actuator connected in hinged manner to the extended shock absorber and arranged to lengthen relative to a normal use position in order to lengthen the corresponding leg. This makes it possible to shorten and/or lengthen one or another of the legs of the landing gear while the aircraft is stationary or taxiing slowly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventors: Dominique Ducos, Jean-Francois Locufier
  • Patent number: 6786451
    Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft landing gear having a retractable leg, in which the leg comprises a strut with a telescopic rod, the strut being hinged to a structure of the aircraft in order to pivot between a gear-up position and a gear-down position, said strut also being connected to the structure of the aircraft via hinged brace elements. According to an essential aspect of the invention, the landing gear includes an independent low-noise fairing system that serves, when the leg is in the gear-down position, to cover the front of at least a portion of the hinge between the brace elements, said low-noise fairing system comprising a hinged fairing of two complementary portions connected to each other via a hinge whose axis is parallel to the axis of the corresponding hinge portion of said brace elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty SA
    Inventors: Maud Courtois, Dominique Ducos
  • Publication number: 20030164423
    Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft landing gear having a retractable leg, in which the leg comprises a strut with a telescopic rod, the strut being hinged to a structure of the aircraft in order to pivot between a gear-up position and a gear-down position, said strut also being connected to the structure of the aircraft via hinged brace elements. According to an essential aspect of the invention, the landing gear includes an independent low-noise fairing system that serves, when the leg is in the gear-down position, to cover the front of at least a portion of the hinge between the brace elements, said low-noise fairing system comprising a hinged fairing of two complementary portions connected to each other via a hinge whose axis is parallel to the axis of the corresponding hinge portion of said brace elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY SA
    Inventors: Maud Courtois, Dominique Ducos
  • Patent number: 4907761
    Abstract: A control mechanism according to the invention comprises a crank (13) constrained to rotate with the catapult bar (10), a catapult bar linkage comprising a link (14) and a lever (16) which are hinged to each other, and having a first end hinged to the crank (13) at a point distant from the pivot pin of the catapult bar, and a second end hinged about a pin (17) carried by the landing gear and distant from the pivot pin (11) of the catapult bar (10), and control means (18) for controlling the relative disposition of the link and the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Messier-Hispano-Bugatti
    Inventors: Michel Derrien, Dominique Ducos, Jean-Luc Engerand