Abstract: A landing gear including a shock strut assembly including an outer cylinder coupled to an airframe, a wheel movably coupled to the outer cylinder so as to reciprocate substantially along a longitudinal axis of the outer cylinder, and a shrink mechanism including a pivot arm pivotally coupled to the shock strut assembly, a drive member coupling the pivot arm to a landing gear retract mechanism, a driven member coupled to the pivot arm, a first shrink link member coupled to the pivot arm by the driven member, and a second shrink link member coupled to the first shrink link member and to the shock strut assembly. Rotation of the pivot arm by the drive member, effects a folding movement between the first shrink link member and the second shrink link member, and the folding movement effects at least a retraction of the wheel relative to the outer cylinder.

Abstract: A landing gear including a shock strut assembly including an outer cylinder coupled to an airframe, a wheel movably coupled to the outer cylinder so as to reciprocate substantially along a longitudinal axis of the outer cylinder, and a shrink mechanism including a pivot arm pivotally coupled to the shock strut assembly, a drive member coupling the pivot arm to a landing gear retract mechanism, a driven member coupled to the pivot arm, a first shrink link member coupled to the pivot arm by the driven member, and a second shrink link member coupled to the first shrink link member and to the shock strut assembly. Rotation of the pivot arm by the drive member, effects a folding movement between the first shrink link member and the second shrink link member, and the folding movement effects at least a retraction of the wheel relative to the outer cylinder.

Abstract: A semi-levered landing gear including a shock strut configured for coupling to an airframe of an aircraft, a truck lever being rotatably coupled to the shock strut, a tension link assembly having a tension link assembly first end, a tension link assembly second end and at least one tension link assembly rotation axis, the tension link assembly first end being coupled to the shock strut, and the tension link assembly second end being coupled to the truck lever, and a positioning mechanism configured for coupling to one or more of the airframe and the shock strut and being coupled to the tension link assembly, wherein the tension link assembly is configured to rotate the truck lever about the truck pivot axis of rotation between a truck lever extended position and a truck lever stowed position.

Abstract: A semi-levered landing gear including a shock strut configured for coupling to an airframe of an aircraft, a truck lever being rotatably coupled to the shock strut, a tension link assembly having a tension link assembly first end, a tension link assembly second end and at least one tension link assembly rotation axis, the tension link assembly first end being coupled to the shock strut, and the tension link assembly second end being coupled to the truck lever, and a positioning mechanism configured for coupling to one or more of the airframe and the shock strut and being coupled to the tension link assembly, wherein the tension link assembly is configured to rotate the truck lever about the truck pivot axis of rotation between a truck lever extended position and a truck lever stowed position.

Abstract: An energy absorbing rub strip having a core material and a fairing positioned over the core material. The core material may be configured to buckle under the application of a predetermined amount of force and the fairing may be configured to be attached to a fuselage of an aircraft. The fairing may be made out of an abrasive-resistant material such as titanium or a nickel-based metal. The core material may be comprised of an aluminum honeycomb. The core material may be comprised of a dual density material. The length of the rub strip may extend beyond potential contact points on the fuselage during landing and takeoff. Upon a ground contact event, the thickness of deformed/buckled core material may be measured to determine if the ground contact event may have caused structural damage to the aircraft.

Abstract: An energy absorbing rub strip having a core material and a fairing positioned over the core material. The core material may be configured to buckle under the application of a predetermined amount of force and the fairing may be configured to be attached to a fuselage of an aircraft. The fairing may be made out of an abrasive-resistant material such as titanium or a nickel-based metal. The core material may be comprised of an aluminum honeycomb. The core material may be comprised of a dual density material. The length of the rub strip may extend beyond potential contact points on the fuselage during landing and takeoff. Upon a ground contact event, the thickness of deformed/buckled core material may be measured to determine if the ground contact event may have caused structural damage to the aircraft.

Abstract: A method and system for supporting e-commerce transactions directed to placement of advertising on dynamic signs by creating dynamic e-commerce Web sites for permitting consumers to select and acquire time and space on selective signs, for managing the content of a consumer message and for collecting payment for the acquired time and space. The content may be provided by the consumer by uploading it to the Web sites or by the manager of the Web site. Space and time may be auctioned over the Web sites, allowing consumers to competitively bid for specific space and time blocks.

Abstract: An electrical architecture for an aircraft is provided. The electrical architecture is particularly suitable for relatively small, compact, and lightweight aircraft. In one embodiment, the electrical architecture includes an electrical generator component coupled to the aircraft engine, and an air compression system coupled to the electrical generator component. The electrical generator component is configured to receive mechanical power from the engine and to generate a constant frequency AC electrical power from the engine mechanical power, and the air compression system is configured to receive the constant frequency AC power as an input and, in response thereto, produce a pressurized air output having variable characteristics (for example, a variable flow rate or a variable air pressure).

Abstract: An electrical architecture for an aircraft is provided. The electrical architecture is particularly suitable for relatively small, compact, and lightweight aircraft. In one embodiment, the electrical architecture includes an electrical generator component coupled to the aircraft engine, and an air compression system coupled to the electrical generator component. The electrical generator component is configured to receive mechanical power from the engine and to generate a constant frequency AC electrical power from the engine mechanical power, and the air compression system is configured to receive the constant frequency AC power as an input and, in response thereto, produce a pressurized air output having variable characteristics (for example, a variable flow rate or a variable air pressure).

Abstract: A method and system for supporting e-commerce transactions directed to placement of advertising on dynamic signs by creating dynamic e-commerce Web sites for permitting consumers to select and acquire time and space on selective signs, for managing the content of a consumer message and for collecting payment for the acquired time and space. The content may be provided by the consumer by uploading it to the Web sites or by the manager of the Web site. Space and time may be auctioned over the Web sites, allowing consumers to competitively bid for specific space and time blocks.

Abstract: An article or buoy board for mooring a buoy to a dock post when a boat is being moored at a dock that includes an elongated board with slotted end portions and having a front surface and a back surface. Straps are affixed to the front surface of the board for positioning the back surface of the board against the dock post. A stretchable cord such as a bungee cord passes through the slotted end portions of the board for attaching a buoy to the front surface of the board for contact with the boat side. The back surface of the board is provided with a lengthwise groove for receiving the stretchable cord and the back surface of the board is further provided with a shock-absorbing pad such as rubber for holding the stretchable cord in place within the groove and for minimizing shock as the boat is moored. The stretchable cord has ends with hooks and the buoy has ends with eyes so that the buoy is attached against the board by passing the cord hooks through the buoy eyes.

Abstract: A damping entity comprises a matrix of plural viscoelastic particles, typically between 0.05 in and 0.5 in in size, which slightly and fixedly contact one another. The particles generally bond with each other at their contact zones and approximately correspondingly therewith. Suitable particle viscoelasticities are defined by either or both of: (i) an approximate shear modulus range between 10 p.s.i. and 100,000 p.s.i.; and, (ii) an approximate loss factor range between 0.05 and 1.5. The particles which describe the matrix can be essentially identical in terms of size, shape and material composition, or can vary among themselves in one or more of these respects. These properties can be selected uniformly or more or less nonuniformly among the particles of a particular matrix in order to imbue the matrix with desired damping characteristics, e.g., in terms of frequency ranges and temperature ranges.