Abstract: The invention relates to a method for attenuating vibrations of an aircraft wheel/brake assembly arising during braking, the brake comprising rotor discs (2b) rotationally driven with the wheel by means of bars (5) secured to the wheel and engaging in notches (3b) of the rotor discs, and stator discs (2a) which are kept rotationally immobile by means of tenons (5) secured to a torque tube (1) of the brake and engaged in notches (3a) of the stator discs, the notches having flanks that are protected by brackets (7). The method involves selecting bracket/tenon pair and/or bracket/bar pairs with a coefficient of friction less than or equal to 0.6.

Abstract: Methods of moving an aircraft undercarriage that is movable between a retracted position and a deployed position generally include: using a rotary electromechanical type drive actuator coupled to a portion of the aircraft undercarriage to raise it from the deployed position to the retracted position; disengaging the drive actuator during a descent of the undercarriage from the retracted position to the deployed position and using a hydraulic linear shock absorber coupled to a portion of the undercarriage to regulate the rate of descent and to absorb shock on arrival of the undercarriage in the deployed position; and neutralizing the shock absorber while raising the undercarriage.

Abstract: A truck beam for an aircraft landing gear assembly is provided. The truck beam includes an elongate hub having first and second ends. The hub is rotatably mountable a shock strut of the landing gear assembly. A first leg extends radially in a first direction from the first end of the hub. The first leg has an inner side facing the second end of the hub and is configured to have a first wheel rotatably mounted to the inner side about a first wheel axis. A second leg extends radially in a second direction from the second end of the hub and has an inner side facing the first end of the hub. The second leg is configured to have a second wheel rotatably mounted to the inner side of the second leg about a second wheel axis.

Abstract: An aircraft undercarriage having a leg for mounting to move on an aircraft structure between a deployed position and a retracted position is provided. The undercarriage generally includes a brace member arranged between the structure of the aircraft and the leg in order to stabilize the leg in the deployed position, and a drive actuator for moving the leg from the deployed position to the retracted position. The brace member includes a strut arm having a proximal end that is designed to be hinged on the structure of the aircraft. The arm presents a longitudinal slot extending until the slot reaches a distal end in order to terminate in a bend and having slidably engaged therein a finger that is secured to the leg, the drive actuator being coupled to the strut arm.

Abstract: An aircraft undercarriage comprising a shock absorber further comprising first and second portions that are mounted to slide telescopically relative to each other and that can come into internal abutment in the event of the shock absorber being compressed, the undercarriage being fitted with a detector device for detecting the shock absorber coming into internal abutment, which comprises firstly a punch secured to the first portion of the shock absorber or to a portion of the undercarriage that does not slide relative to the first portion of the shock absorber, and secondly a sacrificial piece secured to the second portion of the shock absorber or to a portion of the undercarriage that does not slide relative to the second portion of the shock absorber, the punch and the sacrificial piece being arranged in such a manner that, in the event of the two portions of the shock absorber coming into internal abutment, the punch strikes the sacrificial piece so as to form an indentation therein.

Abstract: A disclosed method extends a support system for a maglev vehicle, the support system having at least a first landing gear assembly and a second landing gear assembly. The method includes the steps of determining a weight-on-wheels status for each of the first and the second landing gear assemblies and determining a distance from each of the first and second landing gear assemblies to a support surface. First and second extension speeds are determined for each of the first and second landing gear assemblies, respectively. The first landing gear assembly is extended at the first extension speed until the first landing gear assembly reaches a weight-on-wheels condition, and the second landing gear assembly is extended at the second extension speed until the second landing gear assembly reaches the weight-on-wheels condition.

Abstract: An antivibration centering ring for centering a foot of the torque tube of an aircraft brake on an axle of the aircraft includes alternating bearing zones that are arranged to bear in alternation on the axle and on the torque tube foot. The bearing zones are offset on their non-bearing sides by functional clearance so that no bearing zone bears simultaneously on the axle and on the foot of the torque tube. The bearing zones are connected to one another by flexible ligaments.

Abstract: System for monitoring the inflation pressure of the tires of an aircraft comprising a pressure sensor carried by each of the wheel rims of an aircraft and delivering an inflation pressure for each of the tires mounted on these rims, a processing unit ensuring the conversion of the different tire inflation pressures into values that can be used by a display device making these different tire inflation pressures available to a pilot or a maintenance operator, the processing unit being distributed in each of the aircraft wheel covers and configured on the one hand to communicate with the wheel pressure sensor via a short-distance wireless communication link and on the other hand to ensure the transmission of the tire inflation pressure coming from the pressure sensor towards the display device via a medium-range wireless communication link.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a control unit for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle may be a maglev vehicle. The control unit is configured to autonomously control positions of landing gear on the vehicle that are extendible and retractable. In some embodiments, the control unit is configured to detect a change in a weight-on-wheels state of the vehicle, and to transition between passively controlling extension or retraction of the landing gear and actively controlling the extension distance of the landing gear in order to maintain a desired distance between the vehicle and a levitation mechanism.

Abstract: A center biased actuator having an outer cylinder, a slave cylinder linearly transposed within the outer cylinder, a rod assembly with a piston linearly transposed within the slave cylinder and a rod extending from the outer cylinder, one or more first dynamic seals arranged to act on a sidewall of the rod to inhibit hydraulic fluid leaking from the outer cylinder, one or more second dynamic seals arranged to act on a sidewall of the slave cylinder or an inner surface of the outer cylinder to inhibit hydraulic fluid leaking from the outer cylinder, and a gas chamber comprising a sealed expandable chamber containing gas. The expandable chamber is arranged to act on hydraulic fluid within the center biased actuator to bias the center biased actuator to assume an intermediate condition which lies between a compressed condition and an extended condition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of driving an aircraft undercarriage between a deployed position and a retracted position, the undercarriage comprising a leg (2) that is hinged to a structure of the aircraft in order to be movable between those two positions and being stabilized in the deployed position by means of a brace member (10) comprising two limbs (11, 12) that are hinged to each other, one of which is coupled to the leg and the other of which is coupled to the structure of the aircraft, the limbs being brought into an aligned position when the leg is in the deployed position. According to the invention, a rotary actuator (20) is arranged on the aircraft, which actuator comprises first and second cranks (22, 24) that are mounted to turn freely about a common axis of rotation but that have a relative angular position that can be controlled, and that are arranged to stabilize the limbs of the brace member in the substantially aligned position.

Abstract: A method of controlling a hydraulic valve includes putting a first control chamber under pressure and putting a second control chamber to return so as to cause a slide to move into one of two end positions, putting a second control chamber under pressure and putting the first control chamber to return, thereby causing the slide to move into the other one of the two end positions. An intermediate step of applying pressure to the one of the first or second control chamber that was connected to return can be provided so that both control chambers are maintained simultaneously under pressure for a determined length of time.

Abstract: A taxi drive system is disclosed that provides motive force to wheels of an aircraft. The motive force is transferred by a motor powered continuous track (e.g., belt, chain, or other flexible transmission element) directly to the wheel(s) of an aircraft. The system is carried by the landing gear of the aircraft, and is placed in engagement with an aircraft wheel with sufficient force to allow for the track to drive the aircraft wheel. The taxi drive system includes a separate motor from the main aircraft engines so that the aircraft may be taxied while the main engines are shutdown or at idle.

Abstract: A thermal actuator includes a piston slidingly within a cylinder. The piston cooperates with the cylinder to define a cavity. The piston also includes a rod extending away from the cavity. A magnetic field generator selectively imparts an alternating magnetic field to the cylinder, and inductively heats a heating element mounted within the cavity. The cavity also includes a volume of a phase-change material, which is melted by the heating element. The melting phase-change material expands to drive the rod from a retracted position to an extended position.

Abstract: A landing gear system includes an axle having an internal cavity and a wheel rotatably coupled to the axle. A drive shaft is mounted within the cavity to be rotatable about an axis. The landing gear system further includes a rod slidably mounted within the drive shaft and a clutch. The clutch has a first portion that is coupled to the rod and rotates with the drive shaft. A second portion of the clutch is fixedly coupled to the wheel. The rod selectively reciprocates along the axis between a first position and a second position to engage and disengage the clutch.

Abstract: A ceiling of a cavity is provided with contiguous portions, including a central portion defined entirely by edges, and peripheral portions defined by edges and by a portion of a frontier of the ceiling. For the central portion, a capital is defined by facets that bear against the central portion edges and converge towards an apex, and a slender support column is centered on the apex and extends from the capital to a floor of the cavity. For each peripheral portion, a capital is defined by facets that bear against the peripheral portion edges and converge towards a terminal edge extending in a plane normal to a wall of the cavity, and a support rib extends in the normal plane between the terminal edge of the capital and a wall of the cavity. The method includes manufactured the part while making the above-defined supports and capitals by additive manufacturing.

Abstract: A bushing is configured for installation in the hole of a lug, which has a protrusion extending radially inward from a surface of the hole. The bushing includes a first cylindrical body that is sized to be received within the hole of the lug. A flange extends radially outward from one end of the first cylindrical body, and a first recess is formed in the first cylindrical body to a radial face. The recess is sized and configured to receive the protrusion of the lug when the bushing is installed in the hole. Engagement of the protrusion with the recess preventing movement of the bushing relative to the lug.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for docking and undocking a hyperloop vehicle in a station. The method includes the step of extending a support system to a first position, wherein the support system engages a surface to support the hyperloop vehicle at a first elevation. The method further includes the steps of moving the hyperloop vehicle to a predetermined docking position and engaging a coupler to fixedly position the hyperloop vehicle relative to a docking platform.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear includes a shock strut with a rod slidably received within a cylinder. A beam is rotatably mounted to the rod, and wheels are mounted to the beam. The landing gear further includes a link assembly with an upper link and a lower link. The upper link has a first end rotatably connected to the cylinder, and the lower link has a first end rotatably connected to the beam. The second ends of the upper and lower links are rotatably coupled to each other by a limiter joint. The limiter joint includes a first stop associated with the upper link and a second stop associated with the lower link. The stops are configured such that the first stop engages the second stop to limit rotation of the upper link relative to the lower link.

Abstract: A rear disc of a stack of aircraft carbon brake discs intended to rest against one end of the torque tube of the brake on which the disc stack is threaded, the support being provided by pucks secured to the rear disc by rivets, each inserted into a through hole in the rear disc and a hole opposite one of the pucks. According to the invention, each rivet has a cylindrical rod inserted into the holes of the rear disc and the puck and having an end deformed against the puck, and a head having a circular cylindrical portion with a conical base having an outer peripheral surface connected to a conical surface of the base by a fillet, and the disc through hole has a first portion adapted to receive the rod of the adjusting rivet, a second portion adapted to receive the circular cylindrical portion of the head of the adjusting rivet, and a transition conical portion adapted to receive the conical base of the rivet head.