Patents by Inventor Jean-Francois Locufier

Jean-Francois Locufier 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).

  • Patent number: 8800920
    Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft landing gear of deformable-parallelogram type, including: a leg including a casing (1) having a lower end on which a rocker arm (3) carrying at least one wheel is hinged by means of a pivot (2), a shock absorber (5) being connected between the rocker arm and the casing; two panels (10, 11) each hinged on the one hand on the structure of the aircraft and on the other hand on the leg, about parallel axes; According to the invention, one of the panels (11) is hinged on the leg while being connected to the casing by a pin on one end of the pivot (2) of the rocker arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
    Inventors: Dominique Ducos, Jean-François Locufier
  • Publication number: 20130020436
    Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft landing gear of deformable-parallelogram type, including: a leg including a casing (1) having a lower end on which a rocker arm (3) carrying at least one wheel is hinged by means of a pivot (2), a shock absorber (5) being connected between the rocker arm and the casing; two panels (10, 11) each hinged on the one hand on the structure of the aircraft and on the other hand on the leg, about parallel axes; According to the invention, one of the panels (11) is hinged on the leg whilst being connected to the casing by a pin on one end of the pivot (2) of the rocker arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: MESSIER-BUGATTI-DOWTY
    Inventors: Dominique Ducos, Jean-François Locufier
  • 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
  • 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