Abstract: A remote towing interface is used to couple a towbar to an aircraft having a fuselage and a steerable landing gear. The remote towing interface includes a towbar coupler mounted to the aircraft and configured to releasably couple a towbar to the aircraft. The remote towing interface further includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to sense a position of the towbar relative to the aircraft when the towbar is coupled to the towbar coupler, and the controller controls the steerable landing gear according to the sensed position of the towbar relative to the aircraft.

Abstract: A brake assembly is suitable for use with a vehicle wheel that has a rim rotatably mounted to an axle. The brake assembly includes a housing fixedly positioned relative to the axle and a plurality of disks disposed within the housing and fixedly positioned relative to the rim. A fluid is disposed within the housing and has a selectively variable viscosity. The viscosity of the fluid is selectively increased to increase a braking force applied to the wheel.

Abstract: An aircraft has retractable landing gear configured to reciprocate between a deployed position and a stowed position. A landing gear door installation includes a first door rotatably coupled to the aircraft about a first axis for movement between a raided position and lowered position. The door installation further includes a second door located aft of the first door and coupled to the aircraft for movement between a first position when the landing gear is in the stowed position, and a second position when the landing gear is in the deployed position. A portion of the first door overlaps a portion of the second door when the first door is in the raised position and the second door is in the first position so that the first door blocks deployment of the second door to the second position.

Abstract: A feedback system senses a steering position of a nose wheel assembly for an aircraft. The nose wheel assembly has a first element rotatably associated with a second element about an axis, and the rotational position of the first element relative to the second element corresponds to the steering position of the nose wheel assembly. The feedback system includes a first magnetic field sensor fixedly positioned relative to the first element and configured to sense a first element orientation. A second magnetic field sensor is fixedly positioned relative to the second element and configured to sense a second element orientation. The feedback system further includes a controller programmed to determine the steering position of the nose wheel according to the sensed first element orientation and the sensed second element orientation.

Abstract: A motor is configured to apply a rotational force to a wheel that includes a rim rotatably mounted to an axle about a first axis. The motor has a rotor coupled to the rim. The rotor has an interior cavity and a plurality of radial slots formed therein. A cylindrical stator is disposed within the cavity and has a second axis offset from the first axis. The stator is fixed in rotation relative to the axle. The motor further includes a plurality of vanes, each vane being slidably disposed within one of the plurality of radial slots. A compressed gas source is in fluid communication with the cavity and selectively provides compressed gas to the cavity to rotate the rotor.

Abstract: A redundant sensor system includes first and second sensors of the same type. The first and second sensors are configured to sense and measure a parameter, such as torque, applied to an object, such as a shaft. A preselected measurement value difference is provided between the first and second sensors. The preselected measurement value difference, such as an offset or a difference in sensor gain, can be utilized by the redundant sensor system or an associated control system to detect a failure of one of the sensors. Output signals of the first and second signals that do not reflect the preselected measurement value difference within given tolerance indicate that one of the sensors has failed, and a determination that an associated system is untrustworthy can be obtained.

Abstract: A shock absorber system for a vehicle includes a first shock absorber with a first cavity and a second shock absorber with a second cavity, wherein the first and second shock absorbers are located on a same side of the vehicle. The shock absorber system further includes a conduit in fluid communication with the first and second shock absorbers so that the second cavity maintains fluid communication with the first cavity through the conduit. The first and second cavities are at least partially filled with a gas.

Abstract: A drive augmenter provide supplemental drive power to the wheel of a landing gear with a drive system. The landing gear has a wheel rotatably mounted to an axle, and the drive system selectively provides a driving force to rotate the wheel. The drive augmenter includes a piston slidably disposed with a cylinder, and selective pressurization of the cylinder drives reciprocating translation of the piston within the cylinder. A crank is coupled to the piston by a rod and is also coupled to a crankshaft. The crank is configured to convert translation of the piston into rotation of the crankshaft. The drive augmenter further includes a drive shaft coupled to the wheel and a clutch configured to selectively transfer rotation of the crankshaft to the drive shaft.

Abstract: A feedback system senses a steering position of a nose wheel assembly for an aircraft. The nose wheel assembly has a first element rotatably associated with a second element about an axis, and the rotational position of the first element relative to the second element corresponds to the steering position of the nose wheel assembly. The feedback system includes a first magnetic field sensor fixedly positioned relative to the first element and configured to sense a first element orientation. A second magnetic field sensor is fixedly positioned relative to the second element and configured to sense a second element orientation. The feedback system further includes a controller programmed to determine the steering position of the nose wheel according to the sensed first element orientation and the sensed second element orientation.

Abstract: A brake assembly is suitable for use in conjunction with a wheel having a rim rotatably mounted to an axle. The brake assembly includes a rotor configured to rotate about the axis with the rim. The rotor has a first frustoconical rotor surface and either a conductive element or a magnet. The brake assembly further includes a stator fixed in rotation about the axis and configured for selective translation parallel to the axis. The stator has a first frustoconical stator surface proximate to the first frustoconical rotor surface and a conductive element, when the stator has a magnet, or a magnet, when the stator has a conductive element.

Abstract: An aircraft has retractable landing gear configured to reciprocate between a deployed position and a stowed position. A landing gear door installation includes a first door rotatably coupled to the aircraft about a first axis for movement between a raided position and lowered position. The door installation further includes a second door located aft of the first door and coupled to the aircraft for movement between a first position when the landing gear is in the stowed position, and a second position when the landing gear is in the deployed position. A portion of the first door overlaps a portion of the second door when the first door is in the raised position and the second door is in the first position so that the first door blocks deployment of the second door to the second position.

Abstract: A brake assembly is suitable for use with a vehicle wheel that has a rim rotatably mounted to an axle. The brake assembly includes a housing fixedly positioned relative to the axle and a plurality of disks disposed within the housing and fixedly positioned relative to the rim. A fluid is disposed within the housing and has a selectively variable viscosity. The viscosity of the fluid is selectively increased to increase a braking force applied to the wheel.

Abstract: A landing gear system includes wheel rotatably coupled to an axle. A driveshaft extends through a cavity formed in the axle and is rotatable about an axis. A planetary gear includes a sun gear operably coupled to the drive shaft and a planet gear operably engaging the sun gear. The planetary gear further includes a ring gear that surrounds and is operably coupled to the planet gear so that rotation of the drive shaft rotates the ring gear. A clutch assembly is selectively moveable between an engaged state and a disengaged state. The clutch assembly transfers rotation of the ring gear to the wheel when the clutch assembly is in the engaged state, and the clutch assembly does not transfer rotation of the wheel to the ring gear when the clutch assembly is in the disengaged state.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear bogie beam including first and second ends and a mounting bearing for connection to an aircraft landing gear main strut between the ends. Each end has a respective axle, and each axle defines a wheel mounting portion on each side of the bogie beam. The bogie beam is arranged to enable the first and second axles to each pivot relative to the bearing about a respective longitudinal axis of the bogie beam by an amount that is sufficient to place a wheel rim of a wheel assembly in contact with the ground in the event of a tyre of the wheel assembly deflating.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear assembly having a first landing gear element movably coupled relative to a second landing gear element to move between a first condition and a second condition. The aircraft landing gear assembly further comprises a fibre composite leaf spring formed from a plurality of composite layers and arranged between the first and second elements, the leaf spring being arranged to bend when the first element moves from the first condition to the second condition. The fibre composite leaf spring comprises a first region and a second region, wherein the number of composite layers in the first region is greater than the number of composite layers in the second region. The landing gear further comprises a mounting assembly arranged to engage the first region of the leaf spring to couple the leaf spring to the first landing gear element.

Abstract: A landing gear system includes a drive shaft extending through an axle. A wheel with a drive surface is rotatably coupled to the axle. A drive assembly, which has disengaged and engaged states, includes a drive element and an idler element. The drive element, which has an engagement feature, is coupled to the drive shaft for rotation about an axis. The engagement feature has first and second diameters when the drive assembly is in the disengaged and engaged states, respectively. The idler element is frictionally engaged with the engagement feature of the drive element to transfer rotation of the drive element to the wheel when the drive assembly is in the engaged state. The idler element is disengaged from at least one of the engagement feature of drive element and the wheel when the drive assembly is in the disengaged state.

Abstract: A landing gear system includes a wheel rotatably coupled to the axle about an axis. A motor is fixedly positioned relative to the axle with a clutch assembly operably coupled to an output shaft of the motor. The landing gear includes an actuator and a drive assembly. The actuator applies a braking force to the wheel. The drive assembly includes a pinion gear and a drive gear rotatably associated with the pinion gear. The drive gear is configured to transfer a rotational force to the wheel in order to provide autonomous taxiing capability. Both the brake assembly and the drive assembly are operably coupled to the clutch assembly so that the output shaft of the motor drives both the brake assembly and the drive assembly.

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 landing gear system includes a wheel rotatably coupled to an axle about an axis. A torque tube is rotatably mounted to the axle about the axis such that the axle extends through a central portion of the torque tube. A rotor is fixed in rotation about the axis relative to the wheel, and a stator is fixed in rotation about the axis relative to the torque tube. The landing gear assembly further includes a clutch assembly selectively reciprocal between an engaged state and a disengaged state. The stator is fixed in rotation about the axis relative to the torque tube when the clutch assembly is in an engaged state. When the clutch assembly is in a disengaged state, the stator is rotatably about the axis relative to the torque tube.

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.