Abstract: The landing gear systems, methods and apparatuses disclosed herein may comprise a shrink pump and an unshrink valve that are capable of shrinking a landing gear shock strut up to about 40% of its available stroke. The shrink pump may be configured to pump fluid (e.g., a hydraulic fluid) between an oil chamber, where hydraulic fluid is likely present and a shrink chamber to shrink the landing gear. Moreover, the shrink pump and unshrink valve may be part of a strut shrink system.

Abstract: Landing gear actuator systems and methods are disclosed. A landing gear actuator system may have an actuator body, an operating apparatus, a gas pressure adjustment apparatus, and a hydraulic fluid adjustment apparatus. The gas pressure adjustment apparatus may adjust at least one gas pressure in response to the operating apparatus. The hydraulic fluid adjustment apparatus may adjust at least one hydraulic fluid volume in response to the operating apparatus. The gas pressure and the hydraulic fluid volume may adjusted inversely. An isolation valve may be installed between the gas pressure adjustment apparatus and a strut gas chamber of a landing gear. In this manner, a landing gear strut may be shrunk without inducing high pressure in the strut, and stowed for flight, and a landing gear strut may be unshrunk and isolated by the valve to protect the actuator from high pressure and reaction forces during landing.

Abstract: The landing gear systems, methods and apparatuses disclosed herein may comprise a shrink pump and an unshrink valve that are capable of shrinking a landing gear shock strut up to about 40% of its available stroke. The shrink pump may be configured to pump fluid (e.g., a hydraulic fluid) between an oil chamber, where hydraulic fluid is likely present and a shrink chamber to shrink the landing gear. Moreover, the shrink pump and unshrink valve may be part of a strut shrink system.

Abstract: The landing gear systems, methods and apparatuses disclosed herein may comprise a shrink pump and a shrink valve that are capable of shrinking a landing gear by up to 40% of its available stroke, or more depending on the air spring configuration. The shrink pump may be configured to pump fluid (e.g., a hydraulic fluid) between an oil chamber, where hydraulic fluid is likely present and a shrink chamber to shrink the landing gear. Moreover, the shrink pump and shrink valve may be part of a strut shrink system.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a liquid level in an aircraft shock strut includes a cylinder having an internal chamber sealed by a piston telescopically movable within the cylinder. The chamber contains a gas and a liquid, and a sensor assembly is provided for monitoring a condition of a level of the liquid in the chamber. The sensor assembly includes at least one probe within the chamber, and a fitting assembly allows one or more leads from the probe to pass through the wall of the strut while maintaining pressure in the chamber. The fitting assembly includes a plug molded to the one or more leads extending from the probe. The fitting assembly also includes a retainer for holding the plug in sealed relationship with a through passage in the strut.

Abstract: A shrink shock strut assembly for retractable aircraft landing gear is disclosed which includes an elongated strut cylinder, an elongated strut piston coaxially mounted for reciprocal movement within the strut cylinder between a shrunk condition when the landing gear is retracted into a wheel well of an aircraft and a fully extended condition when the landing gear is deployed from the wheel well for landing the aircraft, and a blocking mechanism operatively associated with the strut cylinder and mounted for movement into a blocking position with respect to the strut piston, when the landing gear is retracted within the wheel well, to prevent axial movement of the strut piston into the fully extended condition within the wheel well.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a liquid level in an aircraft shock strut includes a cylinder having an internal chamber sealed by a piston telescopically movable within the cylinder. The chamber contains a gas and a liquid, and a sensor assembly is provided for monitoring a condition of a level of the liquid in the chamber. The sensor assembly includes at least one probe within the chamber, and a fitting assembly allows one or more leads from the probe to pass through the wall of the strut while maintaining pressure in the chamber. The fitting assembly includes a plug molded to the one or more leads extending from the probe. The fitting assembly also includes a retainer for holding the plug in sealed relationship with a through passage in the strut.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a liquid level in an aircraft shock strut includes a cylinder having an internal chamber sealed by a piston telescopically movable within the cylinder. The chamber contains a gas and a liquid, and a sensor assembly is provided for monitoring a condition of a level of the liquid in the chamber. The sensor assembly includes at least one probe within the chamber, and a fitting assembly allows one or more leads from the probe to pass through the wall of the strut while maintaining pressure in the chamber. The fitting assembly includes a plug molded to the one or more leads extending from the probe. The fitting assembly also includes a retainer for holding the plug in sealed relationship with a through passage in the strut.

Abstract: A shock strut for an aircraft landing gear having a retract actuator that is moveable in length to deploy or retract the landing gear, that includes a shrink strut and a transfer device. The shrink strut may be compressed in length for stowage in the fuselage. The transfer device may be in closed fluid communication with the strut shrink for transferring and receiving hydraulic fluid to and from the strut shrink. When actuated by an aircraft hydraulic or electric system independent of any motion of the retract actuator, the transfer device may drive hydraulic fluid to the strut shrink thereby compressing or shrinking the shrink strut to a partially compressed length.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a liquid level in an aircraft shock strut includes a cylinder having an internal chamber sealed by a piston telescopically movable within the cylinder. The chamber contains a gas and a liquid, and a sensor assembly is provided for monitoring a condition of a level of the liquid in the chamber. The sensor assembly includes at least one probe within the chamber, and a fitting assembly allows one or more leads from the probe to pass through the wall of the strut while maintaining pressure in the chamber. The fitting assembly includes a plug molded to the one or more leads extending from the probe. The fitting assembly also includes a retainer for holding the plug in sealed relationship with a through passage in the strut.

Abstract: A non-hydraulic shimmy damper that can be mounted to existing aircraft landing gear and does not substantially interfere with steering or require significant maintenance. When the shimmy damper requires maintenance it can be readily swapped out as a line-replaceable unit (LRU) thereby reducing aircraft downtime. The shimmy damper is mountable to an aircraft landing gear strut and includes a rotatable coupling member that engages a rotatable steering member of the landing gear strut. A damping assembly is coupled to the rotatable coupling member to provide a damping force. The damping assembly is adjustable so that a desired amount of damping force can be applied and/or maintained.

Abstract: A torque link includes a spring-damper system structurally incorporated into the design and functionality of the torque link. The spring portion may take the form of a structurally rigid beam while the damping portion may take the form of a damping mechanism or assembly. The damping mechanism is configured to damp out deformations in the beam and also configured to bottom out and become a structural tension/compression member when the load through the torque link exceeds a threshold load. The method damping may take a number of forms, such as, but not limited to, solid media damping, fluid damping with or without an orifice, a hydraulic or magnetic circuit, coulomb damping, etc.

Abstract: A torque link includes a spring-damper system structurally incorporated into the design and functionality of the torque link. The spring portion may take the form of a structurally rigid beam while the damping portion may take the form of a damping mechanism or assembly. The damping mechanism is configured to damp out deformations in the beam and also configured to bottom out and become a structural tension/compression member when the load through the torque link exceeds a threshold load. The method damping may take a number of forms, such as, but not limited to, solid media damping, fluid damping with or without an orifice, a hydraulic or magnetic circuit, coulomb damping, etc.

Abstract: A torque link includes a spring-damper system structurally incorporated into the design and functionality of the torque link. The spring portion may take the form of a structurally rigid beam while the damping portion may take the form of a damping mechanism or assembly. The damping mechanism is configured to damp out deformations in the beam and also configured to bottom out and become a structural tension/compression member when the load through the torque link exceeds a threshold load. The method damping may take a number of forms, such as, but not limited to, solid media damping, fluid damping with or without an orifice, a hydraulic or magnetic circuit, coulomb damping, etc.

Abstract: A landing gear system includes a shock strut assembly and a linkage member coupled to an aircraft. Preferably, the shock strut assembly and linkage member are oriented or angled relative to one another in a non-parallel relationship. Actuation of the linkage member moves the shock strut from a de-hiked to a hiked configuration or vice-versa. In addition, the orientation of the linkage member relative to the shock strut assembly permits it to automatically move the shock strut assembly to the de-hiked position during retraction of the landing gear system and prevents the shock strut assembly from exceeding a desired length during retraction. The linkage member may take the form of a hydraulic actuator having a lower end portion coupled to an inner cylinder of the shock strut assembly and an upper end portion coupled to the aircraft aft of where the shock strut assembly is coupled to the aircraft.

Abstract: A shrink shock strut assembly for retractable aircraft landing gear is disclosed which includes an elongated strut cylinder, an elongated strut piston coaxially mounted for reciprocal movement within the strut cylinder between a shrunk condition when the landing gear is retracted into a wheel well of an aircraft and a fully extended condition when the landing gear is deployed from the wheel well for landing the aircraft, and a blocking mechanism operatively associated with the strut cylinder and mounted for movement into a blocking position with respect to the strut piston, when the landing gear is retracted within the wheel well, to prevent axial movement of the strut piston into the fully extended condition within the wheel well.

Abstract: An aircraft shock strut includes a cylinder and a piston movable within the cylinder. A lower bearing and an upper bearing provide sliding engagement between the cylinder and the piston. The upper bearing is fixed to the cylinder and provides sliding engagement with an outer surface the piston. An upper bearing that is fixed to the cylinder facilitates use of lighter weight materials for the cylinder without sacrificing durability.

Abstract: A torque link includes a spring-damper system structurally incorporated into the design and functionality of the torque link. The spring portion may take the form of a structurally rigid beam while the damping portion may take the form of a damping mechanism or assembly. The damping mechanism is configured to damp out deformations in the beam and also configured to bottom out and become a structural tension/compression member when the load through the torque link exceeds a threshold load. The method damping may take a number of forms, such as, but not limited to, solid media damping, fluid damping with or without an orifice, a hydraulic or magnetic circuit, coulomb damping, etc.

Abstract: A ground sensing system for an aircraft attaches to the aircraft's landing gear to provide a ground touch indication. The ground sensing system includes a bracket, an upper arm, a lower arm, a roller and a sensor. The bracket is mounted to the landing gear while the upper arm is pivotally and biasly coupled to the bracket. The lower arm is pivotally and biasly coupled to the upper arm. The roller mounts to the lower arm and extends just slightly beneath a lowermost surface of the tire when the aircraft is airborne. The sensor is triggered once a portion of the upper arm has sufficiently entered the sensor's field of view, which occurs when the roller is urged upward by the ground during landing.

Abstract: A shrinking shock strut system for an aircraft landing gear having a retract actuator that is moveable in length to deploy or retract the landing gear, that includes a shrink strut and a transfer device. The shrink strut may be compressed in length for stowage in the fuselage. The transfer device may be in closed fluid communication with the strut shrink for transferring and receiving hydraulic fluid to and from the strut shrink. When actuated by an aircraft hydraulic system independent of any motion of the retract actuator, the transfer device may drive hydraulic fluid to the strut shrink thereby compressing or shrinking the shrink strut to a partially compressed length.