Stiffness de-coupled skid landing gear
US6244538A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 19, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 12, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 19, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64C2025/325
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A skid landing gear for a helicopter, in which the directional stiffnesses of the cross members of the skid landing gear have been de-coupled from one another, such that optimization of the longitudinal stiffness of the cross members may be performed independently of the optimization of the vertical stiffness and fatigue life of the cross members. In order to de-couple the stiffnesses in the skid type landing gear, two approaches are employed. In the first approach, the skid landing gear has non-symmetric-section cross members and/or distribution of different materials within the cross-section for de-coupling the vertical stiffness of the cross members from the longitudinal stiffness, such that placement of the ground resonance frequency may be optimized, while retaining the vertical stiffness properties essential for optimizing vertical energy attenuation and fatigue life. In the second approach, mounting devices are employed that provide compliance in selected directions, thereby de-coupling the directional stiffnesses.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.