Honeywell International Inc.

Alliedsignal Inc.

Gcp, LLC

Donald Jeffrey Christensen

David Lane Charles

Casey Hanlon

Louie Timothy Gaines

Kevin K Chakkera

Stephen G Abel

George T Woessner

John Brian Dempster

Robert D Mitchell

Jason A Gratton

Todd Langston

Andrew T Johnson

Daniel C Birchak

Rudy Velasquez

Kellan P Geck

Don Mittendorf

Steve G Abel

Brent Bristol

James Neil Quitmeyer

David M Eschborn

James Wawrzynek

Mark H Baker

Brian Jardine

Ronald A Peck

Douglas T Hopper

Robert D Kortum

Steve Spicer

Douglas Wise

Steve Able

Joseph M Searle

Lewis Ghiz

Jonathan L Perryman

Robert Mitchell

Rudey Velasquez

A thrust reverser system for a gas turbine engine includes a support structure, a transcowl, and an actuator. The transcowl is mounted on the support structure and is axially translatable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The actuator is coupled to the transcowl and the support structure, and is configured to supply an actuation force to the transcowl to thereby move the transcowl between the stowed and deployed positions. The actuator includes an actuator housing, a screw, a nut, a rod end, and a tension rod. The tension rod is engaged by the nut when the transcowl is in the deployed position and is engaged by the rod end when the transcowl is in the stowed position, whereby actuator loads, in both the deployed and stowed positions, are transmitted through the tension rod to the support structure.

Aircraft thrust reverser system with alternate reverse thrust load path

A pneumatic taxi system of an aircraft with a rotary non-turbine air motor for driving a wheel, of an aircraft landing gear, with compressed air.

Pneumatic taxi system

A gearbox for driving a sprocket includes a gear train and an output shaft assembly positioned between the gear train and a power output end of the gearbox. The output shaft assembly includes, a first shaft segment extending to the power output a second shaft segment coupled to the gear train and a torsion spring interposed between the first shaft segment and the second shaft segment. Upon non-conjugate meshing of the sprocket, the torsion spring expands and contracts so that the angular velocity of the second shaft segment differs from the angular velocity of the first shaft segment.

Roller-based drive systems with compliance for accommodating non-conjugate meshing

An electric taxi system (ETS) for an aircraft may include an electric motor positioned on a landing gear assembly of the aircraft; and one or more selectively operable engaging members for selectively coupling the ETS with a wheel of the aircraft. The engaging members may be drivably coupled to the electric motor. The engaging members may each have a base member and a leading end. An axis of the base member and an axis of the leading end may be in straight-line alignment upon initial engagement of the engaging member with the wheel. The axes of the leading end and the base member may displaced from a straight-line alignment responsively to lateral forces exerted on the leading end resulting from deflections of the wheel during taxiing of the aircraft.

Aircraft wheel driving system

An aircraft landing gear wheel is disclosed. A main body includes a hub portion with a gear end and an attachment end. A driven gear portion includes a first annular rail and a second annular rail, the driven gear portion being integrally and drivingly connected with the hub portion at the gear end. Rollers are rotatingly connected between roller apertures of the first annular rail and the second annular rail. Bearings rotatingly support portions of the rollers within the roller apertures.

Aircraft landing gear wheel with integral gear drive

An electric taxi system (ETS) for an aircraft may include an annular output gearbox positioned between a wheel and a main strut of a main landing gear of the aircraft. The output gearbox may surround a brake piston assembly of the wheel of the aircraft. One or more selectively operable engaging assemblies, for selectively coupling the ETS with the wheel of the aircraft, may be positioned between the output gearbox and the wheel of the aircraft. The one or more selectively operable engaging assemblies may be coupled with an output gear of the output gearbox to rotate with the output gear.

Aircraft selectively engageable electric taxi system

A human-machine interface includes a user interface, a gimbal assembly, a gimbal interface rod, a force sensor mount, and a spacer. The gimbal assembly is coupled to the user interface. The gimbal interface rod is coupled to and extends from the gimbal assembly. The force sensor mount is coupled to the user interface and to the gimbal assembly, is configured to have a plurality of force sensors coupled thereto, and surrounds a portion of the gimbal interface rod and is spaced apart therefrom to define a circumferential gap. The spacer is disposed between and engages the portion of the gimbal interface rod and the force sensor mount, and is configured to maintain the circumferential gap between the force sensor mount and the gimbal interface rod until a predetermined user input force is supplied to the user interface whereupon the force sensor mount engages the gimbal interface rod.

Active human-machine interface with force sensor overload protection

An apparatus and method is provided for operating an aircraft control stick in an active mode and a passive mode. The method comprises subjecting the control stick to an a resilient restoring force in the passive mode, and neutralizing the restoring force in the active mode. A spring assembly is provided for exerting and neutralizing the restoring force, which may be varied between minimum and maximum values.

Aircraft control stick operational in active and passive modes

An aircraft taxi drive system includes a motor that is configured to transfer power to an aircraft wheel via a drive chain, such that the motor rotates the aircraft wheel via the drive chain. In some examples, the drive chain is movable between first and second positions. In the first position, the drive chain, such as an exterior surface of the drive chain, is engaged with a driven sprocket that is mechanically connected to an aircraft wheel. In the second position, the drive chain is disengaged from the driven sprocket.

Aircraft taxi system including drive chain

A drive ring may be configured to receive a drive key from a wheel rim in a bushing on the ring. The bushing may include a slot with clearance to allow movement of the drive key within the slot during axial or rim flexure events. The axial or rim flexure events may occur for example, during taxiing of a vehicle and the loads of the vehicle can impart flexure forces on the connection between the wheel rim and the drive system. In one exemplary embodiment, the bushing may be movable on the drive ring to accommodate movement of the drive key during flexure.

Movable bushing interface and taxi drive system

An active user interface system includes a gimbal assembly that is configured as a dual-input/single-output differential mechanism. The differential mechanism implements a speed reduction from the inputs of the differential mechanism to the output of the differential mechanism. Speed reduction enables the maximum drive torque that is supplied to the user interface about one rotational axis to be greater than the maximum drive torque that is supplied to the user interface about another, perpendicular axis.

Active feedback user interface system and gimbal assembly therefor

An electric taxi system (ETS) for an aircraft may comprise drive motors mounted coaxially with wheels of the aircraft. A clutch assembly may be interposed between the drive motor the wheel. The clutch assembly may transmit torque from the motor to the wheel when the wheel and a rotor of the motor rotate at the same rotational speed. The clutch assembly may self-disengage a rotor of the motor from the wheel when the wheel rotates faster than the rotor.

Aircraft electric taxi system with friction actuated, bi-directional clutch

A method of taxing an aircraft with an electric taxi system (ETS) comprising of drive units producing airflow through rotors to pre-cool drive motors and produce rotation of aircraft wheels. The drive motors may be used to produce reverse motion of the aircraft and of operating the drive motors independently of one another so one can operate at a rate of speed and/or direction that is different from the second one of the drive units which may provide enhanced maneuverability of the aircraft during taxing. The drive motors may be controlled to produce regenerative power producing a deceleration of the aircraft that does not shift a center of gravity of the aircraft.

Compact electric taxi assembly for installation on an aircraft

A electric taxi system (ETS) for an aircraft may comprise drive units mounted coaxially with wheels of the aircraft and dedicated motor control units for the drive units. The motor control units may be operable independently of one another so that a first one of the drive units can be operated at a speed different from an operating speed of a second one of the drive units. Independent operability of the drive units may provide enhanced maneuverability of the aircraft during taxiing.

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Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Donald Jeffrey Christensen