Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC

John Louis

Brian G Cook

Robert M Vieito

Thomas Van De Ven

Donald Freund

Derek Muzychka

Zoltan Tormasi

Andrew Clemens

William Mcfarland

Joseph Gavin

Benjamin Walke

Till Gerhardt

Michael Knight

Mehdi R Khorrami

Mark J Kromer

Joe Gavin

Lawrence F Gilboy

Raosaheb Tambe

Shawn Bennett

Thomas Van De Van

Madhav Deshpande

Nicholas Powell

Various non-limiting embodiments of a nozzle assembly for use with a propulsion system and a sleeve assembly for use with the nozzle assembly are disclosed herein. In a non-limiting embodiment, the nozzle assembly includes, but is not limited to, a nacelle. The nozzle assembly further includes, but is not limited to, a sleeve assembly mounted within the nacelle downstream of the engine. The sleeve assembly is configured to receive the mass flow from the engine and to guide the mass flow to an exit of the propulsion system. The sleeve assembly is comprised of a plurality of sleeve segments arranged in a circumferential configuration. Each sleeve segment of the plurality of sleeve segments has an elongate body that is longitudinally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the sleeve assembly.

Nozzle assembly for use with a propulsion system and sleeve assembly for use with the nozzle assembly

A nozzle assembly includes a sleeve defining a pathway, the sleeve disposed within a nacelle. The pathway and an internal surface of the nacelle guides a mass flow from an engine to an exit of the propulsion system. The sleeve is configured to move between a forward position an aft position within the nacelle aft of the engine. The sleeve has a protruding portion that extends towards a center of the pathway and that defines a smallest internal diameter of the sleeve. The sleeve includes a plurality of sleeve segments that are longitudinally aligned and circumferentially arranged to form the sleeve. The sleeve segments are configured to move circumferentially closer as the sleeve moves in a first direction within the nacelle and to move circumferentially further apart as the sleeve moves in a second direction within the nacelle. An actuator is coupled with, and is configured to move the sleeve.

Nozzle assembly for use with a propulsion system

An aircraft propulsion system includes an engine. The propulsion system further includes an inlet having a forward cowl lip and an aft cowl lip. The forward cowl lip moves between retracted and deployed positions. The forward cowl lip is adjacent to the aft cowl lip when retracted. The forward cowl lip is spaced apart from the aft cowl lip when deployed. The forward cowl lip has a smaller radius of curvature than the aft cowl lip. The propulsion system further includes a controller coupled with the engine and inlet. The controller restricts the maximum thrust commanded position of the engine when the aircraft is on the ground and moving below a predetermined speed. The controller lifts the restriction when the aircraft is moving at at least the predetermined speed. The controller controls the inlet to deploy the cowl lip when the aircraft is on the ground.

Propulsion system for an aircraft

A clearance sensing vehicle brake slack adjuster includes a housing coupled to a brake actuator and supporting a driving worm wheel engaging the brake cam shaft and a driving worm screw having a threaded portion meshed with the driving worm wheel and transferring a brake actuating force, imparted by the brake actuator to the housing, to the driving worm wheel and cam shaft. A wear adjustment mechanism for the adjuster includes a control worm wheel and a clutch ring disposed about the driving worm screw and a wrap spring engaging surfaces of the control worm wheel and the clutch ring. The control worm wheel is in mesh with a control worm screw. The clutch ring is disposed on a side of the control worm wheel opposite the threaded portion of the driving worm screw and includes teeth engaging corresponding teeth on the driving worm screw.

Automatic slack adjuster

A vehicle brake slack adjuster includes a housing coupled to a brake actuator and supporting a driving worm wheel engaging the brake cam shaft and a driving worm screw meshed with the driving worm wheel and transferring a brake actuating force, imparted by the brake actuator to the housing, to the driving worm wheel and cam shaft. The adjuster further includes a wear adjustment mechanism including a reference arm fixed against movement and including a control ring gear, a pinion gear meshed with the control ring gear and configured for rotation about an axis, a clutch ring disposed about the axis and configured for rotation with the pinion gear, a control worm screw disposed about the axis, a wrap spring engaging surfaces of the clutch ring and control worm screw and a control worm wheel meshed with the control worm screw and configured for rotation with the driving worm screw.

Automatic slack adjuster with adjusting clutch in control train

Nose landing gear arrangements for aircrafts, aircrafts including such nose landing gear arrangements, and methods for making such nose landing gear arrangements are provided. In one example, a nose landing gear arrangement includes a wheel assembly and a main strut. The main strut is operatively coupled to the wheel assembly and is configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position. The main strut in the extended position extends outside of the fuselage substantially along a generally vertical plane to position the wheel assembly for takeoff and/or landing of the aircraft. The main strut in the retracted position is disposed inside the fuselage. A flexible sheet is disposed adjacent to the main strut and is configured such that when the main strut is in the extended position the flexible sheet is positioned substantially around the main strut.

Nose landing gear arrangements including a flexible sheet and methods for making the same

Aircraft landing gear assemblies and aircraft are provided. A landing gear assembly includes a main post and a light element cluster. The main post has a non-rotating portion and a rotatable steering portion. The light element cluster is associated with the non-rotating portion and includes at least two independently illuminating sections.

Aircraft landing gear assemblies with non-rotating light element clusters

An automatic slack adjuster for a vehicle brake includes a one-way clutch having first and second parts rotatable about an axis. The first part is rotatable in both a drive direction and a slip direction opposite to the drive direction, while the second part is driven about the axis by the first part when the first part rotates in the drive direction, but not driven when the first part rotates in the slip direction. Movable elements are carried within receptacles distributed circumferentially about and projecting into one of the parts, and are displaceable so as to move within the receptacles in radial directions relative to the axis. The movable elements engage corresponding surfaces of teeth that are immovably fixed on or form part of a circumferential surface of the other of the parts.

High resolution one-way clutch using graduated engagement in a radial arrangement

A nose landing gear arrangement for an aircraft and a method of assembling the nose landing gear arrangement are disclosed herein. The nose landing gear arrangement includes, but is not limited to, a wheel assembly, a shock strut extending upwards from the wheel assembly towards a fuselage of the aircraft, and a torque arm assembly coupled to the wheel assembly and to the shock strut. The torque arm assembly is configured to transmit torque to the wheel assembly. The torque arm assembly is disposed forward of the shock strut with respect to a direction of travel of the aircraft.

Nose landing gear arrangement for aircraft and method of assembly

Nose landing gear arrangements including a folding follow-up door for reducing airflow noise for aircrafts, aircrafts including such nose landing gear arrangements, and methods for making such nose landing gear arrangements are provided herein. In one example, a nose landing gear arrangement includes a wheel assembly and a main strut. The main strut is operatively coupled to the wheel assembly and is configured to extend outside of the fuselage substantially along a generally vertical plane. A folding follow-up door is pivotally coupled to the main strut and extends to the fuselage. The folding follow-up door includes a first door section and a second door section that extend outwardly in directions away from each other to define an unfolded position. The folding follow-up door is foldable to move the first and second door sections towards each other about the generally vertical plane to define a folded position.

Nose landing gear arrangements and methods for making the same

A flap for operatively coupling to a wing main element of an aircraft is provided. The flap comprises an outer flap section that has a side edge portion. The side edge portion at least partially surrounds a flap side-edge cavity. A porous cavity-filler insert is positioned in the flap side-edge cavity.

Wing flaps for aircraft and methods for making the same

An improved self-adjusting automatic slack adjuster for reducing slack in the brake of a vehicle is provided, in which an easily accessible external operating feature permits the automatic slack adjuster's one-way clutch assembly to be readily disengaged to allow smooth release and retraction of the brake shoes of a vehicle brake without damage to the one-way teeth of the clutch assembly. When the external feature is operated in a brake release direction, the motion of the feature is translated into a motion which axially displaces an output part of the one-way clutch away from an input part of the clutch a distance sufficient to disengage the parts' one-way teeth, thereby disengaging the one-way clutch to permit brake shoe retraction without resistance from the one-way clutch.

Automatic slack adjuster with clutch release cam

An automatic slack adjuster one-way clutch includes a first part, which is rotatable about an axis in both a drive direction and a slip direction opposite to the drive direction, and a second part, which is driven about the axis by the first part only when the first part rotates in the drive direction. The second part is not driven by the first part when the first part rotates in the slip direction. Multiple movable teeth, carried by one of the parts, are displaceable axially relative to both of the parts and engage between teeth immovably fixed on the other of the parts. The first part may be either an input part or an output part of the clutch.

High resolution one-way clutch with graduated saw-tooth engagement for an automatic slack adjuster

An improved automatic slack adjuster for reducing slack in the brake of a vehicle, in which a one-way clutch assembly is arranged at a side of the automatic slack adjuster housing, and one-way motion-inhibiting pawls in the one-way clutch assembly act on one-way gear teeth disposed on an inner radius of a gear wheel within the assembly whose outer circumference drives a slack adjuster unit. The incorporation of the one-way clutch within the anchor unit of the adjuster provides an automatic slack adjuster which can be produced at a reduced cost, manufactured more easily, and provides for improved adjustment performance with much reduced dependence on the lubricity of grease used.

Automatic slack adjuster anchor unit with a one-way clutch

An improved self-adjusting automatic slack adjuster for reducing slack in the brake of a vehicle, in which a one-way clutch assembly is arranged in the housing of the automatic slack adjuster housing such that a thin-wall region of the housing associated with the gear drive of the one-way clutch assembly is located outside of a load path through which brake applications forces are conveyed from a brake actuator to a brake cam shaft upon which the automatic slack adjuster is located. The new positioning of the one-way clutch assembly drive results in unexpectedly lower stress levels in the automatic slack adjuster, resulting a more durable slack adjuster and permitting surprisingly large increases in slack adjuster capacity rating.

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Savannah, GA, United States of America

John Louis