Attachment of a landing gear

Abstract

A bracket (24) for connecting a traverse (20) of a landing gear to a cabin of a helicopter. A landing gear retainer (5) is fixed around the traverse (20) coaxially to the longitudinal direction of the traverse (20) and at least one cabin clamp mount (7) is fixed to the cabin. The landing gear retainer (5) is in between the cabin and upper and lower pendulum bolts (12, 13) and upper and lower pendulum bearings (18, 19). A pendulum (9) is in longitudinal direction of the traverse (20) hinged to the landing gear retainer (5). The invention is further related to an application of such brackets (24).

Claims

1. An attachment bracket of a landing gear to a cabin of a helicopter, the attachment bracket comprising: a bracket for connecting a traverse of the landing gear to the cabin of the helicopter, the traverse extending in a transverse direction being perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the cabin; a landing gear retainer for fixation around the traverse coaxially to the longitudinal direction of the traverse; and a pendulum extending below the landing gear traverse, the pendulum comprising: an upper bolt hinged to the landing gear retainer with the upper pendulum bolt in the upper pendulum bearings; and a lower pendulum bolt hinged to the cabin with the lower pendulum bolt in the lower pendulum bearings, the upper and lower pendulum bolts defining rotational axes parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cabin and thereby providing mobility of the cabin in the transverse direction about the rotational axes; and compound springs oriented transverse to the pendulum bolts to decrease movement of the landing gear once the pendulum moves in the direction of the compound springs.

2. The attachment bracket according to claim 1, further comprising at least one stop is provided between a cabin clamp mount and clamp rings.

3. The attachment bracket according to claim 1, wherein the pendulum comprises at least one rod laterally mounted to the landing gear retainer.

4. The attachment bracket according to claim 1, wherein the landing gear retainer has a distance 0 to the upper pendulum bolts in the respective upper pendulum bearings.

5. The attachment bracket according to claim 1, further comprising an equal torque support bolt provided for fixation of the landing gear retainer to clamping rings on the traverse.

6. The attachment bracket according to claim 1, further comprising stop plates with a stiffness >1000 N/mm and friction coefficients between 0.05 and 0.15 are provided between at least one cabin clamp mount and the landing gear retainer.

7. The attachment bracket according to claim 6, wherein a tolerance of approximately 0.5 mm is provided between the stop plates and the at least one inner cabin clamp mount.

8. A method of application of attachment brackets according to claim 1, wherein one attachment bracket is mounted on a traverse at the front right and another attachment bracket is mounted on the front left of the traverse.

9. The method of application according to claim 8, wherein two stops are pairwise arranged symmetrically with regard to a longitudinal direction of the traverse.

10. The method of application according to claim 8, wherein in respectively neutral positions a pendulum's plane through a right and a further pendulum's plane through a left attachment bracket on one traverse axis are each oriented to a helicopter's center of gravity.

11. An attachment bracket connecting a helicopter cabin extending a longitudinal direction to a landing gear traverse extending in a transverse direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the helicopter cabin, the attachment bracket comprising: a bracket connected to the helicopter cabin; a landing gear retainer connected to the helicopter cabin and secured around the traverse and coaxial with the transverse direction; and a pendulum extending below the landing gear traverse, the pendulum comprising: a lower pendulum bolt in a lower pendulum bearing hinged to the bracket, and; an upper pendulum bolt in an upper pendulum bearing hinged to the landing gear retainer, at least one of the upper bolt and the lower pendulum bolt defining rotational axes parallel to the longitudinal direction of the helicopter cabin, thereby providing mobility of the helicopter cabin in the traverse direction.

12. The attachment bracket according to claim 11, further comprising at least one compound spring extending transverse to the lower and upper pendulum bolts, wherein the compound spring acts to decrease movement of the landing gear once the pendulum moves in the direction of the compound spring.

13. The attachment bracket according to claim 12, wherein the at least compound spring includes a spring bolt and a plurality of springs.

14. The attachment bracket according to claim 11, wherein the pendulum comprises at least one rod laterally mounted to the landing gear retainer.

15. The attachment bracket according to claim 11, wherein the landing gear retainer is spaced a distance away from the at least one upper pendulum bolt in the respective upper pendulum bearing.

16. The attachment bracket according to claim 11, wherein rotation axes of the upper and lower pendulum bearings are perpendicular to the transverse direction and parallel with the longitudinal direction of the helicopter cabin.

17. The attachment bracket according to claim 11, further comprising an equal torque support bolt arranged to block the landing gear retainer for rotation about the traverse.

18. An attachment bracket connecting a helicopter cabin extending a longitudinal direction to a landing gear traverse extending in a transverse direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cabin, the attachment bracket comprising: a bracket connected to the helicopter cabin; a landing gear retainer secured around the landing gear traverse and coaxial with the transverse direction and positioned below the helicopter cabin; and a pendulum comprising: a lower pendulum bolt hinged to the bracket and positioned below the landing gear traverse, and an upper pendulum bolt hinged to the landing gear retainer and positioned above the lower pendulum bolt, the upper bolt defining a rotational axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cabin, thereby allowing the helicopter cabin to move in the traverse direction relative to the landing gear traverse.

19. The attachment bracket according to claim 18, wherein the pendulum further comprises at least one compound spring oriented transverse to the pendulum bolts to decrease movement of the landing gear once the pendulum moves in the direction of the compound springs.

20. The attachment bracket according to claim 19, wherein the compound spring includes a spring bolt and a plurality of springs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A preferred embodiment of the invention is presented by means of the following description with reference to the attached drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of parts of a traverse of a landing gear and a cabin with a bracket according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the traverse of the landing gear with parts of the cabin and the bracket according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view along the traverse of the landing gear with parts of the cabin and the bracket according to the invention,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the traverse of the landing gear with parts of the cabin and an alternative bracket according to the invention,

(6) FIG. 5 shows parts of the cabin and a cross sectional view of the traverse of the landing gear and the bracket according to the invention,

(7) FIG. 6 shows cross sectional view of parts of the landing gear with the traverse and through a compound spring of the bracket according to the invention,

(8) FIG. 7 shows an application of the bracket according to the invention,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of alternative parts of a traverse of a landing gear and a cabin with a bracket according to the invention,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a sketch of a cross sectional view of the traverse with a further alternative bracket according to the invention,

(11) FIG. 10 shows a sketch of a cross sectional view of the traverse with a still further alternative bracket according to the invention,

(12) FIG. 11 shows a sketch of a cross sectional view of the traverse with another alternative bracket according to the invention, and

(13) FIG. 12 shows a sketch of a cross sectional view of the traverse with still another alternative bracket according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) According to FIG. 1 an attachment of a landing gear to a helicopter (not shown) comprises a bracket 24 mounted on a traverse 20 of said landing gear of said helicopter. The traverse 20 is mounted by means of the bracket 24 to a cabin bracket 21 integrated into a cabin of the helicopter.

(15) The bracket 24 is provided with inner and outer cabin clamp mounts 7, 10 essentially symmetric to a longitudinal axis 29 (see FIG. 2) of the traverse 20. The bracket 24 is press mounted on the cabin bracket 21 by means of screwing connections 25 through the inner and outer cabin clamp mounts 7, 10.

(16) A pendulum 9 is connected to the outer cabin-clamp mount 7 with a lower pendulum bolt 13 in lower pendulum bearings 19 and an upper pendulum bolt 12 in an upper pendulum bearing 18. The lower pendulum bolt 13 and the upper pendulum bolt 12 respectively extend essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The lower pendulum bolt 13 in the lower pendulum bearings 19 of the pendulum 9 is hinged to the cabin bracket 21 via the outer cabin-clamp mount 7 for movements of the cabin in longitudinal direction relative to the traverse 20 and hence transverse to the longitudinal direction of the cabin.

(17) According to FIG. 2 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIG. 1. The bracket 24 is mounted on the cabin bracket 21 by means of the inner and outer cabin clamp mounts 7, 10. The inner and outer cabin clamp mounts 7, 10 are pairwise symmetric to the longitudinal axis 29 of the traverse 20.

(18) A landing gear (LG) retainer 5 is mounted coaxially on the traverse 20 with clamp rings 1 at both sides, said clamp rings 1 being clamped respectively by screw connections 26 for tightening the grip of the clamp rings 1 on the traverse 20.

(19) The press mounted inner and outer cabin clamp mounts 7, 10 on the cabin bracket 21 assure a form closure with tight clearances of the inner and outer cabin clamp mounts 7, 10 relative to the LG retainer 5 mounted on the traverse 20. Said form closure restricts the freedom degree of the cabin transversal to the longitudinal axis 29 of the traverse 20 and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cabin and further restricts the rotational freedom degree of the cabin about the longitudinal axis 29 of the traverse 20.

(20) The inner cabin clamp mounts 10 are each connected to compound springs 23.

(21) According to FIG. 3 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIG. 1, 2. Essentially perpendicular with regard to the effective direction of the compound spring 23 is provided the pendulum 9 connected to the LG-retainer 5 and the outer cabin-clamp mount 7 through the upper and lower pendulum bolts 12/13 in the upper and lower pendulum bearings 18/19. The upper and lower pendulum bolts 12/13 in the upper and lower pendulum bearings 18/19 respectively extend essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20.

(22) A stop (not shown) is provided between the cabin clamp mount 10 and the clamp rings 1.

(23) Inside the compound spring 23 is coaxially pretensioned a fork bolt 22. The compound spring 23 comprises a spring bolt and several springs 11 made of an essentially hollow cylindrical-type elastomeric material.

(24) Two essentially circular clamp rings 1 of an LG-retainer 5 are slotted in radial direction and clamped respectively by screw connections 26 separate along a longitudinal axis on the LG-traverse 20. The LG-retainer 5 is fixed by the clamp rings 1, preferably separated through an optional elastomer ring 3 to avoid metallic contact between the LG-retainer 5 and the clamp rings 1.

(25) According to FIG. 4 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIGS. 1-3. An alternative bracket 24 with less tight clearances of the inner and outer cabin clamp mounts 7, 10 relative to the LG retainer 5 and thus less restrictions for the rotational freedom degree of the cabin about the longitudinal axis 29 of the traverse 20 is provided with a torque support bolt 14 essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20.

(26) The torque support bolt 14 extends through the LG-retainer 5 and the clamp rings 1.

(27) According to FIG. 5 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIGS. 1-4. Stop plates 6 are provided in the LG-retainer 5 in respective planes essentially transversal to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20 and essentially transversal to the longitudinal axis of the cabin. The stop plates 6 are parallel to inner surfaces of each of the inner cabin clamp mounts 10. Each stop plate 6 is mounted in the LG-retainer 5 by screws 27 with form closure. Each stop plate 6 provides a stop for any movements of any of the inner cabin-clamp mounts 10 towards the LG-retainer 5. Each stop plate 6 has a stiffness >1000 N/mm. The LG-retainer 5 and the inner cabin-clamp mount 10 have clearances <0.5 mm between each other in longitudinal cabin direction. For low friction between the inner cabin clamp mounts 10 and the stop plates 6 from pendulousness between cabin and LG in longitudinal direction of the traverse 20 the surfaces of the inner cabin clamp mounts 10 are made of steel, titanium or coated aluminum and the stop plates 6 are made of sintered bronze coated with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

(28) Each of the inner cabin clamp mounts 10 is preferably connected on both sides of the bracket 24 with a spring fork 8 by a respective bolting and bolt connection 30. The compound springs 23 on both sides of the bracket 24 with the several springs 11 and pre-tensioned by the respective fork bolt 22 and spring bolt 17 are mounted to the spring forks 8.

(29) Essentially perpendicular with regard to the effective direction of the compound spring 23 is provided the pendulum 9 connected to the LG-retainer 5 and the outer cabin-clamp mount 7 through the upper and lower pendulum bolts 12/13 in the upper and lower pendulum bearings 18/19. The upper and lower pendulum bolts 12/13 in the upper and lower pendulum bearings 18/19 respectively extend essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20.

(30) According to FIG. 6 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIGS. 1-5. Each of the two essentially parallel compound springs 23 rests on a washer 16. The washer 16 is mounted on the LG-retainer 5. The washer 16 is made of a sintered material in order to decrease friction between the washers 16 and the compound spring 23. The LG-retainer 5 is blocked from rotation about the traverse 20 by the equal torque support bolt 14 in a torque support bearing 15. The washers 16 and the LG-retainer 5 are equipped with long hole bearings to allow relative movements of the compound spring 23 perpendicular to the washers' axes due to oscillations of the pendulum 9 induced via the cabin clamp mounts 7, 10 from any imbalances of the operating rotors. The torque support bolt 14 is articulated in the torque support bearings 15 made of plastic. The stiffness of the compound springs 23 is about between 100 and 800 [N/mm] at the LG-traverse 20 in the neutral position.

(31) Cabin clamp mount 10 and the clamp rings 1 can limit the deflection of the compound spring 23 by a stop, in order to detour the load transmission at high forces between cabin and LG during flight, e. g. during flight with load on a load hook of the LG.

(32) According to FIG. 7 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIGS. 1-6.

(33) According to an application of a plurality of the brackets 24 the traverse 20 of the front LG is equipped with one bracket 24 on each side, i.e. right side and left side symmetrically mirrored along the cabin's longitudinal and vertical middle plane to connect the cabin with the LG. The aft LG-traverse is rigidly connected to the helicopter in a conventional way.

(34) With one bracket 24 mounted on a front traverse 20 at the right and another bracket 24 mounted on the front traverse 20 at the left of the cabin, planes extending from each of the pendulums 9 in a neutral position 11 of both parallel brackets 24 on both sides of the traverse 20 are oriented to run through a cabin's center of gravity 33 at about 1.1 m above the traverse 20 of the LG allowing a cabin's pendulousness above the traverse 20 with a maximum pendulum-amplitude of +/20 mm relative to the LG-traverse 20 along the longitudinal direction of the traverse 20. Said pendulum-amplitudes are represented for the lower pendulum bolts 13 relative to the upper pendulum bolts 12 with the triangle about the neutral position 11. Said triangle reflects as well the amplitudes varying the distance of the lower pendulum bolts 13 relative to the traverse 20, said amplitudes varying the distance being in the same range as the pendulum-amplitudes relative to the LG-traverse 20 along the longitudinal direction of said traverse 20.

(35) According to FIG. 8 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIGS. 1-7. The attachment to one of the right or left sides of the traverse 20 of the landing gear to the helicopter (not shown) comprises the traverse 20 mounted by means of the bracket 24 to the cabin bracket 21 integrated into the cabin of the helicopter.

(36) The brackets 24 provided with the inner and outer cabin clamp mounts 7, 10 essentially symmetric to the longitudinal axis 29 (see FIG. 2) of the traverse 20 and mounted on the traverse 20 at the right side and at the left side are each provided with two stops 28 arranged symmetrically with regard to the longitudinal direction of the traverse 20 of the LG. The clamp rings 1 arranged on the bracket side oriented towards the middle in longitudinal direction of the traverse 20 are each equipped with two radially projecting abutments 40 pairwise arranged symmetrically with regard to the longitudinal direction of the traverse 20 for interaction with the two stops 28. The bracket 24 mounted on the traverse 20 at the right side limits any movements of the cabin towards the left side of the LG between cabin and LG while the bracket 24 mounted on the traverse 20 at the left side limits any movements to the right between cabin and LG by means respectively of the two abutments 40 interacting with the two stops 28.

(37) According to FIG. 9 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIGS. 1-8. An attachment of the landing gear to the helicopter comprises a further alternative bracket 31 mounted by the clamping rings 1 on the traverse 20 of said landing gear of said helicopter. The traverse 20 is mounted by means of the alternative bracket 31 to the cabin bracket 21 integrated into the cabin of the helicopter.

(38) The pendulum 9 comprises two rods 32 each connected to the LG retainer 5 by means of the upper pendulum bolts 12 in upper pendulum bearings 18 essentially symmetric to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20 and said two rods 32 are each connected to the cabin-bracket 21 by means of a lower pendulum bolt 13 in lower pendulum bearings 19 essentially symmetric to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The traverse 20 is with its upper half above the upper pendulum bolts 12 in the upper pendulum bearings 18.

(39) Stop plates 6 are attached to respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 on the level of the upper pendulum bolt 12 extending essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The stop plates 6 are clear from the respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 in perpendicular direction to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The stop plates 6 transfer forces acting in the helicopter's longitudinal direction between the cabin-brackets 21 and the upper pendulum bolts 12. The stop plates 6 are preferably executed as a coating on the insides of the cabin-brackets 21.

(40) Spring elements (not shown) are mounted between the cabin-brackets 21 and the LG-retainer 5.

(41) According to FIG. 10 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIGS. 1-9. An attachment of the landing gear to the helicopter comprises a still further alternative bracket 34 mounted on the traverse 20 of said landing gear of said helicopter. The traverse 20 is mounted by means of the alternative bracket 34 to the cabin bracket 21 integrated into the cabin of the helicopter.

(42) The pendulum 9 comprises two short rods 35 each connected to the LG retainer 5 by means of the upper pendulum bolt 12 in upper pendulum bearings 18 essentially symmetric to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20 and said two short rods 35 are each connected to the cabin-bracket 21 by means of a lower pendulum bolt 13 in lower pendulum bearings 19 essentially symmetric to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The traverse 20 is above the upper pendulum bolt 12 in the upper pendulum bearings 18.

(43) For the transfer of forces acting in the helicopter's longitudinal direction between the cabin-brackets 21 and the upper pendulum bolts 12 parallel stop plates 6 are attached to respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 and on lateral sides of the LG-retainer 5 on the level of the upper pendulum bolt 12 extending essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The stop plates 6 on the respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 can be a coating of the cabin-brackets 21 or can be the cabin-brackets 21 themselves made of a material with characteristics resulting in low friction forces with the stop plates 6 attached to the respective lateral sides of the LG-retainer 5.

(44) The stop plates 6 are clear from the respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 in perpendicular direction to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The LG-retainer 5 is blocked from rotation about the traverse 20 by the torque support bolt 14 held in the torque support bearing 15 in the clamping rings 1.

(45) Spring elements (not shown) are mounted between the cabin-brackets 21 and the LG-retainer 5.

(46) According to FIG. 11 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIGS. 1-10. An attachment of the landing gear to the helicopter comprises another alternative bracket 36 mounted on the traverse 20 of said landing gear of said helicopter. The traverse 20 is mounted by means of the alternative bracket 36 to the cabin bracket 21 integrated into the cabin of the helicopter.

(47) The pendulum 9 comprises one central short rod 37 connected to the LG retainer 5 by means of the upper pendulum bolt 12 in upper pendulum bearings 18 integrated into the LG-retainer 5. The upper pendulum bolt 12 and the upper pendulum bearings 18 are essentially symmetric to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20 and said short central rods 36 is connected to the cabin-bracket 21 by means of a lower pendulum bolt 13 in lower pendulum bearings 19 essentially symmetric to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The traverse 20 is above the upper pendulum bolt 12 in the upper pendulum bearings 18.

(48) Parallel stop plates 6 are attached to respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 and on lateral sides of the LG-retainer 5 on the level of the upper pendulum bolt 12 extending essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The stop plates 6 on the respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 can be a coating of the cabin-brackets 21 or can be the cabin-brackets 21 themselves made of a material with characteristics resulting in low friction forces with the stop plates 6 attached to the respective lateral sides of the LG-retainer 5.

(49) The stop plates 6 are clear from the respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 in perpendicular direction to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The LG-retainer 5 is blocked from rotation about the traverse 20 by the torque support bolt 14 held in the torque support bearing 15 in the clamping rings 1.

(50) Spring elements (not shown) are mounted between the cabin-brackets 21 and the LG-retainer 5. According to FIG. 12 corresponding features are referred to with the references of FIGS. 1-11. An attachment of the landing gear to the helicopter comprises still another alternative bracket 38 mounted on the traverse 20 of said landing gear of said helicopter. The traverse 20 is mounted by means of the alternative bracket 38 to the cabin bracket 21 integrated into the cabin of the helicopter.

(51) The pendulum 9 comprises one offset rod 39 connected to the LG retainer 5 by means of the upper pendulum bolt 12 in upper pendulum bearings 18 integrated into the LG-retainer 5 unilaterally. The upper pendulum bolt 12 and the upper pendulum bearings 18 are essentially on the level of the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. Said offset rod 39 is connected to the cabin-bracket 21 by means of a lower pendulum bolt 13 in lower pendulum bearings 19. The upper half of the traverse 20 is above the upper pendulum bolt 12 in the upper pendulum bearings 18.

(52) Parallel stop plates 6 are attached to respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 and on a lateral side of the LG-retainer 5 and on the upper pendulum bolt 12 said upper pendulum bolt 12 extending essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The stop plates 6 are clear from the respective inner sides of the cabin-brackets 21 in perpendicular direction to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20. The LG-retainer 5 with integrated clamping rings 1 is mounted directly,i.e. without any interposed elastomer ring 3,on the traverse 20 and is blocked from rotation about the traverse 20 by the screw connection 26.

(53) Shear resistant spring pads 41 are mounted between a flange 42 mounted to the cabin-brackets 21 and two levers 43 mounted essentially symmetrical with regard to the longitudinal axis of the traverse 20 to the LG-retainer 5. To limit amplitudes between the cabin-brackets 21 and the LG-retainer 5 respectively abutments interacting with stops are provided.

REFERENCE LIST

(54) 1clamp ring 3elastomer ring 5LG-retainer 6stop plate 7outer cabin clamp mount 8spring fork 9pendulum 10inner cabin clamp mount (side 2) 11neutral position 12upper pendulum bolt 13lower pendulum bolt 14torque support bolt 15torque support bearing 16washer 17spring bolt 18upper pendulum bearing 19lower pendulum bearing 20traverse 21existing cabin bracket 22fork bolt 23compound spring 24bracket 25screwing connections 26screw connections 27screws 28stop 29longitudinal axis of the traverse 30bolt connection 31further bracket 32rod 33gravity center 34still further bracket 35short rod 36another bracket 37central rod 38still another bracket 39offset rod 40abutment 41spring pad 42flange 43lever