System for opening and closing a gear bay

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system for opening and closing, in a substantially longitudinal direction, at least one hatch of a landing gear bay of an aircraft. In particular, the system includes: a proximal guide rod and a distal guide rod, each having a first end pivotably attachable to the hatch, and a second end pivotably attachable to a stationary inner structure of the gear bay, and arranged such as to form a deformable parallelogram hinge; and at least one drive rod having a first end that is pivotably attachable to the hatch, and a second end that is pivotably attachable to a landing gear leg.

Claims

1. A system for opening and closing at least one hatch of a landing gear bay of an aircraft, between a closing position in which said at least one hatch is configured to allow at least in part the closing of the landing gear bay and provide at least partial continuity with an outer wall of the aircraft, and an opening position in which said at least one hatch opens the landing gear bay and is displaced along a substantially longitudinal direction of the aircraft, said opening and closing system comprising: at least one proximal guide rod having a first end that is pivotally fastened, about a transversal direction of the aircraft, to said at least one hatch, and a second end that is pivotally fastened, about the transversal direction of the aircraft, to an internal stationary structure of the landing gear bay; at least one distal guide rod having a first end that is pivotally fastened, about the transversal direction of the aircraft, to said at least one hatch, and a second end that is pivotally fastened, about the transversal direction of the aircraft, to an internal stationary structure of the landing gear bay, said at least one proximal guide rod and distal guide rod being arranged to form a deformable parallelogram type hinge; and at least one drive rod having a first end that is hingeably fastened to said at least one hatch, and a second end that is hingeably fastened to a landing gear leg.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one distal guide rod is of gooseneck type.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises several distal guide rods and/or several proximal guide rods, and pivoting fastening points are coaxial along the transversal direction of the aircraft.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the several distal guide rods are connected to each other.

5. The system according to claim 4, the several distal guide rods are connected to each other by a connecting spider.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drive rod is fastened to the landing gear leg and/or to said at least one hatch by a ball joint connection.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drive rod is fastened to the landing gear leg and/or to said at least one hatch by a pivoting connection, about the transversal direction of the aircraft.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least one means for centering and positioning said at least one hatch in a closed position.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least one stop configured to come in contact with said at least one hatch in a closed position.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least one stop configured to come in a point contact with said at least one hatch in a closed position.

11. A landing gear bay comprising said at least one hatch moveably mounted between the closing position of the landing gear bay and the opening position, wherein said at least one hatch is hinged using the opening and closing system according to claim 1.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic side representation of a front part of an aircraft equipped with a landing gear able to be housed in a gear bay having a rear hatch equipped with an opening and closing system according to the present disclosure (gear outhatch open);

(3) FIGS. 2 and 3 are partial cross-sectional views of the gear bay of FIG. 1 and of the hinge system of the rear hatch at different stages of its opening;

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective representation of the rear hatch of FIGS. 1 to 3 with its opening and closing system according to the present disclosure;

(5) FIG. 5 is an overall representation of the hatches equipping the landing gear bay; and

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective schematic representation of the rear hatch and its opening and closing system in open position.

(7) The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

(9) As explained before, the present application provides an opening and closing system of a landing gear bay hatch of an aircraft 1, and also a gear bay including such a system.

(10) As represented on FIG. 1, the aircraft 1 comprises a front landing gear including a set of wheels (not referenced) mounted at one end of a gear leg 2.

(11) In flight, when the landing gear is not used, it is retracted inside a suitable housing located in the fuselage or inside a fairing of the aircraft 1 and called landing gear bay 3.

(12) In order to allow the deployment thereof the gear leg 2 is pivotally mounted on a stationary structure of the aircraft.

(13) To provide the aerodynamic profile of the fuselage in flight, the gear bay 3 is closed by a set of hatches comprising two front hatches (not represented) and one rear hatch 5.

(14) The front hatches are intended to allow the passage of the wheels and a low part of the leg 2 and are closed over after the deployment of the gear. They open laterally by pivoting and are mounted on gooseneck type hinges distributed longitudinally.

(15) The rear hatch 5 is intended to allow the passage of the upper part of the leg 2 of the gear and, in accordance with the present application, opens longitudinally towards the rear of the aircraft.

(16) In accordance with the present application, the rear hatch 5 is associated with an opening and closing system comprising:

(17) a pair of proximal guide rods 7 (in this instance upstream with respect to the aircraft and direction of advance) having a first end which is pivotally fastened, about a transversal direction of the aircraft, to the hatch 5 and a second end which is pivotally fastened, about a transversal direction of the aircraft 1, to an internal stationary structure of the gear bay 3;

(18) a pair of distal guide rods 6 having a first end which is pivotally fastened, about a transversal direction of the aircraft, to the hatch 5 and a second end which is pivotally fastened, about a transversal direction of the aircraft 1, to an internal stationary structure of the gear bay 3;

(19) the proximal guide rods 7 forming with the distal guide rods 6 a deformable parallelogram type hinge; and

(20) a pair of drive rods 8 each having a first end hingeably fastened to the hatch 5 and a second end hingeably fastened to the leg 2 of the landing gear.

(21) More particularly, the distal guide rods 6 are of gooseneck type.

(22) The rods 6, 7, 8 are secured by means of suitable securing plates.

(23) In addition, the paired rods 6, 7, 8 have pivoting fastening points which are coaxial along a transversal direction of the aircraft. Furthermore, the distal gooseneck rods 6 are secured to each other by a connecting spider so as to form a cradle of the hatch 5.

(24) The drive rods 8 are fastened, on the one hand, to the hatch 5 by a pivoting connection about a substantially transversal direction of the aircraft, and on the other hand, to the gear leg 2 by a ball joint connection.

(25) The operating of the opening and closing system of the hatch will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

(26) In initial closed position, such as shown on FIG. 2, the hatch 5 is held to the landing gear and more particularly retained by the gear leg 2 via the drive rods 8.

(27) In an advantageous manner, the drive rods 8 are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the hatch 5 so as to reduce the opening angle to a desired degree, and thereby limit parasitic forces.

(28) The first opening phase of the hatch 5 consists in slightly detaching the hatch 5 from the opening of the bay to make it escape from the joints and the structure. It consists of a slight initial vertical translational movement allowed in particular by the goosenecks.

(29) The drive rods 8 provide synchronizing the opening of the hatch 5 with the deployment of the gear leg 2.

(30) Thanks to these distal 6 and proximal 7 rods forming a deformable parallelogram assembly, the hatch 5 follows a circular translational movement and substantially maintains its horizontality so as to limit aerodynamic forces.

(31) In open position (FIG. 3), the hatch 5 is located behind the gear and the leg 2 in static equilibrium with the distal and proximal guide rods 6, 7 as well as with the drive rods 8.

(32) The geometry of the assembly is improved for opening the static load triangle to a maximum.

(33) The hatch 5 is protected behind the landing gear in a quasi horizontal position.

(34) The assembly may also comprise stops for positioning and setting the hatch 5 in closed position as well as unlockable means for retaining the hatch.

(35) The guide 6, 7 and drive 8 rods are elements for the movement of the hatch 5 and are thereby designed in static and dynamic with respect to the load cases resulting from the opening and closing of the hatch 5.

(36) The drive rods 8 as well as the stops 9 for receiving and positioning the hatch 5 are elements which are for holding the hatch in position during the flight phases and are designed for fatigue with cyclic forces.

(37) Thanks to the present disclosure, the drive and guide functions of the hatch 5 are thus dissociated. The drive rods 8 are the only elements participating in both functions.

(38) Dimensioning the elements is made much easier and the different pieces may be made lighter.

(39) In the case of rear hatches, it is easier to implement only one hatch instead of the two usual hatches (the gear bay thus including three hatches in all: two front hatches and one rear hatch).

(40) Thus, thanks to a system according to the present application, it has been possible to improve distal guide rods 6 (goosenecks).

(41) With respect to a gear bay system with 5 typical hatches, the system according to the present application may allow significantly lightening of the assembly.

(42) The system is also more easily suited to any type of aircraft and gear bay.