A clutch driven aircraft electric taxi system is provided with a clutch assembly designed to be automatically selectively engaged or disengaged as required to drive an aircraft autonomously during ground operations. The clutch assembly is mounted integrally with other electric taxi system components completely within an aircraft landing gear wheel and may be designed with one way overrunning or selectable clutch engagement capability in one or both rotational directions, preferably using an arrangement of ratcheting struts and clutch elements adapted specifically for use in an aircraft landing gear drive wheel environment. The clutch assembly may automatically disengage in response to predetermined defined conditions or operating parameters. A failsafe overrunning capability ensures that the clutch assembly will not engage taxi system drive components so that an aircraft's wheel will not be driven during aircraft operation when safety considerations dictate that the aircraft electric taxi system should not be engaged.
Clutch driven aircraft electric taxi system and method
2020-12-23
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B64C AEROPLANES , Flugzeuge |