GB2242401A

GB2242401A - Aircraft wheel and means to reduce tyre wear on landing

Info

Publication number: GB2242401A
Application number: GB9007015A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Murray Coker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-03-29
Filing date: 1990-03-29
Publication date: 1991-10-02
Also published as: GB9007015D0

Abstract

An aircraft wheel with aerodynamic means such as vanes (3) on the tyre (1) (Fig 1) and/or vanes (3A) on the wheel hub (2A) to cause the wheel to rotate in the airstream in flight, the direction of rotation matching that of the wheel when the aircraft lands on a runway, thereby to reduce tyre wear upon impact with the runway. <IMAGE>

Description

AIRCRA.FT WHEEL AND MEANS TO REDUCE TYRE WEAR THEREOF This invention relates to an aircraft wheel incorporating means to reduce the wear of its tyre upon landing of the aircraft.

At present, an aircraft landing on a runway causes significant damage in the form of wear to the aircraft landing wheels because the wheels are substantially not rotating when they have been lowered from an aircraft undercarriage just prior to landing and are brought up to the speed of the aircraft almost simultaneously upon contact with the runway when the aircraft is landing.

This invention therefore has for its object to reduce such wear.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wheel for an aircraft, the wheel incorporating means to cause it to rotate in flight just prior to landing the aircraft, the direction of rotation of the wheel being the same as that it will have upon contact with a runway, thereby to reduce tyre wear upon landing.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of reducing wear of a tyre of an aircraft wheel upon landing of the aircraft on the runway, the method comprising causing the wheel to rotate in flight just prior to landing the aircraft, the direction of rotation of the wheel being the same as that it has upon contact with the runway.

Preferably, said means is an aerodynamic means. The aerodynamic means may be in the form of vanes, patterned profiles or protrusions on the wheel which cause the wheel to rotate in the desired direction when the wheels are in the airstream, for example, when the wheels have been lowered into the airstream from an undercarriage of the aircraft.

In this way, the speed of rotation of the wheel is brought from substantially stationary to a speed where there is far less risk of skidding of the tyre on the runway surface, although it is not essential for the speed of the wheel to be brought up to the equivalent of the landing speed of the aircraft.

The aerodynamic means may be provided as an integral part of the tyre. In this case, the aerodynamic means may be provided as part of the tread of the tyre and/or it may be provided in one or both of the side walls of the tyre.

As well as or instead of being provided on the tyre, the aerodynamic means can be incorporated as part of a hub of the wheel. The aerodynamic means in this case can be integral with the hub or be formed as a member mounted on the hub such as, for example, a bolt-on member.

The aerodynamic means may be in the form of vanes formed in one or more rings which provide an aerodynamic lift and drag effect to cause the wheel to rotate in the airstream before landing.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a diagrammatic side and sectional view through one embodiment of an aircraft wheel incorporating means to cause it to rotate in flight to reduce wear thereof upon landing, and Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2, respectively, and showing a second embodiment.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an aircraft wheel includes a tyre 1 mounted on a hub 2. Aerodynamic means in the form of a ring of vanes 3 are integral with each side wall of the tyre 1 and, assuming that the aircraft is flying in the direction of the arrow, the wheel will be caused to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction once it has been lowered from the aircraft undercarriage (not shown) into the airstream. In the embodiment illustrated, the vanes 3 are curved to provide the required lift/drag effect to cause the wheel to rotate in the anti-clockwise direction.

Figures 3 and 4 show the second embodiment, in which a tyre 1A (shown without vanes 3 on the tyre although it may have them if desired) is mounted on a wheel hub 2A.

Here, the aerodynamic means are in the form of a ring of vanes 3A on the hub 2A on both sides of the wheel. To achieve a similar rotational effect to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, a greater number of vanes 3A is provided than the number of vanes 3 required on the tyre in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2.

The vanes 3A may be integral with the hub such as by being cast-in or a separate mounting of separately moulded or cast ring of vanes could be provided, the latter giving the possibility of converting existing aircraft wheels.

In both embodiments, it will be appreciated that the vanes or other aerodynamic means need only be provided on one of the sides of the wheel.

The vanes can be made of plastics material or cast from a metal such as aluminium alloy.

It will be appreciate that, by causing the aircraft landing wheels to rotate before landing, this will reduce wear of the tyres thereby leading to a longer tyre life, resulting in reduced tyre replacement costs for aircraft operators. The manufacturing costs will be low, there will be no additional maintenance and negligible additional weight. No additional moving parts or drive motors are required but the number of landings per tyre change that can safely be made will be increased.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A wheel for an aircraft, the wheel incorporating means to cause it to rotate in flight just prior to landing the aircraft, the direction of rotation of the wheel being the same as that it will have upon contact with a runway, thereby to reduce tyre wear upon landing.

2. A wheel according to claim 1, wherein said means is an aerodynamic means.

3. A wheel according to claim 2, wherein said aerodynamic means is in the form of vanes on the wheel which cause the wheel to rotate in the desired direction once the wheels have been lowered into the airstream from an undercarriage of the aircraft.

4. A wheel according to claim 2, wherein said aerodynamic means is in the form of patterned profiles or protrusions on the wheel which cause the wheel to rotate in the desired direction once the wheels have been lowered into the airstream from an undercarriage of the aircraft.

5. A wheel according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein said aerodynamic means is an integral part of the tyre of the wheel.

6. A wheel according to claims 4 and 5, wherein the aerodynamic means is provided as part of the tread of the tyre.

7. A wheel according to claim 5, wherein the aerodynamic means is provided in one or both of the side walls of the tyre.

8. A wheel according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the aerodynamic means is incorporated as part of a hub of the wheel.

9. A wheel according to claim 8, wherein the aerodynamic means is integral with said hub.

10. A wheel according to claim 8, wherein the aerodynamic means is formed as a member mounted on said hub.

11. A wheel according to claim 3, or any one of claims 4 to 10 as appendant to claim 3, wherein said vanes are provided in one or more rings around the wheel, the vanes providing an aerodynamic lift and drag effect to cause the wheel to rotate in the airstream before landing of the aircraft.

12. A wheel for an aircraft, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of reducing wear of a tyre of an aircraft wheel upon landing of the aircraft on the runway, the method comprising causing the wheel to rotate in flight just prior to landing the aircraft, the direction of rotation of the wheel being the same as that it has upon contact with the runway.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the wheel is caused to rotate in flight by aerodynamic means mounted on the wheel, said aerodynamic means being formed according to any one of claims 2 to 11.

15. A method of reducing wear of a tyre of an aircraft wheel upon landing of the aircraft on the runway, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.