Patent ID: 9169003
Filing Date: 2015-10-27
Classification: B64C

Abstract:
1. A self-orienting aircraft landing gear, comprising: a landing gear assembly; a wheel rotatably coupled to a wheel fork wherein the wheel fork is coupled to the landing gear assembly by a cylindrical shaft such that the wheel fork is operable to caster about a longitudinal axis of the shaft; a cam associated with the wheel fork and circumscribing the cylindrical shaft wherein the cam possesses a planar cardioid shape having a top cam surface, a lower cam surface and a cam sidewall wherein the cam sidewall is substantially perpendicular to the upper cam surface and the lower cam surface; and a cam follower linked to the landing gear assembly and operable to continually engage the cam sidewall of the cam so as to create a substantially constant centering torque driving the cam follower to a cusp of the planar modified cardioid.