Patent ID: 6345786
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: B64C

Abstract:
A landing gear door assembly for a landing gear of an airplane, where the landing gear has a stowed position in the airplane and an operating position, said airplane having a landing gear door opening which is defined at least in part by first and second door opening edge structures, and through which the landing gear travels on a travel path moving between its stowed and operating positions, said door assembly comprising:a) a panel section comprising at least first and second panels, each of which has first and second side edges and an alignment plane extending between the first and second side edges, said panels having a closed positioned where the panels are positioned side by side to extend across at least a portion of said door opening; b) a positioning section operatively connected to said panel section to move said panels from the closed position to an open position where the panels are in proximity with one another, with the alignment planes at least partially overlapping one another and said panels are clear of the travel path of the landing gear; c) said first and second panels each having an outside surface which in the stowed position is facing ambient atmosphere, and an inside surface, said positioning section being arranged so that the first and second panels are moved to the open position where the inside surface of one of said panels is adjacent to the outside surface of the other of said panels; d) each of said first and second panels being fixedly attached to first and second mounting arms, respectively, each of which has a first end pivotally mounted at an arm pivot location, and a second end connected to its related panel, and each panel moving from its closed position to its open position by traveling rotatably about the arm pivot location of its related mounting arm.