Patent ID: 7621481

Claim:
A landing gear assembly comprising: a landing gear strut assembly comprising: a landing gear strut having a longitudinal axis and extending from an inboard end to an outboard end configured to attach to a wheel; and a landing gear housing having a longitudinal axis that is coincident with the landing gear strut longitudinal axis and having an interior chamber configured to accept a portion of the landing gear strut, the landing gear housing configured for pivotable coupling to an aircraft; a retraction linkage having an inboard end configured to couple to the aircraft and an outboard end coupled to the landing gear housing, the retraction linkage being moveable to retract the landing gear strut assembly into an aircraft landing gear compartment about the pivotable coupling; a steering linkage configured to couple and decouple to the landing gear strut and, when coupled, configured to steerably rotate the landing gear strut with respect to the landing gear housing about the landing gear strut longitudinal axis and decoupling from the landing gear strut in a fully retracted position, wherein the steering linkage further comprises: a first planar axial element associated with the landing gear strut assembly and a second planar axial element associated with an aircraft wheel steering mechanism, the first and second planar axial elements being in parallel alignment and configured for mutual rotation about a central axis; and roller pins mounted to the first planar axial element, the roller pins disengaging from the second planar axial element when the landing gear strut assembly is retracted, freeing the first planar axial element for movement independent of the second planar axial element; and a planing linkage having a longitudinal axis that is coincident with the central axis when extended, the planing linkage being configured to gradually rotate the landing gear strut into a planar position as the landing gear strut assembly is retracted.