Patent ID: 8633665

Claim:
An independent drive device for an aircraft, the drive device comprising: a motor member, drive means for driving an aircraft wheel in rotation, which means are adapted to co-operate with said wheel to drive it in rotation, and coupling means interposed between the motor member and the drive means to selectively couple the wheel to the motor member, wherein the coupling means comprises two coupling members of complementary shape, comprising a first coupling member constrained to rotate with the drive means and a second coupling member constrained to rotate with the motor member, wherein the independent drive device further comprises measurement means for generating information representative of a relative speed of rotation of the second coupling member relative to the first coupling member, wherein the drive device is associated with motor control means adapted to cause the motor to rotate so as to cancel the relative speed of rotation between the coupling members prior to coupling them together, and wherein the measurement means comprises a light transceiver mounted on one of the coupling members and reflectors arranged on the other coupling member, said light transceiver begin operative to send a light ray towards said reflectors.