Patent ID: 8453968

Claim:
A system for retracting and extending an airborne sensor assembly comprising: a sensor body containing an airborne sensor movable between retracted and extended positions thereof relative to a sensor bay; a bearing support defining a transverse articulation axis; a cantilevered sensor support structure having one end fixed to the sensor body and an opposite end connected to the bearing support at the transverse articulation axis thereof to allow for articulated movement of the sensor support structure between upper and lower positions thereof, wherein the cantilevered sensor support structure supports the sensor body for movement between the retracted and extended positions thereof in response to articulated movement of the cantilevered support structure between the upper and lower positions, respectively; a sensor bay door movable between lowered and raised positions and having an edge partially surrounding the sensor body when in the lowered position thereof; a linkage assembly operatively connecting the sensor bay door to the cantilevered sensor support structure for moving the sensor bay door between the lowered and raised positions thereof in response to the sensor support structure being moved between the upper and lower positions thereof, respectively; and an actuator assembly operatively connected to the sensor support assembly for moving the sensor support structure between the upper and lower positions thereof to thereby responsively cause the sensor body to move between the retracted and extended positions thereof and the sensor bay door to move between the lowered and lowered positions thereof, respectively, such that the sensor bay door is in the raised position thereof within the sensor bay when the sensor body is in the extended position thereof, and the sensor bay door is in the lowered position thereof with the edge at least partially surrounding the sensor body when the sensor body is in the retracted position thereof within the sensor bay.