Drive unit for aircraft running gear

Abstract

A drive unit ( 16 ) for an aircraft running gear ( 2 ) having at least a first wheel ( 4 ) and a second wheel ( 6 ) on a common wheel axis (A) is characterized in that the drive unit ( 16 ) is drivingly coupleable to the first and second wheels ( 4, 6 ) such that a direction of longitudinal extension (C) of the drive unit ( 16 ) is in a plane orthogonal to the common wheel axis (A).

1 . A drive unit for an aircraft running gear having at least a first wheel and a second wheel on a common wheel axis, the drive unit comprising:
 a differential gear; and   a motor drivingly coupleable to the first and second wheels via the differential gear,   wherein the drive unit is drivingly coupleable to the first and second wheels such that a direction of longitudinal extension of the drive unit is in a plane orthogonal to the common wheel axis.   
     
     
         2 . The drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor comprises a bevel gear for engaging with the differential gear. 
     
     
         3 . The drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the differential gear is coupleable to the first and second wheels by first and second gear structures, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the differential gear is a bevel differential or planetary differential or ball differential. 
     
     
         5 . The drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is an electric motor or a hydraulic motor. 
     
     
         6 . The drive unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first output stage gear engageable with a first wheel axis gear, which is coupled to the first wheel, for driving the first wheel, and   a second output stage gear engageable with a second wheel axis gear, which is coupled to the second wheel, for driving the second wheel,   wherein the first and second output stage gears are aligned on a common output stage axis, which is substantially orthogonal to the direction of longitudinal extension of the drive unit.   
     
     
         7 . The drive unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the first and second gear structures comprise a planetary gear, respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The drive unit according to  claim 6 , wherein the first and second output stage gears are selectively engageable with the first and second wheel axis gears through moving the first and second output stage gears in a substantially radial direction of the first and second wheel axis gears. 
     
     
         9 . The drive unit according to  claim 8 , wherein the moving of the first and second output stage gears corresponds to a substantially straight motion of a respective tooth of the first and second output stage gears towards a respective engagement space between two respective teeth of the first and second wheel axis gears. 
     
     
         10 . The drive unit according to  claim 8 , wherein the moving of the first and second output stage gears is effected through pivotally rotating the drive unit or laterally displacing the drive unit. 
     
     
         11 . The drive unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising an integrated free-wheel arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . The drive unit according to  claim 11 , wherein a free-wheeling direction of the free-wheel arrangement is reversible. 
     
     
         13 . The drive unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a self-securing engagement/disengagement mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The drive unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the self-securing engagement/disengagement mechanism comprises a bell crank. 
     
     
         15 . The drive unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the self-securing engagement/disengagement mechanism is operated in a pneumatic, hydraulic or electric manner. 
     
     
         16 . The drive unit according to  claim 6 , further comprising an engagement/disengagement mechanism adapted to synchronize the rotating speeds of the first and second output stage gears with the first and second wheel axis gears by sensing the wheel speed and adjusting the motor speed. 
     
     
         17 . The drive unit according to  claim 16 , further comprising a sensing device for sensing the relative positioning of gear teeth for targeted engaging of the first and second output stage gears with the first and second wheel axis gears, respectively. 
     
     
         18 . An aircraft running gear, comprising:
 at least a first wheel and a second wheel on a common wheel axis; and   a drive unit that is drivingly coupleable to the first and second wheels such that a direction of longitudinal extension of the drive unit is in a plane orthogonal to the common wheel axis,   wherein the drive unit comprises a motor and a differential gear, with the motor being drivingly coupleable to the first and second wheels via the differential gear.   
     
     
         19 . The aircraft running gear according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a first wheel axis gear, which is coupled to the first wheel, engageable to a first output stage gear of the drive unit, and   a second wheel axis gear, which is coupled to the second wheel, engageable to a second output stage gear of the drive unit.   
     
     
         20 . The aircraft running gear according to  claim 18 , further comprising a running gear leg supporting the first and second wheels, with the drive unit being mounted to the running gear leg. 
     
     
         21 . The aircraft running gear according to  claim 20 , wherein the direction of longitudinal extension of the drive unit is substantially parallel to the running gear leg. 
     
     
         22 . The aircraft running gear according to  claim 18 , wherein the aircraft running gear is adapted to be used as a nose running gear or a main running gear. 
     
     
         23 . The aircraft running gear according to  claim 19 , wherein the first and second wheel axis gears are mounted on a respective rim of the first and second wheels. 
     
     
         24 . The aircraft running gear according to  claim 19 , wherein the first and second wheel axis gears are involute gears or cycloid gears or Wildhaber-Novikov gears or hypoid gears.