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US-12617551-B2 - Method for mounting an axle in a bogie, and associated installation

US12617551B2US 12617551 B2US12617551 B2US 12617551B2US-12617551-B2

Abstract

A method and system for mounting an axle in a bore of a bogie mounted on a landing gear of an aircraft, the landing gear being in a gear-down position, the bore extending in a substantially horizontal direction referred to as the axle installation direction, between a first open end and a second open end are disclosed. The method includes a) supplying a mobile bearing structure ( 30 ) comprising means for moving the axle ( 12 ) which are able to move along a direction substantially parallel to the axle installation direction, b) installing the axle ( 12 ) on the means for moving the axle, c) aligning the axis (C) of the axle ( 12 ) with the axis (B) of the bore ( 14 ), and d) inserting the axle ( 12 ) into said bore ( 14 ) of the bogie ( 16 ) by moving the means for moving the axle ( 12 ) along the direction substantially parallel to the axle installation direction.

Inventors

  • Julien PACAUD
  • Armel VACHON
  • Grégoire DE LAITRE
  • Tom Boardman

Assignees

  • SAFRAN LANDING SYSTEMS
  • SAFRAN LANDING SYSTEMS UK LTD

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20221021
Priority Date
20211022

Claims (18)

  1. 1 . A method for mounting an axle ( 12 ) in a bore ( 14 ) of a bogie ( 16 ) mounted on a landing gear ( 18 ) of an aircraft, the landing gear ( 18 ) being in a gear-down position, the bore ( 14 ) extending in a substantially horizontal direction referred to as the axle installation direction, between a first open end ( 14 a ) and a second open end ( 14 b ), the method comprising: a) supplying a mobile bearing structure ( 30 ) comprising means for moving the axle ( 12 ) which are able to move along a direction substantially parallel to the axle installation direction, b) installing the axle ( 12 ) on the means for moving the axle, c) aligning the axis (C) of the axle ( 12 ) with the axis (B) of the bore ( 14 ), this step comprising: positioning a reference mark ( 110 ) on the mobile bearing structure ( 30 ) and in such a manner that the axis (B) of the bore ( 14 ) intercepts said reference mark ( 110 ), and positioning the axle ( 12 ) so that the axis (C) is aligned with said reference mark ( 110 ) along the installation direction, d) inserting the axle ( 12 ) into said bore ( 14 ) of the bogie ( 16 ) by moving the means for moving the axle ( 12 ) along the direction substantially parallel to the axle installation direction.
  2. 2 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step, prior to step d), which comprises introducing the axle ( 12 ) in a horizontal position into a tank ( 90 ) filled with liquid nitrogen, for a given time.
  3. 3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the reference mark ( 110 ) is arranged in a vertical plane comprising the installation direction, the vertical plane corresponding to a lifting plane of the axis (C) of the axle ( 12 ).
  4. 4 . The method according to claim 3 , comprising the mounting of a laser beam device ( 120 ) in the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie so that an axis of the laser beam is coaxial with the axis (B) of the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie.
  5. 5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein step d) is preceded by a step comprising the mounting of a sleeve ( 150 ) around a first end ( 12 a ) of the axle ( 12 ), said first end being arranged facing the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie along the axle installation direction.
  6. 6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reference mark ( 110 ) is arranged in a vertical plane comprising the installation direction, this plane corresponding to a lifting plane of the axis (C) of the axle ( 12 ).
  7. 7 . The method according to claim 6 , comprising the mounting of a laser beam device ( 120 ) in the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie so that an axis of the laser beam is coaxial with the axis (B) of the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie.
  8. 8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein step d) is preceded by a step comprising the mounting of a sleeve ( 150 ) around a first end ( 12 a ) of the axle ( 12 ), said first end being arranged facing the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie along the axle installation direction.
  9. 9 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising the mounting of a laser beam device ( 120 ) in the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie so that an axis of the laser beam is coaxial with the axis (B) of the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie.
  10. 10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein step d) is preceded by a step comprising the mounting of a sleeve ( 150 ) around a first end ( 12 a ) of the axle ( 12 ), said first end being arranged facing the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie along the axle installation direction.
  11. 11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein step d) is preceded by a step comprising the mounting of a sleeve ( 150 ) around a first end ( 12 a ) of the axle ( 12 ), said first end being arranged facing the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie along the axle installation direction.
  12. 12 . A system for implementing a method for mounting an axle ( 12 ) in a bore ( 14 ) of a bogie ( 16 ) mounted on a landing gear ( 18 ) of an aircraft, the landing gear ( 18 ) being in a gear-down position, the bore ( 14 ) extending in a substantially horizontal direction referred to as the axle installation direction, between a first open end ( 14 a ) and a second open end ( 14 b ), the system comprising: a mobile bearing structure ( 30 ), alignment means for aligning the axis (B) of the bore of the bogie with the axis (C) of the axle, the alignment means comprising a reference mark ( 110 ) carried by the mobile bearing structure ( 30 ), means for moving the axle ( 12 ) into a position of insertion into the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie ( 16 ), and for mounting the axle ( 12 ) in the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie.
  13. 13 . The system according to claim 12 , further comprising a tank ( 90 ) filled with liquid nitrogen.
  14. 14 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the alignment means further comprise a laser beam device ( 120 ) shaped for installation in the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie so that an axis of the laser beam is coaxial with the axis (B) of the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie.
  15. 15 . The system according to claim 12 , further comprising means for moving the reference mark comprising at least one rolling element ( 42 ) configured for moving the bearing structure ( 30 ) along a horizontal plane, and at least one raising element ( 44 ) for the bearing structure ( 30 ) configured for moving the bearing structure ( 30 ) in translation along a substantially vertical direction (Z).
  16. 16 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the bearing structure ( 30 ) comprises an upper frame ( 40 ) carried by a plurality of vertical uprights ( 34 ), the upper frame ( 40 ) supporting the means for moving the axle into a position of insertion into the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie and for mounting the axle in the bore ( 14 ) of the bogie.
  17. 17 . The system according to claim 16 , wherein the means for moving the axle comprise a rail ( 50 ) carried by the upper frame and a hoist ( 56 ) mounted for translational movement on the rail ( 50 ) along the axle installation direction.
  18. 18 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein the reference mark ( 110 ) is fixedly mounted relative to the rail and arranged in a plane comprising the axle ( 12 ) installation direction and the direction of translational movement of the hoist ( 56 ) on the rail.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a US National phase Application of International Application No. PCT/FR2022/052000 filed Oct. 21, 2022, which claims priority to French Patent Application No. 2111260 filed Oct. 22, 2021, both of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure concerns a method of mounting an axle in a bore of a bogie for an aircraft, and a system intended for implementing the method. BACKGROUND Conventionally, an aircraft such as an airplane comprises landing gear which is deployed during the airplane's takeoff and landing. The landing gear comprises at least one bogie extending in a longitudinal direction. One or more bore(s) comprising a first open end and a second open end traverse the bogie in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the bogie. When the bogie is installed on the aircraft and the landing gear is deployed (“gear-down”), an axis of each bore extends in a substantially horizontal direction, i.e. substantially parallel to the ground on which the airplane rests. Each bore receives an axle carrying a wheel on each side of the bogie. During its service, the axle may develop defects that require replacement in order to ensure the safety of the aircraft during takeoff and landing. To this end, during an axle maintenance operation, the assembly consisting of the bogie and the axles is dismantled from the landing gear and sent to a workshop. In a first step, the operator forcibly removes the axles from the bogie bores. Secondly, the bogie is positioned in such a manner that the axes of the bores are oriented vertically. In a third step, a new axle is aligned with a bore and then vertically engaged within it. This operation is repeated as many times as there are bores. It is understood that these maintenance operations are carried out in the workshop, which turns out to be complicated and expensive due in particular to the grounding of the aircraft. SUMMARY This disclosure improves the situation. To this end, a method is proposed for mounting an axle in a bore of a bogie mounted on a landing gear of an aircraft, the landing gear being in a gear-down position, the bore of the bogie extending in a substantially horizontal direction referred to as the axle installation direction, between a first open end and a second open end, the method comprising: a) supplying a mobile bearing structure comprising means for moving the axle which are able to move along a direction substantially parallel to the axle installation direction,b) installing the axle on the means for moving the axle,c) aligning the axis of the axle with the axis of the bore,d) inserting the axle into said bore of the bogie by moving the means for moving the axle in the direction substantially parallel to the axle installation direction. Because the axle is inserted into the bore of the bogie in the axle installation direction, which is substantially horizontal, the mounting method makes it possible to install the axle in the bore of the bogie without needing to remove the bogie from the landing gear. The axle can even be installed under the wing of the plane. This makes it possible to simplify mounting the axle in the bore as well as to accelerate the mounting of the axle in the bore, reducing the costs related to a grounded aircraft. According to one aspect of the invention, the method comprises a step, prior to step d), which comprises introducing the axle in a horizontal position into a tank filled with liquid nitrogen, for a given time, for example one hour. Introducing the axle into the tank filled with liquid nitrogen allows cooling the axle to a temperature of approximately −200° C., which causes contraction of the axle which facilitates its insertion into the bore. Once in the bore, the temperature of the axle rises to ambient temperature, which causes the axle to expand, leading to an increase in its outer diameter until it is automatically locked in place by its expansion in the bore at ambient temperature. According to one aspect of the invention, step c) comprises: positioning a reference mark on the mobile bearing structure and in such a manner that the axis of the bore intercepts the reference mark, andpositioning the axle so that its axis is aligned with the reference mark along the installation direction. By positioning the reference mark so that it is intercepted by the axis of the bogie bore, alignment between the axis of the axle and the reference mark also implies that the axis of the axle is aligned with the axis of the bore. The axle can therefore be easily inserted into the bore with no risk of collisions between axle and bore during this insertion. According to one aspect of the invention, the reference mark is arranged in a vertical plane comprising the installation direction, this plane corresponding to a lifting plane of the axis of the axle. Because the reference mark is arranged in the lifting plane of the ax