Retractable weapon bay door mechanism
View Patent ↗Various embodiments are directed to a weapon bay door mechanism configured to fully retract weapon bay doors into the weapon bay such that a fixed or turret-mounted optical, laser, or directed energy weapon or device deployed therefrom benefits from 360° line of sight (side-to-side view) of the surroundings beneath the aircraft once the turret is extended outside the aircraft's weapon bay. The weapon bay door mechanism retracts the doors inside the body of the aircraft and stows them within its bay, thereby providing 360° line of sight and reducing the aerodynamic drag associated with conventionally opening weapon bay doors.
1 . A weapon bay door mechanism, comprising:
a weapon bay door configured to secure an aperture in an aircraft fuselage associated with a weapon bay and comprising a forward door hinged to a rearward door, each of the forward and rearward doors comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, a left side, a right side, and an outer surface;
each of the doors having side-mounted thereon a pair of leading edge rollers and a pair of trailing edge rollers, the rearward door pair of trailing edge rollers have a smaller diameter than the other rollers;
a sliding mechanism configured to retract the weapon bay door toward the inside rear of the aircraft fuselage, the sliding mechanism comprising a first pair of guiderails configured to cooperate with the larger diameter roller pairs and a second pair of guiderails configured to only cooperate with the smaller diameter roller pair;
wherein the second guiderail pair is shaped to guide the pair of rearward door trailing edge rollers upward by an amount sufficient to raise the outer surface of the rearward door into an interior space in the fuselage and rearward by an amount sufficient to enable deployment of a weapon bay device.
2 . The weapon bay door mechanism of claim 1 , wherein deployment of a weapon bay device comprises enabling operation of an optical device mounted within the weapon bay.
3 . The weapon bay door mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the optical device is mounted upon a turret within the weapon bay, wherein deployment of a weapon bay device comprises extending the turret through the aperture.
4 . The weapon bay door mechanism of claim 1 , wherein deployment of a weapon bay device comprises enabling operation of an directed energy device mounted within the weapon bay.
5 . The weapon bay door mechanism of claim 4 , wherein the directed energy device is mounted upon a turret within the weapon bay, wherein deployment of a weapon bay device comprises extending the turret through the aperture.
6 . The weapon bay door mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the leading edge of the forward door comprises a zig-zag pattern.
7 . The weapon bay door mechanism of claim 1 , wherein in a closed position the outer surfaces of the forward door and rearward door are flush with an outer surface of the aircraft fuselage.
8 . A retrofit weapon bay door mechanism kit, the kit comprising:
a forward door configured to be connected by a hinge to a rearward door to form thereby a weapon bay door to secure an aperture in an aircraft fuselage associated with a weapon bay, each of the forward and rearward doors comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, a left side, a right side, and an outer surface;
three pairs of larger rollers and a pair of smaller rollers, the first and second pairs of larger rollers being configured for side-mounted thereon on the leading and trailing edge of the forward door, the third pair of larger rollers being configured for side-mounted thereon on the leading edge of the rearward door, and the pair of smaller rollers being configured for side-mounted thereon on the trailing edge of the rearward door;
a sliding mechanism configured to be coupled to the inside of the aircraft fuselage so as to retract thereby the weapon bay door toward the inside rear of the aircraft fuselage, the sliding mechanism comprising a first pair of guiderails configured to cooperate with the larger diameter roller pairs and a second pair of guiderails configured to only cooperate with the smaller diameter roller pair;
wherein the second guiderail pair is shaped to guide the pair of rearward door trailing edge rollers upward by an amount sufficient to raise the outer surface of the rearward door into an interior space in the fuselage and rearward by an amount sufficient to enable deployment of a weapon bay device.
9 . The retrofit weapon bay door mechanism kit of claim 8 , wherein deployment of a weapon bay device comprises enabling operation of an optical device mounted within the weapon bay.
10 . The retrofit weapon bay door mechanism kit of claim 9 , wherein the optical device is mounted upon a turret within the weapon bay, wherein deployment of a weapon bay device comprises extending the turret through the aperture.
11 . The retrofit weapon bay door mechanism kit of claim 8 , wherein deployment of a weapon bay device comprises enabling operation of an directed energy device mounted within the weapon bay.
12 . The retrofit weapon bay door mechanism kit of claim 11 , wherein the directed energy device is mounted upon a turret within the weapon bay, wherein deployment of a weapon bay device comprises extending the turret through the aperture.
13 . The retrofit weapon bay door mechanism kit of claim 8 , wherein the leading edge of the forward door comprises a zig-zag pattern.
14 . The retrofit weapon bay door mechanism kit of claim 8 , wherein in a closed position the outer surfaces of the forward door and rearward door are flush with an outer surface of the aircraft fuselage.