Contouring retractable landing gear systems

1. A retractable landing gear system configured to contour an aircraft fuselage comprising:

a landing wheel having an axle;

a wheel rotation strut assembly coupling the landing wheel to the aircraft fuselage, the wheel rotation strut assembly including upper and lower rotator struts having a common axis of rotation, the axle of the landing wheel pivotably coupled to a distal end of the wheel rotation strut assembly; and

an actuation strut assembly configured to move the wheel rotation strut assembly between a plurality of positions including a deployed position and a stowed position;

wherein, the axle of the landing wheel is configured to pivot relative to the wheel rotation strut assembly as the actuation strut assembly moves the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions such that the landing wheel generally contours the aircraft fuselage when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position;

wherein, the lower rotator strut rotates relative to the upper rotator strut as the actuation strut assembly moves the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions to pivot the axle of the landing wheel relative to the lower rotator strut; and

wherein, the upper rotator strut has a larger angle of rotation about the common axis than the lower rotator strut as the wheel rotation strut assembly moves between the deployed and stowed positions.

2. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 1 wherein the landing wheel is exposed when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position.

3. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 1 wherein the landing wheel is generally flush with the aircraft fuselage when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position.

4. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 1 wherein the axle of the landing wheel pivots about a landing wheel alignment axis, the landing wheel alignment axis perpendicular to the common axis of rotation of the upper and lower rotator struts.

5. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuation strut assembly is coupled to the lower rotator strut.

6. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 1 wherein the wheel rotation strut assembly further comprises a wheel axle pivot subassembly activated by the relative rotation between the upper and lower rotator struts to pivot the axle of the landing wheel relative to the lower rotator strut.

7. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 6 wherein the wheel axle pivot subassembly further comprises:

a gear coupled to the upper rotator strut;

a linear gearbox engaged with the gear and coupled to the lower rotator strut; and

an axle positioning rod engaged with the linear gearbox and having an end coupled to the axle of the landing wheel.

8. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 7 wherein the relative rotation between the upper and lower rotator struts causes the gear to drive the linear gearbox to move the axle positioning rod, thereby pivoting the axle of the landing wheel relative to the lower rotator strut.

9. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuation strut assembly further comprises a shock absorber.

10. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuation strut assembly further comprises a gear retraction actuator configured to move the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions, the gear retraction actuator having an end coupled to the aircraft fuselage.

11. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 10 wherein the actuation strut assembly further comprises an upper swinging arm having an end hingably coupled to the aircraft fuselage.

12. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 11 wherein the gear retraction actuator has a second end coupled to the upper swinging arm.

13. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a cardan pin having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the cardan pin hingably coupled to the aircraft fuselage, the distal end of the cardan pin hingably coupled to the wheel rotation strut assembly.

14. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a pivoting axle mount having a distal end coupled to the axle of the landing wheel and a proximal end hingably coupled to the distal end of the wheel rotation strut assembly, the pivoting axle mount pivoting relative to the wheel rotation strut assembly as the actuation strut assembly moves the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions.

15. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage; and

a retractable landing gear system configured to contour the fuselage, the retractable landing gear system comprising:

a landing wheel having an axle;

a wheel rotation strut assembly coupling the landing wheel to the fuselage, the wheel rotation strut assembly including upper and lower rotator struts having a common axis of rotation, the axle of the landing wheel pivotably coupled to a distal end of the wheel rotation strut assembly; and

an actuation strut assembly configured to move the wheel rotation strut assembly between a plurality of positions including a deployed position and a stowed position;

wherein, the axle of the landing wheel is configured to pivot relative to the wheel rotation strut assembly as the actuation strut assembly moves the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions such that the landing wheel generally contours the fuselage when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position;

wherein, the lower rotator strut rotates relative to the upper rotator strut as the actuation strut assembly moves the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions to pivot the axle of the landing wheel relative to the lower rotator strut; and

wherein, the upper rotator strut has a larger angle of rotation about the common axis than the lower rotator strut as the wheel rotation strut assembly moves between the deployed and stowed positions.

16. The aircraft as recited in claim 15 wherein the fuselage forms a compartment to receive the wheel rotation strut assembly and the landing wheel in the stowed position; and

wherein the actuation strut assembly further comprises a plurality of segments foldable into the fuselage compartment when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position.

17. The aircraft as recited in claim 15 further comprising an upper shield coupled to the actuation strut assembly such that when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position, the upper shield is substantially flush with the fuselage and at least one side of the upper shield contours a circumference of the landing wheel.

18. The aircraft as recited in claim 17 further comprising a lower shield hingably coupled to the fuselage and configured to open as the wheel rotation strut assembly moves into the deployed position and close as the wheel rotation strut assembly moves into the stowed position, the lower shield substantially flush with the fuselage in the closed position.

19. A retractable landing gear system configured to contour an aircraft fuselage comprising:

a landing wheel having an axle;

a wheel rotation strut assembly coupling the landing wheel to the aircraft fuselage, the wheel rotation strut assembly including upper and lower rotator struts having a common axis of rotation and a wheel axle pivot subassembly, the axle of the landing wheel pivotably coupled to a distal end of the wheel rotation strut assembly; and

an actuation strut assembly configured to move the wheel rotation strut assembly between a plurality of positions including a deployed position and a stowed position;

wherein, the axle of the landing wheel is configured to pivot relative to the wheel rotation strut assembly as the actuation strut assembly moves the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions such that the landing wheel generally contours the aircraft fuselage when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position;

wherein, the lower rotator strut rotates relative to the upper rotator strut as the actuation strut assembly moves the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions to pivot the axle of the landing wheel relative to the lower rotator strut; and

wherein, the wheel axle pivot subassembly includes a gear coupled to the upper rotator strut, a linear gearbox engaged with the gear and coupled to the lower rotator strut and an axle positioning rod engaged with the linear gearbox and having an end coupled to the axle of the landing wheel such that the wheel axle pivot subassembly is activated by the relative rotation between the upper and lower rotator struts to pivot the axle of the landing wheel relative to the lower rotator strut.

20. The retractable landing gear system as recited in claim 19 wherein the landing wheel is generally flush with the aircraft fuselage when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position.