Aircraft shock strut having fixed upper bearing

1. An aircraft shock strut comprising:

a cylinder having opposed upper and lower end portions and an inner surface for receiving a piston in a manner that permits telescoping movement between the cylinder and piston;

a piston telescopically movable within the cylinder;

a lower bearing associated with the lower end portion of the cylinder and an upper bearing associated with the upper end portion of the cylinder, the lower and upper bearings providing sliding engagement between the cylinder and the piston; and

an upper bearing carrier coupled to the inner surface of the cylinder, wherein the upper bearing is fixed to the cylinder by way of the upper bearing carrier and has a bearing surface that provides sliding engagement with the piston.

2. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , wherein the upper bearing carrier includes means for coupling to the inner surface of the cylinder.

3. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , wherein the cylinder is comprised of titanium.

4. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , wherein the cylinder is comprised of aluminum.

5. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , wherein at least an inner surface of the cylinder is bare titanium.

6. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , wherein at least an inner surface of the cylinder is bare aluminum.

7. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , further comprising a rebound damping chamber disposed between the upper bearing and a top portion of the piston, the rebound damping chamber being defined by an inner surface of the cylinder and an outer surface of the piston.

8. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 7 , further comprising a rebound damper valve assembly on an inside wall of the piston and disposed above the upper bearing, the rebound damper valve assembly being configured to allow fluid flow into the rebound damping chamber during shock strut compression, and limiting fluid flow out of the rebound damping chamber during shock strut extension.

9. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , wherein the piston includes a support tube and an outer wall, the shock strut further comprising a rebound damping chamber disposed above the lower bearing, the rebound damping chamber being defined by an outer surface of the support tube and an inner surface of the outer wall.

10. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 9 , further comprising a rebound damper valve attached to the support tube and disposed above the lower bearing, the rebound damper valve allowing fluid flow into the rebound damping chamber during shock strut compression, and limiting fluid flow out of the rebound damping chamber during shock strut extension.

11. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , wherein the piston is comprised of titanium.

12. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , wherein the piston is comprised of titanium including a wear-resistant coating.

13. An aircraft shock strut according to claim 1 , wherein the lower bearing is mounted to the cylinder, the lower bearing having a lower bearing surface that provides sliding engagement with an outer surface of the piston.

14. An aircraft landing gear assembly including the aircraft shock strut of claim 1 .

15. The landing gear assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the landing gear assembly is a nose landing gear assembly.

16. The landing gear assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the landing gear assembly is a main landing gear assembly.

17. A method of reducing weight of an aircraft landing gear including at least one shock strut, the at least one shock strut including a cylinder and a piston telescopically movable within the cylinder, the method comprising:

providing a cylinder made from titanium or aluminum;

fixing an upper bearing to an upper bearing carrier; and

coupling the upper bearing carrier to the cylinder, the upper bearing having a bearing surface that provides sliding engagement with an outer surface of the piston.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the bearing surface of the upper bearing provides sliding engagement with the outer surface of the titanium or aluminum cylinder without causing excessive or accelerated wear of the outer surface of the titanium or aluminum cylinder.