초록 ▼

The present invention concerns a system for loading and unloading loose cargo, such as preferably pieces of luggage or the like, in a cargo hold of a plane, including conveying the loose cargo towards the inner end of the cargo hold during loading, or away from it during unloading, and including tra

The present invention concerns a system for loading and unloading loose cargo, such as preferably pieces of luggage or the like, in a cargo hold of a plane, including conveying the loose cargo towards the inner end of the cargo hold during loading, or away from it during unloading, and including transport of the loose cargo between the level of the tarmac and the cargo hold opening. The loose cargo may during loading be conveyed into the fuselage in a direction transversal to the longitudinal axis of the plane and also in the longitudinal direction of the plane, and deposited, in the cargo hold. Loose cargo conveyed back into the plane of the cargo hold opening during unloading may be conveyed off transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane through the cargo hold opening. Moreover the invention proposes intermediate conveyor means herefor.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for loading and unloading loose cargo in a cargo hold of a plane, comprising: transport means covering the area of the floor of the cargo hold for intermittently conveying the loose cargo towards the inner end of the cargo hold during loading, or away from it during unloading, wherein th

1. A system for loading and unloading loose cargo in a cargo hold of a plane, comprising: transport means covering the area of the floor of the cargo hold for intermittently conveying the loose cargo towards the inner end of the cargo hold during loading, or away from it during unloading, wherein the front end of said transport means reaches into the range of the cargo hold opening inside the fuselage of the plane, anda separate tarmac based external conveyor organ connecting to the outside of the plane at the cargo hold opening for transporting the loose cargo between the level of the tarmac and the cargo hold opening,wherein between the plane-side end of said external conveyor organ and the front end of said transport means in the cargo hold at least one separate intermediate conveyor means is arranged, said intermediate conveyor means includes a first conveyor organ in the form of a conveyor belt, wherein, at one end thereof, said first conveyor organ is followed by a second conveyor organ in the form of a conveyor belt, for bridging the distance from one end of the external conveyor organ into the inside of the cargo hold, whereby the loose cargo is during loading initially conveyed deeper into the fuselage substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane by the first and second conveyor organs, and wherein an end of the second conveyor organ is followed by a third conveyor organ formed as a roller panel,whereupon the loose cargo can be rotated manually in the cargo hold and transported further substantially in the longitudinal direction of the plane and deposited on the front end of said transport means in the cargo hold, andwhereby during unloading, loose cargo conveyed beyond the front end of said transport means out into the plane of the cargo hold opening may be transported off substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane through the cargo hold opening. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate conveyor means includes a sliding element at its lower side in the overlap range with said external conveyor organ, for slidably supporting said intermediate conveyor means on the upper side of said external conveyor organ in the end range thereof. 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said sliding element comprises a wheel. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein in the overlap range with said external conveyor organ an outrigger is linked to said intermediate conveyor means, which is supported by its end facing away from said intermediate conveyor means, by means of an articulation linked there, against a sliding rail oriented in parallel with the longitudinal direction of said external conveyor organ and fastened to the latter, for slidably supporting said intermediate conveyor means in the conveying direction of said external conveyor organ. 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the end of said intermediate conveyor means facing the front end of said transport means in the cargo hold is adjustable in height relative to the beginning of said intermediate conveyor means facing said external conveyor organ. 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein an end portion of said intermediate conveyor means is capable of being pivoted about an axis transversely to the conveying direction of said intermediate conveyor means, such that this end portion may be oriented horizontally. 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein a leading portion of said intermediate conveyor means is oriented at a predetermined angle of inclination with the angle of inclination of said external conveyor organ. 8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said predetermined angle of inclination of said intermediate conveyor means with the angle of inclination of said external conveyor organ is between approximately 10° and approximately 30°. 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate conveyor means including its conveying direction for conveying loose cargo substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane may be pivoted about an angular range of about −30° to +30° relative to the conveying direction of said external conveyor organ. 10. The system according to claim 1, wherein parts of the supporting structure of said intermediate conveyor means are manufactured of lightweight material. 11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said lightweight materials comprise aluminum. 12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said lightweight materials comprise fiber composites. 13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate conveyor means further comprises at least one frame supported against said external conveyor organ with said first conveyor organ in the form of said first conveyor belt, for receiving the loose cargo during loading in the range in front of the cargo hold opening of the plane, from the end of said external conveyor organ facing the plane, and conveying it on substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane, wherein the second conveyor organ receives loose cargo during loading, in the range of the cargo hold opening of the plane from the end of said first conveyor organ and conveys it on substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane. 14. The system according to claim 13, wherein during unloading, loose cargo may be applied manually on said third conveyor organ from the front end of said transport means present in the cargo hold substantially in the longitudinal direction of the plane, rotatably placed there, and supported suitably for handover to said second conveyor organ, wherein said second conveyor organ conveys the loose cargo substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane to the cargo hold opening and/or through the latter and hands it over to said first conveyor organ, which conveys the loose cargo on substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane to said external conveyor organ and hands it over to the latter for further transport. 15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said frame of said first conveyor organ comprises a sliding element its lower side for a slidable support of said first conveyor organ substantially in the conveying direction of said external conveyor organ on the upper side of said external conveyor organ in the range of the end portion thereof facing the plane walls. 16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said sliding element comprises a wheel. 17. The system according to claim 13, wherein on said frame of said first conveyor organ an outrigger is linked with and is supported by its end facing away from said frame, via an articulation linked there, against a sliding rail which is oriented in parallel with the longitudinal direction of said external conveyor organ and fastened to the latter, for slidable support of said external conveyor organ of said first conveyor organ substantially in the conveying direction on said external conveyor organ. 18. The system according to claim 13, wherein said second conveyor organ is linked to said frame of said first conveyor organ such that it may be pivoted about an axis transversely to the conveying direction for modifying the height of the end of said second conveyor organ relative to its beginning. 19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said first conveyor organ may be pivoted about an angular range of between approximately −15° and approximately +45°. 20. The system according claim 13, wherein said third conveyor organ is linked to the end of said second conveyor organ such that it may be pivoted about an axis transversely to the conveying direction of said second conveyor organ, so that it may be oriented horizontally. 21. The system according to claim 13, wherein said first conveyor organ with its frame is pivotally supported on said external conveyor organ such that a degree of pivoting said intermediate conveyor means about an angular range of about −30° to +30° relative to the conveying direction of said external conveyor organ may be selected. 22. The system according to claim 13, wherein said second and/or third conveyor organ is associated with a parallelogram linkage arranged on either side of the edges of a conveyor organ, for supporting a lifting, lowering, or pivoting movement, so that such movements may be predetermined by a person working in the cargo hold approximately free of effort. 23. The system according to claim 13, wherein in the range of said third conveyor organ a multi-function operating element is provided, whereby the horizontal orientation of said third conveyor organ, the inclination of said second conveyor organ, the position of said first conveyor organ on said external conveyor organ, the conveying direction, the conveying velocity, or further functions may be controlled. 24. The system according to claim 13, wherein said third conveyor organ comprises a movable sliding organ. 25. The system according to claim 13, wherein said third conveyor organ comprises an obliquely inclinable sliding surface. 26. The system according to claim 13, wherein said third conveyor organ comprises a gripping organ for grasping loose cargo for unloading. 27. The system according to claim 13, wherein said third conveyor organ comprises a conveyor belt running over a rigid slide panel arranged underneath it, wherein said slide panel may be inserted between two cargo items jointly with the conveyor belt, and wherein the upper loose cargo may be transported off by said conveyor belt. 28. The system according to claim 13, wherein sensors, cameras, or control circuits communicating with said intermediate conveyor means are provided. 29. The system according to claim 13, wherein said outrigger includes two arms. 30. A system for loading and unloading loose cargo in a cargo hold a plane, comprising: transport means covering the area of the floor of the cargo hold for intermittently conveying the loose cargo towards the inner end of the cargo hold during loading, or away from it during unloading, wherein the front end of said transport means reaches into the range of the cargo hold opening inside the fuselage of the plane, andan external conveyor organ connecting to the outside of the plane at the cargo hold opening for transporting the loose cargo between the level of the tarmac and the cargo hold opening,wherein between the plane-side end of said external conveyor organ and the front end of said transport means in the cargo hold at least one intermediate conveyor means is arranged, whereby the loose cargo may during loading initially be conveyed deeper into the fuselage substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane,said intermediate conveyor means comprising at least one frame supported against the external conveyor organ with a first conveyor organ including a first conveyor belt for receiving the loose cargo during loading, in the range in front of the cargo hold opening of the plane, from the end of said external conveyor organ facing the plane, and conveying it on substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane, wherein the end of said first conveyor organ is followed by a second conveyor organ including a second conveyor belt for bridging the distance from the end of said external conveyor organ to the inside of the cargo hold, for receiving loose cargo during loading, in the range of the cargo hold opening of the plane, from the end of said first conveyor organ, and conveying it on substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane,wherein the end thereof is followed by a third conveyor organ including a roller panel for receiving loose cargo during loading from the end of said second conveyor organ and permitting manual rotation of the loose cargo located thereon, such that the loose cargo may be conveyed on substantially in the longitudinal direction of the plane to the front end of transport means present in the cargo hold. 31. The system according to claim 30, wherein during unloading, loose cargo may be applied manually on said third conveyor organ from the front end of said transport means present in the cargo hold substantially in the longitudinal direction of the plane, rotatably placed there, and supported suitably for handover to said second conveyor organ, wherein said second conveyor organ conveys the loose cargo substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane to the cargo hold opening and/or through the latter and hands it over to said first conveyor organ, which conveys the loose cargo on substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the plane to said external conveyor organ and hands it over to the latter for further transport. 32. The system according to 30, wherein said frame of said first conveyor organ comprises a sliding element at its lower side for a slidable support of said first conveyor organ substantially in the conveying direction of said external conveyor organ on the upper side of said external conveyor organ in the range of the end portion thereof facing the plane walls. 33. The system according to claim 32, wherein said sliding element comprises a wheel. 34. The system according to claim 30, wherein on said frame of said first conveyor organ an outrigger is linked with and is supported by its end facing away from said frame, via an articulation linked there, against a sliding rail which is oriented in parallel with the longitudinal direction of said external conveyor organ and fastened to the latter, for slidable support of said external conveyor organ of said first conveyor organ substantially in the conveying direction on said external conveyor organ. 35. The system according to claim 34, wherein said outrigger includes two arms. 36. The system according to claim 30, wherein said second conveyor organ is linked to said frame of said first conveyor organ such that it may be pivoted about an axis transversely to the conveying direction, for modifying the height of the end of said second conveyor organ relative to its beginning. 37. The system according to claim 36, wherein said second conveyor organ may be pivoted about an angular range of between approximately −15° and approximately +45°. 38. The system according to claim 30, wherein said third conveyor organ is linked to the end of said second conveyor organ such that it may be pivoted about an axis transversely to the conveying direction of said second conveyor organ, so that it may be oriented horizontally. 39. The system according to claim 30, wherein said first conveyor organ with its frame is pivotally supported on said external conveyor organ such that a degree of pivoting said intermediate conveyor means about an angular range of about −30° to +30° relative to the conveying direction of said external conveyor organ may be selected. 40. The system according to claim 30, wherein said second and/or third conveyor organ is associated with a parallelogram linkage arranged on either side of the edges of a conveyor organ, for supporting a lifting, lowering, or pivoting movement, so that such movements may be predetermined by a person working in the cargo hold approximately free of effort. 41. The system according to claim 30, wherein in the range of said third conveyor organ a multi-function operating element is provided, whereby the horizontal orientation of said third conveyor organ, the inclination of said second conveyor organ, the position of said first conveyor organ on said external conveyor organ, the conveying direction, the conveying velocity, or further functions may be controlled.