System and method for loading and unloading a cargo compartment
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65G-067/00
B64D-009/00
B64C-001/20
출원번호
US-0303979
(2014-06-13)
등록번호
US-9452901
(2016-09-27)
우선권정보
EP-13173313 (2013-06-21)
발명자
/ 주소
Panzram, Uwe
Klockgether, Joerg
Le Bigot, Philippe
Esteie, Peter
Gowda, Netra
출원인 / 주소
AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
대리인 / 주소
Lorenz & Kopf, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
8인용 특허 :
5
초록▼
A system for loading and unloading a cargo compartment of a vehicle, such as an aircraft, with a cargo receiving device is provided. The system includes a cargo receiving device including a base structure arrangement having a horizontal lower contact surface, and a locking mechanism configured to en
A system for loading and unloading a cargo compartment of a vehicle, such as an aircraft, with a cargo receiving device is provided. The system includes a cargo receiving device including a base structure arrangement having a horizontal lower contact surface, and a locking mechanism configured to engage one or more corresponding holding members provided in a cargo compartment of a vehicle. The system also includes a transport device including a horizontal upper contact surface configured to be disposed in abutting contact to said lower contact surface, a drive unit configured to initiate horizontal movement of the transport device, a lift unit configured to initiate vertical movement of the upper contact surface, and an actuating unit configured to actuate the locking mechanism of the cargo receiving device.
대표청구항▼
1. A system for loading and unloading cargo into and from a cargo compartment of a vehicle, comprising: a cargo receiving device configured to receive and secure items of packed or bulk cargo, said cargo receiving device comprising:a base structure arrangement having a lower contact surface, anda lo
1. A system for loading and unloading cargo into and from a cargo compartment of a vehicle, comprising: a cargo receiving device configured to receive and secure items of packed or bulk cargo, said cargo receiving device comprising:a base structure arrangement having a lower contact surface, anda locking mechanism configured to engage one or more corresponding holding members provided in the cargo compartment, anda transport device for transporting the cargo receiving device to a desired position in or out of the cargo compartment of the vehicle, said transport device comprising:a transport structure arrangement having a upper contact surface configured to be disposed in abutting contact to said lower contact surface of the cargo receiving device and to support the cargo receiving device by the abutting contact,a drive unit configured to effect movement of the transport device relative and parallel to a surface on which the transport device is disposed,a lift unit configured to effect movement of the transport structure arrangement relative and transversely to a surface on which the transport device is disposed, andan actuating unit configured to actuate the locking mechanism of the cargo receiving device. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transport structure arrangement comprises two or more roller elements having axes of rotation extending in parallel to one another and to the upper contact surface, said roller elements being moveable perpendicularly with respect to the upper contact surface between a rolling position, in which the roller elements extend upwardly beyond the upper contact surface, and a retracted position, in which the roller elements are retracted under the upper contact surface inside the transport structure arrangement. 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the roller elements are rotatingly driven by a roller drive unit wherein the roller drive unit comprises a position sensor configured to detect a position of a base structure arrangement of the cargo receiving device relative to the transport structure arrangement of said transport device, andwherein the roller drive unit comprises a roller controlling unit configured to control the rotation of the roller elements based on the position of the base structure arrangement detected by said position sensor. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the lift unit comprises an air cushion arrangement provided on the transport structure arrangement opposite from the upper contact surface. 5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the air cushion arrangement comprises: one or more flexible air-guidance elements extending away from the transport structure arrangement opposite from the upper contact surface,an air injection device having a plurality of lift nozzles configured to blow air along the air-guidance elements and away from the transport device, anda lift controlling unit configured to individually control an air stream blown out of the different lift nozzles. 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the air-guidance elements are formed as torus elements made of a flexible material and having a hollow interior space. 7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of lift nozzles are configured to blow air inside said interior space, and the torus elements comprise one or more valves configured to let air stream out of the interior space into the environment around the torus elements once the pressure inside the torus elements exceeds a predetermined threshold pressure. 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit is formed as an air stream drive arrangement comprising: one or more drive nozzles configured to blow air in a direction away from the transport structure arrangement and inclined between a horizontal and vertical direction opposite from the upper contact surface, anda drive controlling unit configured to individually control the air stream blown out of different drive nozzles based on a position of the transport device on a surface on which the transport device is supported. 9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the position of the transport device on the surface is detected by a distance sensor. 10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit is configured as an electromechanical drive arrangement comprising an electric motor and a mechanic force transmission unit engaging a surface on which the transport vehicle is disposed. 11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises the cargo compartment configured to be received in the vehicle, said cargo compartment comprising a floor having a floor surface, and two opposite side walls including at least one entrance opening, wherein the transport device is configured to be supported on and to move relative to the floor surface, andwherein the locking mechanism is configured to engage the corresponding one of the holding members upon actuation by the actuating unit in order to lock the transport device in a position relative to the cargo compartment determined by the corresponding one of the holding members. 12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the cargo compartment is elongate and the floor surface of the cargo compartment comprises a recess channel extending along a longitudinal axis of the cargo compartment, wherein the recess channel is shaped and dimensioned such that the transport device is entirely received in the recess channel without extending above the level of the floor surface adjacent to the recess channel. 13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the lift unit is configured to move the transport structure arrangement between a lower position, in which the upper contact surface extends inside the recess channel below the level of the floor surface adjacent to the recess channel, and an upper position, in which the upper contact surface extends outside of the recess channel above the level of the floor surface. 14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the locking mechanism is arranged in the base structure arrangement, wherein: the locking mechanism comprises one or more pins,the one or more holding members are arranged in the side walls, each one of the holding members comprising a bore configured to engage with a respective one of the pins, andeach pin is moveable with respect to the side wall of the cargo compartment between a locking position, in which the pin engages a respective one of the bores, and an unlocking position, in which the pin is retracted out of engagement with the respective one of the bores. 15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a central transmission element which is arranged in the base structure arrangement such that it is rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation, wherein: said central transmission element is connected to the pins by means of rod elements,the rod elements are mounted to the central transmission element in such a manner that upon rotation of the central transmission element the rod elements transfer linear movement to the pins, andthe central transmission element comprises an engagement section configured to engage with the actuating unit of the transport device, said actuating unit being configured to transfer rotational movement to the central transmission element. 16. A method for loading a cargo compartment of a vehicle, with a cargo receiving device, the method comprising the steps of: providing a cargo receiving device configured to receive and secure items of packed or bulk cargo and a transport device for transporting the cargo receiving device to a desired position in or out of the cargo compartment,positioning the transport device on a floor surface of the cargo compartment,positioning the cargo receiving device over said transport device, so that a lower contact surface of the cargo receiving device abuts an upper contact surface of a transport structure arrangement,lifting up the cargo receiving device by means of a lift unit, so that no part of the cargo receiving device is in contact with the floor surface,moving the transport device together with the cargo receiving device by a drive unit along the floor surface to a desired position in the cargo compartment,moving downwardly the transport structure arrangement by the lift unit until the cargo receiving device contacts the floor surface,actuating a locking mechanism of the cargo receiving device by an actuating unit of the transport device, so that the locking mechanism engages at least one holding member of the cargo compartment, andmoving the transport device away from under the cargo receiving device by the drive unit, while the cargo receiving device remains locked in its desired position. 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein positioning the cargo receiving device over said transport device is carried out in the following manner:moving or maintaining roller elements of a roller drive unit of the transport structure arrangement in a rolling position,sliding the cargo receiving device over the transport device, until at least one roller element of the roller elements engages the lower contact surface of a base structure arrangement of the cargo receiving device,moving the cargo receiving device to a desired position over the transport device by a rotation of the roller elements effected and controlled by a roller drive unit, andmoving the roller elements to a retracted position, such that the lower contact surface abuts the upper contact surface. 18. The method according to claim 16, wherein actuating a locking mechanism of the cargo receiving device is carried out in the following manner:engaging an engagement section of a central transmission element of the cargo receiving device by the actuating unit of the transport device,rotating the central transmission element by rotating the actuating unit,transforming the rotational movement of the central transmission element into a linear movement of one or more pins by one or more rod elements mounted to the central transmission element,engaging one or more bores of the at least one holding member by the linearly moved pins, anddisengaging the engagement section of the central transmission element by the actuating unit.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (5)
Medina, Miguel A.; Royal, Alonzo; Saggio, Rosario; Korb, William N.; Afghani, Behrooz; Okamoto, Karlton K., Cargo handling system for aircraft compartments.
Sanford, William C.; Laib, Trevor; Mitchell, Brad; Sanchez, Jesus; Mackness, Robert; Mackness, legal representative, Preston; Fletcher, Henry V.; Callahan, Kevin S., Cargo transport system and method.
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