Internal interchangeable modular avionics platform assemblies and methods for removably mounting and interchanging modular avionics platforms within an aircraft. In some embodiments, modular avionics platform assemblies may include a modular avionics platform configured to support various avionics e
Internal interchangeable modular avionics platform assemblies and methods for removably mounting and interchanging modular avionics platforms within an aircraft. In some embodiments, modular avionics platform assemblies may include a modular avionics platform configured to support various avionics equipment, suitable for removable mounting within a forward fuselage, and interchangeable with a number of alternate platforms. A platform may include a frame structure, and mounting pins and a connector assembly disposed on the frame structure. The mounting pins may project outwardly from the frame structure to align with and detachably secure to corresponding airframe members of an aircraft when the frame structure is in a mounted position. The connector assembly may be disposed on the frame structure and have a plurality of connectors, including connectors for alternating current, direct current, and data. In some embodiments, the platform may also include an environmental cooling system disposed on the frame structure.
대표청구항▼
1. A method of mounting avionics equipment in an aircraft, comprising: connecting two or more of a plurality of avionics equipment having different dimensions to a modular avionics platform assembly having: a frame structure with substantially parallel, opposing, and spaced apart side portions; anda
1. A method of mounting avionics equipment in an aircraft, comprising: connecting two or more of a plurality of avionics equipment having different dimensions to a modular avionics platform assembly having: a frame structure with substantially parallel, opposing, and spaced apart side portions; anda pair of mounting pins disposed on and axially aligned with the opposing side portions of the frame structure, and configured to project outwardly from the frame structure;connecting a first selected one of the plurality of avionics equipment to a first equipment station of an equipment rack of the modular avionics platform assembly;connecting a second selected one of the plurality of avionics equipment to a second equipment station of the equipment rack;positioning the modular avionics platform assembly in a forward interior bay of a fuselage of the aircraft such that each of the side portions of the frame structure is proximate a corresponding one of a pair of opposing airframe members of the fuselage;aligning each of the pair of mounting pins with the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members;detachably securing each of the pair of mounting pins to the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members to support the modular avionics platform assembly; andsupplying cooling air to the second equipment station with an environmental cooling system mounted in a third equipment station of the equipment rack and having: a compressor;a cooling fan; anda length of flexible cooling tubing that is in fluid communication with the cooling fan and extends to the second equipment station. 2. The method of claim 1, further including removing heat from the second equipment station by communicating the supplied cooling air through a flexible exhaust tubing and venting the communicated cooling air out of louvers in the forward interior bay of the fuselage. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detachably securing each of the pair of mounting pins includes pivoting a pivot clamp element of a clamp assembly attached to the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members from an open position in which the pivot clamp element is spaced apart from a fixed clamp element of the clamp assembly and a closed position in which the pivot clamp element is proximate to and secured relative to the fixed clamp element in order to clamp a mounting pin of the pair of mounting pins. 4. The method of claim 3, further including: aligning each of a second pair of mounting pins with a corresponding second clamp assembly attached to the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members, wherein the second pair of mounting pins is spaced from the first pair of mounting pins; anddetachably securing each of the second pair of mounting pins with the corresponding second clamp assembly. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detachably securing each of the pair of mounting pins includes pivoting a mounting pin of the pair of mounting pins from a stowed position recessed within a respective one of the side portions of the frame structure to an extended position extending into a slot on the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting two or more of a plurality of avionics equipment includes connecting the first selected one and the second selected one of the plurality of avionics equipment to a connector assembly of the modular avionics platform, the connector assembly including: an alternating current connector configured to connect to a 115-volt alternating current source;a direct current connector configured to connect to a 28-volt direct current source; anda data bus connector configured to connect to a data bus of the aircraft. 7. The method of claim 1, further including: detaching each of the pair of mounting pins from the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members;removing the modular avionics platform assembly from the aircraft;disconnecting the two or more of the plurality of avionics equipment;connecting one or more other equipment of the plurality of avionics equipment to the modular avionics platform assembly; andre-positioning the modular avionics platform assembly in the forward interior bay of the fuselage of the aircraft; andre-securing each of the pair of mounting pins to the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members. 8. The method of claim 1, further including: detaching each of the pair of mounting pins from the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members;removing the modular avionics platform assembly from the aircraft;connecting one or more other equipment of the plurality of avionics equipment to an alternate modular avionics platform assembly;positioning the alternate modular avionics platform assembly in the forward interior bay of the fuselage of the aircraft; andsecuring each of a pair of mounting pins of the alternative modular avionics platform assembly to the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members. 9. A method of mounting a modular avionics platform assembly in a forward interior bay of a fuselage of an aircraft, comprising: connecting a plurality of avionics equipment having different dimensions to the modular avionics platform assembly including a plurality of interchangeable modular avionics platforms, each of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms having: a frame structure with substantially parallel, opposing, and spaced apart side portions;a plurality of mounting pins disposed on and axially aligned with the opposing side portions of the frame structure, and configured to project outwardly from the frame structure; anda connector assembly including an alternating current connector configured to connect to a 115-volt alternating current source, a direct current connector configured to connect to a 28-volt direct current source, and a data bus connector configured to connect to a data bus of the aircraft;selecting a first one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms with the connected avionics equipment appropriate to an equipment-dependent mission of the aircraft;positioning the first one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms in the forward interior bay of the fuselage of the aircraft such that each of the side portions of the frame structure is proximate a corresponding one of a pair of opposing airframe members of the fuselage;aligning each of the mounting pins with a corresponding clamp assembly attached to the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members;detachably clamping each of the mounting pins to the corresponding clamp assembly by pivoting a pivot clamp element of the corresponding clamp assembly from an open position in which the pivot clamp element is spaced apart from a fixed clamp element of the corresponding clamp assembly and a closed position in which the pivot clamp element is proximate to and secured relative to the fixed clamp element. 10. The method of claim 9, further including tracking airborne aircraft with an infrared search-and-track sensor system connected to the first one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms. 11. The method of claim 9, further including communicating data between at least one airborne aircraft and an airborne aircraft weaponry system with a data link system connected to the first one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms, to enable the at least one airborne aircraft to control firing of the airborne aircraft weaponry system at a designated target. 12. The method of claim 9, further including communicating data between multiple airborne aircraft including the aircraft in which the modular avionics platform assembly is mounted, with an internet-protocol-based mesh-network radio terminal connected to the first one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms. 13. The method of claim 9, further including: detaching the first one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms;selecting a second one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms with the connected avionics equipment appropriate to another equipment-dependent mission of the aircraft;positioning the second one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms in the forward interior bay of the fuselage of the aircraft such that each of the side portions of the frame structure is proximate the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members of the fuselage;aligning each of the mounting pins of the second one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms with the corresponding clamp assembly attached to the corresponding one of the pair of opposing airframe members; anddetachably clamping each of the mounting pins of the second one of the interchangeable modular avionics platforms to the corresponding clamp assembly. 14. A method for removably mounting an interchangeable modular avionics platform within a forward interior bay of a fuselage of an aircraft, comprising: providing an interchangeable modular avionics platform configured to support selected avionics equipment having different dimensions, and including a frame structure having substantially parallel opposing side portions spaced apart at a predetermined width so that the frame structure fits between opposing airframe members within the forward interior bay of the aircraft with each of the side portions proximate a corresponding one of the opposing airframe members;providing at least one pair of first mounting devices, each of the first mounting devices disposed on and axially aligned with a respective one of the opposing side portions of the frame structure and configured to project outwardly from each respective one of the opposing side portions to align with and detachably secure to the corresponding one of the opposing airframe members when the frame structure is in a mounted position;providing at least one pair of complementary second mounting devices disposed on the opposing airframe members in positions corresponding to positions of the first mounting devices on the frame structure, each of the second mounting devices configured to detachably secure a corresponding one of the first mounting devices and having a fixed clamp element fixedly attached to the corresponding one of the opposing airframe members, and a pivot clamp element configured to pivot between an open position in which the corresponding one of the first mounting devices is not clamped, and a closed position in which the corresponding one of the first mounting devices is clamped into place relative to a corresponding one of the second mounting devices; anddetachably securing the first mounting devices of the frame structure to the opposing airframe members by aligning each of the first mounting devices with the corresponding one of second mounting devices and pivoting the pivot clamp element of each of the second mounting devices to the closed position to thereby removably mount the frame structure. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising non-destructively releasing the frame structure from the opposing airframe members within the forward interior bay of the fuselage by pivoting the pivot clamp element of each of the second mounting devices to the open position to unclamp the corresponding one of the first mounting devices and thereby enable removal of the modular avionics platform from the aircraft. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing and removably mounting an alternate modular avionics platform within the forward interior bay of the fuselage, wherein the alternate modular avionics platform is configured to support alternate ones of the selected avionics equipment, to thereby modularly install the alternate ones of the selected avionics equipment within the aircraft. 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising reconfiguring the selected avionics equipment supported by the modular avionics platform by at least one of rearranging, adding, and removing at least one piece of the selected avionics equipment supported by the modular avionics platform. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising re-mounting the modular avionics platform within the forward interior bay of the fuselage to thereby modularly install different configurations of the selected avionics equipment within the aircraft.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (19)
Ganssle Eugene R. (Skillman NJ), Apparatus for remotely indicating alignment of male and female members.
Smolik John V. (Granada Hills CA) Swanson Ronald V. (San Pedro CA) Rubin Charles P. (Santa Monica CA) Blaschke James C. (Huntington Beach CA) Wagner Roger J. (Northridge CA), Three point attachment for an ejectable spacecraft.
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