Flexible over the wing passenger loading bridge

Details Flexible over the wing passenger loading bridge Flexible over the wing passenger loading bridge

2006-05-09

2006-05-09

Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)

Bridges

Gangway, ramp, or dock leveler

Attached

C014S071700

Reexamination Certificate

active

07039978

ABSTRACT:
Disclosed is an apparatus for moving passengers between an airport terminal building and a doorway of an aircraft located rearward of a wing of the aircraft. The apparatus includes a first passageway member pivotally coupled at an inboard end thereof to a rotunda and supported close to an outboard end thereof by a ground support member. The apparatus also includes a telescopic passageway member that is pivotally mounted to the passageway member via a flexible connection disposed therebetween. The telescopic passageway member is for being supported in a cantilever-like fashion such that the telescopic passageway member is extensible over the wing of the aircraft, for servicing the doorway located rearward of the wing. An adjustable support mechanism is mounted at a first end thereof to a surface of the first passageway member and mounted at a second opposite end thereof to a surface of the telescopic passageway member, for vertically swinging the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member in a controllable manner. To this end, an actuator is coupled to the adjustable support mechanism, for driving the adjustable support mechanism so as to vertically swing the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member in the controllable manner, under the control of an electrical controller.

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Airbus Industrie, France. Brochure entitled “A3XX Ground Operations.” Publication date unknown, appears to be a confidential publication containing proprietary information and not for public distribution. Printed in France. Drawing at p. 59 is of interest.
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Holly Hegeman, “Wing Tips”, http://www.planebusiness.com/tscolumns/ts052800.htm, Report originally appeared in TheStreet.com on May 28, 2000. Two paragraphs in the middle of p. 2.
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Photos of bridge, Sep. 26, 2003, Albany New York—please see attached Declaration under 37 CFR 1.132.
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Author unknown, FMT Aircraft Gate Support Systems AB, Sweden. “Dual Boarding Bridge System for Boeing 737 and Airbus 319-321.” Undated FMT document. It is not known whether this document was for public distribution.

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