Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Passenger or cargo loading or discharging
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-03
2001-10-16
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Passenger or cargo loading or discharging
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302358
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a system and a method for converting an aircraft, quickly as well as repetetly, from a passenger transport configuration to a freight or cargo transport configuration, and vice versa.
The passenger or “PAX” transport configurations are also called “PAX mode”, and the freight transport configurations are also called “CARGO mode”.
The general technical field of the invention is the onboard equipment of aircrafts, and specifically of airplanes, such an equipment being fixed in use but mostly removable.
The quick conversion of the invention concerns at least part of the “main” deck of an aircraft, from one of the two mentioned configurations to the other.
Of course, the invention also applies to one or both decks of so-called double-deck or double-body aircrafts.
It also applies to any deck of aircraft, usable for passengers.
Such a conversion makes it possible to provide an aircraft scheduled to perform a specific flight, with a configuration making available a sufficient number of seats for passengers who registered to perform the flight and/or a volume on the same deck or decks, for loading cargo.
Such a conversion allows for either a configuration fully intended for passenger transport, or a configuration exclusively intended for freight transport.
Are also allowed one or more different configurations intended for passenger transport on the one hand, and for freight transport on the other hand.
In this technical field, the following documents are known.
The document GB-A-858.596 relates to apparatus for conveying passengers or freight in a cargo aircraft, so as to avoid that individual pieces of freight or each separate passenger has to be loaded and unloaded individually. Features known by the document GB-A-858.596 are recited in the preamble portion of claim
1
.
The floor forms a fixed built-in part of the aircraft structure, and carries directly thereon a plurality of spaced apart parallel tracks adapted to support correspondingly spaced wheels of substantially flat load carrying platforms.
The conventional fixed floor of the load carrying compartment is omitted. In place, each track consist of an elongated member of channel-shape in cross-section. The tracks are placed directly over longitudinal bearers and transverse bearers at crossing points.
Some figures shows a seat platform with an upper metal sheet, a lower metal sheet and a cellular honeycomb intermediate sheet arranged midway therebetween.
In the lower and intermediate sheets only are elongated recesses with flanged inverted channels for support of axle-pins of the rollers.
The platforms extend between opposite lateral sides of the aircraft compartment and engage with means at the sides of the compartment for location against upward movement.
The platforms are provided with a number of seats mounted thereon, via detachably fastening means. This means comprises ring fitting consisting of a dished plate, let into a recess in the upper surface of the floor.
A U-shaped ring and springs are normally accomodated in the cavity. The lower ends of the springs are resting on the base of a box in the platform.
The document GB-A-991.721 also relates to improvements to apparatus for conveying passengers or freight in a cargo aircraft.
A removable passenger-seating unit comprise a pallet bearing a number of seats, in an arrangement such that the pallets can be run in, on rollers, over the floor of the freight compartment. The seats are fixed on a substantially flat-topped pallet.
The pallets constitute false floor sections and are provided with individual side wall panels. Ceiling panels may also be provided for.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 2,558,774 describes a system for loading or unloading a freight transport aircraft, including a roller slide and portable and dismountable pallets.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 2,918,183 (U.S. Pat. No. RE 25,045) describes a system for handling freight on air bearings.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,026,071 describes a container for loading light packages, allowing for semi-automatic loading or unloading.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,461 describes an internal arrangement of an aircraft, whose purpose is to adapt the interior of an aircraft for freight transport or passenger transport according to occasional requirements.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,034 describes a freight loading container for aircraft.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,921 describes a system for quickly converting an aircraft from a passenger transport configuration to a freight transport configuration, and vice versa.
It includes rail assemblies permanently installed lengthwise in the floor of an aircraft and conveying rollers for pallets, freight pallets locks retractable into the floor, as well as seat pallets with latches mounted therein for gripping the rails of the conveyor system to hold the pallets in place.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,713 describes a trolley with a notched segmental profile.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,239 describes a quick loading system, with tracks mounted on the floor structure.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,204 describes a seat support pallet locking device.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,274 describes a pallet assembly of the type having moveable side parts, the assembly comprising locking devices whose structural components are fixed to the body of the pallet and to the side laps of the latter, respectively.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,092 describes freight transport structure modules.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,206 describes load displaying and lifting blocks capable of bearing loads. The blocks can be used as a replacement for modular units such as those which are used to convert aircraft from a passenger transport configuration to a freight transport configuration.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,639 describes a system equipped with a frame on which wheels are arranged with their axis of rotation above the frame and able to bear loads.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,870 describes a modular conversion system including floor boards.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,590 describes a built-in freight handling system wherein displacing or locking members are permanently fixed to the floor or deck of the aircraft.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,399 describes a mechanical handling apparatus equipped with rollers.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,111 describes a freight transport pallet whose purpose is to feed the loads to rolling members permanently fixed on the top face of a deck, in an aircraft for instance.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,496 describes improved seat pallet lock for use with aircraft passenger seat pallets to retain such pallets in operational position in the aircraft.
The seat pallets locks carried by the seat pallets are cooperable with rollers within the roller tray. The lock structure does not require special tracks and may be readily engaged and disengaged manually, without the necessity of tools.
This structure when in the engaged position, is flush with the passenger floor and has no portions thereof protuding upwardly therefrom.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,066 generally describes a seat pallet and cargo pallet restraining system, which includes a floor mounted rail with attached pallets rollers and cargo locks assemblies. It includes a compact seat pallet latch for engaging the rail.
This system accomodates various size cargo and seat pallets. The floor structure includes an elongated channel with axial spaced lips periodically narrowing the channel. The top of the channel has left and right facing teeth for engaging a seat pallet latch.
Rollers connected to the rail define a roller plane above the rail for supporting a pallet. The latch assembly includes a pair of rotatable jaws that, in a stowed position, are within the pallet and above the roller plane.
The cargo pallet restaining assemblies include a plurality of housings connected to opposite sides of the rail, with aft facing lock heads movable between a stowed position beneath the roller plane and an erect position wherein a lip portion extends above this plane. Preferably, the fore and aft heads are linked for simultane
Eilts Torsten
Emsters Peter
Jordan Charles T.
Nawrocki, Rodney & Sivertson, P.A.
Palo Francis T.
Societe Industrielle et Commciale de Materiel Aeronautique
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