Aircraft cargo pallet lock assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10994843-B2
Application number	US-201916524745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2019
Priority date	Jul 29, 2019
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

Aircraft cargo lock assemblies are capable of positionally restraining movement of a cargo load pallet in both vertical and horizontal planes relative to the cargo deck of the aircraft. According to certain embodiments, the lock assemblies will include an actuator case and a restraint element which comprises at least one restraint plate and restraint detent, the restraint element being connected to the actuator case for pivotal movements between locked and released conditions relative to an edge of a cargo load pallet positioned on a cargo deck of an aircraft so as to positionally restrain the cargo load pallet against movement in both vertical and horizontal planes relative to the cargo deck. An actuator assembly is operably connected to the restraint element for moving the restraint element between the locked and released conditions thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly comprising:
an actuator case;
a restraint element which comprises at least one restraint plate and restraint detent, the restraint element being connected to the actuator case for pivotal movements between locked and released conditions relative to an edge of a cargo load pallet positioned on a cargo deck of an aircraft so as to positionally restrain the cargo load pallet against movement in both vertical and horizontal planes relative to the cargo deck; and
an actuator assembly operably connected to the restraint element for moving the restraint element between the locked and released conditions thereof, wherein
the restraint plate is positioned over an edge of the cargo load pallet when the restraint element is in the locked condition thereof so as to positionally restrain the cargo load pallet against movement in the vertical plane relative to the cargo deck, and wherein
the restraint detent is positioned in an edge recess of the cargo load pallet when the restraint element is in the locked condition thereof so as to positionally restrain the cargo load pallet against movement in the horizontal plane relative to the cargo deck.

2. The aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the restraint element comprises a spaced apart pair of restraint plates with the restraint detent being positioned therebetween.

3. The aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator case is connectable to the cargo deck for movements between a stowed mode, wherein the actuator case is substantially flush with the cargo deck, and a deployed mode, wherein the actuator case is raised above the cargo deck.

4. The aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the actuator case includes a hinge assembly at a rearward portion thereof that allows for pivotal connection to the cargo deck, and a linkage support plate at a forward portion thereof that allows for pivotal interconnection between the forward portion of the actuator case to the cargo deck to allow the actuator case to be pivotally moved between the stowed and deployed conditions thereof.

5. The aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises:
a linear actuator having an actuator rod that is reciprocally moveable between extended and retracted conditions; and
a linkage assembly which translates reciprocal movement of the actuator rod between the extended and retracted conditions into pivotal movement of the restraint element between the locked and released conditions, respectively.

6. The aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises:
a splined command shaft;
a bell crank positionally coupled to the command shaft;
a rocker linkage assembly operably interconnecting the actuator rod of the linear actuator to the command shaft; and
a coupler link operably interconnecting the restraint element to the bell crank.

7. The aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the rocker linkage assembly comprises a linkage rod and a rocker link operably interconnecting a proximal end of the linkage rod to a distal end of the actuator rod, wherein a distal end of the linkage rod is operably connected to the bell crank.

8. The aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the coupler link and bell crank are in an over-the-center locking arrangement when the restraint element is in the locked condition thereof.

9. The aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the linkage assembly further comprises a tension spring operably connected to the restraint element for exerting a bias force on the restraint element in a direction to move the restraint element into the released condition thereof.

10. The aircraft cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly includes a rotary transducer for sensing positions of the restraint element when moved between the locked and released conditions thereof.

11. A cargo aircraft which comprises the cargo pallet lock assembly according to claim 1 .

12. A cargo aircraft comprising:
a fuselage defining a cargo space;
a cargo deck within the fuselage for supporting a plurality of cargo load pallets thereon, and
a plurality of cargo pallet lock assemblies laterally spaced apart relative to a longitudinal axis of the cargo aircraft for positionally restraining the cargo load pallets against movement in both vertical and horizontal planes relative to the cargo deck, wherein the cargo pallet lock assemblies comprise:
(i) an actuator case;
(ii) a restraint element which comprises at least one restraint plate and restraint detent, the restraint element being connected to the actuator case for pivotal movements between locked and released conditions relative to an edge of a cargo load pallet positioned on a cargo deck of an aircraft so as to positionally restrain the cargo load pallet against movement in both vertical and horizontal planes relative to the cargo deck; and
(iii) an actuator assembly operably connected to the restraint element for moving the restraint element between the locked and released conditions thereof, wherein
the restraint plate is positioned over an edge of the cargo load pallet when the restraint element is in the locked condition thereof so as to positionally restrain the cargo load pallet against movement in the vertical plane relative to the cargo deck, and wherein
the restraint detent is positioned in an edge recess of the cargo load pallet when the restraint element is in the locked condition thereof so as to positionally restrain the cargo load pallet against movement in the horizontal plane relative to the cargo deck.

13. The cargo aircraft according to claim 12 , wherein the restraint element comprises a spaced apart pair of restraint plates with the restraint detent being positioned therebetween.

14. The cargo aircraft according to claim 12 , wherein the actuator case is connectable to the cargo deck for movements between a stowed mode, wherein the actuator case is substantially flush with the cargo deck, and a deployed mode, wherein the actuator case is raised above the cargo deck.

15. The cargo aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein the actuator case includes a hinge assembly at a rearward portion thereof that allows for pivotal connection to the cargo deck, and a linkage support plate at a forward portion thereof that allows for pivotal interconnection between the forward portion of the actuator case to the cargo deck to allow the actuator case to be pivotally moved between the stowed and deployed conditions thereof.

16. The cargo aircraft according to claim 12 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises:
a linear actuator having an actuator rod that is reciprocally moveable between extended and retracted conditions; and
a linkage assembly which translates reciprocal movement of the actuator rod between the extended and retracted conditions into pivotal movement of the restraint element between the locked and released conditions, respectively.

17. The cargo aircraft according to claim 16 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises:
a splined command shaft;
a bell crank positionally coupled to the command shaft;
a rocker linkage assembly operably interconnecting the actuator rod of the linear actuator to the command shaft; and
a coupler link operably interconnecting the restraint element to the bell crank.

18. The cargo aircraft accord

Assignees

• Embraer Sa

Inventors

• Junior Mario Tadeu Crema
• Trisotto Saint Clair
• Filho Carlos Rogulski
• Correa Guilherme Peneluppi
• Germano Douglas De Moura
• Kruger Jean Carlo De Carvalho

Classifications

• B64D9/003 Primary

  Devices for retaining pallets or freight containers · CPC title

• B60P7/13 Primary

  Securing freight containers or forwarding containers on vehicles · CPC title

• B64D9/00

  Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like · CPC title