Translating payload bay pallet for aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11370544-B2
Application number	US-202016891947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2020
Priority date	Jun 3, 2020
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A system is described and includes a first track assembly for connecting a top surface of a pallet supporting payload to an upper interior surface of a payload bay of an aircraft; a second track assembly for connecting a side surface of the pallet to a side interior surface of the payload bay; and a pallet actuator system for selectively moving the pallet along the first and second track assemblies between a first position in which the pallet is fully extended from the payload bay and a second position in which the pallet is fully retracted into the payload bay.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a first track assembly for connecting a top surface of a pallet supporting payload to an upper interior surface of a payload bay of an aircraft;
a second track assembly for connecting a side surface of the pallet to a side interior surface of the payload bay;
a pallet actuator system for selectively moving the pallet along the first and second track assemblies between a first position in which the pallet is fully extended from the payload bay and a second position in which the pallet is fully retracted into the payload bay; and
a payload bay door connected to the pallet;
wherein a top edge of the payload bay door is connected to an outboard edge of the pallet via at least one hinge.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pallet actuator system comprises a linear actuator.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a ball screw actuator.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a rack suspended from the pallet, wherein the payload is disposed in the rack.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the rack comprises a munitions launcher and the payload comprises at least one air-to-surface weapon.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first track assembly comprises a first track disposed on the top surface of the pallet proximate a forward end thereof and a second track disposed on the top surface of the pallet proximate an aft end thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second track assembly comprises a first track disposed on a forward side interior surface of the payload bay and a second track disposed on an aft side interior surface of the payload bay.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a door actuator system for selectively opening and closing the payload bay door.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the door actuator system further comprises a door actuator assembly for coordinating the opening and closing of the payload bay door with movement of the pallet between the first and second positions.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising a door track assembly disposed on an interior surface of the payload bay door for engaging the door actuator system.

11. An aircraft comprising:
a payload bay;
a first pallet disposed on a first side of the payload bay;
a second pallet disposed on a second side of the payload bay;
a first top track assembly for connecting a top surface of the first pallet supporting payload to an upper interior surface of the payload bay;
a second top track assembly for connecting a top surface of the second pallet supporting payload to the upper interior surface of the payload bay;
a first lower track assembly for connecting a side surface of the first pallet to a side interior surface of the payload bay;
a second lower track assembly for connecting a side surface of the second pallet to the side interior surface of the payload bay;
a first pallet actuator system for selectively moving the first pallet along the first track assemblies between an extended position of the first pallet and a retracted position of the first pallet;
a second pallet actuator system for selectively moving the second pallet along the second track assemblies between an extended position of the second pallet and a retracted position of the second pallet; and
a first payload bay door connected to an outboard edge of the first pallet via at least one first hinge and a second payload bay door connected to an outboard edge of the second pallet via at least one second hinge.

12. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the first and second pallet actuator systems comprise linear actuators.

13. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the payload comprises at least one air-to-surface weapon.

14. The aircraft of claim 11 further comprising:
a first door actuator system for selectively opening and closing the first payload bay door;
a second door actuator system for selectively opening and closing the second payload bay door;
a first door track assembly disposed on an interior surface of the first payload bay door for engaging the first door actuator assembly; and
a second door track assembly disposed on an interior surface of the second payload bay door for engaging the second door actuator assembly;
wherein the first and second payload bay door actuator systems further comprise door actuator assemblies for coordinating the opening and closing of the first and second payload bay doors with movement of the first and second pallets between the first and second positions.

15. The aircraft of claim 11 further comprising a first pallet drive mechanism mounted on an outboard side of the first pallet and a second pallet drive mechanism mounted on an outboard side of the second pallet.

16. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein each of the upper track assemblies comprises a first track disposed on the top surface of the respective one of the pallets proximate a forward end thereof and a second track disposed on the top surface of the respective one of the pallets proximate an aft end thereof and wherein each of the lower track assemblies comprises a first track disposed on a forward side interior surface of the payload bay and a second track disposed on an aft side interior surface of the payload bay.

17. A system comprising:
a first track assembly for connecting a top surface of a pallet supporting payload to an upper interior surface of a payload bay of an aircraft;
a second track assembly for connecting a side surface of the pallet to a side interior surface of the payload bay;
a pallet actuator system for selectively moving the pallet along the first and second track assemblies between a first position in which the pallet is fully extended from the payload bay and a second position in which the pallet is fully retracted into the payload bay;
a payload bay door for covering the payload bay;
a door actuator system for selectively opening and closing the payload bay door; and
a door track assembly disposed on an interior surface of the payload bay door for engaging the door actuator system.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the door actuator system further comprises a door actuator assembly for coordinating the opening and closing of the payload bay door with movement of the pallet between the first and second positions.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising a rack suspended from the pallet, wherein the payload is disposed in the rack.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the first track assembly comprises a first track disposed on the top surface of the pallet proximate a forward end thereof and a second track disposed on the top surface of the pallet proximate an aft end thereof and wherein the second track assembly comprises a first track disposed on a forward side interior surface of the payload bay and a second track disposed on an aft side interior surface of the payload bay.

Assignees

• Bell Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Fenny Carlos A
• Magalhaes Brandon Anthony
• Coleman Jr Gary John

Classifications

• B64C27/26

  characterised by provision of fixed wings · CPC title

• B64D7/06

  movably mounted · CPC title

• B64D1/06

  Bomb releasing; Bomb doors · CPC title

• B64D2009/006

  Rollers or drives for pallets of freight containers, e.g. PDU · CPC title

• B64C1/1415

  Cargo doors, e.g. incorporating ramps · CPC title