Air cushion aircraft cargo loading systems and shuttle drive unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101862-A1
Application number	US-201414512113-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 10, 2014
Priority date	Oct 10, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cargo management system is provided comprising a shuttle drive unit. The shuttle drive unit comprises a sheave, a pulley proximate the sheave comprising a groove of the pulley aligned with a groove of the sheave, and a motor configured to rotate the sheave. The cargo management system further comprises a belt coupled to the sheave and a cargo shuttle coupled to the belt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cargo management system comprising:
a shuttle drive unit comprising:
a spool;
a pulley proximate the spool comprising a groove of the pulley aligned with a groove of the spool; and
a motor configured to rotate the spool;
a belt coupled to the spool; and a cargo shuttle coupled to the belt.

2 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 1 , further comprising a rotary power module coupled to the spool.

3 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 2 , wherein the rotary power module is coupled to the spool through a slip ring assembly.

4 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the belt further comprises at least one of a strengthening member, power conduit, or communication conduit.

5 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 1 , further comprising a communications module coupled to at least one of a communication conduit or a power conduit of the belt.

6 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 1 , further comprising a spindle assembly coupled to the spool.

7 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 6 , wherein the spindle assembly is disposed within an inner bore of the spool.

8 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 6 , wherein the motor is coupled to the spindle assembly.

9 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle drive unit is configured to pull the cargo shuttle in an aft direction.

10 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second belt coupled to the cargo shuttle; a second shuttle drive unit coupled to the second belt.

11 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 10 , wherein the second shuttle drive unit is configured to pull the cargo shuttle in a forward direction.

12 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the belt is electrically coupled to a centrifugal air blower controller.

13 . A shuttle drive unit comprising:
a sheave; a pulley proximate the sheave; a spindle assembly inside the sheave, wherein the sheave is configured to rotate around the spindle assembly; a motor mechanically coupled to the spindle assembly; and a power and communication module coupled to the sheave.

14 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 13 , further comprising a belt coupled to the sheave.

15 . The shuttle drive unit of claim 13 , wherein the motor comprises:
a stator; and a rotor around an outer diameter of the stator.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Himmelmann Richard A

Classifications

• B64D9/00 Primary

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

• B64D2009/006

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