Air cushion aircraft cargo loading systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9290270-B2
Application number	US-201414464323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2014
Priority date	Aug 20, 2014
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A cargo management system is provided comprising an air cushion cargo shuttle, an air blower configured to blow air beneath the air cushion cargo shuttle, an aft shuttle drive belt coupled to the air cushion cargo shuttle, a forward shuttle drive belt coupled to the air cushion cargo shuttle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cargo management system comprising:
an air cushion cargo shuttle;
an air blower configured to blow air beneath the air cushion cargo shuttle;
an aft shuttle drive belt coupled to the air cushion cargo shuttle;
a forward shuttle drive belt coupled to the air cushion cargo shuttle; and wherein the aft shuttle drive belt is coupled to an aft shuttle drive unit and the forward shuttle drive belt is coupled to a forward shuttle drive unit.

2. The cargo management system of claim 1 , wherein the air cushion cargo shuttle comprises a pocket.

3. The cargo management system of claim 1 , wherein the aft shuttle drive belt is configured to pull the aft shuttle drive belt in an aft direction.

4. The cargo management system of claim 1 , wherein the forward shuttle drive belt is configured to pull the forward shuttle drive belt in a forward direction.

5. The cargo management system of claim 1 , further comprising a floor panel beneath the air cushion cargo shuttle.

6. The cargo management system of claim 5 , wherein the air blown by the air blower is sufficient to separate the air cushion cargo shuttle from the floor panel.

7. The cargo management system of claim 6 , wherein the floor panel comprises at least one of a composite material or a metallic material.

8. The cargo management system of claim 7 , further comprising a support rail.

9. The cargo management system of claim 8 , wherein the support rail is disposed above the air cushion cargo shuttle.

10. The cargo management system of claim 1 , wherein the air blower is a centrifugal air blower.

11. The cargo management system of claim 1 , wherein the air cushion cargo shuttle comprises an air inlet.

12. The cargo management system of claim 1 , wherein the air blower is controlled by an air blower controller.

13. The cargo management system of claim 1 , wherein the air cushion cargo shuttle comprises a roller.

14. The cargo management system of claim 1 , wherein the air cushion cargo shuttle comprises a power drive unit.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Himmelmann Richard A

Classifications

• B64C1/22

  Other structures integral with fuselages to facilitate loading {, e.g. cargo bays, cranes} · CPC title

• B64C1/20

  specially adapted for freight · CPC title

• B64D2009/006

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

• B64D9/00 Primary

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

• B65G25/04

  the carrier or impeller having identical forward and return paths of movement, e.g. reciprocating conveyors · CPC title