Apparatus for automated transfer of large-scale missile hardware

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9540017-B2
Application number	US-201313889161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2013
Priority date	May 7, 2013
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A cradle drive system includes a cradle drive sled. The sled includes a pin configured to mechanically couple the sled to a cradle. The cradle is configured to hold a hardware load for movement along a factory rail. The sled also includes a power interface configured to provide torque to move a hardware load. The sled further includes processing circuitry configured to, in response to determining that the sled is mechanically coupled to the cradle, transfer the cradle and hardware load longitudinally along the factory rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cradle drive system (CDS) comprising:
a sled comprising:
a pin configured to mechanically couple the sled to a cradle, the cradle configured to hold a hardware load for movement along a factory rail;
a power interface configured to provide torque that moves the hardware load; and
processing circuitry configured to:
determine that the sled is mechanically coupled to the cradle based on a latch status of the pin, and
in response to a determination that the sled is mechanically coupled to the cradle, initiate a transfer of the cradle and the hardware load longitudinally along the factory rail.

2. The CDS of claim 1 , wherein the sled further comprises a sensor bank assembly coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensor bank assembly comprising a plurality of sensors including a proximity sensor configured to detect a presence of the cradle coupled to the factory rail.

3. The CDS of claim 1 , wherein the sled further comprises a sensor bank assembly coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensor bank assembly comprising a plurality of sensors including a proximity sensor configured to detect the latch status of the pin, the latch status indicating whether the pin is captured within a capture clip based on an indication that the pin is extended and a proximity of the sled to the cradle.

4. The CDS of claim 1 , wherein the sled further comprises a sensor bank assembly coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensor bank assembly comprising a plurality of sensors including a sensor configured to detect an engagement status of a cradle brake of the cradle, and
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to send an alarm to a user indicating that the cradle brake is engaged.

5. The CDS of claim 1 , wherein the cradle comprises a hardware cradle configured to couple to a hardware ring.

6. The CDS of claim 5 , wherein the sled further comprises a sensor bank assembly coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensor bank assembly comprising a plurality of sensors including a sensor configured to detect an engagement status of a ring roll brake of the hardware cradle.

7. The CDS of claim 1 , wherein the cradle comprise a canister cradle configured to couple to a hardware canister.

8. The CDS of claim 1 , further comprising:
a code reader coupled to the factory rail, the code reader configured to identify a typo of the cradle and a clearance distance associated with the hardware load held within the cradle using a code and a user-entered data.

9. The CDS of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured, in response to receiving a sensing of the cradle on the factory rail from a proximity sensor proximate to an end of the factory rail, to trigger a code reader to read a code.

10. The CDS of claim 1 , wherein the sled further comprises a sensor bank assembly coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensor bank assembly comprising a plurality of sensors including a proximity sensor configured to detect a recession of an end stop pin of an end stop assembly located proximate to an end of the factory rail.

11. A common rail system (CRS) comprising:
a factory rail;
a sled coupled to the factory rail, the sled comprising:
a pin configured to mechanically couple the sled to a cradle, the cradle configured to hold a hardware load for movement along the factory rail;
a power interface configured to provide torque that moves the hardware load; and
processing circuitry configured to:
determine that the sled is mechanically coupled to the cradle based on a latch status of the pin, and
in response to a determination that the sled is mechanically coupled to the cradle, initiate a transfer of the cradle and the hardware load longitudinally along the factory rail.

12. The CRS of claim 11 , further comprising:
an automated guided vehicle coupled to the factory rail.

13. The CRS of claim 11 , wherein the sled further comprises a sensor bank assembly coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensor bank assembly comprising a plurality of sensors including a proximity sensor configured to detect a presence of the cradle coupled to the factory rail.

14. The CRS of claim 11 , wherein the sled further comprises a sensor bank assembly coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensor bank assembly comprising a plurality of sensors including a proximity sensor configured to detect the latch status of the pin, the latch status indicating whether the pin is captured within a capture clip based on an indication that the pin is extended and a proximity of the sled to the cradle.

15. The CRS of claim 11 , wherein the sled further comprises a sensor bank assembly coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensor bank assembly comprising a plurality of sensors including a sensor configured to detect an engagement status of a cradle brake of the cradle, and
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to send an alarm to a user indicating that the cradle brake is engaged.

16. The CRS of claim 11 , wherein the cradle comprises a hardware cradle configured to couple to a hardware ring.

17. The CRS of claim 16 , wherein the sled further comprises a sensor bank assembly coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensor bank assembly comprising a plurality of sensors including a sensor configured to detect an engagement status of a ring roll brake of the hardware cradle.

18. The CRS of claim 11 , wherein the cradle comprise a canister cradle configured to couple to a hardware canister.

19. The CRS of claim 11 , further comprising:
a code reader coupled to the factory rail, the code reader configured to identify a type of the cradle and a clearance distance associated with the hardware load held within the cradle using a code and a user-entered data.

20. The CRS of claim 11 , further comprising:
a proximity sensor coupled to each of multiple ends of the factory rail, each proximity sensor configured to sense the cradle on the factory rail;
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured, in response to receiving a sensing of the cradle on the factory rail from one of the proximity sensors, to trigger a code reader to read a code.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Huelsmann Eric P
• Tucker Kenneth A

Classifications

• B61B13/00 Primary

  Other railway systems · CPC title

• B61C7/00 Primary

  Other locomotives or motor railcars characterised by the type of motive power plant used; Locomotives or motor railcars with two or more different kinds or types of motive power · CPC title

• B61L25/025

  Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates · CPC title