Flight test equipment installation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9738402-B2
Application number	US-201414320297-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2014
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A pallet system for a vehicle may include a cargo pallet having an orthogonal shape. A pallet adapter may be mounted on the cargo pallet. The pallet adapter may be sized and shaped complementary to the cargo pallet and may be attached to an upper side of the cargo pallet. The pallet adapter may include a panel assembly having frame members covered by one or more top skin panels and/or bottom skin panels. The pallet system may include one or more flight test equipment units mounted to the panel assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pallet system for an aircraft, comprising:
a cargo pallet;
a pallet adapter sized and shaped complementary to the cargo pallet and
attached to an upper side of the cargo pallet, the pallet adapter including:
a panel assembly including frame members covered by one or more top skin panels and/or bottom skin panels;
one or more seat tracks mounted to the panel assembly; one or more seat track fittings positionable at discrete locations along the one or more seat tracks;
one or more flight test equipment support beams mounted to the seat tracks via the seat track fittings; and
one or more flight test equipment units mounted to the one or more flight test equipment support beams.

2. The pallet system of claim 1 , wherein the pallet adapter further includes:
a flight test equipment support panel mounted on top of the flight test equipment support beams in spaced relation to the top of the panel assembly and supporting one or more flight test equipment units.

3. The pallet system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shim interposed between a pallet lock and a pallet support beam, the shim having a thickness configured to limit vertical movement of the pallet support beam relative to a cargo compartment floor.

4. The pallet system of claim 1 , further including:
at least one seat having a seat base mounted to seat tracks on the panel assembly for accommodating an occupant.

5. The pallet system of claim 1 , wherein:
one or more of the flight test equipment units are configured as electronics.

6. The pallet system of claim 1 , wherein:
one or more of the flight test equipment units are configured as ballast tanks.

7. The pallet system of claim 1 , further including:
at least one flexible conduit connector coupling fluid conduits of an immediately adjacent pair of pallet assemblies.

8. An aircraft, comprising:
a cargo compartment floor having one or more pallet locks;
a plurality of pallet assemblies secured to the cargo compartment floor, at least one of the pallet assemblies including:
a cargo pallet having a flat, orthogonal shape;
a pallet adapter sized and shaped complementary to the cargo pallet and mechanically fastened to an upper side of the cargo pallet, the pallet adapter including:
a panel assembly formed of frame members covered by one or more top and bottom skin panels and having a hollow interior;
one or more seat tracks mounted to the panel assembly;
one or more seat track fittings positionable at discrete locations along the one or more seat tracks;
one or more flight test equipment support beams mounted to the seat tracks via the seat track fittings; and

one or more flight test equipment units mounted to the one or more flight test equipment support beams.

9. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein:
the one or more flight test equipment units of two or more panel assemblies being electrically and/or communicatively coupled by one or more electrical connectors on terminal ends of electrical wiring extending out of the panel assemblies.

10. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein:
at least two of the pallet assemblies each include at least one ballast tank and being fluidly coupled by fluid conduits; and
at least one flexible conduit connector coupling the fluid conduits of an immediately adjacent pair of pallet assemblies.

11. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein:
at least one pair of the pallet assemblies are positioned in forward-aft or side-by-side relation to one another on the cargo compartment floor and defining a gap between perimeter edges of the pallet assemblies; and
one or more gap covers installed over the gap between the pallet assemblies.

12. A method of installing flight test equipment in an aircraft, comprising:
mounting one or more flight test equipment units on a plurality of pallet
assemblies, at least one of the pallet assemblies including a cargo pallet and a pallet adapter sized complementary to the cargo
pallet and attached to an upper side thereof, the pallet adapter including: a panel assembly;
one or more seat tracks mounted to the panel assembly; one or more seat track fittings positionable at discrete locations along the one or more seat tracks; and
one or more flight test equipment support beams mounted to the seat tracks via the seat track fittings and supporting the one or more flight test equipment units;
interconnecting the flight test equipment units of the pallet assemblies to form a flight test equipment setup;
testing the flight test equipment setup in an off aircraft location; and
installing the pallet assemblies on a cargo compartment floor of the aircraft.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
locking the pallets assemblies in position on the cargo compartment floor using one or more pallet locks.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
limiting vertical movement of at least one of the pallet assemblies using a shim interposed between a pallet support beam and a pallet lock.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of mounting one or more flight test equipment units:
mounting at least one passenger seat to at least one of the pallet assemblies.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
adjusting a forward-aft position of at least one of the flight test equipment units using seat tracks coupled to at least one of the pallet assemblies.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
electrically interconnecting at least two of the flight test equipment units using wiring connectors extending out of wiring holes formed in one or more of the panel assemblies.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
fluidly connecting fluid conduits of ballast tanks mounted to adjacent pallet assemblies using a flexible conduit connector.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pallet adapter further includes a flight test equipment support panel mounted on top of the flight test equipment support beams, the step of mounting one or more flight test equipment units on a plurality of pallet assemblies comprising:
supporting at least one flight test equipment unit on the flight test equipment support panel.

20. The pallet system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shim interposed between a pallet lock and a pallet support beam, the shim configured to limit vertical movement and horizontal movement of the pallet support beam relative to a cargo compartment floor.

21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
limiting vertical movement and horizontal movement of at least one of the pallet assemblies using a shim interposed between a pallet support beam and a pallet lock.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Brown Luke

Classifications

• B64D9/00

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

• B64F5/60 Primary

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• B64D11/0696

  Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails · CPC title

• B64C1/20

  specially adapted for freight · CPC title

• B64D9/003

  Devices for retaining pallets or freight containers · CPC title