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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
CARGO SYSTEM ROLLER/LOCK/POWER DRIVE UNIT TRAY INTEGRATION
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2006/049778
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
An apparatus (400) is provided for housing cargo-moving devices (104, 106, 208) in a cargo handling system. The apparatus comprises a variable width tray (300) having a wide section (302), a narrow section (304), and a transition section (306) for connecting the narrow section to the wide section. The narrow section is configured to house narrow cargo-moving devices such as rollers (104) and lock/stops (106), while the wide section is configured to house wide cargo-moving devices such as power drive units (208). The variable width tray can be further configured to mount within a transport vehicle such as a commercial aircraft.

Inventors:
CLOS WILLIAM R (US)
WHITAKER KAREN S (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2005/035442
Publication Date:
May 11, 2006
Filing Date:
October 03, 2005
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
BOEING CO (US)
CLOS WILLIAM R (US)
WHITAKER KAREN S (US)
International Classes:
B64D9/00; B60P7/13; B65G13/12
Foreign References:
FR1390447A1965-02-26
EP1415908A22004-05-06
FR1390447A1965-02-26
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Woo, Euclid (MC 110-SD54 P.O. Box 251, Seal Beach CA, US)
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Claims:
CLAIMS
1. A variable width tray [300] for housing cargomoving devices [104, 106, 208], comprising: a first portion [304] of the variable width tray having a first width; a second portion [302] of the variable width tray having a second width that is greater than the first width; and a transition section [306] configured to connect the first portion of the variable width tray to the second portion of the variable width tray.
2. The variable width tray of claim 1 wherein the first portion and second portion of the variable width tray are configured to house cargomoving devices.
3. The variable width tray of claim 1 wherein the first portion has an internal width corresponding to a standard width.
4. The variable width tray of claim 3 wherein the standard width is 2.62 inches. 5.
5. The variable width tray of claim 1 wherein the second portion has an internal width corresponding to a standard width.
6. The variable width tray of claim 5 wherein the standard width is 3.937 inches.
7. The variable width tray of claim 1 wherein the first portion, the second portion and the transition section are fabricated by an extrusion process or by a machining process.
8. The variable width tray of claim 2 wherein the cargomoving devices comprise rollers [104].
9. The variable width tray of claim 2 wherein the cargomoving devices comprise locks/stops [106].
10. The variable width tray of claim 2 wherein the cargomoving devices comprise power drive units [208].
Description:
CARGO SYSTEM ROLLER/LOCK/POWER DRIVE UNIT TRAY INTEGRATION

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention generally relates to cargo handling systems, and more particularly relates to the integration of rollers, locks and power drive units into trays within a cargo handling system.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Cargo handling systems are typically used for moving palletized and/or containerized cargo into and out of cargo compartments in transport vehicles such as commercial aircraft, as well as others. The structure of a cargo handling system typically includes channels, herein designated as "trays", that are generally oriented in the fore/aft direction of the transport vehicle. Presently, trays are created in various dimensions to accommodate different shipping needs. A relatively narrow tray structure, for example, typically provides the mounting enclosure for correspondingly narrow cargo-moving devices (e.g., rollers and locks/stops), and can offer the benefits of reduced weight and lower cost as compared to a wider tray structure which is typically used for correspondingly wider cargo- moving devices.

[0003] A relatively narrow tray structure, however, may not be wide enough to accommodate current-technology power drive units that are the electromechanical actuators used to drive and to brake cargo pallets and containers. As such, a relatively narrow type of tray structure is often configured with power drive units that are supported by an additional dedicated structure within the transport vehicle, and this added structure can be disadvantageous with respect to cost and weight considerations. Alternatively, a wider tray structure with correspondingly wider cargo-moving devices is generally capable of directly housing current-technology power drive units, but the wider tray structure is typically heavier than the narrower tray structure. Therefore, the utilization of conventional tray structures (narrow or wide) typically represents a compromise in cargo handling system cost and weight considerations.

[0004] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a cargo handling system tray structure that combines the advantages of both the narrow and the wide tray designs while minimizing their traditional disadvantages. In addition, it is desirable to provide a cargo handling system tray structure that is relatively simple and economical to manufacture. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0005] According to various exemplary embodiments, a tray structure is provided for housing cargo-moving devices in a cargo handling system. One embodiment comprises a variable width tray having a wide section, a narrow section, and a transition section for connecting the narrow section to the wide section. The narrow section is configured to house narrow cargo-moving devices such as rollers and lock/stops, while the wide section is configured to house wide cargo-moving devices such as power drive units. The variable width tray can be further configured to mount within a transport vehicle such as a commercial aircraft.

[0006] The narrow section of the exemplary variable width tray is typically configured with an internal width of 2.62 inches to be compatible with existing standard narrow cargo-moving devices. The wide section of the exemplary variable width tray is typically configured with an internal width compatible with industry usage, including a commonly used width of 3.937 inches. In addition, it will be appreciated that the exemplary variable width tray can be configured with other narrow and wide internal widths in order to accommodate different sizes of cargo-moving devices in accordance with a particular application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and

[0008] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a conventional narrow tray structure for a cargo handling system;

[0009] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a conventional wide tray structure for a cargo handling system;

[0010] FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a variable width tray; and

[0011] FIG. 4 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a variable width tray structure housing cargo-moving devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description.

[0013] Various embodiments of the present invention pertain to the area of cargo handling system trays that are typically used to house the various cargo-moving devices, such as rollers, ball transfer units, locks/stops, power drive units, braking rollers, and so forth. Moreover, cargo handling systems for the commercial aircraft industry have traditionally incorporated trays with standardized internal widths, including a "narrow" 2.62 inch width, and a "wide" 3.937 inch width, among others, and there is generally a significant inventory of cargo-moving devices that will fit these basic tray widths.

[0014] Conventional narrow (e.g., 2.62 inches) trays have generally been configured to house correspondingly narrow cargo-moving devices, but can generally not accommodate the relatively wide current-technology power drive units without an added support fixture, thereby increasing the weight and complexity of the overall narrow tray structure.

Conventional wide (e.g., 3.937 inches) trays are typically designed to house correspondingly wide cargo-moving devices, including current-technology power drive units, but the wide trays and wide cargo-moving devices are generally heavier than the narrow tray structures. In an exemplary embodiment to be described below, a variable width tray configuration combines the desirable features of both narrow and wide trays in an optimally integrated structure.

[0015] A typical narrow tray structure 100 is illustrated in the simplified drawing of FIG. 1. In this conventional narrow configuration, a tray 102 is typically standardized to an internal width A on the order of 2.62 inches. Within tray 102 are typically mounted correspondingly narrow cargo devices such as rollers 104 and lock/stop 106. As noted previously, current- technology power drive units (hereinafter designated as "PDUs") are generally too wide to fit inside a standard narrow tray. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, a PDU 108 is typically mounted in some type of dedicated structure 110 that is external to tray 102. As such, structure 110 represents an additional weight for the transport vehicle, and an additional cost to install and maintain.

[0016] The conventional alternative to narrow tray structure 100 is a wide tray structure 200, as illustrated in the simplified drawing of FIG. 2. In this conventional wide configuration, a tray 202 is typically standardized to current industry usage, such as an internal width B of 3.937 inches. Tray 202 is generally wide enough to accommodate not only correspondingly wide cargo devices such as a roller 204 and a lock/stop 206, but also a current- technology PDU 208. As such, a dedicated external structure is generally not required for housing PDU 208, but the additional weight of wide tray 202 and wide cargo devices 204, 206, as compared to the weight of narrow tray 102 with narrow cargo devices 104, 106, is still disadvantageous for a transport vehicle.

[0017] hi order to overcome the disadvantages of both the conventional narrow tray structure 100 and the conventional wide tray structure 200, a variable width tray configuration is depicted in FIG. 3. According to an exemplary embodiment of a variable width tray 300, a wide portion 302 is connected to a narrow portion 304 by a transition section 306. The narrow internal width A can be configured as the traditional standard width of 2.62 inches, and the wide internal width B can be configured as the traditional standard width of 3.937 inches or in accordance with other standard industry widths. It will be appreciated that these dimensions are merely exemplary, however, and other equivalent internal tray widths A and B

can also be configured for other standard or non-standard widths in order to be compatible with different types of cargo devices, including PDUs.

[0018] An exemplary embodiment of a variable width tray structure 400 is illustrated in simplified form in FIG. 4. An exemplary variable width tray 300 is configured with a wide portion 302, a narrow portion 304, and a transition portion 306 that integrates wide portion

302 with narrow portion 304. In this exemplary embodiment, wide portion 302 houses wide devices such as PDU 208, and narrow portion 304 houses narrow devices such as rollers 104 and lock/stop 106. As such, narrow cargo devices 104, 106 housed in narrow tray portion 304 minimize tray and cargo device weight, while PDU 208 is housed in wide tray portion 302 to preclude the need for a dedicated external mounting structure.

[0019] Accordingly, the shortcomings of the prior art have been overcome by providing an improved cargo-handling tray configuration. A variable width tray incorporates a narrow portion to house relatively lightweight narrow cargo devices and also incorporates a wide portion to house wider devices such as a PDU. In this manner, the overall weight of the variable width tray structure can be reduced from that of either a conventional narrow tray with an external PDU mounting structure or a conventional wide tray with correspondingly wide cargo devices.

[0020] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof.