TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is referred to a device and to an apparatus to secure a vehicle to a platform, and to a vehicle comprising said device, which can be applied to any context where securing a vehicle to a platform is needed, i.e., but without limits to generality, in maritime transport sector, preferably on ships that carry vehicles such as airplanes, helicopters or air drones.

STATE OF THE ART

In maritime transport sector they are well known the ships that carry vehicles such as airplanes, helicopters, or air drones.

In this context, devices are known that allow to secure said vehicles to a platform placed on the ship, for example, on the ship’s deck, which includes a grid having a plurality of holes.

Known devices basically comprise a couple of clamps suitable to clasp to the grid and a hydraulic or electro-hydraulic jack connected on the one side to the clamps and to the other to the vehicle’s frame. The jack is activated when the clamps hook the grid so to generate a strength that tends to move close and tighten the vehicle to the grid.

Such known devices, even if widely used, present some drawbacks that are intrinsically linked to their configuration and constructive philosophy.

A first disadvantage consists in the fact that those already-known devices are quite bulky, especially regarding height. In fact, the use of such known devices is considered acceptable as long as they are used on large aircrafts, for example intended for the transport of one or more person, but it is very disadvantageous in small aircrafts, such as unmanned aircrafts and/or helicopter (drones, VTOL, and so on).

Furthermore, another disadvantage linked to the previous one is that these known devices are also very heavy, making the dynamic performances and fuel consumption of vehicles to which they are applied worse, especially if these vehicles are small.

Another disadvantage is that the known devices need a hydraulic circuit that must be integrated on the vehicle comprising the device. The presence of the hydraulic circuit and the its oil complicate the vehicle construction and constitute an additional potential cause of malfunction or failure that worsens the vehicle reliability.

Therefore, there is the need to improve a device and an apparatus to secure an aircraft to a platform and a vehicle comprising said device, which can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

In particular, a scope of the present invention is to make a device and apparatus to secure a vehicle to a platform that has compact dimensions.

Another scope of the present invention is to make a device and apparatus to secure a vehicle to a platform that has a low weight.

Another scope of the present invention is to make a device and apparatus to secure a vehicle to a platform that does not need a hydraulic circuit for its operation.

To overcome the disadvantages of the known technology and to obtain these and additional scopes and advantages, the Applicant has studied, tested, and manufactured the present invention

INVENTION SUMMARY

The present invention is expressed and characterized in independent claims. The dependent claims express different characteristics in respect to the present invention or variant to the main solution idea.

In line with the aforementioned scopes and to solve the aforementioned technical problem in a new and original way, obtaining also many advantages in respect to the state of art, a device by the present invention to secure a vehicle to a platform having a grid provided with a plurality of holes, comprises hooking means configured to selectively hook to said grid and movement means configured to move the hooking means along a movement direction.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, said movement means comprise at least a motion transmission flexible element to which are fixed said hooking means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said flexible element comprises a coupling portion configured to receive the motion from a motor member of said movement means, a fixing portion to which the hooking means are fixed, and at least a flexible portion interposed between said coupling portion and said fixing portion.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, said coupling portion is misaligned in respect to the fixing portion.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, in correspondence with said coupling portion said flexible element is substantially horizontal and at said fixing portion said flexible element is substantially vertical.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, said hooking means comprise a support body fixed to said fixing portion and to which one or more lever elements are hinging, each of which has a striker portion and a hooking portion angled each other and configured to cooperate with said grid.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, said lever elements are configured to rotate around a respective rotation axis to move from a rest position where said striker portion is substantially horizontal and said hooking portion is substantially vertical and it is disposed underneath the striker portion, to a working position where said striker portion is substantially vertical and said hooking portion is substantially horizontal and it is disposed underneath the striker portion, and vice versa.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, said hooking means also comprises a blocking member configured to selectively assume a unlock position, where it allows the rotation of said lever elements from said rest position to said working position, and vice versa, or a blocking position where it blocks the rotation of said lever elements from said working position to said rest position.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, said blocking member comprises an actuator member configured to selectively make a blocking element moving with respect to said lever elements from said unlock position where it allows the rotation of said lever elements to said blocking position where it passively blocks the rotation of said lever elements.

The present invention also refers to a vehicle that comprises a device in accordance with the present invention.

The present invention also refers to an apparatus to secure a vehicle to a platform, where said apparatus comprises a grid on which a plurality of holes is made and which has an external surfaced configured to receive said vehicle and an internal surface opposite to the external surface and a device in accordance with the present invention and wherein said hooking means are configured to insert at least partially in one of said holes and selectively hook to the internal surface of said grid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear thanks to the following description of some embodiments, supplied as an example, not limitative, with reference to the annex drawings, where:

- Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle which comprises a device in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;

- Fig. 2 is an axonometric projection view of a device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

- Fig. 3 is a partially sectional view of the device of fig.2;

- Fig.4 is a view from above of a member of the device of fig.2;

- Fig. from 5 to 8 are section views in respect to section axis VI -VI, of the member in fig. 4, in respective phases of use.

It is specified that in the present description phraseology and terminology used, as well as the figures of the attached drawings even for how they have been described, have the only purpose to illustrate and better explain the present invention having an exemplary function not limitative of the invention itself, being the scope of protection defined by the claims.

To make the comprehension easier, identical reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the figures.

It should be understood that elements and characteristics of an embodiment can be suitably matched or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference to fig.l, a device 10, in accordance with the present invention, is configured to be boarded on a vehicle 110 and to secure it to a platform 90.

Specifically, the platform 90 that is discussed comprises at least a grid 91 on which a plurality of through holes 92 are made (fig. from 5 to 8), which are and spaced from each other by solid portions 93 of said grid 91. The grid 91 has an external surface 95 configured to receive a vehicle 110 and an internal surface 96 opposite to the external surface 95. Preferably, the holes 92 are spaced from each other regularly and the geometry of the grid 91 is defined by the international regulation STANAG 1276 or another comparable, similar, akin regulation.

The present invention is also referred to an apparatus 100 to secure a vehicle 1 10 to a platform and comprising a device 10 in accordance with the present invention and the grid 91.

In the example here supplied, the vehicle 110 (fig.1 ) is an aircraft that can be both with fix or rotary wings, and the platform 90 is placed on the deck of a vessel. However, the person skilled in the art understands that the device 10 of the present invention can also be applied to other types of vehicles, said as land, water or space vehicles which need to be firmly secured in proximity to a platform.

The device 10 comprises movement means 11 suitable to be fixed to the vehicle 1 10 and configured to move hooking means 12 along a direction of movement Z (fig. 2 and 3). Preferably the direction of movement Z is substantially vertical, that is parallel to the direction along which the gravity acts.

The movement means 11 comprise a motor member 13 configured to drive, directly or through intermediate transmission parts, a motion transmission flexible element 15 to which the hooking means 12 are connected.

Preferably, the motor member 13 is an electrical motor. Advantageously, in this way the device 10 doesn’t need hydraulic actuators.

In the example here supplied, the motor member 13 is connected to a gear 17 (fig.3) disposed inside a containing body 21 and it is configured to selectively rotate it. Furthermore, the flexible element 15 has a coupling portion 16 configured to couple with the gear 17, a fixing portion 20 to which are fixed the hooking means 12 and at least a flexible portion 19 interposed between the coupling portion 16 and the fixing portion 20.

The term “flexible” means that at least the flexible portion 19 can assume in a reversible way a curvilinear or angular shape. For example, the term “flexible” means that at least the flexible portion 19 can assume in a reversible way a curvilinear shape having a radius of curvature comparable, or minor, to the length of said flexible portion 19.

In some embodiments, the coupling portion 19 can be flexible. In other embodiments the coupling portion 19 can be rigid.

Moreover, in some embodiments, the fixing portion 20 can be flexible. In other embodiments the fixing portion 20 can be rigid.

In possible embodiments, the flexible element 15 is an armored cable known in the sector under the term of “push-pull” cable. However, in other embodiments not shown in the figures, the flexible element 15 can be a chain of any known type, a belt, a toothed belt, a zip chain, or whichever other comparable, similar, akin element.

The containing body 21 comprises a guide channel 22 in communication with the outside having an outlet opening 23 through which the flexible portion 19 and the fixing portion 20 of the flexible element 15 can come out.

During its use, the coupling portion 16 is mainly disposed inside the containing body 21, while the flexible portion 19 slides into the guide channel 22 and comes out from it and the fixing portion 20 is disposed outside the containing body 21.

The guide channel 22 is curved to provide to the flexible element 15 a curved shape whereby the coupling portion 16 is misaligned with respect to the fixing portion 20. Indeed, preferably, the fixing portion 20 is essentially parallel to the movement direction Z along which are moved the hooking means 12 and it is substantially vertical, while the coupling portion 16 is substantially horizontal.

Advantageously, thanks to this conformation the overall dimensions of movement means 12 are particularly reduced, especially considering the height and are, for example, smaller than 120 mm x 120 mm x 120 mm. Therefore, the device 10 of the present invention can be associated even to a small vehicle 110 without compromising its performances.

As an option, the containing body 21 can also comprise a second opening 25 essentially aligned with the coupling portion 16 of the flexible element 15 and from which can come out a member of the latter.

The motor member 13 is controlled from a control unit (not shown) and can rotate the gear 17 in a first rotation direction VI to make the flexible element 15 coming out from the containing body 21, for example to lower the hooking means 12 towards the platform 90 (fig.l).

Furthermore, the control unit can also control the motor member 13 to rotate the gear 17 in a second rotation direction V2 (fig.3), opposite to the first one, to make the flexible element 15 return into the containing body 21, for example to make the hooking means 12 return towards the vehicle 110 on which, in use, the device 10 is fixed.

Hooking means 12 are configured to selectively hook to the grid 91.

In the example supplied, the hooking means 12 comprise a support body 30 that has a central axis X and in which a seat 31 (fig. from 5 to 8) essentially symmetrical to the said central X axis has been made.

The support body 30 has an upper end 33 to which the fixing portion 20 of the flexible element 15 is fixed and a lower end 35 substantially pointy shaped and configured to be inserted at least partially inside on of the holes 92 of the grid 91.

The upper end 33 and the lower end 35 are connected to each other by intermediate portions 36 that develop in a single body from the upper end 33 to the lower end 35.

Onto the support body 30 are hinged lever elements 37 which can move between a rest position and a working position and having each a striker member portion 39 and a hooking portion 40 arranged angled one to the other.

In the example here supplied, with reference to fig. 4, the lever elements 37 are three and they are angled of about 120° to one another in respect to the central axis X. Moreover, the lever elements 37 have essentially an “L” shape and the striker member portion 39 is angled with respect to the hooking portion 40 of an angle of about 90° (fig. 5 to 8).

Every lever element 37 is hinged at least to an intermediate portion 36 through a pivot 38 disposed in the area where the striker portion 39 and the hooking portion 40 connect to each other in a single body and defining a rotation axis F for the respective lever element 37.

In rest position, the striker portion 39 is substantially horizontal while the hooking portion 40 is substantially vertical and it is disposed underneath the striker portion 39 (fig.5).

Instead, in the working position, the striker portion 39 is substantially vertical while the hooking portion 40 is substantially horizontal and it is placed underneath the striker portion 39 (fig.8).

The striker portion 39 is configured to cooperate with the external surface 95 of the grid 91 to bring the respective lever element 37 from the rest position to the working position in the moment in which, while using, the hooking means 12 are lowered towards the grid 91. The hooking portion 40 is configured to cooperate with the internal surface 96 of the grid 91 to bring the respective lever element 37 from the working position to the rest position in the moment in which, during use, the hooking means 12 are returned towards the vehicle 110, when the shoulder 52 is removed from the blocking position.

In particular, during the insertion of the support body 30 inside of a hole 92 each lever element 37 turns of 90° with respect to its rotational axis F moving from the rest position to the working position. Such rotation is a consequence of the fact that the lever element 37 is pivoted to the support body 30 and of the fact that during the insertion of this member into one hole 92 there is a relative movement between the support body 30 and the grid 91. Furthermore, the torque that, actually, causes the rotation is given by the reaction to the weight of the support body 30 that the grid 91 applies to the striker portions 39 that lean on the external surface 95 of the grid during the insertion of the support body 30 inside a hole 92 and, possibly, from a push driven by the flexible element 15. Please see like an example the sequence of figures from 5 to 8.

Instead, during extraction of the support body 30 from a hole 92 each lever element 37 turns of 90° in respect to its rotational axis F moving from the working position to the rest position. Such rotation is a consequence of the fact that the lever element 37 is pivoted to the support body 30 and of the fact that during the extraction of this last member from a hole 92 there is a relative movement between the support body 30 and the grid 91. Furthermore, the torque that, actually, causes such rotation, is given by the reaction to the traction force with which the flexible cable 15 pulls the support body 30, that the grid 91 applies to the hooking portions 40 that lead on the internal surface 96 of the grid during the extraction of the support body 30 from the hole 92. Please see like an example the sequence of figures from 8 to 5.

The internal portion 45 of each lever element 37 is configured to cooperate with the grid 91 and to allow the complete rotation of about 90° of the respective lever element 37 during the insertion of the support body 30 inside one of the holes 92 of the grid 91 without interfering with the grid itself.

As an option, to the fulcrum 38 of each lever element 37 it is linked a torsion spring (not shown) configured to hold the relative lever element 37 in the rest position.

The hooking means 12 also comprise a blocking member 49 (fig. from 5 to 8) configured to selectively assume an unlock position, where the rotation of said lever elements 37 from said rest position to said working position is allowed, and vice versa, or a blocking position where it blocks the rotation of said lever elements 37 from said working position to said rest position.

In the example here supplied, the blocking means 49 comprise an actuator member 50 disposed inside the seat 31 and configured to selectively move a blocking element 51 between the unlock position, where it allows the rotation of lever elements 37 around the respective rotation axis F, and the blocking position, where it blocks the rotation of lever elements 37 around the respective rotation axis F.

Preferably, said actuator 50 is a solenoid electrically operated. Advantageously, in this way the device 10 doesn’t need hydraulic actuators.

The blocking element 51 is sliding in respect to the lever elements 37, has a substantially cylindrical shape, and it substantially develops along the central axis X. Furthermore, the blocking element 51 has a shoulder 52 with a diameter able to contact the internal surface, that is the surface oriented towards the seat 31, of the striker portions 39 when lever elements 37 are in the working position. Furthermore, when the blocking member 49 is in the said blocking position, the shoulder 52 is placed underneath each rotational axis F and in this way, it blocks the rotation of each lever element 37 from the working position to the rest position.

As an option, the hooking means 12 also comprise elastic means 55 configured to hold for spring back the blocking element 51 in the blocking position.

Advantageously, the elastic means 55 allow to the blocking element 51 to reach more easily the blocking position.

In the present case the elastic means 55 comprise a spring 56 aligned to the central axis X and placed at one end of the blocking element 51. The spring is pressed between a reentrant portion 57 of the support body 30, which is jutting out towards the interior of the seat 31, and a flange 59 situated at said end of the blocking element 51 .

Preferably, the transition of the blocking element 51 from the unlock position to the locking position can happen thanks to the action of the elastic means 55 that, for spring back, lead said blocking element 51 from the unlock position to the locking position. In particular, the elastic means 55 lead to the displacement of the locking element 51 along the central axis X, till the shoulder 52 is in contact with the striker portions 39 of the lever elements 37 and in a position that opposes their rotation from the working position to the rest position (fig.8).

As an alternative, or in addition, in some feasible embodiments, to make the blocking element 51 moving from the unlock position to the locking position, the control unit activates the actuator member 50 which pushes the blocking element 51 along the central axis X and until it leads the shoulder 52 in contact with the striker portion 39 of the lever elements 37 and in a position opposite to their rotation from the working position to the rest position (fig.8). In these cases, the actuator member 50 can be an electrical motor, controlled by an inverter and suitable to work in both directions.

It must be noted that the blocking element 51 opposes their rotation from the working position to the rest position in a passive way, thanks to its compressive strength. Advantageously, it makes the blocking member 49 reliable also in case of damages or malfunctioning.

To make the blocking element 51 pass from the blocking position to the unlock position, for example if the vehicle 110 should be moved from the platform 90, the control unit activates the actuator member 50 that pulls towards itself the blocking element 51 along the central axis X and till the shoulder 52 doesn’t oppose the rotation of the lever elements 37 from the working position to the rest position (fig.6).

It is clear that to the device 10, the apparatus 100 and the vehicle 110 described up to here, it can be brought changes and/or added parts, without exiting from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Even though the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, it is also clear that an expert skilled in the art can develop other equivalent shapes of the device and apparatus to secure a vehicle to a platform and of vehicle comprising such device, having the characteristics expressed in the claims and therefore all belonging to the scope of protection defined by them.

In the claims that follows, the references in brackets have the only purpose of simplifying the reading and must not be considered as limiting factors of the scope of protection defined by the claims.