Aircraft maintenance apparatus and method of maintaining aircraft
First Claim
1. An apparatus for maintaining an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
- a mobile base having a plurality of wheel members for allowing said mobile base to travel along surfaces and a plurality of support surface registering members for registering said mobile base to a support surface to inhibit movement of the plurality of wheel members;
a boom member having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted to said mobile base, said boom member being movable between a retracted position and an extended position; and
an aircraft maintenance tool connected to a distal end portion of said boom member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and methods are provided for performing maintenance procedures such as washing, cleaning, deicing, and painting to an aircraft. The apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention preferably has a mobile base having a plurality of wheel members for allowing the mobile base to travel along surfaces and a plurality of support surface registering members for registering the mobile base to a support surface to inhibit movement of the plurality of wheel members. The apparatus also preferably has a boom member having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted to the mobile base and being movable between a retracted position and an extended position and an aircraft maintenance tool rotatably connected to a distal end portion of the boom member,
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Citations
81 Claims
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1. An apparatus for maintaining an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
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a mobile base having a plurality of wheel members for allowing said mobile base to travel along surfaces and a plurality of support surface registering members for registering said mobile base to a support surface to inhibit movement of the plurality of wheel members;
a boom member having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted to said mobile base, said boom member being movable between a retracted position and an extended position; and
an aircraft maintenance tool connected to a distal end portion of said boom member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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12. An apparatus for maintaining a transport vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a mobile base mounted to said transport vehicle and being readily separable from said transport vehicle;
a boom member having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted to said mobile base, said boom member being movable between a retracted position and an extended position; and
an aircraft maintenance tool rotatably connected to a distal end portion of said boom member.
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23. An apparatus for maintaining an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
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a mobile base including rotating means for providing rotational movement of said mobile base on a support surface;
a boom member having a proximal end portion rotatably mounted to said mobile base; and
an aircraft maintenance tool connected to a distal end portion of said boom member.
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35. An aircraft maintenance tool for maintaining an aircraft, the maintenance tool comprising:
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a tool housing;
a pair of cleaning brushes having at least portions thereof mounted in said tool housing; and
driving means connected to said tool housing for rotatably driving said pair of cleaning brushes in opposite rotational directions.
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45. A maintenance tool comprising:
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a tool housing;
a pair of roll members having at least portions thereof mounted in said tool housing; and
driving means connected to said tool housing for rotatably driving said pair of roll members in opposite rotational directions.
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55. An aircraft maintenance tool for maintaining an aircraft, the maintenance tool comprising:
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a tool housing;
a nozzle connected to said tool housing; and
nozzle moving means connected to said tool housing for pivotally moving said nozzle in a first plane and for pivotally moving said nozzle in a second different plane. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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58. A method of maintaining an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
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rotating a boom member connected to a base;
extending the boom member from a retracted position; and
rotating an aircraft maintenance tool connected to the boom member during operation of a maintenance procedure upon an aircraft.
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66. A method of treating a surface, the method comprising:
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providing a pair of roll members having surface treating means associated therewith; and
rotationally driving the pair of roll members in opposite rotational directions. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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72. A mobile vehicle, the mobile vehicle comprising:
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a base having at least upper and lower portions;
a drive connected to said base; and
a plurality of wheels connected to a lower portion of said base and connected to said drive so that said plurality wheels responsively move said base in at least three different directions responsive to said drive, each of said wheels including a hub and a plurality of roller members dispersed around said hub. - View Dependent Claims (81)
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Specification