Air cargo transport system

• US 20020159869A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takasu, Toru, Fukuhara, Yugo
• Granted Patent: US 7,343,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/398
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/00 Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations specially adapted for captive aircraft B64F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/3055 with hinged head interface between aircraft and passenger bridge
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/324 Luggage loaders specially adapted for loading individual luggage items into or out of the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/368 Arrangements or installations for routing, distributing or loading baggage

Abstract

The cargo transport system according to this invention employs a tow vehicle that can automatically follow and run upon guide lines. The tow vehicle can tow cargo laden equipment such as container dollies to thereby automatically transport the air cargo. The air cargo is conveyed by an underground air cargo conveyor mechanism which has the conveyor line including the guide line installed underground to link the air cargo holding area in the airport terminal building and the aircraft parking area. Further, the system connects the loading/unloading cargo door of the aircraft and the underground loading/unloading position for the underground air cargo conveyor mechanism by an air cargo elevator.

Claims

1. An air cargo transport system having guide lines which connect an air cargo holding area in an airport terminal building with an aircraft parking area on a tarmac, and auto-running tow vehicles for conveying air cargo which can automatically run along the guide lines, comprising:

a plurality of branch marks at each branch guiding said auto-running tow vehicles to the aircraft parking area; and

a plurality of stop marks which cause said auto-running tow vehicle to stop at a desired aircraft parking area by reading said stop mark provided along said guide line in order to automatically tow the air cargo from the air cargo holding area in the airport terminal building to the aircraft parking area.

2. An air cargo transport system according to claim 1, wherein said auto-running tow vehicle is equipped with a sensor that detects obstacles in front of said vehicle, and said vehicle automatically stops when said obstacle is detected.

3. An air cargo transport system according to claim 1, which has underground conveyor lines including said guide lines that connect the air cargo holding area in the airport with the aircraft parking area, comprising:

an air cargo conveyor mechanism installed underground; and

an air cargo elevator which connects said air cargo conveyor mechanism with the ground level to lift or lower the air cargo;

wherein said air cargo elevator comprises an elevator compartment which ascends and descends from the underground loading/unloading position for said air cargo conveyor mechanism to the ground level, and a loading mechanism which loads the air cargo towards a cargo loading/unloading door of the aircraft to transport the air cargo underground between the cargo holding area in the airport terminal building and the aircraft parking area.