Flexible over the wing passenger loading bridge
First Claim
1. A passenger loading bridge for servicing an aircraft having a rear doorway aft of or over a wing, comprising:
- a first passageway member pivotally coupled at an inboard end thereof to a rotunda and supported close to an outboard end thereof by a ground support member;
a telescopic passageway member having an inboard end and an outboard end and including at least two passageway elements, one that is telescopically received within the other such that a distance between the inboard end and the outboard end of the telescopic passageway member is variable, the telescopic passageway member for being supported in a cantilever-like fashion such that the telescopic passageway member is moveable over the wing of the aircraft;
a flexible connection disposed for pivotally coupling the outboard end of the first passageway member and the inboard end of the telescopic passageway member, and for supporting a vertical swinging motion of the outboard end of the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member;
an adjustable support mechanism mounted at a first end thereof to a surface of the first passageway member and mounted at a second opposite end thereof to a surface of the telescopic passageway member, for vertically swinging the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member in a controllable manner;
an actuator coupled to the adjustable support mechanism, for driving the adjustable support mechanism so as to vertically swing the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member in the controllable manner; and
, an electrical controller in communication with the actuator for providing a control signal to the actuator, the control signal for use by the actuator to controllably vary the angle between the first passageway member and the telescopic passageway member about the flexible connection.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus for moving passengers between an airport terminal building and a doorway of an aircraft located rearward of a wing of the aircraft. The apparatus includes a first passageway member pivotally coupled at an inboard end thereof to a rotunda and supported close to an outboard end thereof by a ground support member. The apparatus also includes a telescopic passageway member that is pivotally mounted to the passageway member via a flexible connection disposed therebetween. The telescopic passageway member is for being supported in a cantilever-like fashion such that the telescopic passageway member is extensible over the wing of the aircraft, for servicing the doorway located rearward of the wing. An adjustable support mechanism is mounted at a first end thereof to a surface of the first passageway member and mounted at a second opposite end thereof to a surface of the telescopic passageway member, for vertically swinging the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member in a controllable manner. To this end, an actuator is coupled to the adjustable support mechanism, for driving the adjustable support mechanism so as to vertically swing the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member in the controllable manner, under the control of an electrical controller.
44 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A passenger loading bridge for servicing an aircraft having a rear doorway aft of or over a wing, comprising:
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a first passageway member pivotally coupled at an inboard end thereof to a rotunda and supported close to an outboard end thereof by a ground support member;
a telescopic passageway member having an inboard end and an outboard end and including at least two passageway elements, one that is telescopically received within the other such that a distance between the inboard end and the outboard end of the telescopic passageway member is variable, the telescopic passageway member for being supported in a cantilever-like fashion such that the telescopic passageway member is moveable over the wing of the aircraft;
a flexible connection disposed for pivotally coupling the outboard end of the first passageway member and the inboard end of the telescopic passageway member, and for supporting a vertical swinging motion of the outboard end of the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member;
an adjustable support mechanism mounted at a first end thereof to a surface of the first passageway member and mounted at a second opposite end thereof to a surface of the telescopic passageway member, for vertically swinging the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member in a controllable manner;
an actuator coupled to the adjustable support mechanism, for driving the adjustable support mechanism so as to vertically swing the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member in the controllable manner; and
,an electrical controller in communication with the actuator for providing a control signal to the actuator, the control signal for use by the actuator to controllably vary the angle between the first passageway member and the telescopic passageway member about the flexible connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of automatically aligning a passenger loading bridge to an aircraft having a rear doorway aft of or over a wing, the passenger loading bridge having an aircraft engaging end including a first passageway member that is coupled at an outboard end thereof to an inboard end of a telescopic passageway member via a flexible connection, the method comprising:
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providing the passenger loading bridge;
moving the aircraft engaging end of the passenger loading bridge over the wing of the aircraft and toward an expected stopping position for the rear doorway of the aircraft;
providing a control signal to an actuator of the passenger loading bridge, the control signal for use by the actuator for driving an adjustable support mechanism of the passenger loading bridge; and
,in dependence upon the provided control signal, controllably adjusting the adjustable support mechanism so as to effect a change to an angle between the first passageway member and the telescopic passageway member about the flexible connection, such that a known minimum clearance is maintained between the aircraft engaging end of the passenger loading bridge and the wing of the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A passenger loading bridge for servicing an aircraft having a rear doorway aft of or over a wing, the passenger loading bridge comprising:
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a first passageway member having a length, an inboard end and an outboard end distal from the inboard end, the first passageway member pivotally coupled at the inboard end thereof to a rotunda, the outboard end for being positioned in a direction toward an aircraft;
a telescopic passageway member having an inboard end and an outboard end and including at least two passageway elements, one that is telescopically received within the other such that a distance between the inboard end and the outboard end of the telescopic passageway member is variable, the telescopic passageway member for being supported in a cantilever-like fashion such that the telescopic passageway member is extensible over a wing of an aircraft;
a flexible connection disposed between the first passageway member and the telescopic passageway member for pivotally coupling the outboard end of the first passageway member and the inboard end of the telescopic passageway member, for supporting a vertical swinging motion of the outboard end of the telescopic passageway member relative to the inboard end of the telescopic passageway member and about an approximately horizontal axis; and
,a height-adjustable support member mounted to an external surface of the first passageway member at a point along the length of the first passageway member that is distal from the outboard end of the first passageway member, such that the flexible connection is positionable above and approximately aligned with a highest point of a wing of an aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A passenger loading bridge for servicing an aircraft having a rear doorway aft of or over a wing, the passenger loading bridge comprising:
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a first passageway member pivotally coupled at an inboard end thereof to a rotunda and supported close to an outboard end thereof by a ground support member;
a telescopic passageway member having an inboard end and an outboard end and including at least two passageway elements, one that is telescopically received within the other such that a distance between the inboard end and the outboard end of the telescopic passageway member is variable, the telescopic passageway member for being supported in a cantilever-like fashion such that the telescopic passageway member is moveable over the wing of an aircraft;
a flexible connection for pivotally coupling the outboard end of the first passageway member and the inboard end of the telescopic passageway member, for supporting a vertical swinging motion of the outboard end of the telescopic passageway member relative to the first passageway member; and
,an adjustable support system comprising;
at least a lift mechanism having a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end, a distance between the first end and the second end being controllably variable, the first end of the at least a lift mechanism pivotally mounted to a surface of the first passageway member at a location elevationally below a ceiling member thereof and proximate an end thereof, and the second end of the at least a lift mechanism pivotally mounted to a surface of the telescopic passageway member at a location elevationally below a ceiling member thereof and proximate an end thereof, the end of the first passageway member and the end of the telescopic passageway member being disposed in a facing arrangement one each on opposite sides of the flexible connection, such that varying the distance between the first end and the second end of the at least a lift mechanism effects a change to the angle between the first passageway member and the telescopic passageway member about the flexible connection. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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Specification