MOBILE TRANSPORTER SERVICING UNIT FOR AN OPERATIONAL GROUND SUPPORT SYSTEM

• US 20070007389A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Johnson, Richard, McCoskey, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,575,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/118.500
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/405 Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/305 Bridges extending between terminal building and aircraft, e.g. telescopic, vertically adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/31 Passenger vehicles specially adapted to co-operate, e.g. dock, with aircraft or terminal buildings
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/35 for supplying electrical power to stationary aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/36 Other airport installations ground installations for de-icing aircraft B64F5/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

A mobile ground servicing unit (470) includes a stand-alone support structure (471). Wheels (473) are coupled to the support structure (471). The support structure (471) has one or more servicing levels (472, 474) that are associated with services. A ground support service sub-system is coupled to the servicing levels and is configured to mate with a service opening (26″) of an aircraft (12′″). The ground support service sub-system provides the services to the aircraft (12′″) through the service opening (26″) and on the servicing levels (472, 474).

Claims

1. A mobile ground servicing unit comprising:

a stand-alone support structure;

a plurality of wheels coupled to said support structure;

at least one servicing level on said support structure and associated with a plurality of services; and

at least one ground support service sub-system coupled to said at least one servicing level and configured to mate with at least one service opening of at least one aircraft;

said at least one ground support service sub-system providing said plurality of services to said at least one aircraft through said at least one service opening and on said at least one service level.

2. A servicing unit as in claim 1 wherein said at least one servicing level comprises a plurality of servicing levels, said at least one ground support service sub-system providing said plurality of services over said plurality of service levels.

3. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising:

a first level comprising at least one service sub-system selected from a passenger ingress/egress system and a secondary service system; and

a second level comprising at least one service sub-system selected from a cargo ingress/egress system and a primary service system.

4. A servicing unit as in claim 1 wherein said at least one ground support service sub-system is selected from at least one of a passenger ingress/egress system, a cargo ingress/egress system, an primary service system, an secondary service system, a security system, and a health and maintenance monitoring system.

5. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising:

a first level; and

a second level;

each of said first level and said second level comprising at least one service sub-system selected from a passenger ingress/egress system, a cargo ingress/egress system, a primary service system, and a secondary service system.

6. A terminal as in claim 5 wherein said primary service system is selected from at least one of a fuel system, a power system, an electrical power system, a water system, an air system, and a brake cooling system.

7. A terminal as in claim 5 wherein said secondary service system provides services selected from at least one of cabin cleaning services, galley services, lavatories, and trash services to said at least one aircraft.

8. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of ingress and egress sides.

9. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising an ingress side that is different than said egress side.

10. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising a cargo gate ramp for passing of said plurality of services thereover.

11. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising a lift platform.

12. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising a cargo platform.

13. A servicing unit as in claim 1 wherein said at least one servicing level accommodates simultaneous ingress and egress of passengers and cargo.

14. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising a main station controlling passage of primary services between said at least one servicing level and said at least one aircraft.

15. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising primary service couplers for attachment to an onboard aircraft service system.

16. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising primary service pumps for passage of said plurality of services.

17. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising at least one primary service holding unit.

18. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising a docking port that is configured to couple to a nose of said at least one aircraft.

19. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising a docking port that is configured to couple to a side of said at least one aircraft.

20. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising mating system for coupling said at least one ground support service sub-system to said at least one aircraft.

21. A servicing unit as in claim 1 wherein said aircraft terminal mating system is in the form of a machine vision technology system.

22. A mobile servicing unit comprising:

a stand alone support structure;

a plurality of wheels coupled to said support structure;

a first level on said support structure comprising a first sub-system having at least one service system selected from a passenger service system and a secondary service system; and

a second level on said support structure comprising a second sub-system having at least one service system selected from a cargo service system and a primary service system;

said first level and said second level configured to mate with at least one service opening of at least one aircraft.

23. A servicing unit as in claim 22 further comprising:

at least one coupler for attachment to said at least one aircraft;

at least one sensor; and

a main station coupled to said at least one sensor and to said at least one coupler and detecting mating status of said sub-systems with said at least one aircraft.

24. A method of loading/unloading an aircraft comprising:

aligning a mobile servicing unit having at least one level to an aircraft;

coupling said mobile servicing unit to said aircraft; and

passing a plurality of services between said mobile servicing unit and said aircraft.

25. A method as in claim 24 wherein said plurality of services are simultaneously passed through a single side of said mobile servicing unit to said aircraft.