CARGO AIRCRAFT SYSTEM

• US 20100276538A1
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosphere Aerospace, LLC
• Original Assignee: Biosphere Aerospace, LLC
• Inventors: Helou, Elie JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,608,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/118.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/00 Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use

Abstract

An aircraft for transporting a plurality of cargo containers comprising a forward fairing, an empennage and a spine disposed between the forward fairing and the empennage. The spine is made of a lightweight structure such that the aircraft has insufficient rigidity to withstand bending and tortional loads in flight. A cargo assembly comprising a plurality of modular cargo units is structurally and detachably mounted onto the spine to provide the additional structure to the aircraft required for it to fully withstand the bending and tortional loads of the aircraft in flight. Mounts may be provided to detachably engage the cargo assembly to the spine of the aircraft.

Claims

1. A cargo assembly configured to be structurally integrated to a spine of an aircraft, the cargo assembly comprising:

a plurality of modular cargo units;

a first load transfer system comprising a plurality of first attachments to removably couple adjacent modular cargo units; and

a second load transfer system comprising a plurality of second attachments to removably mount and structurally integrate the cargo assembly to the spine of the aircraft; and

wherein the first and second load transfer systems distribute the aerodynamic load of the aircraft in flight between the plurality of modular cargo units and the spine of the aircraft.

2. The cargo assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modular cargo units comprise one or more structural frames having defined spaces to accommodate cargo.

3. The cargo assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modular cargo units comprise one or more containers.

4. The cargo assembly of claim 1, comprising a combination of one or more structural frames and one or more containers.

5. The cargo assembly of claim 1, wherein the first load transfer system further comprises a plurality of interconnecting hinge assemblies associated with at least two of the plurality of modular cargo units.

6. The cargo assembly of claim 1, wherein the first load transfer system further comprises one or more splices to couple adjacent modular cargo units.

7. The cargo assembly of claim 6, wherein the one or more splices are disposed on an opposing side of the cargo assembly to a mounted side of the cargo assembly.

8. The cargo assembly of claim 1, wherein the first load transfer system further comprises a tensioning system disposed within at least one of the modular cargo units.

9. A cargo assembly configured to be structurally integrated to a spine of an aircraft, the cargo assembly comprising:

a plurality of modular cargo units;

first attachments configured to structurally couple and integrate the plurality of cargo units into a single assembly;

second attachments configured to structurally integrate the single assembly with the aircraft spine;

wherein the plurality of cargo units is arranged within the single assembly based on a weight of each one of the respective cargo units to obtain a center of gravity of the aircraft and the cargo assembly attached thereon within a range acceptable for flight.

10. The cargo assembly of claim 9, wherein the modular cargo units are comprised of any one or a combination of structural frames and/or containers.

11. The cargo assembly of claim 9, wherein the cargo units are each constructed to support a range of maximum cargo loads.

12. The cargo assembly of claim 9, wherein the cargo units having the highest maximum cargo loads are arranged at or near the center of gravity of the unloaded aircraft.

13. An aircraft for transporting a plurality of cargo containers comprising:

a forward fairing;

an empennage;

a spine disposed between the forward fairing and the empennage; and

a cargo assembly configured to be detachably integrated with the spine;

wherein the spine has a lightweight structure such that the aircraft has sufficient rigidity to withstand bending and tortional loads in flight when unloaded with the cargo assembly;

wherein the spine has insufficient rigidity to itself withstand bending and tortional loads in flight when loaded with the cargo assembly; and

wherein the cargo assembly provides additional rigidity to the spine required for the aircraft to fully withstand bending and tortional loads in flight when the cargo assembly is structurally integrated with the spine.

14. The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the modular cargo units is comprised of any one or a combination of modular structural frames and cargo containers.

15. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising one or more trusses coupling the cargo assembly to the spine.

16. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising fairings to enclose the cargo assembly mounted on the spine.

17. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising mounts to detachably engage and structurally couple the cargo assembly to the spine.

18. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein the mounts are disposed on the underside of the spine to detachably suspend the cargo assembly therefrom.

19. The aircraft system of claim 18, wherein the mounts are actuated between a first and second position, wherein in the first position, the mounts structurally engage the cargo assembly to the spine and wherein in the second position, the mounts disengage and therefore release the cargo assembly from the spine.

20. The aircraft system of claim 19, further comprising a control to alternately actuate the mounts between the first and second positions.