Cargo Deck For A Cargo Hold Of An Aircraft And Method For Monitoring The Temperature Of A Container, A Pallet Or A Similar Unit Load Device (ULD) Disposed On A Cargo Hold Floor

• US 20120275485A1
• Filed: 04/19/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telair International GmbH (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Telair International GmbH (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Holzner, Richard, Kieser, Benedikt, Huber, Thomas, Schmidseder, Martin
• Application Number:
  US13/451,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275485A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/1
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/08 in aircraft A62C3/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/20 specially adapted for freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F

Abstract

Disclosed is a cargo deck for a cargo hold of an aircraft, comprising at least one temperature measuring device for non-contacting measurement of the temperature of a container, a pallet or a similar unit load device (ULD).

Claims

1. A cargo deck for a cargo hold of an aircraft comprising at least one temperature measuring device for non-contacting measurement of the temperature of at least one container, pallet or similar unit load device (ULD).

2. The cargo deck according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device includes an infra-red sensor.

3. The cargo deck according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device includes an infra-red camera.

4. The cargo deck according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device is disposed in a floor of the cargo deck in such a way that the temperature of an underside of the ULD is measurable by means of the temperature measuring device.

5. The cargo deck according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device is adapted for measuring the temperature of a substantially black underside of the ULD.

6. The cargo deck according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device is connectable to a data bus, in particular a CAN bus, of the cargo deck, in particular of the cargo hold floor, for the transmission of heat measurement signals.

7. The cargo deck according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device is connectable to an operations control centre.

8. The cargo deck according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device can be calibrated and/or set to an emissivity of the material of the ULD, in particular of the material of the underside of the ULD.

9. The cargo deck according to claim 1, characterized by at least one roller drive unit (PDU) for moving the ULD, wherein the temperature measuring device is disposed in the roller drive unit.

10. The cargo deck according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device is configured in such a way that the presence or absence of a ULD is ascertainable for control purposes by means of an output signal of the temperature measuring device.

11. A method for monitoring the temperature of a container, a pallet or a similar unit load device (ULD) disposed on a cargo hold floor, wherein the temperature of the ULD, in particular the temperature of an underside of the ULD, preferably the temperature of a black underside of the ULD, is measured without physical contact by means of a temperature measuring device, in particular by means of a temperature measuring device in a roller drive unit for moving the ULD of the cargo hold floor.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the temperature of the ULD is measured by means of an infra-red sensor and/or an infra-red camera.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein prior to measuring the temperature, a surface coating is applied to an underside of the ULD to increase the emissivity.

14. The method according to claim 11, further including the following steps:

comparison of the measured temperature of the ULD with a preset limit value, and

triggering of an alarm if the measured temperature exceeds the preset limit value.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein prior to the temperature measurement the temperature measuring device is calibrated and/or set to an emissivity of the material of the ULD, in particular of the material of the underside of the ULD.