RAPID STORE LOAD SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF

• US 20130168499A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Victor A. Grossman
• Original Assignee: Victor A. Grossman
• Inventors: Grossman, Victor A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,108,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/135.A
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/50 Vessels or floating structures for aircraft aircraft carriers B63G11/00; flying-boat hulls, other flotation means for aircraft B64
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/00 Arrangements in connection with fuel supply for power plant refuelling during flight B64D39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/04 Arrangement thereof in or on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 7/00 Arrangements of military equipment, e.g. armaments, armament accessories, or military shielding, in aircraft; Adaptations of armament mountings for aircraft dropping bombs or the like B64D1/00; armaments or mountings therefor per se F41
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/22 for handling aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/28 Liquid-handling installations specially adapted for fuelling stationary aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/32 for handling freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/00 Designing, manufacturing, assembling, cleaning, maintaining or repairing aircraft, not otherwise provided for; Handling, transporting, testing or inspecting aircraft components, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/50 Handling or transporting aircraft components
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/87 Ammunition handling dollies or transfer carts F41A9/86 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A method to load stores on an aircraft, the method may be controlled by one or more controller and may include one or more acts of loading stores onto corresponding lift portions; determining a relative position of the aircraft; positioning the stores relative to the determined position of the aircraft; and securing the stores to corresponding hardpoints (HPs) of the aircraft.

Claims

1. A method to load stores on an aircraft using plurality of lift portions, the method controlled by a controller, the method comprising acts of:

receiving the stores at corresponding lift portions of the plurality of lift portions;

determining positions of each of a of plurality of hardpoints (HPs) of the aircraft;

controlling corresponding, lift, portions to position the received stores relative to corresponding HPs of the plurality of HPs of the aircraft; and

securing the stores to corresponding HPs of the plurality of HPs.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of selecting the stores to be received by the corresponding lift portions in accordance with one or more of an identification (ID) of the aircraft and an identification of the stores.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of selecting the stores further comprises acts of determining a configuration of the aircraft;

and

controlling one or more of the lift portions in accordance with the determined configuration of the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the configuration of the aircraft comprises information related to one or more of aircraft type, aircraft identification (ID), aircraft block number, selected stores, flight data link (FDL) type, hardpoint configuration, HP type, HP location, HP rack unit (RU), RU location, pylon information, launcher information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of securing the stores comprises attaching the stores to corresponding HPs of the plurality of HPs in accordance with a type of the corresponding HP of the plurality of HPs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of controlling the corresponding lift portions comprises controlling a plurality of corresponding lift portions simultaneously.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of controlling one or more of the lift portions to provide fuel to the aircraft or to provide energy to the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising acts of:

determining whether the aircraft has sustained damage, and

rendering information related to the determination.

9. A system to load stores on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a plurality of lift portions; and

at least one controller which is configured to;

receive stores at corresponding lift portions of the plurality of lift portions;

determine positions of one or more hardpoints (HPs) of a plurality of HPs of the aircraft;

control corresponding lift portions to position the received stores relative to corresponding HPs of the plurality of HPs of the aircraft; and

secure the stores to corresponding HPs of the plurality of HPs.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to select stores to be received by the corresponding lift portions in accordance with an identification (ID) of the aircraft and an identification of the stores.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one controller is configured to:

determine a configuration of the aircraft; and

control one or more lift portions the stores in accordance with the determined configuration of the aircraft.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the configuration of the aircraft comprises information related to one or more of aircraft type, aircraft identification (ID), aircraft block number, selected stores, flight data link (FDL) type, hardpoint configuration, HP type, HP location, HP rack unit (RU), RU location, pylon information, launcher information.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one controller is configured to control one or more of the lift portions to secure corresponding stores to corresponding HPs of the aircraft.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one controller is configured to control a plurality of lift, portions simultaneously.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine whether the aircraft has sustained damage.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one controller is configured to control at least one of the lift portions to arm a corresponding store.

17. A ship comprising:

a flight deck to receive an aircraft; and

a store loading system comprising;

a plurality of lift portions at least one of which is configured to receive corresponding stores; and

a controller which is configured to;

determine positions of each of a of plurality of hardpoints (HPs) of the aircraft,

control corresponding lift portions to position the received stores relative to corresponding HPs of the plurality of HPs of the aircraft, and

secure the stores to corresponding HPs of the plurality of HPs.

18. The ship of claim 17, the a store loading system is further configured to provide fuel or energy to the aircraft.

19. The ship of claim 17, wherein the store loading system is further configured to arm the secured stores.

20. The ship of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to select stores to be received by the corresponding lift portions in accordance with an identification (ID) of the aircraft and an identification of the stores.