AIRCRAFT BASED NON-DEDICATED SPECIAL MISSION POD MOUNTING APPARATUS

• US 20190023370A1
• Filed: 09/20/2018
• Published: 01/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 1281329 Alberta Ltd.
• Original Assignee: 1281329 Alberta Ltd.
• Inventors: Woodland, Richard L.K., Neyedly, Ross James
• Granted Patent: US 10,577,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1461 Structures of doors or surrounding frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/36 adapted to receive antennas or radomes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• 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

Abstract

Particular embodiments include a non-dedicated, temporarily installed, airborne special mission payload mounting system comprising a pressurized door plug assembly installed in an opening on the side of an aircraft fuselage. A rotationally-actuated strut extends from a first end connected to an interior of the aircraft fuselage, through the pressurized door plug assembly, to a second end of the strut connected to one or more payloads. The rotational axis of the strut is exterior to the aircraft fuselage.

Claims

1. A mission payload mounting apparatus comprising:

a pressurized door plug assembly on a side of an aircraft fuselage; and

a strut having a first end and a second end, wherein;

the strut extends from an interior of the aircraft fuselage through the pressurized door plug assembly to an exterior of the aircraft fuselage;

the strut is capable of being rotationally actuated about an axis exterior to the aircraft fuselage;

the first end of the strut is connected to the interior of the aircraft fuselage; and

one or more payloads are attached to the strut between the axis and the second end.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end of the strut is coupled to an adaptive mounting system (AMS) plate adapted to attach to one or more Air Deployment System (ADS) rails of the aircraft.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the AMS plate is adapted to attach to the one or more ADS rails via one or more restraint and bolt devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first end of the strut is coupled to the AMS plate via:

coupling a bolt assembly to the strut;

coupling a flange to the AMS plate; and

coupling the bolt assembly to the flange.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising one or more removable load transfer braces (LTBs) which interface to the AMS plate and extend inboard from the AMS plate to interface to a floor of the aircraft.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the one or more LTBs are hinged to the AMS plate via one or more flanges; and

the one or more LTBs can be rotated to a vertical position via the one or more flanges upon disconnection of the inboard interface to the floor of the aircraft.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the strut is capable of being rotationally actuated.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the strut is capable of being rotationally actuated by:

one or more electric drive motors;

or

one or more hand wrenches.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a shoulder armature assembly coupled to the first end of the strut, wherein the strut is coupled to the AMS plate via the shoulder armature assembly.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a wrist armature assembly, wherein the wrist armature assembly is coupled to the second end of the strut.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the wrist armature assembly is mechanically connected to the shoulder armature assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the wrist armature assembly is further capable of being maintained in a vertical position while the strut is rotationally actuated through a range of angles.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the strut is capable of being articulated to a position where the second end of the strut is below a lower periphery of the aircraft.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the rotational actuation of the strut is controlled via a handheld device located adjacent to the pressurized door plug assembly.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the rotational actuation of the strut is controlled via an operator control mechanism built into the pressurized door plug assembly.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more payloads comprise an ordinance rack.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the ordinance rack further comprises one or more adjustable sway braces adapted for one or more payloads attached to the ordinance rack.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressurized door plug assembly comprises:

a single piece door plug;

or

a combined door plug upper panel and a door plug lower panel.

19. A method of installing a mission payload mounting apparatus to an aircraft comprising:

installing a pressurized door plug assembly on a side of an aircraft fuselage; and

connecting a first end of a strut to an interior of the aircraft fuselage, wherein;

the strut extends from the interior of the aircraft fuselage to an exterior of the aircraft fuselage through the pressurized door plug assembly;

the strut is capable of being rotationally actuated about an axis exterior to the aircraft fuselage; and

one or more payloads are attached to the strut between the axis and a second end of the strut exterior of the aircraft fuselage.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first end of the strut is coupled to an adaptive mounting system (AMS) plate adapted to attach to one or more Air Deployment System (ADS) rails of the aircraft.