Passenger airplane container system

• US 6,494,404 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John C. Meyer
• Original Assignee: John C. Meyer
• Inventors: Meyer, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holzen, Stephen A
• Application Number:
  US09/929,695
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118.1, 244/118.2, 244/118.5, 244/118.6, 244/125, 244/127, 244/120, 244/137.1
• US Class Current: 244/118.2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0007 Devices specially adapted for food or beverage distribution services
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/12 Ejectable capsules
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/31 Passenger vehicles specially adapted to co-operate, e.g. dock, with aircraft or terminal buildings

Abstract

A passenger airplane container system comprises a pod. The pod has a hollow generally cylindrical configuration. The pod further has a horizontal divider. The horizontal divider separates the pod into a passenger area and a baggage area. An airplane is provided. The airplane has a central pod receiving region with a closure device. The closure device is movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation. The open orientation so allows for the movement of a pod into the receiving region. The closed orientation securely encompasses the pod. In this manner the pod is securely contained for takeoff and flight and landing.

Claims

1. A passenger airplane container system for allowing a passenger airplane to be loaded and unloaded in a safe and efficient manner comprising, in combination:

a pod fabricated of a rigid metallic material and having a hollow generally cylindrical configuration with an exterior surface and an interior surface and an enlarged chamber there within, the pod having a horizontal divider separating the enlarged chamber into an upper passenger area within the chamber above the divider and a lower baggage area within the chamber below the divider, a plurality of passenger windows formed in the pod laterally spaced within the passenger area, the pod having two end covers with each end cover having a door located in the center of the end covers, the interior of the pod having a plurality of passenger seats at alternating elevations and a passenger walkway between the seats;

a movable self-service module with an associated supporting track on the uppermost extent of the pod in the passenger area for allowing the passengers to help themselves to drinks and snacks, the self-service module coupling components slidably mounting the service module on the track to allow the service module to be moved along the length of the upper passenger area;

a stacking structure having a plurality of horizontal bays, each bay adapted to removably receive a pod while the passenger pods are being loaded and unloaded with passengers and baggage, the stacking structure having a plurality of horizontal airplane parking zones beneath the horizontal bays, and the stacking structure also having a plurality of vertical loading chutes to allow the raising and lowering of a pod between the horizontal bays and the parking zones; and

an airplane having an upper surface and a lower surface and two side surfaces and with a forward fuselage section and a rear tail fuselage section and a central bay fuselage section between the forward fuselage section and the tail fuselage section, the bay fuselage section having a pod receiving region with a pair of laterally disposed arcuate panels, the panels having windows positioned to overlie the windows of the pod during operation and use, the panels also having lower edges with hinges pivotably mounted to the sides of the airplane there beneath and movable between an open orientation so as to allow the lowering of a pod into the receiving region of the airplane from the pod loading and stacking structure and a closed orientation securely encompassing the pod so as to securely contain the pod for takeoff and flight and landing.

2. A passenger airplane container system comprising:

a pod having a hollow generally cylindrical configuration with a horizontal divider separating the pod into an upper passenger area and a lower baggage area; and

an airplane having a central pod receiving region with a pair of laterally disposed arcuate panels having lower edges with hinges and movable between an open orientation so as to allow the positioning of a pod into the receiving region and a closed orientation securely encompassing the pod so as to securely contain the pod for takeoff and flight and landing;

a stacking structure having a plurality of horizontal bays, each bay adapted to removably receive a pod while the passenger pods are being loaded and unloaded with passengers and baggage, the stacking structure having a plurality of horizontal airplane parking zones beneath the horizontal bays, and the stacking structure also having a plurality of vertical loading chutes to allow the raising and lowering of a pod between the horizontal bays and the parking zones.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2 and further including a movable self-service module with an associated supporting track on the uppermost extent of the pod in the passenger area for allowing the passengers to help themselves to drinks and snacks, the self service module coupling components slidably mounting the service module on the track to allow the service module to be moved along the length of the upper passenger area.

4. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pod is formed of a plurality of axially aligned circular hoops and a plurality of horizontal rods coupling the hoops.

5. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the seats are positioned in rows with alternating rows at higher and lower elevations.

6. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the closure device is at the center of the airplane.

7. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the closure device is at the front of the airplane.

8. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the closure device is at the rear of the airplane.

9. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the passenger area has rows of seats with adjacent rows at different elevations.