Flexible over the wing passenger loading bridge

• US 6,820,296 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DEW Engineering and Development Limited (Trelleborg AB)
• Original Assignee: DEW Engineering and Development Limited (Trelleborg AB)
• Inventors: Hutton, Neil, Nowak, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pechhold, Alexandra K.
• Application Number:
  US10/354,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20030145402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 14/711, 14/695, 14/713, 14/715, 14/717, 14/725, 702/150, 702/151, 702/159, 382/104
• US Class Current: 14/71.5
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/3055 with hinged head interface between aircraft and passenger bridge

Abstract

A novel apparatus for moving passengers between an airport terminal building and a doorway of an aircraft located rearward of a wing of the aircraft. The inventive apparatus includes a passageway member pivotally anchored to one of the terminal building and a passenger loading bridge for servicing a front doorway of a same aircraft. The apparatus includes a telescopic passageway member that is pivotally mounted to the passageway member via a flexible connection. In use, the apparatus is cantilevered over the wing of an aircraft with the flexible connection substantially above a highest point along an upper surface of the aircraft wing. The flexible connection allows a cabin carried at an outboard end of the telescopic passageway member to mate to the rear doorway of the aircraft, providing an open passageway between the rear doorway and the terminal building through which passengers deplane. Positioning the flexible connection above the high point of the wing approximately minimizes the inclination of each passageway member floor surface.

Claims

1. A method of aligning a passenger loading bridge having first and second aircraft engaging ports mounted at an outboard end of first and second passageway members, respectively, to an aircraft having first and second spaced apart doorways along a same side thereof, comprising the steps of:

a) automatically determining a type of the aircraft;

b) retrieving information relating to an expected stopping position of one of the first and second doorways for the determined type of the aircraft;

c) automatically moving a corresponding one of the first and second passageway members, in order to move the aircraft engaging port mounted at the outboard end thereof toward the expected stopping position of the one of the first and second doorways of the aircraft;

d) engaging the one of the first and second doorways of the aircraft using the aircraft engaging port mounted at the outboard end of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members, to allow passengers to move therebetween; and

,

e) relatively moving an outboard portion of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members relatively to an inboard portion of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members about a first flexible connection disposed between the outboard and inboard portions, and adjusting a height of the first flexible connection by pivoting the inboard portion of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members about a second flexible connection, such that during step (c) a point along the lower surface of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members remains above a predetermined minimum height profile of the wing of the aircraft, to maintain the desired minimum safe distance relative to the wing of the aircraft,

wherein the one of the first and second doorways of the aircraft is a rear doorway located aft of or over a wing of the aircraft, and

wherein the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members is moved in a cantilever fashion at at least a desired minimum safe distance above the surface of the wing of the aircraft, and

wherein steps (b) to (d) are performed using an automated bridge control system.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined minimum height profile relates to a height of the point along the lower surface of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members, at which height every point along the lower surface of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members is at least the desired minimum safe distance above a corresponding point on the wing of the aircraft.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the other one of the two aircraft engaging ports is aligned in a manual fashion to the other one of the first and second doorways of the aircraft.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the other one of the two aircraft engaging ports is automatically aligned to the other one of the first and second doorways of the aircraft using a same automated bridge control system.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step (a) of determining a type of the aircraft includes the steps of:

a1) capturing an image of the aircraft;

a2) characterizing the image of the aircraft to extract features relating to the aircraft;

a3) comparing the extracted features with stored template features; and

,

a4) identifying the type of the aircraft in dependence upon a result of the comparison.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step (c) includes the step of:

c1) positioning the flexible connection of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members approximately above a leading edge of the wing of the aircraft and at a height that is sufficient for allowing the point along the lower surface of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members to remain above the predetermined minimum height profile of the wing of the aircraft.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step (c) includes the steps of:

c1) sensing a distance between the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members and the aircraft;

c2) comparing the sensed distance to the desired minimum safe distance; and

c3) when the sensed distance is i) one of greater than and equal to the desired minimum safe distance, continuing the movement of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members toward the expected stopping position of the rear doorway for the determined type of aircraft, and ii) less than the desired minimum safe distance, moving the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members along a predetermined escape route in a direction away from the aircraft.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step (c) includes the steps of:

c1) sensing a distance between the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members and the aircraft;

c2) comparing the sensed distance to the desired minimum safe distance; and

c3) when the sensed distance is i) one of greater than and equal to the desired minimum safe distance, continuing the movement of the corresponding one of the first and second passageway members toward the expected stopping position of the rear doorway for the determined type of aircraft, and ii) less than the desired minimum safe distance, correcting the predetermined minimum height profile such that, during future motion, the sensed distance is at least equal to the desired minimum safe distance.