Operational ground support system

• US 7,275,715 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: McCoskey, William R., Johnson, Richard N., Renton, W. James
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Timothy D.
• Application Number:
  US10/711,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20050253020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 244/129.5, 244/118.1, 244/137.1, 244/137.2, 244/118.5, 14/715, 414344-345, 414/392, 340/568.1
• US Class Current: 244/118.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/405 Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/305 Bridges extending between terminal building and aircraft, e.g. telescopic, vertically adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/31 Passenger vehicles specially adapted to co-operate, e.g. dock, with aircraft or terminal buildings
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/36 Other airport installations ground installations for de-icing aircraft B64F5/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

An integrated operational ground mobility and support system (10) that includes an aircraft (12) having one or more service openings on a side of the aircraft (12). The integrated support system (10) may have an airport interface terminal docking port (14) that has a ground support service sub-system. The docking port (14) mates with the aircraft (12) at the service openings and has multiple service levels. The ground support service sub-system provides services to the aircraft (12) through the service openings and on the service levels. The integrated support system (10) may have in addition to or in replacement of the interface terminal docking port an aircraft loader/unloader. The loader/unloader has ground support service sub-systems and mates with the aircraft (12) at one or more of the service openings. The service sub-systems of the loader/unloader include a passenger ingress/egress system (62) and provide services to the aircraft (12).

Claims

1. An integrated operational ground mobility and support system comprising:

at least one aircraft, at least one of said at least one aircraft having at least one service opening on at least one side of said at least one aircraft;

an airport terminal having at least one airport interface terminal docking port;

the at least one airport interface terminal docking port having at least one ground support service sub-system, mating with said at least one aircraft at said at least one service opening, and comprising a plurality of servicing levels; and

a remote baggage handling system that is remotely located from and transfers baggage to and from said airport terminal,

said at least one ground support service sub-system providing a plurality of services, at least one of which being a non-cargo service, through one of said at least one service opening and on said plurality of levels.

2. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said remote baggage handling system scans said baggage for at least one of weapons, explosives, and unpermitted objects.

3. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one aircraft comprises a flight deck area that is isolated from said at least one service opening.

4. A ground support system as in claim 3 wherein said flight deck area is elevated from a passenger compartment of said at least one aircraft.

5. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one ground support service sub-system is selected from at least one of a passenger ingress/egress system, a cargo ingress/egress system, an aircraft primary service system, an aircraft secondary service system, a security system, and a health and maintenance monitoring system.

6. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one aircraft and said at least one airport interface terminal docking port comprise a floor for passenger ingress and egress.

7. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one aircraft and said at least one airport interface terminal docking port comprise a floor for cargo ingress and egress.

8. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one aircraft comprise a first plurality of primary service couplers and said at least one airport interface terminal docking port comprise a second plurality of primary service couplers that mate with said first plurality of primary service couplers.

9. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one airport docking port comprises a cargo elevator platform.

10. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one ground support service sub-system comprises passenger transport modules.

11. A ground support system as in claim 10 wherein said at least one aircraft is configured to receive said passenger transport modules.

12. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one airport interface terminal docking port is configured to shuttle at least one passenger transport module to and from said at least one aircraft.

13. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one airport interface terminal docking port is configured to shuttle at least one passenger transport module to and from a side of said at least one aircraft, and cargo to and from a nose of said at least one aircraft.

14. A ground support system as in claim 1 further comprising an aircraft terminal mating system.

15. A ground support system as in claim 14 wherein said aircraft terminal mating system is in the form of a machine vision technology system.

16. A ground support system as in claim 14 wherein said aircraft terminal mating system comprises a docking coupler.

17. A ground support system as in claim 14 wherein said aircraft terminal mating system comprises a global positioning system.

18. A ground support system as in claim 14 wherein said aircraft terminal mating system comprises a precision guidance system that follows a guideline in mating the at least one aircraft to said at least one airport interface terminal docking port.

19. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one airport interface terminal docking port comprises a terminal carry-on system.

20. A ground support system as in claim 19 wherein said terminal carry-on system comprises at least one carry-on transport module, said at least one airport interface terminal docking port shuttling said at least one carry-on transport module to and from said at least one aircraft.

21. A ground support system as in claim 20 wherein said at least one carry-on transport module is bar-coded.

22. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one airport interface terminal docking port comprises at least one bar code reader that reads bar codes on cargo transported to and from the at least one aircraft.

23. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least airport interface terminal docking port comprises at least one cargo carousel.

24. A ground support system as in claim 23 wherein said at least one cargo carousel has a plurality of feed directions.

25. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one airport interface terminal docking port extends to mate with said at least one aircraft.

26. A ground support system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of service openings comprise openings selected from a nose opening, a port side opening, a starboard side opening, a terminal level opening, and a cargo level opening.

27. A ground support system as in claim 1 further comprising a fuel supply and drain system comprising:

fueling ports with flow back and vapor collecting jackets supplying fuel to said at least one aircraft; and

tarmac spill traps collecting fluids proximate said fueling ports.

28. A ground support system as in claim 1 further comprising a brake cooling and drain system comprising:

at least one vent coupled within a tarmac;

a fluid reservoir configured for containment below a tarmac, to couple said at least one vent, and to collect fluids proximate said at least one aircraft;

an air supply line directing air through said fluid reservoir and said at least one vent at said at least one aircraft; and

a fluid drain collecting fluids within said fluid reservoir.

29. An integrated operational ground mobility and support system comprising:

at least one aircraft, at least one of said at least one aircraft having a plurality of service openings on at least one side of said at least one aircraft; and

at least one airport interface terminal docking port, at least one of said at least one airport interface terminal docking port having at least one ground support service sub-system, mating with said at least one aircraft at and comprising a plurality of corridors and bridgeheads associated with said plurality of service openings;

said at least one aircraft having a passenger servicing bridge having a jetway, said jetway having at least two doorways;

said at least one ground support service sub-system providing a plurality of services simultaneously on multiple levels to said at least one aircraft through said plurality of service openings, at least one of said plurality of services being a non-cargo based service.

30. A ground support system as in claim 29 wherein said jetway includes a first class corridor and a non-first class corridor.