Sorting device and method for sorting goods in transit for an aircraft

• US 8,019,464 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Schuldzig, Hansgeorg, Hoffjann, Claus
• Primary Examiner(s): BURGESS, RAMYA PRAKASAM
• Application Number:
  US11/747,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20080128248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 700/223, 700/224
• US Class Current: 700/223
• 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 1/32 for handling freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/368 Arrangements or installations for routing, distributing or loading baggage
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0264 Luggage

Abstract

A sorting device and a method for sorting goods in transit for an aircraft are disclosed. The sorting device includes a sorting region with a sorting unit and a storage region. The sorting region is adapted such that goods in transit are capable of being provided to the sorting region in an undetermined first arrangement. The sorting region includes a longitudinal axis, where a sorting unit may be moved along the longitudinal axis of the sorting region. The sorting unit is capable of sorting the goods in transit from an undetermined first arrangement to a predetermined second arrangement, where the goods in transit may be provided in the predetermined second arrangement in the storage region.

Claims

1. A passenger aircraft, the passenger aircraft being capable of using a sorting device, wherein the sorting device comprises a sorting region, the sorting region comprising a sorting unit adapted for sorting goods in transit and a longitudinal axis, wherein the sorting unit is moveable along the longitudinal axis of the sorting region, the passenger aircraft comprising:

a passenger cabin capable of accommodating passengers;

a transport unit; and

a storage region in the passenger aircraft;

wherein the sorting device is adapted such that goods in transit are

conveyed to the storage region in a predetermined arrangement using the transport unit and are accessible by passengers travelling in the passenger cabin of the aircraft.

2. The passenger aircraft of claim 1, wherein the transport unit further comprises a vertical conveying unit,

wherein the vertical conveying unit is adapted for vertically conveying the goods in transit.

3. The passenger aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a take-up unit,

wherein the take-up unit is adapted for taking up the goods in transit and providing the goods in transit to the sorting region.

4. The passenger aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a sensor unit;

wherein the sensor unit is equipped such that characteristics of the goods in transit are measurable.

5. The passenger aircraft claim 1, further comprising a plurality of transport containers to accommodate the goods in transit.

6. The passenger aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a control unit;

wherein the control unit is adapted such that the sorting unit is controllable.

7. The passenger aircraft of claim 6, wherein the control unit is adapted such that the transport unit is controllable.

8. The passenger aircraft of claim 6, wherein the control unit further comprises an input unit,

wherein the input unit is adapted for entering the predetermined arrangement of the goods in transit.

9. The passenger aircraft of claim 1, wherein the sorting device is adapted for sorting the goods in transit from an undetermined arrangement to the predetermined arrangement by selective sorting.

10. The passenger aircraft of claim 1, wherein the sorting device is adapted for sorting the goods in transit from an undetermined arrangement to the predetermined arrangement by sorting by pairs.

11. The passenger aircraft of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional transport unit, wherein the goods in transit are conveyed to the storage region in the predetermined arrangement using the transport unit and the at least one additional transport unit.

12. The passenger aircraft of claim 1, wherein the storage region and the sorting region are provided integrally.

13. The passenger aircraft of claim 12, wherein the sorting region comprises a plurality of sorting units.

14. The passenger aircraft of claim 1, wherein, and the sorting region is arranged in a region outside the passenger aircraft.

15. A method for sorting goods in transit for the passenger aircraft of claim 1, comprising:

providing the goods in transit in an undetermined first arrangement in a sorting region;

moving a sorting unit along a longitudinal axis of the sorting region;

sorting the goods in transit from the undetermined first arrangement to a predetermined second arrangement along the longitudinal axis via the sorting unit; and

conveying the goods in transit in the predetermined second arrangement using the transport unit of the passenger aircraft to the storage region in the passenger aircraft, such that the goods in transit are accessible by passengers located in the passenger cabin of the passenger aircraft.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

vertically conveying the goods in transit by a vertical conveying unit disposed in the passenger aircraft.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

taking up the goods in transit by a take-up unit; and

providing the goods in transit in the sorting region.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

measuring characteristics of the goods in transit by a sensor unit.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

controlling the sorting unit by a control unit.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

controlling the transport unit using a control unit.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

entering a predetermined second arrangement of the goods in transit by using an input unit.