Towbarless airplane tug
First Claim
1. A towbarless airplane tug comprising:
- (a) a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, at least some of said tug wheels being steerable tug wheels and at least some of said tug wheels being drivable tug wheels;
(b) an airplane wheel support turret assembly, rotatably mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane;
(c) at least one rotation sensor connected to said wheel support turret assembly and operative to sense rotation of said wheel support turret assembly relative to said chassis, said rotation resulting at least from steering control induced movement of the nose landing gear caused by pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane, and to generate an output indicating a direction of said pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane;
(d) at least one tug wheel driver unit operative to drive said drivable tug wheels;
(e) at least one tug wheel steering mechanism operative to steer said steerable tug wheels thereby providing steering of said chassis; and
(f) at least one tug controller operative to control operation of at least said tug wheel steering mechanism at least in response to said output of said rotation sensor, so as to cause steering said steerable tug wheels such that said chassis moves in the direction indicated in said output of said rotation sensor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed a towbarless airplane tug and method of operating thereof. The tug comprises a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, at least some of said tug wheels being steerable tug wheels and at least some of said tug wheels being drivable tug wheels; an airplane wheel support turret assembly, rotatably mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane; at least one rotation sensor connected to said wheel support turret assembly and operative to sense rotation of said wheel support turret assembly relative to said chassis, said rotation resulting at least from steering control induced movement of the nose landing gear caused by pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane, and to generate an output indicating a direction of said pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane; at least one tug wheel driver unit operative to drive said drivable tug wheels; at least one tug wheel steering mechanism operative to steer said steerable tug wheels thereby providing steering of said chassis; and at least one tug controller operative to control operation of at least said tug wheel steering mechanism at least in response to said output of said rotation sensor, so as to cause steering said steerable tug wheels such that said chassis moves in the direction indicated in said output of said rotation sensor.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A towbarless airplane tug comprising:
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(a) a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, at least some of said tug wheels being steerable tug wheels and at least some of said tug wheels being drivable tug wheels; (b) an airplane wheel support turret assembly, rotatably mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane; (c) at least one rotation sensor connected to said wheel support turret assembly and operative to sense rotation of said wheel support turret assembly relative to said chassis, said rotation resulting at least from steering control induced movement of the nose landing gear caused by pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane, and to generate an output indicating a direction of said pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane; (d) at least one tug wheel driver unit operative to drive said drivable tug wheels; (e) at least one tug wheel steering mechanism operative to steer said steerable tug wheels thereby providing steering of said chassis; and (f) at least one tug controller operative to control operation of at least said tug wheel steering mechanism at least in response to said output of said rotation sensor, so as to cause steering said steerable tug wheels such that said chassis moves in the direction indicated in said output of said rotation sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A towbarless airplane tug comprising:
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(a) a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, at least some of said tug wheels being steerable tug wheels and at least some of said tug wheels being drivable tug wheels; (b) an airplane wheel support turret assembly, rotatably mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane; (c) a horizontal base assembly supporting said wheel support turret assembly and engaged to said chassis by at least one energy absorber assembly mounted between said horizontal base assembly and said chassis; (d) at least one rotation sensor connected to said wheel support turret assembly and operative to sense rotation of said wheel support turret assembly relative to said chassis, said rotation resulting at least from steering control induced movement of the nose landing gear caused by pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane, and further operative to generate an output indicating a direction of said pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane; (e) at least one first force sensor operative in engagement with at least one nose landing gear wheel so as to sense forces applied to said nose landing gear wheel in at least one generally horizontal direction, and further operative to generate an output indicating a difference in acceleration or deceleration of said airplane tug relative to acceleration or deceleration of the airplane being towed, said difference caused, at least, by pilot-controlled deceleration of the airplane; (f) at least one second force sensor positioned in engagement with said energy absorber assembly so as to sense forces applied to said energy absorber assembly and operative to generate an output indicating a difference in acceleration or deceleration of said airplane tug relative to acceleration or deceleration of the airplane being towed, said difference caused, at least, by pilot-controlled deceleration of the airplane; (g) at least one tug controller operative to control operation of said tug in response to at least one output among the outputs generated by said sensors.
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15. A towbarless airplane tug comprising:
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(a) a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, at least some of said tug wheels being steerable tug wheels and at least some of said tug wheels being drivable tug wheels; (b) an airplane wheel support turret assembly, rotatably mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane; (c) a horizontal base assembly supporting said wheel support turret assembly and engaged to said chassis by at least one energy absorber assembly mounted between said horizontal base assembly said chassis; (d) at least one tug wheel driver unit operative to drive said drivable tug wheels; (e) at least one first force sensor positioned in engagement with said energy absorber assembly so as to sense forces applied to said energy absorber assembly and operative to generate an output indicating a difference in acceleration or deceleration of said airplane tug relative to acceleration or deceleration of the airplane being towed, said difference caused, at least, by pilot-controlled deceleration of the airplane; and (f) at least one tug controller operative to control, responsive at least to said output of said first force sensor, said tug wheel driver unit so as to maintain the forces applied to said nose landing gear of said airplane within predefined limits. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A towbarless airplane tug comprising:
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(a) a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, at least some of said tug wheels being steerable tug wheels and at least some of said tug wheels being drivable tug wheels; (b) an airplane wheel support turret assembly, rotatably mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane; (c) at least one tug wheel driver unit operative to drive said drivable tug wheels thereby providing a tug traction force; (d) at least one first force sensor operative in engagement with said nose landing gear wheel so as to sense forces applied to said nose landing gear wheel in at least one generally horizontal direction, and further operative to generate an output indicating a difference in acceleration or deceleration of said airplane tug relative to the airplane, said difference caused, at least, by pilot-controlled deceleration of the airplane; and (e) at least one tug controller operative to control, responsive at least to said output of said first force sensor, said tug wheel driver unit so as to maintain the forces applied to said nose landing gear of said airplane within predefined limits.
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20. A method of operating a towbarless airplane tug comprising a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, an airplane wheel support turret assembly mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane, at least one tug wheel driver unit operative to drive drivable tug wheels among said plurality of tug wheels, and at least one tug wheel steering mechanism operative to steer steerable tug wheels among said plurality of tug wheels, the method comprising:
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(a) sensing rotation of said airplane wheel support turret assembly relative to said chassis with the help of at least one rotation sensor connected to said wheel support turret assembly, said rotation is resulted at least from steering control induced movement of nose landing gear caused by pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane; (b) generating an output of said rotation sensor indicative of direction of pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane; (c) controlling, responsive at least to said generated output of said rotation sensor, said tug wheel steering mechanism so as to cause steering said tug wheels such that said chassis moves in the direction indicated in said output of said rotation sensor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of operating a towbarless airplane tug comprising a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, an airplane wheel support turret assembly mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane, and at least one tug wheel driver unit operative to drive drivable tug wheels among said plurality of tug wheels, the method comprising:
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(a) sensing, with the help of at least one first force sensor positioned in engagement with said nose landing gear wheel, forces applied to said nose landing gear wheel in at least one generally horizontal direction; (b) generating an output of said first force sensor indicative of a difference in acceleration or deceleration of said airplane tug relative to acceleration or deceleration of the airplane being towed, said difference caused, at least, by pilot-controlled deceleration of the airplane; and (c) controlling, responsive at least to said generated output of said first force sensor, said tug driver unit so as to maintain the forces applied to said nose landing gear of said airplane within predefined limits. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of operating a towbarless airplane tug comprising a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, an airplane wheel support turret assembly mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane, a horizontal base assembly supporting said wheel support turret assembly and engaged to said chassis by at least one energy absorber assembly mounted between said horizontal base assembly and said chassis, at least one tug wheel driver unit operative to drive drivable tug wheels among said plurality of tug wheels, and at least one tug wheel steering mechanism operative to steer steerable tug wheels among said plurality of tug wheels, the method comprising:
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(a) sensing rotation of said wheel support turret assembly relative to said chassis with the help of at least one rotation sensor connected to said wheel support turret assembly, said rotation resulting at least from steering control induced movement of the nose landing gear caused by pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane, and generating an output of said rotation sensor indicating a direction of said pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane; (b) sensing forces applied to said nose landing gear wheel in at least one generally horizontal direction with the help of at least one first force sensor operative in engagement with said nose landing gear wheel, and generating an output of said first force sensor indicating a difference in acceleration or deceleration of said airplane tug relative to acceleration or deceleration of the airplane being towed, said difference caused, at least, by pilot-controlled deceleration of the airplane; (c) sense forces applied to said energy absorber assembly with the help of at least one second force sensor positioned in engagement with said energy absorber assembly, and generating an output of said second force sensor indicating a difference in acceleration or deceleration of said airplane tug relative to acceleration or deceleration of the airplane being towed, said difference caused, at least, by pilot-controlled deceleration of the airplane; (d) controlling operation of said tug with the help of at least one tug controller operative to control said tug in response to at least one output among the outputs generated by said sensors.
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Specification