Load-carrying system for transport aeroplane

• US 8,985,519 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mbda France (MBDA)
• Original Assignee: Mbda France (MBDA)
• Inventors: Jaurand, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Xavier, Valentina
• Assistant Examiner(s): Giczy, Alexander V
• Application Number:
  US13/574,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20120292444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 244/137.1, 244/137.3, 244/136, 244/118.1, 244/63, 89/15.1, 89/15.9
• US Class Current: 244/137.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/02 Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/18 for dropping bombs; for firing ammunition
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/20 for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/82 Airborne vehicles

Abstract

The system comprises an outer container which is fixed, directly and fully, in the hold of the transport aeroplane (AC), and in which there is an inner container that can be moved longitudinally and brought from a first or carrying position in which it is situated fully inside the outer container into a second or off-loading position (P2) in which it is longitudinally offset towards the rear of the aircraft (AC) so that a part of the inner container is then situated outside the transport aeroplane (AC).

Claims

1. A load-carrying system for a transport airplane, said system comprising at least one internal container which is able to receive at least one load, the at least one internal container having a first level and a second level above the first level;

an external container which is able to be fastened, directly and completely, in a hold of the transport airplane, and wherein said at least one internal container is arranged within said external container and movable longitudinally to be brought from one of two positions to the other of the two positions, the two positions being;

a first position, in which the at least one internal container is completely located inside said external container; and

a second position, in which the at least one internal container is translated towards the rear of the aircraft with respect to said first position, so that a part of said at least one internal container and a part of said at least one load are then located outside said external container and outside the transport airplane through a plane defined by a perimeter of an opening at the rear of the hold, and said at least one load is droppable while in flight from the second level;

wherein said at least one internal container is mounted inside said external container using a first sliding means which is able to move said at least one internal container between said first position and a second position;

wherein a second sliding means is able to bring said at least one load from a part of the at least one internal container that is located inside the transport airplane to the part of said at least one internal container that is located outside the transport airplane when the at least one internal container is in said second position.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one internal container comprises a cage equipped with compartments able to receive a plurality of loads, the first and second levels each having a set of one or more second sliding means.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a control device which is able to control at least a first and a second sliding means.

4. The system according to claim 1, provided for carrying and dropping in flight the at least one load, wherein the part of the at least one internal container, which is located outside the transport airplane in said second position, and in which the at least one load is able to be brought with the help of said second sliding means, is a dropping part.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said second sliding means comprise rails fastened on the at least one internal container and provided with an ejection device which is able to slide on said rails and which is able to support the at least one load upon carrying and to release the at least one load upon dropping.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the rails are fastened on the internal sides of the at least one internal container.

7. The system according to claim 4, further comprising at least one or more additional second sliding means, each of the second sliding means being vertically offset from each other.

8. A load-carrying system for a transport airplane, said system comprising at least one internal container which is able to receive at least one load,

an external container which is able to be fastened, directly and completely, in a hold of the transport airplane, and wherein said at least one internal container is arranged within said external container so as to be able to be moved longitudinally and to be brought from one of two positions to the other of the two positions, the two positions being:

a first position, in which the at least one internal container is completely located inside said external container;

a second position, in which the at least one internal container is longitudinally offset toward the rear of the aircraft with respect to said first position, so that a part of said at least one internal container is then located outside said external container and outside the transport airplane through an opening at a rear of the hold;

a first sliding means which is able to move said at least one internal container between said first position and said second position; and

a plurality of second sliding means which is able to bring said at least one load from a part of the at least one internal container that is located inside the transport airplane to the part of said at least one internal container that is located outside the transport airplane when the at least one internal container is in said second position, each of the second sliding means being vertically offset from each other, the at least one load being droppable while in flight.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said at least one internal container comprises a cage equipped with compartments able to receive a plurality of loads.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a control device which is able to control at least the first and the second sliding means.

11. The system according to claim 10, provided for carrying and dropping in flight the at least one load, wherein the part of the at least one internal container, which is located outside the transport airplane in said second position, and in which the at least one load is able to be brought using said second sliding means, is a dropping part, whence the at least one load can be dropped from the transport airplane in flight.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the control device is able to control dropping of the at least one load.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one internal container comprises a cage equipped with compartments, each of which is able to receive one or more pieces of ammunition.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the control device is programmed to drop a single load.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the control device is programmed to drop one load or to drop a predetermined number of loads up to all the loads carried by the aircraft.

16. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one internal container can store the at least one load on two different vertical levels, each level having a set of one or more second sliding means, the at least one load being droppable from an upper level of the two levels.