System and method for transferring airplanes

• US 9,199,745 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (Government of Israel)
• Original Assignee: Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (Government of Israel)
• Inventors: Braier, Ran, Perry, Arie
• Primary Examiner(s): Xavier, Valentina
• Application Number:
  US12/619,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20100096494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,206 Days
• Field of Search: 244/50, 244/70, 244/189, 414/426, 414/427
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/22 for handling aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/227 for direct connection to aircraft, e.g. tow tractors without towing bars
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/228 remotely controlled; operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

Disclosed a method of transferring airplanes and an unmanned airplane transfer system. The transfer system comprises a transfer module adapted to transfer an airplane by moving a landing gear of the airplane; and a controller being assembled with the transfer system, coupled to the transfer module, and adapted to i) receive a transfer signal; ii) to control the transfer module in response to the transfer signal; and iii) to coordinate transferring the airplane by the unmanned airplane transfer system and at least one second unmanned airplane transfer system. The method of transferring an airplane by a plurality of unmanned airplane transfer systems comprises receiving by at least one unmanned airplane transfer system among said plurality of transfer systems a transfer signal, and in response to the transfer signal, coordinating the transfer of the airplane by at least two unmanned airplane transfer systems among said plurality of transfer systems.

Claims

1. An unmanned airplane transfer system, comprising:

a first unmanned airplane transfer system, the first unmanned airplane transfer system comprising;

a first transfer module comprising at least one motor and a plurality of rotatable wheels, said first transfer module being adapted to transfer an airplane by moving a first landing gear of the airplane; and

a first controller being assembled with the first unmanned airplane transfer system, coupled to the first transfer module, and adapted to

receive a transfer signal;

control speed of the first transfer module via the motor and control steering of the first transfer module via the rotatable wheels, the controlling of the speed and the steering of the first transfer module being in response to the transfer signal; and

coordinate transferring of the airplane with a second controller of at least one second unmanned airplane transfer system being similar to the first unmanned airplane transfer system, configured to move a second landing gear of the airplane,

wherein the first controller is adapted to coordinate transferring of the airplane between the first unmanned transfer system and the at least one second unmanned airplane transfer system in response to said transfer signal.

2. The first unmanned airplane transfer system of claim 1, wherein the transfer signal is responsive, at least, to one or more commands provided via an airplane control component, said commands being a priori capable of controlling the airplane and/or parts thereof.

3. The first unmanned airplane transfer system of claim 1, wherein the transfer signal is responsive, at least, to a location of the airplane.

4. The first unmanned airplane transfer system of claim 1, wherein said first landing gear of the airplane is a nose landing gear of the airplane which said first transfer module is adapted to transfer, and said first unmanned airplane transfer system further comprises a sensor adapted to sense a steering control induced movement of the nose landing gear of the airplane and, in response, to provide the transfer signal to the first controller.

5. The first unmanned airplane transfer system of claim 1, wherein said second unmanned airplane transfer system comprises a second transfer module which comprises at least one motor and adapted to transfer an airplane by moving a second landing gear of the airplane.

6. The first unmanned airplane transfer system of claim 5, wherein said at least one second landing gear is a rear landing gear of the airplane.

7. The first unmanned airplane transfer system of claim 5, wherein said at least one second landing gear and said first landing gear are rear landing gears of the airplane.

8. The first unmanned airplane transfer system of claim 1, wherein said at least one second unmanned airplane transfer system moves at least the first landing gear of the airplane.

9. The first unmanned airplane transfer system of claim 1, wherein the transfer module comprises at least one towing element;

said towing element is operative to tow at least one landing gear of the airplane and is adapted for detachably coupling to at least one rear landing gear of the airplane.

27. The system of claim 5, wherein said second controller being assembled with the second unmanned airplane transfer system, coupled to the second transfer module, and adapted to:

receive a transfer signal;

to control the second transfer module in response to the transfer signal; and

to coordinate transferring of the airplane between the first unmanned airplane transfer system and the second unmanned airplane transfer system.

10. A method of transferring an airplane by a plurality of unmanned airplane transfer systems, including at least a first unmanned airplane transfer system having at least one motor, a plurality of rotatable wheels and a first controller and configured to move a first landing gear, and a second unmanned airplane transfer system, being similar to the first unmanned airplane transfer system, and having a second controller and configured to move a second landing gear, the method comprising:

receiving a transfer signal by at least one among said first and second controllers of said first and second transfer systems, and

in response to the transfer signal, controlling speed of at least one among the first and second transfer systems via the motor and controlling steering of at least one among the first and second transfer systems via the rotatable wheels,

wherein the first controller is adapted to coordinate transferring of the airplane, with the second controller, between the first airplane transfer system and the second airplane transfer system in response to said transfer signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transfer signal is responsive, at least, to a location of the airplane.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the transfer signal is responsive, at least, to one or more commands provided via an airplane control component, said commands being a priori capable of controlling the airplane and/or parts thereof.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising sensing the steering induced movement of a landing gear of the airplane by at least one of said first and second unmanned airplane transfer systems and, in response, providing the transfer signal.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring comprises applying skid steering and maintaining an alignment between at least one unmanned airplane transfer system and the airplane during rotational movements of the airplane.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said plurality of unmanned airplane transfer systems moves multiple landing gears of the airplane.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the multiple landing gears comprise at least one rear landing gear and a nose landing gear.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the multiple landing gears comprise at least two rear landing gears.

18. The method of claim 10, comprising pushing multiple landing gears of the airplane.

19. The method of claim 10, comprising towing multiple landing gears of the airplane.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring comprises towing at least one rear landing gear along a certain direction with a help of a towing chain or a towing cable that is substantially parallel to said certain direction.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring comprises towing at least one rear landing gear along a certain direction with a help of a towing chain or a towing cable that substantially deviates from said certain direction.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring comprises interfacing with a wheel of the rear landing gear by at least one rotatable element constituting a part of unmanned transfer system.

23. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring comprises towing multiple landing gears by multiple towing chains or towing cables that are coupled to a towing member of at least one unmanned transfer system.

24. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring comprises pushing a rear landing gear of the airplane.

25. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring comprises at least partially supporting a nose landing gear.

26. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring comprises lifting at least one component of a landing gear.