Mobile transporter servicing unit for an operational ground support system

• US 7,575,197 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: McCoskey, William R., Johnson, Richard N.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/164,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20070007389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 244/137.1, 244/137.2
• US Class Current: 244/137.1
• 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 1/35 for supplying electrical power to stationary aircraft
• 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

A mobile ground servicing unit (470) includes a stand-alone support structure (471). Wheels (473) are coupled to the support structure (471). The support structure (471) has one or more servicing levels (472, 474) that are associated with services. A ground support service sub-system is coupled to the servicing levels and is configured to mate with a service opening (26″) of an aircraft (12′″). The ground support service sub-system provides the services to the aircraft (12′″) through the service opening (26″) and on the servicing levels (472, 474).

Claims

1. A mobile ground servicing unit comprising:

a stand-alone support structure;

a plurality of wheels coupled to said support structure;

a first servicing platform with a length and an second servicing platform parallel to and below said first servicing platform, with a length, wherein the length of the first servicing platform is less than the length of the second servicing platform, thereby facilitating mating with a nose docking port of an aircraft; and

at least one ground support service sub-system coupled to said first or said second servicing platform and configured to mate with at least one service opening of at least one aircraft;

said at least one ground support service sub-system providing a plurality of services to said at least one aircraft through said at least one service opening and on at least one of said first or second servicing platform.

2. A servicing unit as in claim 1 wherein said at least one ground support service sub-system provides said plurality of services over at least one of said first or second servicing platforms.

3. A servicing unit as in claim 1 wherein:

said first servicing platform comprises at least one service sub-system selected from a passenger ingress/egress system and a secondary service system; and

said second servicing platform comprises at least one service sub-system selected from a cargo ingress/egress system and a primary service system.

4. A servicing unit 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 primary service system, an secondary service system, a security system, and a health and maintenance monitoring system.

5. A servicing unit as in claim 1 wherein:

said first servicing platform comprises a passenger ingress/egress system; and

said second servicing platform comprises a primary service system.

6. A terminal as in claim 5 wherein said primary service system is selected from at least one of a fuel system, a power system, an electrical power system, a water system, an air system, and a brake cooling system.

7. A terminal as in claim 5 wherein said secondary service system provides services selected from at least one of cabin cleaning services, galley services, lavatories, and trash services to said at least one aircraft.

8. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of ingress and egress sides.

9. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising an ingress side that is different than said egress side.

10. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising a cargo gate ramp for passing of said plurality of services thereover.

11. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising a lift platform.

12. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising a cargo platform.

13. A servicing unit as in claim 1 wherein said first servicing platform accommodates simultaneous ingress and egress of passengers and cargo.

14. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising a main station controlling passage of primary services between at least one of said first servicing platform or second servicing platform and said at least one aircraft.

15. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising primary service couplers for attachment to an onboard aircraft service system.

16. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising primary service pumps for passage of said plurality of services.

17. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising at least one primary service holding unit.

18. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising a docking port that is configured to couple to a nose of said at least one aircraft.

19. A servicing unit as in claim 1 comprising a docking port that is configured to couple to a side of said at least one aircraft.

20. A servicing unit as in claim 1 further comprising a mating system for coupling said at least one ground support service sub-system to said at least one aircraft.

21. A servicing unit as in claim 1 wherein said aircraft terminal mating system is in the form of a machine vision technology system.

22. A mobile ground servicing unit comprising:

a stand-alone support structure having a front side and a rear side;

a plurality of wheels coupled to said support structure;

a first servicing platform associated with a plurality of services, having a front end and a back end, on said support structure, and a second servicing platform associated with a plurality of services, having a front end and a back end, on said support structure, wherein the first servicing platform is above the second servicing platform, and wherein the front end of the first servicing platform is laterally set back from the first end of the second servicing platform such that the first level is shorter than the second level, thereby forming an L-shaped aircraft nose mating section mating with an aircraft nose docking port; and

a first and a second ground support service sub-system coupled to said first and second servicing platform, respectively, and configured to mate with at least one service opening of at least one aircraft;

said first and second ground support service sub-systems providing said plurality of services to said at least one aircraft through said at least one service opening.

23. A mobile ground servicing unit as in claim 22, further comprising:

a first service opening at the front end of the first servicing level, providing access between the first servicing level and a nose section of an aircraft; and

a second service opening at the front end of the second servicing level, providing access between the second servicing level and a nose section of an aircraft.