A roller assembly comprises a housing having an outer surface attached thereto, and a braking arrangement positioned at least partially within the housing. The braking arrangement is configured to increase resistance to rotation of the housing proportionally to a load applied against the outer surface.

A system for moving loads comprising a cargo compartment floor, at least one roller track comprising rollers arranged one behind the other in the cargo compartment floor, at least one guideway in the floor and extending parallel to the at least one track, and at least one transport vehicle removably accommodated in and movable along the guideway. The transport vehicle comprises at least one connecting element movable between first and second operating positions. In the first operating position, the connecting element is configured so the transport vehicle is positionable beneath a load on the roller track, and in the second operating position, the connecting element is configured to interact with the load to connect the load to the transport vehicle, so the load is entrained when the transport vehicle moves along the guideway. The transport vehicle further comprises a drive mechanism to move the transport vehicle along the guideway.

Different advantageous embodiments provide a method and apparatus to increase a clearance of a cargo area of an aircraft. The apparatus and method may comprise an aircraft with a cargo area. A tray system may have a plurality of segment trays with each segment tray positioned between a plurality of floor beams located underneath a surface of the floor of the cargo area. A plurality of rollers in the tray system may be configured to allow an object to be moved across the cargo area.

Systems and methods for extending the interior cargo bay of fixed-wing cargo aircraft into a replaceable tailcone bay are disclosed. The system includes an aircraft and a removable tailcone configured couple to the aft end of the fuselage. The aircraft fuselage includes a cargo bay and an aft end opening into the cargo bay. The tailcone, when attached, encloses the aft end opening the cargo bay. The tailcone can include an interior volume configured to extend the fuselage cargo bay such that the interior volume defines an aft end of a cargo bay of the cargo aircraft. In some examples, the tailcone includes a plurality of segments, which can be configured to extend from the aft end of the aircraft to adjust a length of the cargo extension provided by the tailcone.

An infra-red sensor assembly may comprise a substrate and an infra-red transmitter electrically coupled to the substrate. An infra-red receiver may be electrically coupled to the substrate. A testing infra-red transmitter may be electrically coupled to the substrate. An infra-red transmission channel may optically couple the testing infra-red transmitter and the infra-red receiver.

An airplane passenger transport system that includes an airplane and a first passenger module. The first passenger module is removably positionable in the airplane. The first passenger module is adapted to transport at least one person in an at least partially enclosed configuration. The first passenger module includes at least one of a seat and a bed for the at least one person can sit while being transported in the airplane.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for an aircraft cargo handling system articulating ball mat are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a method for transferring cargo across a stepped threshold and into a sloped compartment involves moving the cargo across the stepped threshold and onto a ball mat located within the sloped compartment, where the ball mat is configured in a substantially horizontal position. In one or more embodiments, the surface of the ball mat comprises at least one conveyance device (e.g., at least one roller ball and/or at least one caster). The method further involves configuring the ball mat in a sloped position. Further, the method involves moving the cargo off the ball mat and into the sloped compartment.

A cargo management system is provided comprising an air cushion cargo shuttle, an air blower configured to blow air beneath the air cushion cargo shuttle, and an inductive charging receiver on the cargo shuttle. In various embodiments, an energy storage module may be electrically coupled to the inductive charging receiver. A wireless charging station may inductively couple with the inductive charging receiver. The inductive charging receiver may include a first resonant coil, and the wireless charging station may include a second resonant coil. The wireless charging station may switch on in response to the air cushion cargo shuttle entering a desired range. A floor panel may rest beneath the air cushion cargo shuttle with the wireless charging station beneath the floor panel. The floor panel may comprise at least one of a composite material or a metallic material.

A system for ensuring proper installation of components of a cargo management system within a cargo hold has cleats rigidly attached to a floor of the cargo hold, a first subset of the cleats having insets of a first shape, a second subset of cleats having insets of a second shape, keys and rotatable fasteners attached to the components of the cargo management system, a first subset of the keys having the first shape and a second subset of the keys having the second shape. The first subset of keys can only engage with the first subset of cleats and the second subset of keys can only engage with the second subset of cleats and the rotatable fasteners utilize a rotary movement to secure the components of the cargo management system to a respective cleat, against which the rotary fastener is engaged.

An autonomous cargo handling system having a sensor self-calibration system may comprise a sensing agent configured to monitor a sensing zone, and a system controller in electronic communication with the first sensing agent. The system controller may be configured to receive structural cargo deck data from the first sensing agent, generate a real-time cargo deck model, identify a cargo deck component in the real-time cargo deck model, and determine a position of the sensing agent relative to the cargo deck component.