CARGO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING CARGO INTO AND OUT OF A CARGO AREA OF A MOBILE OBJECT

Abstract

A cargo management system is proposed for loading and unloading cargo into and out of a cargo area of a mobile object, it being possible for loose piece goods to be present individually or gathered together in a container-like receptacle. The cargo management system consists of a conveying device arranged outside the cargo area, a cargo handover module arranged in the entrance region of the cargo area of the mobile object, and an intermediate conveying device, which is arranged downstream from the cargo handover module in the cargo area.

Claims

1. Cargo management system for loading and unloading cargo into and out of a cargo area of a mobile object, the cargo being in the form of pallets, containers and loose piece items such as bags, suitcases, packages and the like, it being possible for the loose piece items to be present individually or gathered together in a container-like receptacle, comprising: a conveying device, which is arranged outside the cargo area and conveys the cargo to an entrance region of the cargo area of the mobile object; a cargo handover module arranged in the entrance region of the cargo area of the mobile object, the cargo handover module accepting the supplied cargo and passing it on into the cargo area, the cargo being orientatable on the cargo handover module before being passed on into the cargo area; and at least one intermediate conveying device, arranged downstream from the cargo handover module in the cargo area, for conveying the cargo onwards within the cargo area; wherein the cargo handover module comprises: a base unit, which can be arranged in the entrance region of a cargo area and comprises four edge regions which span a transport area between them, at least two input elements, which are arranged in a first edge region of the four edge regions of the base unit and by means of which the cargo can be received in the entrance region of the cargo area and conveyed onwards to the base unit, at least two output elements, which are arranged in a second edge region of the four regions of the base unit, preferably offset through 90 from the first edge region, and by means of which the cargo can be conveyed onwards from the base unit into the cargo area, a plurality of transport devices, which are arranged integrally in the base unit, distributed over the transport area on the upper face of said unit, and by means of which the cargo supplied via the input elements can be orientated and passed on to the output elements, and guide elements, which are arranged in a third and fourth edge region of the four edge regions of the base unit so as to prevent the cargo from moving out over the transport area when being supplied to the transport area, wherein the container-like receptacle comprises: a support structure comprising a base part and two side elements arranged thereon and positioned opposite one another, a shell element, which is connectable to the support structure in such a way that the support structure and the shell element connected thereto define between them a space, enclosed on at least five sides, for receiving the loose piece items, the support structure and/or the shell element being configured in such a way that, if a limit defined in advance on a force acting on the support structure and/or the shell element is exceeded, the support structure and/or the shell element release the space enclosed thereby, and thus enable relative mobility of the piece items received in the space, with respect to one another and to the container-like receptacle and an environment surrounding it, which is equal to the mobility of piece items which are not received in the container-like receptacle.

2. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the conveying device arranged outside the cargo area is a conveying vehicle or a variable-length conveyor belt.

3. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the input elements in the first edge region are formed in the manner of rollers, the output elements in the second edge region are formed in the manner of rollers, the transport devices which are arranged distributed over the transport area of the base unit may be formed in the manner or rollers or balls, and further transport means in the form of rails or the like are arranged on the transport area.

4. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the input elements, the output elements and/or the transport devices are configured in such a way that they make it possible for the cargo to be received, orientated and passed on manually and/or with the assistance of motor power.

5. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: in the transport area of the base unit, at least two drive units facing in different directions are arranged, preferably offset through 90 with respect to one another, which have roller-like conveyor elements which are driveable by a motor arranged integrally in the base unit, the drive units being arranged sunk into the transport area of the base unit and being able to be lifted again by a lifting device to pass on the cargo, in such a way that the conveying elements protrude from the transport area of the base unit so as to take over the cargo from the input elements by motor power, convey it onwards onto the transport area of the base unit, and from there, after the cargo is orientated by means of the transport devices, to output it into the cargo space, preferably to the intermediate conveying device arranged therein, via the output elements, preferably in an accelerated manner.

6. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the motors, arranged integrally in the base unit, and the lifting device may be actuable by means of a control unit, which is arranged integrally in the base unit and can be connected in a wired or wireless manner to a device provided in the cargo area.

7. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of the guide elements arranged in the third and fourth edge region of the four edge regions of the base unit may have control elements, which are arranged in recesses formed in the guide element and which are protected by a protective wall formed by a part of the guide element facing the transport devices, the control unit being operable by means of the control elements so as integrally to control the input and output elements, the transport devices, the drive units and further devices present in the cargo area such as the intermediate conveying device.

8. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the control unit is actuable by means of a control unit, which is arranged preferably removably in the cargo area and/or carried by an operator so as to give instructions to the control unit in a wired and/or wireless manner, preferably from outside the cargo area.

9. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: by means of the output elements, cargo can be received from the cargo area, preferably the intermediate conveying device arranged therein, and conveyed onwards to the base unit, it being possible for the supplied cargo to be orientated there by means of the transport device and passed on to the input elements, and subsequently to be conveyed via the entrance region of the cargo area to the conveyor device arranged outside the cargo area by means of the input elements.

10. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the intermediate conveying device arranged in the cargo area is a roller plate, a motor-driven conveyor belt covering the floor of the cargo area in a planar manner, or a combination thereof.

11. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: at the support structure and/or the shell element of the container-like receptacle, at least one holding element is formed, by means of which the support structure and the shell element are interconnected.

12. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the shell element consists of at least two parts, which are interconnected by means of a connecting element.

13. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the shell element encloses the support structure in a wall-free region spanned between the base part and the side elements, so as to form the space enclosed by the support structure and the shell element.

14. Cargo management system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one release device, which is arranged between the support structure and the shell element or between the two parts of the shell element and is configured in such a way that it opens if the limit defined in advance on the force acting on the support structure and/or the shell element is exceeded, and releases the connection between the support structure and the shell element or the connection between the at least two parts of the shell element, the release device being formed in the holding element or in the connecting element.

15. Cargo management system according to claim 1, further comprising buffer elements, which enclose upper edges of the side elements of the container-like receptacle in the width direction of the support structure.

16. Cargo management system according to c1aim 1, further comprising at least one transverse strut, which is arranged extending in the width direction of the support structure on upper edges of the side elements in such a way that the transverse strut interconnects the side elements, the shell element being connectable to the support structure in such a way that the shell element extends over the transverse strut so as to be supported by said strut, in such a way that the support structure and the shell element connected thereto together define a completely enclosed space.

17. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the base part and/or the side elements of the support structure of the container-like receptacle are configured in such a way that they can receive and retain escaped liquids in the space, preferably in an amount of several millilitres to a few litres, in particular three litres.

18. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the container-like receptacle additionally comprises handle elements which are attached to the base part and/or the side elements of the support structure and make manual orientation of the container-like receptacle possible.

19. Cargo management system according to claim 1, wherein: the support structure is stackable.

20. Cargo management system according to c1aim 1, wherein: in the support structure and/or the shell element, means are formed by means of which visual and/or electronic checking and assignment of the device, preferably by near-field communication, are possible.

21. Cargo management system according to c1aim 1, wherein: the mobile object is a narrow-body aircraft, and the limit defined in advance on the force acting on the support structure and/or the shell element of the container-like receptacle is less than a maximum admissible load, acting in any direction, which can be received in the cargo area of the narrow-body aircraft, and in particular does not exceed 300 N.

22. Cargo management system according claim 21, wherein: the container-like receptacle may be used for storing loose piece items received therein in a cargo area of the narrow-body aircraft, and the base part and the side elements connected to the base part may be configured in such a way that they follow the contour of the cargo area cross section.

23. Cargo management system according to c1aim 1, wherein: the cargo handover module, the intermediate conveying device and/or the container-like receptacle are formed at least in part from a fibre-reinforced plastics material such as a glass-fibre composite material, a carbon-fibre composite material, Kevlar, or combinations thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] The features and advantages and the technical and economic significance of example embodiments of the invention are described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0068] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a cargo management system according to the invention for loading and unloading cargo into and out of a cargo area of a mobile object; and

[0069] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a container-like receptacle, which shows in the partial views 1 to 4 how the received piece goods are released when the limit on the force acting on the support structure and/or the shell element of the container-like receptacle is exceeded.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0070] In the following, an embodiment of the cargo management system according to the invention for loading and unloading cargo into and out of a cargo area of a mobile object is described with reference to the drawings.

[0071] FIG. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a cargo management system according to the invention for loading and unloading cargo into and out of a cargo area of a mobile object 1.

[0072] In the embodiment shown here, the cargo management system according to the invention is used in an application in a narrow-body aircraft, which is configured with a relatively small cargo area, generally only somewhat over one metre high, below the rows of seats.

[0073] As is shown schematically in FIG. 1, the aircraft 1 is located in its parking position on the apron.

[0074] The cargo area hatch (not shown) is open, and via waiting transport vehicles 15 luggage C supplied from the counter is transported via a conveying device 5 (a conveyor belt arranged on a further apron vehicle) into the entrance region of the cargo area.

[0075] There, said luggage arrives at a cargo handover module 7, installed in the entrance region, by way of which the loose luggage C and other cargo, for example container-like receptacles 3, can be conveyed onwards into the cargo area. The container-like receptacles 3 are formed in such a way that they make it possible to receive and pass on the luggage while it is gathered together, but break open if a limit on the force acting on the support structure 3.1 of the receptacles and/or on the shell element 3.2 connected thereto is exceeded, and release the loose luggage C received gathered together therein.

[0076] The cargo handover module 7 has rollers, referred to as input elements 7.1, in the region of the cargo area opening, which receive the cargo supplied using the conveyor belt of the apron vehicle and guide it onwards onto a transport area, on which the ball-like transport devices 7.3 are formed.

[0077] In particular when container-like receptacles 3 or the like are being handled, drive units 7.4 provided in the cargo handover module 7, which are sunk into the transport area when not in use, are lifted.

[0078] Motor-driven rollers formed on the drive units 7.4 can subsequently pull the receptacles 3 and the like, in a power-assisted manner, onto the transport surface, where the cargo can subsequently be orientated.

[0079] For passing the cargo on into the cargo area, further drive units 7.4, preferably arranged offset through 90 degrees, and rollers, referred to as output elements 7.2, are provided, which, after the cargo is orientated by way of the transport rollers 7.3, guide it onwards into the cargo area in a motor-assisted manner.

[0080] To prevent the structure of the cargo area from being damaged as a result when cargo is conveyed out over the transport area of the cargo handover module 7 during loading and/or unloading, guide elements 7.5 and 7.6 are arranged on the cargo handover module 7, and restrict the movement path of the cargo.

[0081] For transporting the cargo handed over by the cargo handover module 7 onwards into the cargo area, an intermediate conveying device 9 is provided.

[0082] The intermediate conveying device 9 in this embodiment comprises a conveyor belt, which covers the floor of the cargo area and parts of the cargo area side walls, and thus follows the contour of the cargo area, as is shown in particular in FIG. 2.

[0083] The conveyor belt of the intermediate device 9, which is used by the Applicant under the name sliding carpet, is borne and reinforced by guide elements, which are arranged along the cargo area floorin the longitudinal direction of the cargo areathe conveyor belt extending above and below these guide elements. To save weight, the guide elements and the receiving units 17 in the region of the cargo handover module 7 and the head end 19, pointing towards the cockpit, of the intermediate conveying device 9 are made of a fibre composite material.

[0084] The loaded luggage is laid on the head end 19, pointing towards the cockpit, of the intermediate conveying device 9, said end being formed substantially as a wall directed vertically from the conveyor belt towards the cargo area ceiling.

[0085] In particular, the luggage, in other words the loose piece goods C in the form of suitcases and the like, and the container-like receptacles 3 are outputted, by means of the output elements 7.2, via the ball-like transport devices 7.3 onto the intermediate conveyor device 9, which subsequently guides the luggage onwards into the cargo area interior.

[0086] So as to leave as much stowing space as possible unused, and thus to minimise the free space between the luggage to be loaded, the cargo consisting of the loose piece goods C and container-like receptacles 3 can be accelerated by the output elements 7.2 when being passed on from the cargo handover module 7 to the intermediate conveyor device 9, in such a way that the cargo comes to be positioned tightly together on the conveyor belt of the intermediate conveying device 9.

[0087] So as to reduce the burden on the staff entrusted with loading and unloading, operating or control elements are formed in the guide element 7.5 on the side of the cargo handover module 7 facing the vehicle tail, and are protected by a protective wall, which is formed by a part of the guide element 7.5 itself which faces the transport devices 7.3.

[0088] By means of these control elements, a control unit provided in the cargo handover module 7 is provided, so as integrally to control at least the input and output elements 7.1, 7.2, the transport devices 7.3, the drive units 7.4 and the intermediate conveying device 9, and in a particularly preferred embodiment the conveying device 5 located outside the cargo area and optionally further devices.

[0089] During loading and unloading, in an embodiment not shown here of the cargo management system according to the invention not shown here, only a single worker is present in the region of the cargo area entrance, who sits or kneels in the tail region of the aircraft behind the cargo handover module 7 and, by means of the control elements formed in the guide element 7.5 in the cargo handover module 7, integrally controls the conveying device 5 positioned outside the aircraft, the cargo handover module 7 and the intermediate conveying device 9. In this context, as a result of the cargo management system according to the invention, it is no longer necessary for the worker to lift the cargo himself and so forth. Rather, the worker controls the individual modules of the cargo management system by means of the control elements, the loading and unloading thus running in a largely automated manner.

[0090] This makes possible in particular a time-optimised, integrated control system, by means of which the cargo can be conveyed continuously or incrementally from the apron into the cargo area and from there back onto the apron.

[0091] In the particularly preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the cargo management system according to the invention, it is additionally possible for the first time to dispense with a worker in the cargo area completely.

[0092] Instead, the worker 11 is located at a safe distance from the input region of the cargo area on the apron, and holds in his hands a control unit 13 which, in the embodiment shown here, communicates wirelessly with the control unit provided in the cargo handover module 7.

[0093] The control unit 13 shown here is configured in such a way that it has access to cameras or sensors on the associated modules of the cargo management system, and it is thus directly detectable, in particular for the worker 11, if difficulties occur in the cargo area when the cargo is being loaded or unloaded, for example because it has not been possible to orientate suitcases or bags correctly.

[0094] In a particularly simply configured variant, the control unit 13 is not a specially formed element, such as a control console or the like, but rather a notebook, a tablet PC or even merely a smartphone, on which an app is executed which makes integral control of the cargo management system possible.

[0095] In an alternative embodiment not shown here, the worker 11 with the control unit 13 can also stand in the region of the ground vehicle 5, for example on a platform provided thereon, and thus look directly into the cargo area so as to be able to intervene immediately if this is required. In this context, the control unit 13 can then for example be connected to the cargo handover module 7 using a variable-length coiled cable so as to make it possible to input control commands.

[0096] As described at the outset, the container-like receptacles 3 are configured in such a way that they make it possible to receive and pass on the luggage while it is gathered together, but break open if a limit on the force acting on the support structure 3.1 of the container-like receptacles and/or on the shell element 3.2 connected thereto is exceeded, and release the loose luggage C received gathered together therein.

[0097] As a result, it is possible to prevent the maximum admissible surface load in the cargo area from being exceeded, in such a way that, even though no standard containers certified in accordance with the provision of the Technical Standards Order (TSO) C90c of the FAA or the ETSO C90c of the EASA are used in most narrow-body aircraft, since this aircraft type lacks the required transport system for pallets and aircraft containers having the corresponding locking devices in the cargo area, by means of which ULDs of this type can be secured against movement, the luggage can still be transported gathered together in container-like receptacles 3.

[0098] The principle addressed above of a collapsing receptacle (also referred to as a collapsible load device, CLD for short, to distinguish it from conventional ULDs) is shown schematically in FIG. 2, which shows, in views 1 to 4, how the container-like receptacle 3 opens if a limit defined in advance on a force acting on the support structure 3.1 and/or the shell element 3.2 is exceeded, and releases the content thereofin other words the loose piece goods C received therein in the form of suitcases, bags etc.over the cargo area floor.

[0099] View 1 of FIG. 2 shows a plurality of container-like receptacles 3, which are received in succession in a cargo area of the aircraft 1. The container-like receptacles 3 are positioned without additional securing on the intermediate conveying device 9 covering the cargo area floor, and are automatically conveyed onwards into the cargo area by said device. In this state, no force acts on the container-like receptacle 3 aside from its own weight and the weight of the received pieces of luggage.

[0100] View 2 shows how the luggage received in the container-like receptacle 3 presses against the front face of the shell element 3.2 and buckles it in the direction of the arrows, for example because the container-like receptacle 3 starts sliding during take-off and landing or during the fluid, for example as a result of occurring turbulences, as a result of the locking devices necessarily being absent in this aircraft type.

[0101] The sliding container-like receptacles 3 may for example get caught on the side wall of the cargo area or the upper edges of the intermediate conveying device 9, causing the sliding receptacles 3 to be abruptly braked and come to a standstill.

[0102] However, the luggage stowed in the receptacle 3 continues to move under mass inertia, causing a force, which acts in the original movement direction, to act on the support structure 3.1 and/or the shell element 3.2.

[0103] If a force (inertia force F.sub.T) applied to the container-like receptacles 3 by the luggagethe suitcases, bags etc.and the force (reaction force F.sub.R) generated by the abrupt stop of the sliding container-like receptacle 3 and acting counter to the inertia force exceed a limit defined in advance on the maximum admissible force (admissible total force F.sub.G) acting on the support structure 3.1 and/or the shell element 3.2, the container-like receptacle 3 breaks upon, since in this case the release device provided in the container-like receptacles 3 releases the interconnection of the two halves of the shell element 3.2, causing the two parts of the shell element 3.2 to be released from one another, as shown in view 3.

[0104] In this context, as a limit value, a value is taken which is composed of: [0105] the reaction force (F.sub.R) generated when a container-like receptacle 3 which has started sliding unsecured is abruptly stopped, for example because it is hanging on to the walls of the cargo area or to other cargo stowed in the cargo area, and is thus brought to a standstill, [0106] and the inertia force (F.sub.T) of the luggage C stowed in the container-like receptacle 3, said luggage initially continuing to move under mass inertia in the direction in which the container-like receptacle 3 has slid, and thus applying a force to the support structure 3.1 and/or the shell element 3.2, which acts in the original movement direction.

[0107] This inertia force F.sub.T then acts, together with the reaction force F.sub.R on the container-like receptacle 3 generated during the abrupt braking of the container-like receptacle 3 and acting counter to the inertia force F.sub.T, causing a total force (F.sub.G) to be applied to the container-like receptacle 3.

[0108] If this total force F.sub.G exceeds the limit defined in advance on the maximum admissible force acting on the support structure 3.1 and/or the shell element 3.2, the container-like receptacle 3 thus breaks open, causing the space enclosed by the support structure 3.1 and the shell element 3.2 to be released and thus enabling mobility of the piece items C received in the space, with respect to one another and to the container-like receptacle 3 and the environment surrounding it.

[0109] In empirical tests, the limit on the maximum admissible force has been determined as a value of approximately 400 N, and in accordance with the embodiment under discussion, adhering to the certification standards for narrow-body aircraft and maintaining a sufficient safety margin, is determined so as not to exceed 300 N.

[0110] When the release device opens the connection between the two halves of the shell element 3.2 if the limit on the maximum admissible force is exceeded, the space enclosed by the shell element 3.2 and the support structure 3.1 is thus released, and the luggage C held therein falls out of the container-like receptacles 3 into the cargo area, where it is distributed on the intermediate conveying device 9, as shown in view 4.

[0111] Since in the cargo management system according to the invention the intermediate conveying device 9 has a conveyor belt driven by a motor and covering substantially the entire floor of the cargo area, the luggage C, which is no longer bundled in the container-like receptacle 3 and instead is distributed loose on the conveyor belt, is still conveyed to the cargo handover module 7 in a short time during unloading as a result of the intermediate conveying device 9, and from there, after orientation, is handed over to waiting transport vehicles 15 and the like, rapidly and largely without assistance from ground staff, by means of the conveying device 5.

[0112] Although the cargo management system for loading and unloading cargo into and out of a cargo area has been described in the above using the example of a narrow-body aircraft, the cargo management system is similarly applicable to other mobile objects which have a correspondingly formed cargo area.

[0113] For example, the cargo management system can be used for loading and unloading a cargo area with cargo in a lorry, a ship, a goods train etc. in which various types of cargo are to be transported and as little idle time as possible is desired for the loading and unloading process. Because of the particular requirements, however, the cargo management system for loading and unloading cargo into and out of a cargo area is preferably used in narrow-body aircraft, and makes it possible to modernise the loading and unloading process in such a way that idle times and costs can be minimised, while it is simultaneously possible at least to maintain the amount of stored cargo.

[0114] The invention thus proposes a cargo management system for loading and unloading cargo (C) into and out of a cargo area of a mobile object (1), it being possible for loose piece goods to be present individually or gathered together in a container-like receptacle (3). The cargo management system consists of a conveying device (5) arranged outside the cargo area, a cargo handover module (7) arranged in the entrance region of the cargo area of the mobile object (1), and an intermediate conveying device (9), which is arranged downstream from the cargo handover module (7) in the cargo area.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0115] 1 Mobile object (narrow-body aircraft)

[0116] 3 Container-like receptacle

[0117] 3.1 Support structure

[0118] 3.2 Shell element

[0119] 5 Conveying device (ground vehicle)

[0120] 7 Cargo handover module

[0121] 7.1 Input elements

[0122] 7.2 Output elements

[0123] 7.3 Transport devices

[0124] 7.4 Drive unit

[0125] 7.5 Guide element

[0126] 7.6 Guide element

[0127] 9 Intermediate conveying device (sliding carpet)

[0128] 11 Worker

[0129] 13 Control unit

[0130] 15 Luggage transporter

[0131] 17 Receiving unit

[0132] 19 Head end

[0133] C Loose piece goods