System for moving loads comprising a driven transport vehicle

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A system for moving loads, comprising: a cargo compartment floor; at least one roller track comprising a plurality of rollers arranged one behind the other in the cargo compartment floor; at least one guideway provided in the cargo compartment floor and extending substantially parallel to the at least one roller track; and at least one transport vehicle removably accommodated in the guideway and being movable along the guideway, and comprising at least one connecting element movable between a first operating position and a second operating position, in the first operating position, the connecting element being arranged in such a way that the transport vehicle accommodated in the guideway is positionable beneath a load arranged on the at least one roller track, and in the second operating position, the connecting element being arranged so as to interact with the load in order to connect the load to the transport vehicle, so that the load is entrained when the transport vehicle moves along the guideway, and the transport vehicle further comprising a drive mechanism to move the transport vehicle along the guideway; wherein the drive mechanism comprises: an electric motor, wherein the electric motor obtains current from a rechargeable battery; at least one driven drive roller, which interacts with a base region of the guideway, wherein the drive roller is an integral part of a drive unit of the drive mechanism, and the drive unit further comprises an electric motor driving the drive roller, wherein the electric motor comprises an output shaft, and a rotational axis of the output shaft and a rotational axis of the drive roller extend substantially parallel to one another.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle comprises at least two drive units arranged on opposite sides of the transport vehicle and arranged in diagonally opposing corner regions of the transport vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle comprises at least one non-driven roller which interacts with a base region of the guideway.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle further comprises at least one guide roller configured to interact with a side wall region of the guideway, and the transport vehicle comprises at least two guide rollers arranged on opposite sides of the transport vehicle.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle comprises at least one transport device designed to move a load positioned over the transport vehicle relative to the transport vehicle.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the transport device is configured to at least one of move the load essentially along a movement axis of the transport vehicle and rotate the load relative to the transport vehicle.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the transport device comprises at least one driven transport roller which comprises an omnidirectional roller.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the transport roller is drivable to rotate about a rotational axis that extends at an angle to the movement axis of the transport vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle comprises individual modules that can be separated from one another, and each individual module comprises the drive mechanism wherein the drive mechanism comprises an electric motor and wherein the electric motor obtains current from a rechargeable battery.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle comprises individual modules that can be separated from one another, and each individual module comprises at least one non-driven roller which interacts with a base region of the guideway.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle comprises individual modules that can be separated from one another, and each individual module comprises at least one guide roller configured to interact with a side wall region of the guideway, and the transport vehicle comprises at least two guide rollers arranged on opposite sides of the transport vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle comprises individual modules that can be separated from one another, and each individual module comprises at least one transport device designed to move a load positioned over the transport vehicle relative to the transport vehicle.

13. A cargo compartment comprising a system for moving loads according to claim 1.

14. A system for moving loads, comprising: a cargo compartment floor; at least one roller track comprising a plurality of rollers arranged one behind the other in the cargo compartment floor; at least one guideway provided in the cargo compartment floor and extending substantially parallel to the at least one roller track; and at least one transport vehicle removably accommodated in the guideway and being movable along the guideway, and comprising at least one connecting element movable between a first operating position and a second operating position, in the first operating position, the connecting element being arranged in such a way that the transport vehicle accommodated in the guideway is positionable beneath a load arranged on the at least one roller track, and in the second operating position, the connecting element being arranged so as to interact with the load in order to connect the load to the transport vehicle, so that the load is entrained when the transport vehicle moves along the guideway, and the transport vehicle further comprising a drive mechanism to move the transport vehicle along the guideway; wherein the drive mechanism comprises: an electric motor, wherein the electric motor obtains current from a rechargeable battery; at least one driven drive roller, which interacts with a base region of the guideway, wherein the drive roller is an integral part of a drive unit of the drive mechanism, and the drive unit further comprises an electric motor driving the drive roller, wherein the electric motor and the drive roller are coupled to one another via a belt drive.

15. A system for moving loads, comprising: a cargo compartment floor; at least one roller track comprising a plurality of rollers arranged one behind the other in the cargo compartment floor; at least one guideway provided in the cargo compartment floor and extending substantially parallel to the at least one roller track; and at least one transport vehicle removably accommodated in the guideway and being movable along the guideway, and comprising at least one connecting element movable between a first operating position and a second operating position; in the first operating position, the connecting element being arranged in such a way that the transport vehicle accommodated in the guideway is positionable beneath a load arranged on the at least one roller track, and in the second operating position, the connecting element being arranged so as to interact with the load in order to connect the load to the transport vehicle, so that the load is entrained when the transport vehicle moves along the guideway, and the transport vehicle further comprising a drive mechanism to move the transport vehicle along the guideway; wherein the drive mechanism comprises: an electric motor, wherein the electric motor obtains current from a rechargeable battery; and a belt drive protruding beyond a side region of the transport vehicle bearing against a side wall region of the guideway.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail hereafter based on the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a top view onto the cargo compartment of an aircraft, comprising a system according to the invention for moving loads according to a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a frontal view of a sub-region of the system shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a transport vehicle for use in the system from FIG. 1 in a perspective single representation;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a modular design of a transport vehicle according to the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of the individual integral parts of the transport vehicle from FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a transport device of the transport vehicle from FIG. 3 in a perspective single representation;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a connecting unit of the transport vehicle from FIG. 3 in a perspective single representation;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a drive unit of the transport vehicle from FIG. 3 in a perspective single representation;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration of the individual integral parts of a transport vehicle according to a further embodiment of the invention;

(11) FIG. 10 shows a single partial representation of a belt drive unit of the transport vehicle from FIG. 9; and

(12) FIG. 11 shows a side view of the belt drive unit from FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(13) FIG. 1 shows a top view onto the cargo compartment of an aircraft, comprising a system according to the invention for moving loads. This system is denoted in the overall by reference numeral 10. The cargo compartment comprises a cargo compartment floor 12, of which only selected structures and components that are particularly relevant for transporting and storing loads are shown in FIG. 1. The cargo compartment furthermore comprises an access region 14, which defines an opening having the width D in the aircraft fuselage and which is accessible from the outside in the known manner via a cargo compartment door of the aircraft, which is not shown.

(14) The cargo compartment comprises multiple roller tracks 16, which each comprise multiple rollers 18. These are arranged one behind the other, as viewed along an X axis of the cargo compartment. For the sake of clarity, only selected rollers 18 are marked in FIG. 1 with a corresponding reference numeral. The X axis of the cargo compartment furthermore extends parallel to an aircraft longitudinal axis, which is not shown.

(15) The rollers 18 each rotate about a rotational axis, which extends perpendicularly to the X axis and parallel to the plane of the cargo compartment floor 12. They furthermore form a shared running surface plane, which forms a locally raised region within the cargo compartment, so that loads can be displaced on the rollers 18 along the X axis parallel to the cargo compartment floor 12.

(16) A guideway 20 is provided between two of the roller tracks 16. In the top view shown in FIG. 1, only the planar bottom surfaces 22 of a base region of the guideways 20 are apparent. These base surfaces 22 are recessed into the drawing plane with respect to the roller tracks 16, and, in particular, with respect to the raised running surfaces of the rollers 18 (which is to say arranged lower in the Z direction of FIG. 1).

(17) The guideways 20 each accommodate a transport vehicle 24, which is displaceable along a movement axis B within the guideways 20, wherein the movement axis B extends parallel to the X axis of the cargo compartment. As will be described hereafter, the transport vehicles 24 are supported on the base surfaces 22 of the guideway 20, so that a movement plane of the transport vehicles extends parallel to the base surfaces 22 and includes the movement axis B. The movement plane of the transport vehicles is moreover parallel to the shared running surface plane of the rollers 18 from the roller tracks 16 and the movement plane of the loads defined thereby.

(18) In FIG. 1, the transport vehicles 24 are each arranged close to the access region 14 to the cargo compartment in the starting positions thereof. In this position, they can only be moved to the left in FIG. 1 to transport loads into regions of the cargo compartment located at a distance from the access region 14. It is apparent in FIG. 1 that a loading region 26 extends between the access region 14 and the roller tracks 16, the loading region comprising multiple ball rollers 28 (only some of which are denoted by a reference numeral) in the known manner (so-called ball mat area). When the cargo compartment is being loaded with loads in the form of known ULDs, the ULDs are initially pushed into the cargo compartment via the access region 14 along the Y axis, wherein they glide on the ball rollers 28. Thereafter, the ULDs are transported in the manner described hereafter by way of the transport vehicles 24 along the movement axis B or the X axis of the cargo compartment, wherein the ULDs are moved along the roller tracks 16 and supported by these. In other words, the gravitational forces of the loads are initially borne essentially by the ball rollers 28, and thereafter by the rollers 18 of the roller tracks 16. The described loading operation can be carried out in reverse order for unloading the cargo compartment. Furthermore, the loads can also be moved relative to the vehicles 24 by way of transport devices 60 of the transport vehicles 24 described hereafter and, for example in the loading region 26, be initially rotated about the Z axis.

(19) FIG. 2 shows a frontal view onto a sub-region of the system from FIG. 1, and specifically a frontal view onto a guideway 20 comprising a transport vehicle 24 arranged therein. The view corresponds to a viewing axis A, as indicated in FIG. 1, wherein the illustration in FIG. 2 is accordingly rotated.

(20) The roller tracks 16 comprising the rollers 18 accommodated therein, and the interposed guideway 20 comprising the planar base surfaces 22, are again apparent. It should be noted that the regions 30 protruding the rollers 18 are known structural components of the cargo compartment floor 12, which are located outside the movement path of the transport vehicle 24 and thus are not further relevant for the movement of the load (see corresponding regions 30 in FIG. 1).

(21) It is furthermore apparent from FIG. 2 that the guideway 20 comprises side wall regions 32 that are formed by the roller tracks 16 and laterally delimit the guideway 20. The side wall regions 32 extend perpendicularly to the base surface 22 and parallel to the movement axis B of the transport vehicle 24 or the X axis of the cargo compartment. These axes are each located perpendicularly on the drawing plane in the view from FIG. 2 and are not shown separately.

(22) It is furthermore apparent from FIG. 2 that the transport vehicle 24 is supported by way of rollers 66, which are discussed hereafter, on the base surface 22 of the guideway and moves along the same. The transport vehicle 24, in general, has a lower height H over the cargo compartment floor 12 than the height R of the running surfaces of the rollers 18. In other words, the running surfaces of the rollers 18 protrude beyond the transport vehicle 24, so that a load, in principle, can be arranged on the roller tracks 16 and be borne by these, without being supported on the transport vehicle 24.

(23) As is described hereafter, the transport vehicle 24 also comprises multiple transport devices 60 comprising driven transport rollers 84. For the sake of illustration, the running surfaces of these rollers 84 are shown slightly below the height R of the rollers 18 of the roller tracks 16 in FIG. 2. In fact, however, it is provided that the transport rollers 84 are spring-preloaded and thus extend beyond the height R when unloaded. This allows the transport rollers 84 to be brought to bear against a load positioned on the roller tracks 16 so as to transmit a movement force thereto.

(24) The transport vehicle 24 furthermore comprises a connecting unit 36 including a connecting element 38, which comprises a single plate-shaped connecting section. In the shown case, the connecting element 38 assumes a second operating position in which it extends beyond the further regions of the transport vehicle 24 and of the rollers 18 in a vertical or Z direction. Thus, it assumes a greater height H over the cargo compartment floor 12 than the running surface plane of the roller tracks 16. This allows the connecting element 38 to establish contact with a ULD unit, which is not shown and arranged on the roller tracks 16, or to be supported thereon. A movement of the transport vehicle 24 along the movement path B can thus be transmitted to the ULD unit so as to displace the same on the roller tracks 16 parallel to the cargo compartment floor 12.

(25) As is indicated by the arrow P in FIG. 2, the connecting element 38, however, can likewise be rotated 90 in the direction of the base surface 22 of the guideway 20, wherein the rotation takes place in a plane that extends substantially perpendicularly to the movement plane of the transport vehicle 24. Subsequent to this rotation, the connecting element 38 assumes a first operating position, which is not shown in FIG. 2 and in which it does not extend beyond the running surfaces of the rollers 18, which is to say it takes on a lesser height over the cargo compartment floor 12 than the height R of the rollers 18. This allows the transport vehicle to be arranged beneath a load, or a load to be pushed across the transport vehicle on the ball rollers 28 of the loading region 26 and/or the roller track 16 or to be positioned thereabove. Likewise, the transport vehicle can pass underneath a load in this state. A deliberate contact with a load arranged over the transport vehicle, for moving this load, can only be established again after the connecting element 38 has been selectively moved into the second operating position.

(26) In general, the height H of the transport vehicle 24 over the cargo compartment floor 12, or based on the base surface 22 of the guideway 20, can be approximately 30 to 60 mm, and preferably approximately 50 mm. This applies, in particular, to a case in which the connecting element 38 is arranged in the first operating position and ensures a sufficient distance from a load arranged over the transport vehicle 24.

(27) FIGS. 3 and 4 show a transport vehicle 24 for use in the above-described system 10 in a perspective single partial representation. As will be described hereafter, the transport vehicles from FIGS. 3 and 4 differ only with respect to the drive mechanisms 40 thereof, which, in the case of FIG. 3, comprises multiple driven drive rollers 64, and, in the case of FIG. 4, comprises multiple belt drives 44. FIGS. 1 and 2 each show a transport vehicle 24 comprising a belt drive 44 according to FIG. 4. However, it would also be possible to use the transport vehicle comprising the drive rollers 64 from FIG. 3.

(28) The transport vehicle 24 from FIG. 3, in general, is flat and elongated and has a considerably greater length L than width W. In the shown case, the length L is approximately 3200 mm and the width W is approximately 420 mm. This allows all common ULD sizes to be transported reliably and quickly, and in particular, it allows multiple ULD units to be transported simultaneously. In general, the length L can be approximately 3 to 10 times as large as the width W, and, preferably, approximately 5 to 8 times. The length L can furthermore, in general, be greater than the width D of the access region 14 to the cargo compartment shown in FIG. 1. The length L furthermore extends parallel to the movement axis B of the transport vehicle 24 and along the side regions 50 thereof, which are described hereafter.

(29) In general, the transport vehicle 24 comprises a front region 46 and a rear region 48, which, in general, extend transversely to the movement axis B and extend between the side wall regions 32 of the guideway 20 (see FIG. 2). The front and rear regions 46, 48 are connected to one another via two opposing side regions 50. In respective corner regions 52, these side regions 50 transition into the front and rear regions 46, 48 and, in general, extend parallel to the side wall region 32 of the guideway 20.

(30) The transport vehicle 24 furthermore comprises an upper face 54, which faces a load arranged over the transport vehicle 24. Likewise, it comprises a lower face 56 which faces away from the upper face 54 and faces the base surface 22 of the guideway 20. On the upper face 54, the transport vehicle 24 comprises substantially closed cladding panels 58, which, in particular, are intended to prevent dirt from penetrating. The lower face 56, in contrast, is open at least so much that a contact can be established between the drive rollers 64 and the base surface 22 of the guideway 20. The side regions 50, in contrast, are not clad separately and substantially open. The transport vehicle 24 furthermore comprises a frame system, which is not shown in detail, so as to mount the individual components of the transport vehicle 24 thereon and position these relative to one another.

(31) It is apparent from FIG. 3 that the transport vehicle 24 furthermore comprises multiple connecting units 36, which are distributed along the length L. The exact positions of the connecting units 36 are selected in such a way that individual or multiple standardized ULD units can be arranged as desired on the transport vehicle 24 and connected via the above-described connecting elements 38 of the connecting units 36. In the shown case, all connecting elements 38 are in the second operating position in which they enable a connection to a ULD unit, which is not shown, so as to transport the same along the movement axis B.

(32) It is furthermore apparent from FIG. 3 that the transport vehicle 24 comprises multiple roller-shaped transport devices 60 on the upper face 54 thereof, so as to move a load arranged over the transport vehicle 24 as desired relative to the transport vehicle 24. This will be described in greater detail hereafter.

(33) FIG. 4 shows a transport vehicle 24 that is substantially identical to the variant according to FIG. 3, with the exception of the above-mentioned difference regarding the drive mechanism 40. The modular design of the transport vehicle 24, which is also provided in the variant from FIG. 3, is apparent from the illustration according to FIG. 4. Specifically, the transport vehicle 24 comprises three individual modules M1, M2 and M3, which have identical lengths L1, L2 and L3 of approximately 1000 to 1050 mm. The individual modules M1, M2 and M3 can be coupled to and detached from one another via coupling mechanisms 62, which are not shown in detail, whereby simplified handling of the transport vehicle 24 is ensured.

(34) FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view onto the transport vehicle 24 from FIG. 3 to describe the structure and individual components thereof in greater detail. Insignificant details, such as the frame system, possible connecting lines and cables or the cladding panels 58, have been omitted. Initially, the above-described connecting units 36 are apparent, which are distributed along the transport vehicle 24. Also apparent are the individual modules M1, M2 and M3, which are coupled to one another via coupling mechanisms 62. Furthermore, multiple rollers 64, 66 are apparent, which are each arranged close to the side regions 50 or in the corner regions 52 of the transport vehicle 24. Likewise, individual roller 66 are arranged centrally within the individual modules M1, M2 and M3. The rollers 64, 66 are arranged in the region of the lower face 56 of the transport vehicle 24 and are thus in contact with the base surface 22 of the guideway 20 when the transport vehicle 24 moves along the movement axis B.

(35) In detail, the rollers 66 are non-driven rollers, which during a movement of the transport vehicle 24 only run along and are used to achieve a better load introduction and distribution on the guideway 20. The rollers 64, in contrast, form an integral part of multiple individual modular drive units 68, which are distributed along the transport vehicle 24, and which are an integral part of the drive mechanism 40 so as to move the transport vehicle 24 along the movement axis B. Specifically, the rollers 64 form drive rollers, which are each driven by an electric motor 70 so as to achieve the desired locomotion. For the sake of illustration, only one of the electric motors 70 is denoted by the appropriate reference numeral in FIG. 5 (see drive unit 68 in the bottom right corner region 52). It is apparent that the individual drive units 68 for each individual module M1, M2, M3 are arranged in diagonally opposing corner regions, wherein the corner regions of the individual modules not marked separately in FIG. 5 either agree with the corner regions 52 of the overall vehicle 24 or are arranged close to the coupling mechanisms 62.

(36) Furthermore, the above-described transport devices 60 are apparent in FIG. 5, which are arranged in the region of the upper face 54 of the transport vehicle 24. As will be described hereafter, the transport devices 60 each comprise a driven omnidirectional transport roller 84, which rotates about a rotational axis Z (for the sake of illustration, only the transport roller 84 arranged farthest to the left in FIG. 5 is denoted by an appropriate reference numeral).

(37) In detail, the left individual module M1 in FIG. 5 comprises transport devices 60 in which each of the transport rollers 84 rotates about the rotational axis Z extending perpendicularly to the movement axis B. This allows, in particular, a load transport relative to the transport vehicle 24 along the movement axis B. The individual modules M2 and M3, in contrast, each comprise three transport devices 60, the transport rollers 84 of which each rotate about rotational axes Z extending obliquely to the movement axis B. This makes it possible both to rotate loads about the Z axis shown in FIG. 1 and to transport these along the movement axis B and transversely thereto.

(38) As is schematically indicated in FIG. 5, the rotational axes Z of the transport rollers 84 of the individual module M2 are inclined with respect to the movement axis B by an angle a of +45 (seen clockwise). The rotational axes Z of the transport rollers 84 of the individual module M3, in contrast, are inclined with respect to the movement axis B by an angle b of 45. In other words, the rotational axes Z of the respective transport rollers 84 of the individual modules M2 and M3 intersect one another and the movement axis B. Accordingly, these rotational axes Z enclose a shared angle g of 90.

(39) The transport vehicle 24 furthermore comprises locking mechanisms 72, which are arranged on both sides in the side regions 50 and can be selectively activated so as to lock the transport vehicle 24 in the guideway 20. This can be relevant, for example, when the transport vehicle 24 is to remain in the cargo compartment during flights. For this purpose, each of the locking mechanisms 72 comprises a pin 74, which can be extended in the direction of the opposite side wall region 32 of the guideway 20 so as to engage there in a corresponding receiving structure and lock the vehicle 24 in the starting position shown in FIG. 1.

(40) Finally, the transport vehicle 24 from FIG. 5 comprises a respective preload mechanism 76 near the front and rear regions 46, 48. These have identical designs, wherein, for the sake of illustration, only the further reference numerals for the preload mechanism 76 shown on the left in FIG. 5 are shown. The preload mechanism comprises two guide rollers 78, which are arranged opposite one another and protrude beyond the respective side regions 50 of the transport vehicle 24 so as to bear against the side wall region 32 of the guideway 20. In this way, they can ensure a desired orientation of the transport vehicle 24 and guide this in a rectilinear manner along the movement axis B. For this purpose, the guide rollers 78 are each connected to spindle nuts 82, which are arranged on threaded spindles 80. The threaded spindles 80, which are assigned to the respective guide rollers 78, are furthermore connected to one another via a universal joint 81. By rotating the spindle nuts 82 and/or the threaded spindle 80, a translatory movement of the guide rollers 78 can thus be generated in the known manner along an axis extending perpendicularly to the movement axis B. In this way, an appropriate preload force can be applied to the guideway 20 or the opposite side wall regions 32.

(41) FIG. 6 shows a transport device 60 of the transport vehicle 24 in a perspective single partial representation. The driven transport roller 84 is apparent, which is designed as an omnidirectional roller in the known manner. Furthermore, the rotational axis Z is illustrated, about which the transport roller 84 rotates. For this purpose, the transport devices 60 furthermore comprise an electric motor 86, which is coupled via a belt drive 88 to the transport roller 84. The electric motor comprises an output shaft, which is not shown separately, which drives the belt drive 88 and rotates about an axis A extending substantially parallel to the rotational axis Z. This allows the transport rollers 84 and electric motor 86 to be arranged next to one another or in a common plane in a space-saving manner. As is apparent from FIG. 3, the transport devices 60 are arranged in such a way that only the transport roller 84 on the upper face 54 of the transport vehicle 24 protrudes beyond the cladding panels 58.

(42) FIG. 7 shows a connecting unit 36 in a perspective single partial representation. It is apparent that the connecting unit 36 likewise comprises an electric motor 90 and a belt drive 92, which is coupled to a coupling shaft (not shown) of the coupling element 38. In this way, the above-described pivoting movement of the connecting element 38 between the first and second operating positions along the arrow P can be generated.

(43) FIG. 8 shows a drive unit 68 of the drive mechanism 40 in a perspective single partial representation. Again, the drive roller 64 is apparent, which is driven by an electric motor 70. The electric motor 70 and the drive roller 64 are coupled to one another via a belt drive 94 for this purpose. The drive roller 64 rotates about a rotational axis K, which, in general, extends parallel to a rotational axis J of an output shaft (not shown separately) of the electric motor 70. As is apparent from the slightly oblique progression of the belt drive 94, the drive roller 64 is offset only slightly with respect to the electric motor 70 in the direction of the base surface 22 (not shown) of the guideway 20, so that the drive unit 64 overall has a particularly flat and space-saving design.

(44) Coming back to FIG. 1, the operation of the system 10 according to the invention will be briefly described. Initially, the connecting elements 36 of the transport vehicles 24 are in the first operating position. After a ULD unit has been transported across the access region 14 and the ball rollers 28 of the loading region 26 in the Y direction and arranged above the transport vehicles 24, the connecting elements 36 are moved into the second operating position. In this way, they establish contact with the ULD units. Optionally, it is also possible to activate the transport devices 60 first so as to move the ULD units along the transport vehicle 24 or rotate these relative thereto.

(45) In general, different ULD units can be arranged in each case above the transport vehicles 24. Likewise, it is possible to position an appropriately sized ULD unit simultaneously over both transport vehicles 24 and couple these thereto via the respective connecting elements 36.

(46) In any case, the transport vehicles 24 are moved along the movement axis B to the left in FIG. 1, after the connecting elements 36 have been moved into the first operating position. In this way, the ULD units are moved by the ball rollers 28 onto the roller tracks 16 and into regions of the cargo compartment located further away. After a target position has been reached, the connecting elements 36 are moved into the first operating position again, whereby the transport vehicles 24 are uncoupled from the ULD units. During a subsequent return movement of the transport vehicles 24 into the starting position shown in FIG. 1, the ULD units thus remain in the target positions thereof within the cargo compartment, without following the movement of the transport vehicles 24. Subsequently, further loads can be moved within the cargo compartment in the same manner. The described steps are carried out in the reverse order to unload the cargo compartment.

(47) Likewise, however, it is possible to rotate a load arranged over the transport vehicles 24 about the vertically extending Z axis at any arbitrary time by way of the transport devices 60. This can take place, in particular, after the load has already been partially transported along the movement axis B, for example so as to take variable cross-sectional dimensions of the cargo compartment into account.

(48) The rotation of the load is carried out in the generally known manner by way of a coordinated rotation of the omnidirectional transport rollers 84. Such systems are known from loading vehicles, for example, which operate outside the aircraft and move ULD units via the access region 14 into the cargo compartment. However, the inventors recognized that the above-described special arrangement of the transport rollers 84 on the transport vehicle 24, and, in particular, the intersecting thereof with respect to one another and with respect to the movement axis B, allows frictional losses within the transport rollers 84 to be drastically reduced. In the shown case, in particular, the transport rollers 84 of the individual modules M2 and M3 serve as corresponding rotating devices. These rollers 84 likewise, however, allow the loads to be moved in the X-Y plane. The transport rollers 84 of the first module M1 rotating transversely to the movement axis B instead are used, in particular, for a translatory displacement of the loads along the movement axis B.

(49) FIG. 9 shows the transport vehicle 24 according to the variant from FIG. 4 in an analogous illustration to FIG. 5. Like or like-acting features are accordingly denoted by like reference numerals. As was already mentioned, this transport vehicle 24 essentially only differs with respect to the drive mechanism 40, which in this case comprises a drive unit in the form of a belt drive 44 for each individual module M1, M2, M3. The transport devices 60, the connecting units 36, the coupling mechanisms 62, and the locking mechanisms 72, in contrast, are designed identically to the variant according to FIG. 5, and will therefore not be described separately hereafter.

(50) It is apparent that the transport vehicle 24 again comprises multiple rollers 66 on the lower face 56 thereof for supporting on a base surface 22 of the guideway 20. These, however, are exclusively designed as non-driven rollers 66 that run along, wherein, for the sake of illustration, only the rollers 66 of the first module M1 are denoted by appropriate reference numerals. In principle, however, it is also conceivable to design individual of these rollers 66 as driven rollers 64, as was described with reference to FIG. 5.

(51) In this variant, the transport vehicle 24 is instead driven by the belt drives 44, of which one is shown in FIG. 10 in a single partial representation. It is apparent that the belt drive 44 comprise two drive belts 100, which protrude beyond the side regions 50 of the transport vehicles and, analogously to the guide rollers 78 of the variant from FIG. 5, can be brought to bear against a side wall region 32 of the guideway 20. In this way, frictional contact can be established with the corresponding opposite side wall region 32. During a movement of the drive belts 100 relative to the generally stationary side wall region 32, this can be implemented in the known manner in an advancement movement of the transport vehicle 24 along the movement axis B. In the example from FIG. 10, a revolving rotation of the drive belts 100 takes place in the marked direction U, which during a contact with the side wall regions 32, results in a movement of the transport vehicle 24 to the right in FIG. 9.

(52) The drive belts 100 each run in the known manner over a guide roller 102 and a drive roller 104, which are driven in a rotatory fashion by an electric motor 106. Furthermore, multiple tension rollers 108 are provided, so as to apply a sufficient preloading force onto the drive belts 100. A corresponding unit composed of a drive belt 100, drive and guide rollers 102, 104, tension rollers 108 and an electric motor 106 is arranged on a respective carrier 112.

(53) The belt drive 44 furthermore comprises a preload mechanism 76, which is arranged on either side of the drive belts 100, as viewed along the movement axis B. Each preload mechanism 76 comprises again two threaded spindles 80, which are connected to one another via a universal joint 81. Each of the threaded spindles 80 is connected to an end region 110 of the carriers 112 acting as a spindle nut. A rotation of the threaded spindles 80 can thus be converted in the known manner into a translatory movement of the carriers 112 and the elements arranged thereon transversely to the movement axis B. In this way, sufficiently tight bearing of the drive belts 100 against the side wall regions 32 of the guideway 20 can be ensured.

(54) Finally, FIG. 11 shows a side view of the belt drive 44 along the viewing axis H from FIG. 10. Again, the drive belt 100, which can be brought to bear against a side wall region 32, and the drive and guide rollers 104, 102 are apparent. The end regions 110 of the carrier 112 acting as spindle nuts are likewise apparent.

(55) While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms comprise or comprising do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms a or one do not exclude a plural number, and the term or means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.