Assist system and method for aircraft ground operation
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorDaniel Alecu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft assist system described herein includes an aircraft coupling counterpart attached to a strut of a landing gear of an aircraft, and an assist vehicle. The assist vehicle includes a frame, ground-engaging wheels mounted to the frame, a power source for driving one or more of the ground-engaging wheels, and a vehicle coupling counterpart for engagement with the aircraft coupling counterpart. The aircraft coupling counterpart and the vehicle coupling counterpart define a swivel connection for transferring a propulsive force from the takeoff assist vehicle to the aircraft. The aircraft coupling counterpart is disengageable from the vehicle coupling counterpart by upward movement of the aircraft coupling counterpart relative to the vehicle coupling counterpart.
Claims20
An aircraft takeoff assist system comprising:
- an aircraft coupling counterpart attached to an aircraft;
- and
- an unmanned takeoff assist vehicle including:
- a frame;
- ground-engaging wheels mounted to the frame;
- a first actuator operable to steer a steerable wheel of the ground-engaging wheels;
- a power source for driving one or more of the ground-engaging wheels;
- a vehicle coupling counterpart for engagement with the aircraft coupling counterpart, the aircraft coupling counterpart and the vehicle coupling counterpart cooperatively defining an electric power transfer interface between the aircraft takeoff assist vehicle and the aircraft;
- and
- a second actuator operable to lower and raise the vehicle coupling counterpart relative to the aircraft coupling counterpart.
An unmanned aircraft assist vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
- ground-engaging wheels mounted to the frame;
- a first actuator operable to steer a steerable wheel of the ground-engaging wheels;
- a power source for driving one or more of the ground-engaging wheels;
- a vehicle coupling counterpart for engagement with an aircraft coupling counterpart of an aircraft to cooperatively define an electric power transfer interface between the unmanned aircraft assist vehicle and the aircraft;
- and
- a second actuator operable to lower and raise the vehicle coupling counterpart relative to the aircraft coupling counterpart.
A method of assisting an electric aircraft with an unmanned assist vehicle during a takeoff roll, the method comprising:
- using a navigation system and a steerable ground-engaging wheel of the unmanned assist vehicle, guiding the unmanned assist vehicle to the electric aircraft;
- adjusting a vertical position of a vehicle coupling counterpart of the unmanned assist vehicle to connect the vehicle coupling counterpart to an aircraft coupling counterpart and define an electric power transfer interface between the unmanned assist vehicle and the electric aircraft;
- transferring electric power from the unmanned assist vehicle to the electric aircraft via the electric power transfer interface;
- with the vehicle coupling counterpart connected to the aircraft coupling counterpart, propelling the aircraft by using the electric power from the unmanned assist vehicle to drive an electric motor of the electric aircraft configured to propel the aircraft;
- and
- after propelling the aircraft during the takeoff roll, disconnecting the vehicle coupling counterpart from the aircraft coupling counterpart.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.