US 12,588,758 B2Granted

Rack shelf systems and method for loading payloads into a rack shelf system

AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.

InventorsGavin Thomas Smith, Jim Michael Dugan, William Dale George, James Arthur Knittel, Jonathan Swartz

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Abstract

In an embodiment a tray includes a base area having a top side, a bottom side, a rear end, peripheral sides and a front end, a plurality of flanges extending upward from the top side and arranged at the rear end and the peripheral sides, a pin, bolt or stud arranged at an outside of a flange arranged at the rear end or a hole arranged in the flange at the rear end configured to receive a pin, bolt or stud, a first plurality of restraining rings arranged at a first side flange at the first peripheral side and a second plurality of restraining rings arranged at a second side flange at the second peripheral side.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A rail assembly comprising:

a first rail comprising a first front flange, a first rear flange and a first guiding flange;
a second rail comprising a second front flange, a second rear flange and a second guiding flange,
wherein the first rail and the second rail are arranged such that the first and second guiding flanges face each other, and
wherein the first rear flange and the second rear flange face away from each other;
and
a first equipment support connecting the first rear flange with the second rear flange,
wherein the rail assembly is configured to receive a tray, the tray comprising:
a base area having a top side, a bottom side, a rear end, peripheral sides and a front end;
a plurality of flanges extending upward from the top side and arranged at the rear end and the peripheral sides;
a pin, bolt or stud arranged at an outside of a flange arranged at the rear end or a hole arranged in the flange at the rear end configured to receive the pin, bolt or stud;
a first plurality of restraining rings arranged at a first side flange at a first peripheral side;
and
a second plurality of restraining rings arranged at a second side flange at a second peripheral side.

10 more elements

An apparatus, comprising:

first vertical support members extending in a first direction;
second vertical support members extending in the first direction, the second vertical support members being shorter than the first vertical support members;
first horizontal support members extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
second horizontal support members extending in the second direction;
third horizontal support members extending in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions, wherein the first vertical support members, the second vertical support members, the first horizontal support members, the second horizontal support members, and third horizontal support members are arranged to form a column;
and
a plurality of rail assemblies, wherein the plurality of rail assemblies is stacked in the column, and wherein each rail assembly of the plurality of rail assemblies comprises:
a first rail comprising a first front flange, a first rear flange and a first guiding flange;
a second rail comprising a second front flange, a second rear flange and a second guiding flange, wherein the first rail and the second rail are arranged such that the first and second guiding flanges face each other, and wherein the first rear flange and the second rear flange face away from each other;
and
a first equipment support connecting the first rear flange with the second rear flange,
a tray removably disposed between the first rail and the second rail;
wherein the third horizontal support members connect a first vertical support member to a respective second vertical support member;
wherein the first and second vertical support members are equidistantly spaced apart and connected by the first and second horizontal support members;
wherein the first vertical support members are directly connected to each other only by a bottom horizontal support member of the first horizontal support members and a top horizontal support member of the first horizontal support members;
wherein the bottom horizontal support member is connected to mounts;
and
wherein the mounts are configured to be releasably connected to an aviation vehicle cargo floor.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.