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US 12,589,873 B2Granted
Radiant floor panels for cargo heating
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorChay Philip Weaver
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for controlling climate in aircraft cargo compartments are disclosed, with aircraft cargo compartment floor panels configured to deliver heat and maintain selected temperatures in the floor panels in response to a determined phase of flight of an aircraft.
Claims20
A method for controlling temperature of a selected aircraft cargo region of an aircraft cargo compartment in an aircraft the method comprising:
- monitoring with a thermal sensor a first aircraft cargo compartment floor initial temperature of a first aircraft cargo compartment floor configured within an aircraft cargo bay of an aircraft, said first aircraft cargo compartment floor comprising at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel comprising a first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel initial temperature, said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel initial temperature determined prior to at least one of cargo loading and aircraft takeoff, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel further comprising a first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel heating element, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel comprising said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel heating element recessed into the first aircraft cargo compartment floor, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel comprising a top surface of said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel, said top surface of said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel configured to be substantially flush and substantially even with the first aircraft compartment floor surrounding the at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel;
- determining with a phase of flight sensor a phase of flight to obtain a determined phase of flight, said phase of flight sensor configured to receive a signal from at least one of an altimeter, a pressure sensing device, a flight record timing device, and a computer program;
- activating, in real time, the first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel heating element in response to the determined phase of flight, said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel heating element in communication with the at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel;
- and
- maintaining during flight the at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel at a selected temperature within a first aircraft cargo compartment floor selected temperature range.
2 more elements
A system for selectively regulating an aircraft cargo compartment floor temperature of an aircraft cargo compartment floor region in an aircraft cargo compartment in an aircraft, the system comprising:
- a first aircraft cargo compartment, said first aircraft cargo compartment configured within the aircraft, said first aircraft cargo compartment comprising a first aircraft cargo compartment floor having a first cargo compartment available floor area, said first aircraft cargo compartment floor comprising:
- at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor region, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor region comprising at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel, each of said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel comprising a first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel initial temperature, said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel initial temperature determined prior to at least one of cargo loading and aircraft takeoff, each of said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel further comprising a first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel heating element, said first aircraft cargo floor region comprising 25% to about 95% of the first cargo compartment available floor area;
- a first aircraft cargo compartment floor temperature sensor, said first aircraft cargo compartment floor temperature sensor in communication with the at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel;
- a phase of flight sensor, said phase of flight sensor configured to determine a phase of flight;
- a controller in communication with said at least one of the first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel, the phase of flight sensor, and the first aircraft cargo compartment floor temperature sensor;
- and
- a power source, said power source in communication with said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel heating element;
- and
- wherein said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel comprising said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel heating element is recessed into the first aircraft cargo compartment floor, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel comprising a top surface of said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel, said top surface of the first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel configured to be substantially flush and substantially even with the first aircraft compartment floor surrounding the at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel.
6 more elements
An aircraft comprising:
- a first aircraft cargo compartment, said first aircraft cargo compartment configured within an aircraft, said first aircraft cargo compartment comprising a first aircraft cargo compartment floor, said first aircraft cargo compartment floor comprising:
- at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor region, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor region comprising at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel comprising a first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel initial temperature, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel initial temperature determined prior to at least one of cargo loading and aircraft takeoff, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel further comprising a first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel heating element;
- a first aircraft cargo compartment floor temperature sensor, said first aircraft cargo compartment floor temperature sensor in communication with the at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel;
- a phase of flight sensor, said phase of flight sensor configured to determine a phase of flight;
- a controller in communication with said at least one of the at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel, the phase of flight sensor, and the first aircraft cargo compartment floor temperature sensor;
- a power source, said power source in communication with said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel heating element;
- and
- wherein said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel comprises a top surface of said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel is recessed into the first aircraft cargo compartment floor, said at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel comprising said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel, said top surface of said first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel configured to be substantially flush and substantially even with the first aircraft compartment floor surrounding the at least one first aircraft cargo compartment floor panel.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.