Low-profile light-weight cargo loaders for use on cargo aircraft
AssigneeKnight Aerospace
InventorsJeff Ford, David Light, Luis Garcia, August Padalecki, Tye Thompson, Ambrosio Garza
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments are directed to low-profile, low-weight cargo loader, including a pair of cargo loaders including a first cargo loader arranged in tandem with a second cargo loader in a first orientation. According to an embodiment, each of the first cargo loader and the second cargo loader includes a chassis, a scissor lift, a platform, a front driving system, and a rear driving system. According to an embodiment, the second cargo loader is configured to be stacked on the first cargo loader in a second orientation.
Claims15
A low-profile, low-weight cargo loader, comprising:
- a pair of cargo loaders comprising a first cargo loader arranged in tandem with a second cargo loader in a first orientation,
- wherein each of the first cargo loader and the second cargo loader comprises a chassis, a scissor lift, a platform, a front driving system, and a rear driving system, and
- wherein the second cargo loader is configured to be stacked on the first cargo loader in a second orientation
- wherein, in the first orientation, the first cargo loader is arranged in an opposing orientation/direction with that of the second cargo loader, such that the front driving system of the first cargo loader and the front driving system of the second cargo loader are positioned on opposing ends of the tandem pair of cargo loaders.
A method for furling a pair of low-profile, low weight cargo loaders, comprising:
- mechanically and electronically disconnecting the pair of low-profile, low weight cargo loaders arranged in tandem, wherein the pair of low-profile, low weight cargo loaders comprises a first cargo loader arranged in tandem with a second cargo loader in an unfurled orientation,
- wherein each of the first cargo loader and the second cargo loader comprises a chassis, a scissor lift, a platform, a front driving system, and a rear driving system;
- driving, using the front driving system of the second cargo loader, the second cargo loader away from the first cargo loader and deploying a pair of ramps by connecting the pair of ramps to the rear of the first cargo loader;
- driving, using the front driving system of the second cargo loader, the second cargo loader up the ramps onto the first cargo loader guided by guide rails arranged on opposite sides of the platform of the first cargo loader;
- and
- driving, using the front driving system of the first cargo loader, the first cargo loader and the furled second cargo loader onto a cargo aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.