Stowage carousel and method of storing cargo for use with an aircraft
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorDarren C. McIntosh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stowage carousel for handling cargo aboard an aircraft is provided including a revolving conveyor having an inner ring facing a passenger cabin of the aircraft and an outer ring facing a fuselage of the aircraft. Stowage compartments are associated with the revolving conveyor. The stowage compartments are configured to receive the cargo. The stowage compartments are rotatable within the aircraft with the revolving conveyor. The revolving conveyor is situated within the aircraft partially in the passenger cabin and partially in at least one of an upper crown and a lower lobe of the aircraft.
Claims31
A stowage carousel for handling cargo aboard an aircraft, the stowage carousel comprising:
- a revolving conveyor having an inner ring facing a passenger cabin of the aircraft and an outer ring facing a fuselage of the aircraft;
- and
- stowage compartments associated with the revolving conveyor, the stowage compartments being configured to receive the cargo, the stowage compartments being rotatable within the aircraft,
- wherein the revolving conveyor is situated within the aircraft partially in the passenger cabin and partially in at least one of the upper crown and the lower lobe of the aircraft.
A method of stowing cargo aboard an aircraft, the method comprising:
- moving the cargo into a passenger cabin of the aircraft;
- placing the cargo into a revolving stowage carousel via an opening;
- and
- rotating the revolving stowage carousel to stow the cargo.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.