Expandable Seal for Passenger Loading Bridges
OwnerBret Picainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The telescoping joints (110,114) of an articulating aircraft passenger boarding bridge are sealed airtight by an expandable seal (202) in the overlapping and concentric portion between the outer circumference of an internal structure (106) and the interior circumference of an external structure (108). The preferred embodiment is an inflatable bladder (202) with an air outlet (412) and an air inlet (406) to accept compressed air. The bladder (202) expands to seal the gap between the concentric structures when the telescoping structures are immobilized and deflate to allow movement of the telescoping structures. The embodiment may be comprised of a plurality of expandable seals geometrically shaped to form a whole seal.
Claims11
A joint seal in a loading bridge connecting a building to a vehicle comprising:
- a. a first elongated and hollow structure open on each end having a predetermined and enclosed cross section;
- b. a second elongated and hollow structure open on each end having a predetermined, and enclosed cross section smaller than said first structure cross section;
- c. said first structure slidingly connected to second said structure such that the overlapping portions of said structures form a concentric and overlapping joint;
- d. an expandable seal inserted circumferentially between said first structure and second said structure within said overlapping joint;
- e. said expandable seal when expanded contiguously contacting the interior surface of said first structure and the exterior surface of said second structure;
- and
- f. said expandable seal when contracted providing a means for disengaging said first structure from said second structure for telescoping movement.
An articulating passenger loading bridge connecting an airport concourse and a passenger aircraft comprising:
- a. a means for adjusting said bridge to connect with said aircraft including at least two axial, concentric, overlapping, slidingly connected, and enclosed walkway segments one segment being an inner said walkway segment is smaller in cross section to a larger cross section said walkway segment with a plurality of said enclosed walkway segments;
- b. a joint formed by the overlapping portions of said inner walkway segment and said outer walkway segment;
- c. an inflatable seal at said joint around the exterior circumference of said inner walkway segment and between the exterior circumference of said inner walkway segment and the interior surface of said exterior walkway segment;
- and
- d. said seal contiguously contacting both said exterior surface of said inner walkway segment and the interior surface of said exterior walkway segment when said seal is inflated.
A method of sealing the overlapping joint of two elongated, hollow, open ended, concentric, and telescoping structures, said method comprising:
- a. providing an inflatable seal in the overlapping joint of said telescoping structures, said having a valved air inlet and a valved air relief outlet;
- b. disengaging movement of said structures;
- c. providing a compressed air source to said air inlet;
- d. closing the valve of said air relief outlet;
- and
- e. opening the valve of said compressed air inlet thereby inflating said seal;
- whereby said expandable seal will provide a substantially airtight barrier preventing air movement through said joint of said structures.
A method of disengaging the sealed overlapping joint of two elongated, hollow, open ended, concentric, and telescoping structures, said method comprising:
- a. providing an inflatable seal in the overlapping joint of said telescoping structures, said having a valved air inlet and a valved air relief outlet;
- b. closing the valve of said air inlet;
- and
- c. opening the valve of said air relief outlet;
- whereby said seal will deflate and disengage said structures to slide unrestricted in a telescoping manner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.