Connecting device and method of connection

A device for connecting one end of a passenger bridge or a mobile goods-handling device to a door on a parked craft, said passenger bridge or goods-handling device having positioning means for positioning said one end, comprising:

• first position-determining means for determining a position of the passenger bridge or the goods-handling device;
• second position-determining means for determining an actual position of the craft when parked, said second position-determining means comprising means for distance measurement with the aid of electromagnetic waves;
• and
• a computer system which comprises storage means adapted to store a relative position of the door of the craft with respect to a reference point on the craft and to which are connected the first and the second position-determining means, said computer system being adapted to automatically guide said positioning means with the said of said information obtained from the position-determining means and the storage means, the positioning means guided in a manner such that the end of the passenger bridge or the goods-handling device is connected to the door.

A method of connecting one end of a passenger bridge or a mobile goods-handling device to a door on a parked craft, comprising the steps of:

• automatically guiding, before the craft has been parked, the passenger bridge or the goods-handling device to an initial position of connection in a vicinity of an expected position of the parked craft, said expected position being stored in a computer system;
• determining, when the craft has been parked, an actual position of the parked craft, and inputting information related to the determined actual position of the parked craft into the computer system;
• determining an actual position of the door of the parked craft on the basis of information, which has been previously stored in the computer system, about a relative position of the door of the craft with respect to the second reference point on the craft;
• and
• automatically guiding the passenger bridge of the goods-handling device to the determined actual position of the door of the parked craft, a position of the end of the passenger bridge or the goods-handling device being determined during the guiding operation and inputted into the computer system.