Power drive unit with unit load device sensor
AssigneeGoodrich Corporation
InventorPeter Nicholas Hettwer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cargo power drive unit includes a motor and at least one drive roller element coupled to the motor. The power drive unit further includes a light transmitter for emitting light and a light receiver for measuring light. The power drive unit measures an amount of ambient light and then measures an amount of total light after the light transmitter emits light. The power drive unit then determines whether a cargo container is present based on a calculation of reflected light and the measurement of ambient light.
Claims10
A method of detecting scrubbing of a drive roller element by a cargo power drive unit to which the drive roller element belongs, comprising:
- calculating a length of time a cargo container is present above a cargo power drive unit;
- determining if a motor of the cargo power drive unit is running;
- and
- determining if the drive roller element is scrubbing based on said calculated length of time and said determination of whether the motor is running.
A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
- calculate a length of time a cargo container is present at a cargo power drive unit;
- determine if a motor of the cargo power drive unit is running;
- and
- determine if at least one drive roller element of the cargo power drive unit is scrubbing based on said calculated length of time and said determination of whether the motor is running.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.