Goodrich Corporation

Scott P Harms

Aaron James Roberts

Dustin Paul Scheer

Wesley Keith Stegmiller

Kevin L Setterstrom

Shad Kish

Wallace Harold Larson

Justin Daniel Williams

Walace Harold Larson

William A Veronesi

Sanjay Bajekal

Zamira A Daw Perez

Alessandro Pinto

Richa Varma

Mark Lyle Olson

Binu M Nair

Piyush Agrawal

Xiaobin Zhang

Thomas Gietzold

Raymond Francis Foley

Mohamed J Abdille

Rodrigo Fernandez-Mattos

Leeroy Paskell

Ryan C Ring

Daniel Diaz Lopez

Daniel Tweten

A power drive unit (PDU) having a magnetic hold brake for use in an aircraft is disclosed herein. The PDU includes a wheel configured to convey cargo through a portion of the aircraft, a motor coupled to the wheel, a brake disk, a solenoid configured to apply a first force to move the brake disk in a first direction to resist rotation of the motor, wherein the solenoid is further configured to apply a second force to move the brake disk in a second direction opposite the first direction to allow the motor to rotate, and a magnet configured to apply a third force to the brake disk, the third force being in the first direction to apply a drag force to the motor.

Solenoid/magnetic hold brake with power off magnet hold function

A power drive unit for moving cargo relative to a cargo bay of an aircraft is disclosed herein. The power drive unit includes a lift cam coupled to camshaft, a drive wheel coupled to a drive shaft, and an induction motor having a first output shaft and a second output shaft, the first output shaft configured to drive the drive shaft and the second output shaft configured to drive the camshaft.

Dual-rotor self-lift power drive unit

A mobile cargo controller for a cargo handling system is disclosed, and may include an inertial measurement unit(s), a plurality of cargo zone selectors, a plurality of cargo zone indicators, and a cargo motion controller(s). Different combinations of one or more of the cargo zone selectors are activatable to correspond with different cargo zones of a cargo compartment (e.g., for an aircraft). Each cargo zone that is selected or activated through actuation of one or more of the cargo zone selectors activates each corresponding cargo zone indicator based upon a current orientation of the mobile cargo controller. As such, the particular cargo zone indicator(s) that is/are activated to identify a particular active cargo zone to an operator will differ for different orientations of the mobile cargo controller.

Method for orientation and tracking of wireless cargo devices

A quick-connect fitting for a convertible cargo handling assembly may comprise a fixed portion and a coupling component. The fixed portion may be secured to an aircraft frame structure. The coupling component may be coupled to a removable cargo handling component. The coupling component may be configured to rotate relative to the fixed portion.

Quick-connect fittings for convertible cargo handling assemblies

A latch assembly may comprise: a housing; a pawl assembly coupled to the housing, the pawl assembly configured to transition from an un-restrained state to an restrained state; and a latch state detection system comprising a transducer and a communications module, the transducer configured to convert mechanical energy from the pawl assembly reaching the restrained state to an electrical energy configured to power the communications module.

Latch state detection systems, methods and devices

A cargo handling system is disclosed. A method for storing and restraining cargo is disclosed. The method includes positioning a unit load device at a parked location on a conveyance surface and in contact with a drive roller, deploying a restraint to engage the unit load device, and verifying engagement of the restraint with the unit load device by activating the drive roller and detecting movement of the unit load device with respect to the conveyance surface.

Method for verifying latch engagement for cargo handling systems

A cargo handling system includes a conveyance surface; a first power drive unit having a first drive roller, a first restraint device; one or more sensors configured to provide positional data corresponding to a current location of a unit load device on the conveyance surface; and a first power drive unit agent configured for communication with the one or more sensors, the first power drive unit agent configured to selectively activate and deactivate the first drive roller and the first restraint device based on the positional data.

Aircraft cargo handling system architecture

A method may comprise: receiving, via a controller and through a camera, visual data corresponding to a row of latch assemblies in a cargo handling system; and determining, via the controller, whether each latch assembly in the row of latch assemblies is in a properly securing state.

Latch state detection systems and methods

A control system for a cargo handling system is disclosed. The control system may be configured to advance larger containers at a slower speed than smaller containers. For instance, all containers may be initially advanced by the same first velocity control signal. At the expiration of a certain time period, all containers may thereafter be advanced by a different velocity control signal (from the first velocity control signal) that should least substantially maintain the velocity of the container as it existed at the time of the expiration of the noted time period. The length of the time period (for advancing the container at the first velocity control signal) may be varied based upon the size of the containers such that larger containers are accelerated for a shorter time than smaller containers and which in turn should then advance larger containers at a lower velocity compared to smaller containers.

Cargo velocity control for cargo handling systems

A cargo handling system may utilize a leaky feeder antenna grid to determine the location of a ULD, a mobile cargo controller, or both within a cargo compartment. This location determination may be used for any appropriate purpose. For instance, the noted location determinations may be used to alert an operator of an approaching ULD, to terminate motion of an approaching ULD, or both.

Wireless tracking and ranging for cargo systems

A system for detecting a fault in electric power conversion equipment having an input stage and an output stage includes an output voltage sensor positioned within the output stage and configured to generate an output voltage signal; an input current sensor positioned at the input stage and configured to generate an input current signal; and a processor configured to analyze the output voltage signal and the input current signal to determine an occurrence of the fault in the electric power conversion equipment.

Systems for detecting failures or faults in power conversion equipment

A cargo handling system is disclosed. In various embodiments, the cargo handling system includes a power drive unit having a drive roller configured to impart movement to a unit load device; a first restraint; and a first sensor configured to detect movement of the unit load device with respect to a parked location following deployment of the first restraint and activation of the drive roller.

A cargo handling system includes a conveyance surface; a first power drive unit having a first drive roller; a first restraint device; one or more sensors configured to provide positional data corresponding to a current location of a unit load device on the conveyance surface; a first power drive unit controller configured for communication with the one or more sensors, the first power drive unit configured to selectively activate and deactivate the first drive roller and the first restraint device based on the positional data and a second power drive unit and a second power drive unit controller configured for communication with the sensor, the second power drive unit controller configured to selectively activate and deactivate a second drive roller based on the positional data.

A PDU for use in an aircraft includes a wheel configured to convey cargo through a portion of the aircraft. The PDU further includes an armature rotatably coupled to the wheel. The PDU further includes a brake pad. The PDU further includes a hold solenoid configured to compress the armature against the brake pad by a brake amount in order to apply a hold braking force to the wheel by resisting rotation of the armature. The PDU further includes a release solenoid configured to apply a force to separate the armature from the brake pad in order to allow the armature to rotate. The PDU further includes a magnet configured to compress the armature against the brake pad by a drag amount that is less than the brake amount in order to apply a drag braking force to the wheel by resisting rotation of the armature.

Growing community of inventors

Ypsilanti, ND, United States of America

Scott P Harms