1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to tie downs for securing cargo in aircraft.
2. Background
Stabilizing cargo during shipment is an important objective of aircraft cargo transport systems. In addition, aircraft cargo transport systems should be flexible enough to adapt to conditions during loading, stowage and unloading of the cargo. Typically, cargo shipped by air is first loaded onto specially configured pallets, or into specially configured containers commonly referred to as Unit Load Devices (“ULDs”). Cargo is loaded, stowed and secured within the aircraft for shipment. The cargo deck, roller trays, and sidewalls of a cargo compartment typically include a plurality of restraint devices attached at various installation points located on the cargo deck and sidewalls that can be used to engage and secure cargo.
Two types of devices typically used to secure cargo during shipment are primary and supplemental restraint devices. Primary restraint devices are stationary and positioned at predetermined installation points on a cargo deck or roller tray. Predetermined installation points, however, may not provide optimal attachment locations for securing a ULD. Often, cargo may not fit within the ULD and thus may not fit within the predetermined installation points. Supplemental devices are moveable and can be fixed to any location capable of receiving a supplemental restraint. Attachment locations for supplemental devices may be best determined by which location best minimizes lateral or longitudinal movement of cargo. The loader is tasked with optimizing the use of primary and supplemental restraint devices available at the time of loading and stowage.
The attachment location that minimizes cargo movement, however, may result in damage to the supplemental restraint device and the aircraft. Restraint straps can attach from numerous directions and angles and can place non optimal forces on supplemental restraint devices. For example, the position of the supplemental restraint device on a cargo deck may not align with the direction the restraint strap extends from the cargo. The optimal attachment location, therefore, may not adequately or optimally distribute load from the restraint to the cargo deck. Excessive forces and resultant damage to a restraint device undermine cargo stability. Thus, the ability to adequately distribute the load from the restraint strap to the attachment locations facilitates cargo stabilization. Moveable supplemental restraint devices that are also adaptable to distribute loads from the restraint to the cargo deck provide the loader with the flexibility needed to optimize cargo stabilization.
While movable supplemental devices provide increased flexibility for a loader, the “moveable” nature of these devices could lead to greater theft, loss or misplacement.
Thus, there is a need for supplemental restraints that are capable of attachment to a variety of locations along a roller tray, adaptable to the circumstances of loading and stowage of the cargo and that have design features that discourage theft or loss.
A tie down secures objects in an aircraft having receiving holes. A tie down housing can include at least one engagement pin for selective positioning wherever the receiving holes are located. A fitting on the housing can be capable of receiving and securing a restraint strap to the housing. A fitting can be configured to rotate when the housing is positioned in the receiving holes.
Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below and illustrated in the accompanying Figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those of skill in the art, and all such alternate embodiments, modifications and improvements are within the scope of the present invention.
A system for securing objects in an aircraft can comprise a tie down capable of selective positioning where receiving holes are located. Receiving holes can be located on any structure in an aircraft. A structure having receiving holes can be a roller tray, caster tray, or ball tray. In addition, receiving holes can be found in other locations in the cargo area or deck, or the ball or caster panels typically used in the doorways of aircraft. For example, a receiving hole can be machined or formed within the cargo area or any structure as the need may arise.
An embodiment of a system for securing objects in an aircraft can have a tie down 10 positioned in roller tray 50 where receiving holes 58 are located as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Slots 34 and 35 receive studs 36 and 37. The stud can be a threaded stud, screw, bolt pin, or other suitable structure. Studs 36 and 37 engage the first and second engagement pins 70 and 80 located within the cavity 33. Slots 34 and 35 can be configured to provide a locking feature when engaged by studs 36 and 37. Stud 36, for example, can have a first diameter portion 36a and a second, but smaller, diameter portion 36b. Similarly, slot 34 can have a first opening 34a, and a second, but smaller, opening 34b. When stud 36 engages with the engagement pin 70, stud 36 can be located in either opening 34a or 34b of the slot 34. When in opening 34a, the entire stud, including first portion 36a, can fit within the slot 34. In this manner, the entire stud 36 is substantially flush with the housing 30. When stud 36 is tightened such that the first portion 36a is recessed into the first opening 34a, stud 36 locks pin 70 from moving inward toward the center of housing 30. The stud 36 can be configured to require a tool to loosen stud 36 from the locked position. Alternatively, when stud 36 is in slot opening 34b, the stud 36 can only be tightened until the first portion 36a contacts the housing 30, due to the smaller sized configuration of opening 34b. Hence, positioning the stud 36 in slot 34 provides a locking feature to retain the engagement pin 70 in a desired position. Stud 37 and slot 35 operate in an analogous manner.
The housing 30 and fitting 20 can be integrally formed as shown in
The first and second engagement pins 70 and 80 are moveable and allow securement and rotation of the fitting 20, housing 30, or both within a roller tray 50, or other structure as described herein. An engagement pin can be any device capable of engaging an opening or a receiving hole 58. For example, an engagement pin can be a pin, rod, dowel, cylinder, shaft, mandrel, flat rod, square rod, a tube, bolt, or solid or hollow variants of any of the above, configured as appropriate for operation as discussed herein. In other embodiments, the first and second engagement pins 70 and 80 can have a curvilinear profile similar to an ellipsoid, conic surface, a single sheet hyperboloid, or variants thereof. The exterior surface of the first and second engagement pins 70 and 80 are designed and configured to facilitate rotational movement within the receiving holes 58. The first and second engagement pins 70 and 80 can generally extend outward from the housing 30 to engage receiving holes 58 when the tie down 10 is deployed in the roller tray 50, as shown in
The engagement pins 70 and 80 can be configured to fit within or otherwise engage a receiving hole 58. The first engagement pin 70 can have an engagement end 72, ridge 78 and an opening 74. In an embodiment, the engagement end 72 enters a receiving hole 58 on a roller tray 50 as shown in
The engagement pins 70 and 80 can be a solid, integrally formed structure. For example, the first and second engagement pins 70 and 80 can be integrally formed to have engagement ends 72 and 82, as shown in
The first and second engagement pins 70 and 80 can be positioned on opposing sides of a spring 60 within cavity 33 as shown in
In alternate embodiments, one engagement pin can be moveable and the other engagement pin can be fixed. For example, one of the engagement pins (70 or 80) can be integrally formed with housing 30, or may be secured or attached to the housing to maintain a fixed position thereto. The other engagement pin (70 or 80) can be moveable within or on the housing 30 to engage a receiving hole 58. In still other alternate embodiments, engagement pins 70 and 80 can be in slidable engagement with a housing 30. For example, the engagement pins 70 and 80 can be independently biased and capable of sliding in and out of the receiving hole 58. In other alternate embodiments, the housing 30 can be secured in the receiving hole 58 with a one engagement pin, bolt or other device as described herein.
In the embodiment shown in
The tie down 10 can be removably secured in position on a roller tray 50 as shown in
Engagement pins 70 and 80 can be secured in position in a roller tray 50 using a variety of devices and methods. For example, the engagement ends 72 and 82 can be locked in position in a roller tray 50 with any device or apparatus that can selectively limit movement of the engagement pins 70 and 80. In other alternate embodiments, the engagement ends 72 and 82 can have a slot (not shown) proximate the ends that can receive a locking pin. The locking pin can be inserted in the slot when the engagement pins 70 and 80 have fully engaged the receiving holes 58 and extend a distance beyond the rails 54 and 56 of the roller tray 50. Thus, the locking pin can limit retraction of the engagement pins 70 and 80 from within the receiving holes 58. In other alternate embodiments, a switch on the housing 30 can activate a rod (not shown) that extends out from the engagement ends 72 and 82. The rod can be activated when the engagement pins 70 and 80 have fully engaged in the receiving holes 58 as described above. In other alternate embodiments, a ratchet device (not shown) can have engagement pins 70 and 80 operably connected to a handle that can be rotatable. As the handle rotates in one direction the engagement pins 70 and 80 can extend from the housing 30 into secure engagement with the roller tray 50 and fixed in position. Rotating the handle in the opposite direction can retract the engagement pins 70 and 80 within the housing and allows the tie down 10 to be removed from the roller tray.
Several features in the tie down 10 accommodate the rigors of flight. For example, as shown in
The tie down 10 can rotate freely to receive the restraint. The tie down 10 can rotate in either a forward direction or aft direction when the roller tray 50, caster tray, or ball tray is installed in a forward-to-aft direction. In alternate embodiments, however, the fitting 20 can be designed to rotate in any direction. For example, the housing 30 can engage receiving hole 58 and a fitting 20 can be secured on a rotatable surface plate on the housing 30 (not shown). In other embodiments, the fitting 20 can be connected to a rotatable rod operably connected to the housing 30. In other alternate embodiments, the tie down 10 can rotate in either an outboard or inboard direction to receive a restraint when the roller tray 50 is positioned outboard-to-inboard, i.e., positioned across the width of the aircraft. In alternate embodiments, the housing 30 can be fixedly engaged in the receiving hole 58 while the fitting 20 can rotate in any direction to receive a restraint.
A method of using a moveable tie down 10 to secure objects in an aircraft is shown in
A user can remove the tie down 10 as shown in
An alternate embodiment is shown in
The above descriptions of various embodiments of the invention are intended to describe and illustrate various engagement pins and aspects of the invention. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that certain changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.
This application is a Divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 12/485,573, filed Jun. 16, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,675. The contents of the aforementioned application are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
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3306234 | Hansen | Feb 1967 | A |
3392954 | Malitte | Jul 1968 | A |
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3765637 | Watts | Oct 1973 | A |
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3986459 | Riley | Oct 1976 | A |
4230432 | Howell | Oct 1980 | A |
4396175 | Long | Aug 1983 | A |
4493470 | Engel | Jan 1985 | A |
4776533 | Sheek | Oct 1988 | A |
6425717 | Saggio | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6626623 | Delay | Sep 2003 | B2 |
8376675 | Schulze et al. | Feb 2013 | B2 |
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Number | Date | Country |
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10 2007 011611 | Jul 2008 | DE |
Entry |
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Official Action dated Jun. 27, 2011 issued in German counterpart application (No. 10 2010 015818.6) with translation. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20130129440 A1 | May 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12485573 | Jun 2009 | US |
Child | 13743270 | US |