Mobile passenger access apparatus

Abstract

A mobile passenger access apparatus for the boarding and disembarkation of passengers from an aircraft has a mobile chassis 2, such as a flat bed truck, and an escalator mounted on the chassis with st

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a mobile passenger access apparatus for facilitating the boarding and disembarkation of passengers from an aircraft and in particular to an escalator for transporting passengers to and from an aircraft. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Aircraft doors are usually located at height far above ground level when passengers wish to board or disembark from an aircraft. The most common method for providing passenger access to an aircraft for boarding and disembarkation is to provide passenger stairs that can be manoeuvred into position adjacent an access door of a parked aircraft. However, such commonly used mobile passenger stairs, while suitable for use by able bodied passengers, cannot be readily used by passengers with walking difficulties. Known mobile passenger stairs all share the aspect of having individual steps that are permanently fixed in location. Due to the height of the airplane above the ground, these stairs are typically quite steep. Climbing such stairs can pose a strenuous and forbidding task for passengers with age or health related infirmities as well as those with physical limitations. Additionally, the steepness of the stairs could lead to passengers slipping and falling due to loss of balance. Moving passenger stairs that function identically to an escalator would make transferring passengers to and from an aircraft a safer, more acceptable procedure for all passengers and are particularly desirable for VIP passengers. However, a limitation of escalators when made mobile for use in transferring passengers to and from an aircraft is the height of the lower end of the escalator due to the size of the mechanism required to control movement of the articulated steps of the escalator from their upper operative run to their lower return run. This is not a problem when an escalator is installed in a fixed position, such as in a building, because such mechanism can be located below the floor level so that the passenger access at the lower end of the escalator can be made level with the floor at the lower end of the escalator. However, this cannot be done when the escalator needs to be mobile. Therefore, prior art attempts to produce mobile escalators for transporting passengers to and from aircraft have still required fixed steps to be used to allow passengers to access a raised passenger access platform located at the lower end of the escalator, such as the example disclosed in US 10717546B2. Attempts have been made to solve this problem by providing a separate platform at the lower end of the escalator stairs that can be vertically raised and lowered to transfer passengers from the ground level to the lower end of the escalator stairs, as in the mobile escalators produced by TEC Huenert GmbH. However, such lifting platform is much slower to operate than the moving stairs of the escalator and therefore causes a potentially dangerous bottleneck at the lower end of the escalator, and is only suitable for use by an individual or a very small group of people. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a mobile passenger access apparatus for facilitating the boarding and disembarkation of passengers from an aircraft as claimed in claim 1. Preferably said transfer platform is moveable along guide tracks provided on either side of the fixed stair section to guide movement of the transfer platform between its lower and raised positions. Preferably said guide tracks constrain the transfer platform to move along a path extending above the steps of the fixed stair section between its lower and raised positions. Preferably said guide tracks are arranged to maintain the transfer platform in a horizontal configuration as it moves between its lower and raised positions. In one embodiment a pair of substantially parallel first and second guide tracks may be provided on each side of the fixed stair section, first and second horizontally spaced guide members being provided on either side of the transfer platform, each first guide member engaging the first guide track on a 18 11 24 respective side of the fixed stair section, each second guide member engaging the second guide track on a respective side of the fixed stair section. The transfer platform is provided with gates mounted adjacent each corner of the 5 transfer platform and being moveable between open positons wherein the gates extend parallel with the sides of the fixed stair section, to permit passengers to cross the transfer platform, and closed positions wherein the gates extend perpendicular to the sides of the fixed stair section to retain a person or persons on the transfer platform during movement of the transfer platform between its lower 10 and raised positions. The transfer platform may include side edges parallel to the sides of the fixed stair section and front and rear edges perpendicular to the sides of the fixed stair section, wherein portions of said front and rear edges are adapted to be raised during 15 movement of the transfer platform between its lower and raised positions. In one embodiment distal portions of said front and rear edges may define flaps pivotally mounted to the remainder of the transfer platform to enable them be raised and lowered with respect to the remainder of the transfer platform. Preferably said flaps are operatively coupled to the gates so that the flaps are moved to their raised 20 position as the gates are moved to their closed positions. The flaps may be operatively coupled to the gates by one or more articulated linkages such that the flaps are raised automatically as the gates are moved to their closed position and lowered as the gates are moved to their open position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A mobile passenger access vehicle for an aircraft in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A mobile passenger access vehicle for an aircraft in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a self-propelled vehicle 2, such as a flat-bed truck, having an elongate chassis supported on wheels, one or more of which are preferably driven by a suitable drive means, such as one or more electrics motor and / or internal combustion engine. A moving stair escalator 4 is mounted on the chassis of the vehicle 2, said escalator 4 comprising a plurality of steps arranged to move on an outward path and a return path forming an endless loop between upper and lower platforms 6,8, the steps being driven by a suitable drive means, such as an electric motor, to be moved to transfer passengers between the upper and lower platforms to facilitate the boarding and disembarkation of the passengers from an aircraft. The moving stairs of the escalator 4 may be adjustable for speed of movement, for example for movement at any one of three different speeds. Moving handrails 9 are provided on either side of the moving stairs of the escalator 4. Outer surfaces of the handrails 9 may be cooled by water or air to alleviate any problems of heating due to exposure to sunlight. In one embodiment, the outer surfaces of the moving handrails 9 may be cooled by blowing refrigerated air onto them as they move along their lower or return path. Such air blowers may be provided at upper and / or lower ends of the escalator. A fixed stair section 10 is mounted at a lower end of the escalator 4, preferably at a rear end of the vehicle 2, said fixed stair section 10 comprising a short flight of fixed steps located to allow passengers to walk between the ground and the lower platform 8 of the escalator 4. Handrails 12 are preferably provided on either side of the steps of the fixed stair section 10 for safety. Upper surfaces handrails 12 may be cooled to avoid discomfort to passengers due to heating of the handrails 12 by sunlight. The escalator 4 and fixed stair section 10 are preferably mounted on the chassis of the vehicle 2 to be moveable between at least one operative configuration, shown in Figures 1 and 2, wherein the upper and lower platforms 6,8 of the escalator 4 are arranged substantially horizontally and a lower end of the fixed stair section 10 is level with the ground, and a transport configuration, wherein an upper end of the escalator 4 is tilted forwardly and downwardly to reduce the overall height of the vehicle 2 and a lower end of the fixed stair section 10 is tilted upwardly to raise the lower end of the fixed stair section 10 above the ground. Telescopically extendable rams 14 may be provided extending between the chassis of the vehicle 2 and an upper end of the escalator 4 to support the upper end of the escalator 4, said rams 14 being extendable and retractable and to raise and lower the escalator between its operative and transport configurations and to allow the height of the upper platform 6 of the escalator 4 to be adjusted when in its operative configuration to suit the height of the aircraft door to which access is required. The fixed stair section 10 incorporates a transfer platform 20 moveable between a lower position at a lower end of the fixed stair section 10, substantially level with the ground, and a raised position at an upper end of the fixed stair section 10, level with the lower platform 8 of the escalator 4, wherein passengers may walk across the transfer platform 12, as illustrated in Figure 4, to traverse the fixed stair section 10 when the transfer platform 20 in either of its lower or raised positions, and wherein a person may be transferred between the ground and the lower platform 8 of the escalator 4 upon the transfer platform 20 as it moves between its lower and raised positions, as illustrated in Figure 5. The transfer platform 20 is preferably moveable along guide tracks provided on either side of the fixed stair section 10 to guide movement of the transfer platform 20 between its lower and raised positions, wherein said guide tracks constrain the transfer platform 20 to move along an inclined path extending above the steps of the fixed stair section 10 between its lower and raised positions, the guide tracks being adapted to maintain the transfer platform 20 in a horizontal configuration as it moves between its lower and raised positions. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a pair of substantially parallel first and second guide tracks are provided on each side of the fixed stair section 10, first and second horizontally spaced guide members being provided on either side of the transfer platform 20 to be located in respective guide tracks, each first guide member slidingly engaging the first guide track on a respective side of the fixed stair section, each second guide member slidingly engaging the second guide track on a respective side of the fixed stair section, such that the movement of the transfer platform 20 is guided by the sliding movement of said guide members in the respective guide tracks. The transfer platform 20 is provided with gates 22 mounted adjacent each corner of the transfer platform 20 and being moveable between open positons, shown in Figures 4 and 5, wherein the gates extend parallel to the handrails 12 of the fixed stair section 10, to permit passengers to cross the transfer platform 20 when in either its lower or raised positions to access the fixed stair section 10, and closed positions, shown in Figure 5, wherein the gates 22 extend perpendicular to the handrails 12 of the fixed stair section 10 to retain a person or persons on the transfer platform 20 during movement of the transfer platform 20 between its lower and raised positions. The transfer platform 20 has side edges parallel to the sides of the fixed stair section 10 and front and rear edges perpendicular to the sides of the fixed stair section 10, wherein portions of said front and rear edges define flaps 24 adapted to be raised during movement of the transfer platform 20 between its lower and raised positions. In the embodiment shown, the flaps 24 are defined by distal portions of said front and rear edges of the transfer platform, said flaps being pivotally mounted to the remainder of the transfer platform 20, actuating means being provided for moving the flaps 24 between their raised and lowered positions. The operating mechanism for the gates 22 may be linked to that of the flaps 24 such that the flaps 24 are raised as the gates 22 are closed. This may be achieved by providing 5 articulated linkages extending between the gates 22 and the flaps 24. The flaps 24 may also sever as ramps when in their lowered positions to take up any height different between the transfer platform 20 and the adjacent surfaces. Further hand rails / barriers 26 may be provided at the sides of the upper platform 6 10 of the escalator 4. They may be movable linearly with respect of the upper platform 6 to allow them to be moved up against the side of an aircraft, when in use, or retracted away from the aircraft when not in use. The invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein but can be 15 amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A mobile passenger access apparatus for facilitating the boarding and disembarkation of passengers from an aircraft comprising a mobile chassis, an escalator mounted on the chassis and including a plurality of steps arranged to move on an outward path and a return path forming an endless loop between upper and lower platforms; a fixed stair section mounted at a lower end of the escalator adapted to allow passengers to walk between the ground and the lower platform of the escalator, said fixed stair section incorporating a transfer platform moveable between a lower position at a lower end of the fixed stair section, substantially level with the ground, and a raised position at an upper end of the fixed stair section, level with the lower platforms of the escalator, wherein passengers may walk across the transfer platform to traverse the fixed stair section when the transfer platform in either of its lower or raised positions, and wherein a person may be transferred between the ground and the lower platform of the escalator upon the transfer platform as it moves between its lower and raised positions, wherein the transfer platform is provided with gates mounted adjacent each corner of the transfer platform and being moveable between open positons wherein the gates extend parallel with the sides of the fixed stair section, to permit passengers to cross the transfer platform, and closed positions wherein the gates extend perpendicular to the sides of the fixed stair section to retain a person or persons on the transfer platform during movement of the transfer platform between its lower and raised positions..

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transfer platform is moveable along guide tracks provided on either side of the fixed stair section to guide movement of the transfer platform between its lower and raised positions.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said guide tracks constrain the transfer platform to move along a path extending above the steps of the fixed stair section between its lower and raised positions.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said guide tracks are arranged to maintain the transfer platform in a horizontal configuration as it moves between its lower and raised positions.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein a pair of substantially parallel first and second guide tracks are provided on each side of the fixed stair section, first and second horizontally spaced guide members being provided on either side of the transfer platform, each first guide member engaging the first guide track on a respective side of the fixed stair section, each second guide member engaging the second guide track on a respective side of the fixed stair section.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the transfer platform has side edges parallel to the sides of the fixed stair section and front and rear edges perpendicular to the sides of the fixed stair section, wherein portions of said front and rear edges are adapted to be raised during movement of the transfer platform between its lower and raised positions.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein distal portions of said front and rear edges define flaps pivotally mounted to the remainder of the transfer platform to enable them be raised and lowered with respect to the remainder of the transfer platform.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said flaps are operatively coupled to the gates so that the flaps are moved to their raised position as the gates are moved to their closed positions.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the flaps are operatively coupled to the gates by one or more articulated linkages.

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