Wireless deadman switch for aircraft fueling vehicle

Abstract

To provide a wireless deadman switch installed on an aircraft fueling vehicle that enables an operator to operate while controlling a fueling amount when aviation fuel is supplied to an aircraft.SOLUTION: There is provided a wireless deadman switch in which a transmitter and a receiver are connected to be capable of wireless communication for supplying aircraft fuel to an aircraft. The transmitter includes: an operation unit for transmitting a fueling signal to the receiver; a mode change button capable of changing a fueling amount; an emergency button for stopping fueling; and various display units for displaying a communication state with the receiver and the fueling amount changed by the mode change button. The receiver includes: a transmitter holder on which the transmitter can be installed; a pairing switch for setting pairing with the transmitter; and various display units for displaying a pairing state with the transmitter and an installed state of the transmitter. The receiver operates a fueling device to supply aviation fuel to the aircraft with the fueling amount set by the mode change button while receiving the fueling signal from the transmitter.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wireless deadman switch for an aircraft refueling truck, and more particularly to a wireless deadman switch installed in an aircraft refueling truck that can be operated by an operator while controlling the amount of refueling when refueling an aircraft with aviation fuel. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been aircraft refueling vehicles (refueler type) that are equipped with fuel tanks for storing aviation fuel and supply aviation fuel from these fuel tanks to aircraft. At airports where aviation fuel is stored in underground fuel tanks, aviation fuel can be supplied to aircraft from the underground fuel tanks via fueling ports on the ground. For this reason, at airports where aviation fuel is stored in underground fuel tanks, aircraft refueling vehicles (hydrant type refueling vehicles, also known as servicers) are used that are equipped with hoses and pressure devices for supplying aviation fuel to aircraft and supply aviation fuel from underground fuel tanks to aircraft.

[0003] As a remote-controlled device used in a fuel tanker truck to refuel such aircraft, a fuel tanker truck equipped with a wired deadman's switch that allows an operator to turn the aviation fuel supply on and off has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-318508 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Conventionally, when refueling an aircraft, it is rare for the aircraft's fuel tank to be filled to the brim with aviation fuel. Typically, the amount of aviation fuel required for the next destination and the amount of aviation fuel required for an emergency response are added together to determine the amount of aviation fuel to be supplied to the aircraft's fuel tank. Therefore, an operator checks the amount of aviation fuel supplied to the aircraft by checking the fuel gauge on the fuel tank. However, because the deadman's switch serving as a remote control device described in Patent Document 1 is wired, the operator must be careful about the routing of the wire (cable) when moving the fuel gauge installed near the aircraft's fuel tank to a visible position to check the amount of fuel supplied.

[0006] Furthermore, the deadman switch as a remote control device described in Patent Document 1 simply operates to turn refueling on and off, and does not have the function of changing the flow rate per unit time of aviation fuel (hereinafter referred to as refueling amount) supplied from an aircraft refueling vehicle to an aircraft fuel tank via a refueling hose.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a wireless deadman switch that is installed in an aircraft refueling truck and that allows an operator to control the amount of refueling when refueling an aircraft with aviation fuel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a wireless deadman switch in which a transmitter and a receiver are connected so as to be able to communicate wirelessly, for activating a refueling device installed on an aircraft refueling vehicle to refuel aviation fuel into an aircraft, wherein the transmitter comprises an operation unit for sending a refueling signal to the receiver, a mode change button that can change the amount of refueling, an emergency refueling stop button, and various display units that display the communication status with the receiver and the amount of refueling changed by the mode change button, and the receiver comprises a transmitter holder in which the transmitter can be installed, a pairing switch that sets pairing with the transmitter, and various display units that display the pairing status with the transmitter and the installation status of the transmitter, and while the receiver is receiving the refueling signal from the transmitter, it operates the refueling device to refuel aviation fuel into the aircraft at the amount of refueling set by the mode change button.

[0009] In another aspect of the present invention, in the wireless deadman switch, the receiver further has a timer function that monitors the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter, and the timer function issues a warning when it detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter has exceeded a first predetermined time, cancels the issuance of the warning when it detects that the refueling signal received from the transmitter has been turned off for a certain period of time while the warning is being issued, and if it does not detect that the refueling signal received from the transmitter has been turned off for a certain period of time while the warning is being issued, stops operation of the refueling device when it detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter has exceeded a second predetermined time even if the refueling signal is being received from the transmitter.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is that, in the wireless deadman switch, the transmitter can be installed in the transmitter holder by using the magnetic force of magnets provided in the transmitter and the transmitter holder, respectively. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the transmitter comprises an operating unit for transmitting a refueling signal to the receiver, a mode change button that can gradually change the amount of refueling, an emergency refueling stop button, and various display units that display the communication status with the receiver and the amount of refueling changed by the mode change button, and the receiver comprises a transmitter holder that allows the transmitter to be installed, a pairing switch that sets pairing with the transmitter, and various display units that display the pairing status with the transmitter and the installation status of the transmitter, and while the receiver is receiving a refueling signal from the transmitter, it operates the refueling device of the aircraft refueling vehicle to refuel the aircraft with aviation fuel at the amount of refueling set by the mode change button.

[0012] Unlike conventional wired deadman switches that are remotely controlled devices, the wireless deadman switch configured as described above allows an operator to move freely while holding the transmitter to a position where the fuel gauge installed near the aircraft's fuel tank can be seen in order to check the amount of fuel being supplied, without having to worry about the routing of wires (cables), etc. Then, by operating the operating section of the transmitter while checking the fuel gauge on the fuel tank, the operator can operate the refueling device of the aircraft refueling truck and supply the aircraft with the correct amount of aviation fuel.

[0013] Furthermore, by operating the mode change button on the transmitter to gradually change the amount of fuel dispensed, for example, at the start of refueling or during refueling, the amount of fuel dispensed can be increased to dispense more efficiently, and at the end of refueling, the amount of fuel dispensed can be decreased to dispense an accurate amount of fuel. At this time, the amount of fuel dispensed changed by the mode change button can be confirmed by the operator on multiple (e.g., three) display units provided on the transmitter.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the receiver further has a timer function that monitors the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter, and when the timer function detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter has exceeded a first predetermined time, it issues a warning to notify the operator, and if it detects that the refueling signal received from the transmitter has been turned off for a certain period of time while the warning is being issued, it cancels the issuance of the warning, and if it does not detect that the refueling signal received from the transmitter has been turned off for a certain period of time while the warning is being issued, it stops the operation of the refueling device even if the refueling signal is being received from the transmitter when it detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter has exceeded a second predetermined time.

[0015] Generally, in aircraft refueling, the continuous refueling time by an operator is restricted. Therefore, the receiver monitors the continuous reception time of the refueling signal transmitted from the transmitter using a timer function. The receiver then issues an alarm (such as a warning light or buzzer) to the operator when the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter exceeds a first predetermined time (e.g., 1 minute 30 seconds). The operator, recognizing the alarm, stops operating the control unit for a certain period of time (e.g., 0.3 seconds) and then operates it again. This causes the refueling signal transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver to be turned off for a certain period of time (e.g., 0.3 seconds). The receiver detects this and resets the alarm for the operator, and the refueling operation continues as the operator continues to receive the refueling signal by gripping the transmitter's lever handle. In addition, if the receiver does not detect that the refueling signal from the transmitter has been off for a certain period of time while an alert is being issued to the operator, when it detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal from the transmitter has exceeded a second predetermined period of time (e.g., 2 minutes), it stops the operation of the refueling device even if it is receiving a refueling signal from the transmitter.

[0016] In this way, by monitoring the continuous time of refueling by an operator, it is possible to prevent, for example, an operator from mindlessly continuing refueling work without checking the fuel gauge or warnings, and to prevent more than a predetermined amount of fuel from being refueled into the aircraft.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, the transmitter can be placed in the transmitter holder by the magnetic force of magnets provided on the transmitter and the transmitter charging holder. By making the shape of the transmitter holder of the receiver and the transmitter the same, the orientation of the receiver placed in the transmitter charging holder can be limited, and the battery charging connection terminal provided on the bottom of the transmitter can be placed above the charging connection terminal provided on the surface of the transmitter charging holder.

[0018] Furthermore, by providing magnets (e.g., neodymium magnets) on both the transmitter and the transmitter charging holder, the transmitter can be stably installed on the transmitter holder, and the transmitter can be installed integrally with the receiver. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a transmitter and a receiver of a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention are separated. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a plan view illustrating a refueling operation using a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a fuel supply operation performed by an operator using a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] 1A to 1C are three-view diagrams illustrating the configuration of a transmitter of a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of a transmitter of a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the configuration of a receiver of the wireless deadman switch according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The present invention relates to a wireless deadman switch in which a transmitter and a receiver are connected so as to be able to communicate wirelessly, the transmitter being used to activate a refueling device installed in an aircraft refueling truck to refuel an aircraft with aviation fuel. The transmitter includes a lever handle that an operator grips with a predetermined pressure to send a refueling signal to the receiver, a mode change button that allows the operator to gradually change the amount of refueling, an emergency refueling stop button, a rechargeable battery, and various LEDs that display the communication status with the receiver, the remaining battery charge, and the amount of refueling changed by the mode change button. The receiver includes a transmitter charging holder that allows the transmitter to be installed integrally with the receiver and to charge the transmitter battery, a pairing switch that sets pairing with the transmitter, and various LEDs that display the charging status of the transmitter battery, the pairing status with the transmitter, and the installation status of the transmitter. The receiver, while receiving a refueling signal from the transmitter, activates the refueling device to refuel an aircraft with the amount of refueling set by the mode change button.

[0021] The configuration and functions of a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the transmitter and receiver of the wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention are separated. FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a refueling operation using a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a refueling operation by an operator using a wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a three-sided view illustrating the configuration of the transmitter of the wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the internal configuration of the transmitter of the wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the configuration of the receiver of the wireless deadman switch according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] The wireless deadman switch described below is used by an operator in a state in which the base end of a refueling hose 102 mounted on an aircraft refueling vehicle 100 is connected to the refueling device 101 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 and the refueling nozzle 300 (see FIG. 4) at the tip is connected and fixed to the refueling section 210 of the aircraft 200, as shown in Fig. 3. The aircraft refueling vehicle 100 of this embodiment may be either an aircraft refueling vehicle 100 (refueler type) equipped with a fuel tank for storing aviation fuel, or an aircraft refueling vehicle 100 (hydrant type) capable of refueling aircraft with aviation fuel from an underground fuel tank.

[0023] 1 and 2, the wireless deadman switch 1 of this embodiment is made up of a transmitter 10 and a receiver 20. When the wireless deadman switch 1 is not in use, the transmitter 10 is mounted integrally on the top surface of the receiver 20, and only when the wireless deadman switch 1 is in use is the transmitter 10 separated from the top surface of the receiver 20. An operator operates the transmitter 10 near the refueling section 210 of the aircraft 200, thereby activating the refueling device 101 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 and refueling the aircraft 200 with a predetermined amount of aviation fuel.

[0024] The transmitter 10 is formed in a vertically long rod (stick) shape so that it can be easily held by a worker in one hand. The material that constitutes the transmitter 10 is preferably a plastic material made from polycarbonate resin, a type of thermoplastic resin that has excellent impact resistance and durability. In addition, the impact resistance is such that it can withstand a free fall from 1 meter onto a concrete surface. For convenience, in the following explanation, the side on which the various buttons and LEDs of the transmitter 10 are mounted is referred to as the front, and the side on which the lever handle 15 that is gripped by the worker is mounted is referred to as the back.

[0025] An emergency stop button 11 and a mode change button 12 are arranged above and below the top of the front surface of the transmitter 10 as buttons that can be operated by an operator. When an operator presses the emergency stop button 11, refueling by the refueling device 101 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 is immediately stopped. When the pressing of this emergency stop button 11 is detected, a refueling stop signal is sent to the receiver 20, which takes priority over the various buttons and switches provided on the transmitter 10.

[0026] The mode change button 12 allows the operator to change the refueling amount (the flow rate per unit time of aviation fuel supplied to the fuel tank through the refueling hose) in stages. In this embodiment, each time the operator presses the mode change button 12, the output of the refueling pump (not shown) mounted on the refueling device 101 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 can be changed between three levels: low, medium, and high. The output of the refueling pump is linked to the rotational speed of the engine of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100. In other words, by changing the engine rotational speed between low, medium, and high modes, the output of the refueling pump is also changed between three levels: low, medium, and high. Correspondingly, the refueling amount also changes between three levels: small, medium, and large. As an example of how to use this mode change button 12, when refueling begins or is in progress, the mode change button 12 is set to high speed mode, thereby increasing the amount of fuel added and refueling is performed efficiently, and when refueling is complete (when the specified supply amount is approaching), the mode change button 12 is operated to medium speed or low speed mode, thereby gradually reducing the amount of fuel added, thereby allowing the aircraft 200 to be refueled with a precise amount of aviation fuel.

[0027] On the upper left and right sides of the emergency stop button 11, there are provided a communication LED 13 that notifies the operator of the communication status with the receiver 20, and a power LED 14 that notifies the operator of the charge status of the battery B (see FIG. 6) built into the transmitter 10. Above the mode change button 12, there are provided three mode LEDs 12a arranged in a horizontal row that indicate the fuel supply amount changed by the operator. These mode LEDs 12a, from left to right, indicate low-speed, medium-speed, and high-speed modes according to the engine rotation speed of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100. As an example, each time the operator presses the mode change button 12, the engine rotation speed of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 is changed in three stages: low-speed → medium-speed → high-speed → low-speed mode.

[0028] A lever handle 15 to be gripped by an operator is provided on the rear surface of the transmitter 10, with its upper end pivotally supported. As will be described in detail later, the lever handle 15 is biased at its middle and lower portions by two coil springs S1 and S2 (see FIG. 6 ) so as to press the lower portion outward (away from the rear surface) of the transmitter 10. When the operator grips the lever handle 15 with a pressure greater than or equal to the biasing force of the two coil springs S1 and S2, the operator presses a deadman switch 18 (see FIG. 6 ). The transmitter 10, upon detecting that the deadman switch 18 is pressed, transmits a refueling signal to the receiver 20. The receiver 20 then activates the refueling device 101 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 to refuel the aircraft 200. In this way, refueling is activated by a gripping force that counteracts the biasing force of the two coil springs S1 and S2, thereby preventing the operator from erroneously operating the lever handle 15. The force exerted on the lower part of the lever handle 15 toward the outside of the transmitter 10 is not limited to the two coil springs S1 and S2. As shown in FIG. 6, other means such as a leaf spring or torsion spring may be used as long as they can urge the lever handle 15 in the direction away from the deadman switch 18.

[0029] Like the transmitter 10, the receiver 20 is formed in a box shape from a plastic material made from polycarbonate resin, a type of thermoplastic resin that is highly impact resistant and durable. Note that the receiver 20 is fixedly mounted in the driver's seat 103 of the aircraft refueling truck 100, and therefore does not need to be lightweight like the transmitter 10, and may be configured in a box shape from a metal such as aluminum or iron. Note that in the following description, for convenience, the front side of the receiver 20 will face the same direction as the front of the transmitter 10, and the rear side of the receiver 20 will face the same direction as the rear side of the transmitter 10.

[0030] A transmitter charging holder 21 is provided on the top surface of the receiver 20, allowing the transmitter 10 to be installed integrally with the receiver 20 and enabling charging of the transmitter 10's battery B (see FIG. 6). The transmitter charging holder 21 is configured to surround and hold the outer periphery of the lower part 16 of the transmitter 10. As will be described in detail later, the surface of the transmitter charging holder 21 is formed in the same shape as the bottom surface of the lower part 16 of the transmitter 10. Furthermore, the front and rear sides of the bottom surface of the lower part 16 of the transmitter 10 have different shapes. This makes it possible to restrict the front-to-rear orientation of the transmitter 10 when installing the transmitter 10 in the transmitter charging holder 21, and allows the transmitter 10 to be installed so that the battery charging connection terminals (+ and - terminals) provided on the bottom surface of the transmitter 10 are aligned with the upper parts of the charging connection terminals (+ and - terminals) provided on the surface of the transmitter charging holder 21.

[0031] Furthermore, a magnet (e.g., a neodymium magnet) is embedded in the bottom surface of the lower portion 16 of the transmitter 10 and in the surface of the transmitter charging holder 21. The magnetic force of this magnet allows the bottom surface of the lower portion 16 of the transmitter 10, which is formed in a vertically elongated rod shape, to be stably erected on the upper surface of the transmitter charging holder 21, and the transmitter 10 can be installed compactly inside the driver's seat 103 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100, with the transmitter 10 integrated on the upper surface of the receiver 20. Furthermore, when separating the transmitter 10 and the receiver 20, they can be separated with a single touch, since they are not fixed together with screws or the like.

[0032] The surface of the receiver 20 is provided with an interlock LED 22 that indicates the installation status of the transmitter, a charging LED 23 that indicates the charging status of the battery B of the transmitter 10, and a communication LED 24 that indicates the status of communication with the transmitter 10. In addition, a pairing switch 25 that sets pairing with the transmitter 10 is provided. An antenna connection (not shown) for communication with the transmitter is provided on the front of the receiver 20. A connection 26 for a cable C consisting of a bundle of signal lines that transmits and receives various signals to control the refueling device 101 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 is provided on the rear of the receiver 20.

[0033] A frame F is provided on the lower front and rear surfaces of the receiver 20 to secure the receiver 20 to the driver's seat 103 (see FIG. 3) of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100. This frame F has two elongated holes Fa that serve as insertion holes for bolts and screws, and the receiver 20 can be secured to the driver's seat 103 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 by fastening the elongated holes Fa with bolts and nuts.

[0034] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the wireless deadman switch 1 configured as described above is used by an operator in a state in which the base end of a refueling hose 102 mounted on an aircraft refueling vehicle 100 is connected to the refueling device 101 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100, and the refueling nozzle 300 (see Figure 4) at the tip is connected and fixed to the refueling unit 210 of the aircraft 200. Specifically, the operator S carries the transmitter 10 of the separated wireless deadman switch 1 to a position where the refueling unit 210 of the aircraft 200 can be seen and operates it to perform refueling work. The refueling device 101 of this embodiment is equipped with a reel (not shown) that winds up / unwinds the refueling hose 102 to refuel the aircraft 200 with aviation fuel, a refueling pump (not shown) for refueling, and a control device for a control valve that controls on / off of refueling and changes the amount of refueling. For this reason, a button for controlling the rotation direction (winding rotation / unwinding rotation) of the reel that winds / unwinds the fuel supply hose 102 may be provided on the transmitter 10, and the rotation of the reel may be wirelessly controlled by the worker S operating this button.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 4, refueling unit 210 is provided on a wing or under the fuselage of aircraft 200, and with refueling unit cover 213 open, refueling nozzle 300 at the tip of refueling hose 102 is connected to refueling cap 211. Refueling nozzle 300 can be locked and connected to refueling cap 211 by operator S holding left and right handles 301R, 301L, which are provided to extend rearward from the tip of refueling nozzle 300, with both hands, and rotating refueling nozzle 300 by a certain angle (approximately 90 degrees) around its axis with the tip of refueling nozzle 300 engaged with refueling cap 211. Furthermore, nozzle opening / closing lever 302 is attached to the side of refueling nozzle 300. After connecting the fuel nozzle 300 to the fuel filler neck 211 in a locked state, the operator S rotates the nozzle open / close lever 302 to a predetermined position, thereby opening the shut-off valve at the tip of the fuel nozzle 300 and connecting and communicating the tip of the fuel nozzle 300 with the fuel filler neck 211. In this state, aviation fuel can be supplied to the fuel tank. When the tip of the fuel nozzle 300 is connected and communicating with the fuel filler neck 211, the shut-off valve that has opened the tip of the fuel nozzle 300 restricts the rotation of the fuel nozzle 300 around its axis. In other words, when the tip of the fuel nozzle 300 is connected and communicating with the fuel filler neck 211, the fuel nozzle 300 cannot be removed from the fuel filler neck 211. This prevents accidents such as aviation fuel leaking from the fuel nozzle 300 at the tip of the fuel filler hose 102 due to incorrect operation by the operator S. Furthermore, the worker S can separate the fuel nozzle 300 from the fuel filler opening 211 by performing the opposite operations on the nozzle opening / closing lever 302 and the left and right handles 301R, 301L. In this state, the worker S grips the lever handle 15 on the rear of the transmitter 10 with his or her fingers (excluding the thumb). Then, while the worker S is gripping the lever handle 15 with a predetermined pressure, the deadman's switch 18 (see FIG. 6) is pressed, and a fuel fill signal is transmitted from the transmitter 10 to the receiver 20.

[0036] The receiver 20 that has received the refueling signal transmits a refueling pump operation signal to the refueling device 101 via a cable C connected to the refueling device 101 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100. At this time, the operator S refuels the aircraft 200 with a predetermined amount of aviation fuel while visually checking the fuel gauge 212 provided in the refueling unit 210. That is, in this embodiment, the operator S can refuel the aircraft 200 with a predetermined amount of aviation fuel by gripping the lever handle 15 on the rear surface of the transmitter 10 with a predetermined pressure while visually checking the fuel gauge 212 provided in the refueling unit 210.

[0037] The receiver 20 has a timer function that monitors the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter 10 when the worker S grips the lever handle 15. The timer function monitors the continuous reception time of the lever handle 15 by the worker S. Specifically, when the receiver 20 detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter 10 has exceeded a first predetermined time (e.g., 1 minute 30 seconds), it issues an alarm to notify the worker S. The alarm is issued by a warning light or warning buzzer (not shown) installed in a position that the worker S can see or hear. Then, upon recognizing the alarm, the worker S releases his / her grip on the lever handle 15 for a certain time (e.g., within 0.3 seconds) and then grips it again. As a result, the refueling signal transmitted from the transmitter 10 to the receiver 20 is turned off for a certain time (e.g., within 0.3 seconds). The receiver 20 detects this and resets the alarm for the operator S, and the refueling operation continues as the operator S continues to grip the lever handle 15 of the transmitter 10 to receive a refueling signal. At this time, the amount of aviation fuel refueled into the aircraft 200 remains as changed by the operator S using the mode change button 12 of the transmitter 10.

[0038] If the receiver 20 does not detect that the refueling signal from the transmitter 10 has been off for a certain period of time (for example, within 0.3 seconds) while issuing a warning to the operator S, and then detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal from the transmitter 10 has exceeded a second predetermined period of time (for example, 2 minutes), the receiver 20 stops the operation of the refueling device even if the refueling signal is being received from the transmitter 10. This stops the refueling operation in response to the operator S gripping the lever handle 15 of the transmitter 10. At this time, the amount of aviation fuel refueled into the aircraft 200 is initialized to the state changed by the operator S using the mode change button 12 of the transmitter 10, and is reset to, for example, the initial low speed mode.

[0039] In this way, by monitoring the continuous time of refueling by the worker S (the continuous time of holding the lever handle 15), it is possible to alert the worker S that refueling is in progress, and it is possible to prevent the worker S from mindlessly continuing the refueling work without checking the fuel gauge or warnings, for example. This makes it possible to prevent the fuel tank of the aircraft 200 from being filled with more fuel than the supply amount.

[0040] The functions of the various buttons and LEDs provided on the transmitter 10 and receiver 20 of the wireless deadman switch 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. As shown in FIG. 5(a), an emergency stop button 11 and a mode change button 12 are arranged above and below the upper front surface of the transmitter 10 as buttons for operation by an operator. As shown in FIG. 4, an operator S holds a lever handle 15 provided on the rear surface of the transmitter 10 with the fingers of one hand (excluding the thumb), and the emergency stop button 11 and the mode change button 12 provided on the upper front surface of the transmitter 10 are operated with the thumb of the other hand. When the operator presses the emergency stop button 11 with the thumb, the pressing of the emergency stop button 11 is transmitted from the transmitter 10 to the receiver 20 with the highest priority, and the receiver 20 immediately stops refueling by the refueling device 101 of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100.

[0041] The mode change button 12 is operated by the thumb of the operator S, and as described above, the operator S changes the output of the refueling pump (not shown) of the refueling device 101, which is linked to the engine speed of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100, between three levels: low speed, medium speed, and high speed mode, thereby changing the amount of refueling.

[0042] The communication LED 13, which is provided on the upper right of the emergency stop button 11 and notifies the worker of the communication status with the receiver 20, alternately lights up yellow and blue to indicate that the connection with the receiver 20 is good, and when only yellow lights up, it notifies the worker S that communication with the receiver 20 is not taking place. By notifying the worker of the communication status with the receiver 20 in this way, the worker can quickly grasp any abnormalities in the communication status between the transmitter 10 and the receiver 20, and it is possible to prevent refueling work from being carried out while communication is poor.

[0043] The power LED 14, which is provided on the upper left of the emergency stop button 11 and notifies the worker of the charge status of the battery B built into the transmitter 10, flashes red to notify the worker S when it detects that the charge level of the battery B is low, and lights up red to notify the worker S when the transmitter 10 is placed in the transmitter charging holder 21 of the receiver 20 and the battery B is charging. Furthermore, when charging of the battery B built into the transmitter 10 is complete, the LED lights up yellow-green to notify the worker S. In this way, by notifying the worker of the status of the battery B built into the transmitter 10, it is possible to prevent work from being interrupted due to the battery B running out of charge, etc.

[0044] Three mode LEDs 12a are arranged in a horizontal row above the mode change button 12 and below the emergency stop button 11. One of the three mode LEDs 12a corresponding to low-speed, medium-speed, or high-speed modes with different fuel supply amounts, which is changed in response to the operator S's operation (i.e., pressing) of the mode change button 12, lights up to notify the operator S whether the mode has been changed to low-speed, medium-speed, or high-speed mode.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5(b), a lever handle 15 is provided on the rear surface of the transmitter 10, with its upper end 15a pivotally supported. The lever handle 15 is held by the fingers (excluding the thumb) of one hand of an operator S. As shown in FIG. 6, the lever handle 15 is biased at its middle and lower portions by two coil springs S1 and S2, etc., so that the lower end is pressed toward the outside of the transmitter 10. When the operator S grips the lever handle 15 with a pressure greater than the biasing forces of the two coil springs S1 and S2, the lower end of the lever handle 15 rotates forward through a space 16a within a lower portion 16 of the transmitter 10, causing the middle portion of the lever handle 15 to press a deadman's switch 18. As a result, the pressing of the deadman's switch 18 is detected by a control board 17 installed inside the transmitter 10, and a refueling signal is transmitted to the receiver 20 by a short-range wireless device (not shown) mounted on the control board 17 of the transmitter 10. The force exerted on the lower part of the lever handle 15 by the transmitter 10 outward is not limited to the two coil springs S1 and S2, and other means such as a leaf spring or torsion spring may be used as long as they can urge the lever handle 15 in a direction away from the deadman switch 18.

[0046] Furthermore, when the control board 17 installed inside the transmitter 10 detects an operation (i.e., a press) of the emergency stop button 11 and the mode change button 12 by the operator S, the control board 17 transmits a predetermined signal (e.g., a refueling stop signal) to the receiver 20 via short-range wireless communication implemented on the control board 17 of the transmitter 10. The control board 17 also controls the color displayed on the various LEDs described above, as well as their lighting and blinking. Furthermore, the control board 17 is supplied with electricity from a battery B built into the transmitter 10, and an implemented control unit (not shown) operates, thereby controlling the detection of the short-range wireless device and various buttons implemented on the control board 17 (i.e., pressing), and the lighting, color, extinguishing, and blinking of the various LEDs.

[0047] The short-range wireless communication in this embodiment is preferably based on the international standard IEEE802.15.4. This international standard was established by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) headquartered in the United States, and is stable because products based on this standard are supplied by multiple vendors without relying on a single company's proprietary standard. Furthermore, when using the 2.4 GHz ISM band, it can be used not only in Japan but also around the world.

[0048] 5(c), connection terminals 19a (positive terminal) and 19b (negative terminal) for charging the battery B are provided on the bottom surface of the lower portion 16 of the transmitter 10. A magnet M1 (for example, a neodymium magnet) is also provided.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7 , a transmitter charging holder 21 is provided on the top surface of the box-shaped housing of the receiver 20, allowing the lower part 16 of the transmitter 10 to be installed integrally with the receiver 20. The transmitter charging holder 21 surrounds and holds the outer periphery of the lower part 16 of the transmitter 10. The inner surface of the transmitter charging holder 21 is formed in the same shape as the bottom surface of the lower part 16 of the transmitter 10. Furthermore, the front and rear sides of the bottom surface of the lower part 16 of the transmitter 10 have different shapes. This makes it possible to regulate the front-to-rear orientation of the transmitter 10 when installing the transmitter 10 in the transmitter charging holder 21.

[0050] Charging connection terminals 26a (positive terminal) and 26b (negative terminal) are provided on the inner surface of transmitter charging holder 21. Battery charging connection terminals 19a (positive terminal) and 19b (negative terminal) provided on the bottom surface of transmitter 10 are connected to charging connection terminals 26a (positive terminal) and 26b (negative terminal) provided on the surface of transmitter charging holder 21, respectively, to charge battery B built into transmitter 10.

[0051] Furthermore, a magnet M2 (e.g., a neodymium magnet) is installed in the center of the surface of transmitter charging holder 21. This magnet M2 and magnet M1 installed on the bottom surface of lower portion 16 of transmitter 10 are installed so that they have opposite polarities, and the magnetic force between magnets M1 and M2 allows transmitter 10, which is formed in a vertically elongated rod shape (stick shape), to be installed integrally and upright on the upper surface of transmitter charging holder 21. Furthermore, when separating transmitter 10 and receiver 20, they can be separated with a single touch by simply lifting transmitter 10 from the top of receiver 20 against the magnetic force, as they are not fastened with screws or the like.

[0052] On the surface of the receiver 20, there are provided an interlock LED 22 that indicates the installation status of the transmitter 10, a charging LED 23 that indicates the charging status of the battery B of the transmitter 10, and a communication LED 24 that indicates the communication status with the transmitter 10. Furthermore, there is provided a pairing switch 25 that sets pairing with the transmitter 10.

[0053] The interlock LED 22 lights up blue when the transmitter 10 is not installed on the receiver 20. This interlock LED 22 functions as a safety device. Specifically, when the transmitter 10 is not installed (placed) on the receiver 20 (when the interlock LED 22 lights up blue), for example, if an operator releases the parking brake or changes the driving gear from park or neutral, the engine of the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 will be stopped. In other words, when the transmitter 10 is not installed on the receiver 20, the aircraft refueling vehicle 100 cannot be moved.

[0054] The charging LED 23 indicates the charging status of the battery B of the transmitter 10, lighting up red during charging and turning yellow-green after charging is complete. The communication LED 24 indicates the communication status with the transmitter 10, flashing yellow during wireless transmission from the receiver 20 to the transmitter 10. The yellow flashing also notifies the operator S of the result of pairing with the transmitter 10, which will be described later.

[0055] The pairing switch 25 is a switch for confirming and setting the pairing between the transmitter 10 and the receiver 20. The wireless deadman switch 1 of this embodiment is configured so that only one pair of the transmitter 10 and the receiver 20 can communicate wirelessly, thereby preventing wireless interference and erroneous operation. Therefore, when the worker S presses the pairing switch 25 of the receiver 20 while performing a predetermined operation on the transmitter 10, the pairing is confirmed via wireless communication between the transmitter 10 and the receiver 20, and the result is notified to the worker S by the communication LED 24 (for example, if pairing is successful, it flashes yellow three times). Furthermore, if either the transmitter 10 or the receiver 20 malfunctions and needs to be replaced, the pairing with the malfunctioning transmitter 10 (or receiver 20) is initialized, and the pairing between the transmitter 10 and the receiver 20 is set by performing a predetermined operation similar to that for confirming the pairing with the new transmitter 10 (or receiver 20).

[0056] As described above, the wireless deadman switch 1 of the present invention differs from conventional wired deadman switches that are remotely controlled devices in that when worker S moves holding transmitter 10 to a position where fuel gauge 212 installed near the fuel tank of aircraft 200 can be seen in order to check the supply amount, worker S can move freely without having to worry about the routing of wires (cables). Then, by gripping lever handle 15 of transmitter 10 while checking fuel gauge 212 on the fuel tank, worker S can operate refueling device 101 of aircraft refueling vehicle 100 and supply a predetermined amount of aviation fuel to aircraft 200.

[0057] Furthermore, the worker S can change the amount of fuel to be added (the flow rate of aviation fuel added to the fuel tank per unit time) by operating the mode change button 12 on the transmitter 10, thereby, for example, increasing the amount of fuel to be added at the start of refueling or during refueling, and decreasing the amount of fuel to be added at the end of refueling, thereby enabling the accurate amount of fuel to be added. At this time, the worker can confirm the amount of fuel to be added changed by the mode change button 12 using multiple (e.g., three) LEDs provided on the transmitter.

[0058] The receiver 20 also has a timer function that monitors the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter 10 when the worker S grips the lever handle 15. When the receiver 20 detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter 10 has exceeded a first predetermined time (e.g., 1 minute 30 seconds), it issues an alarm (such as a warning light or alarm buzzer, not shown) to notify the worker S. Upon recognizing the alarm, the worker S releases his / her grip on the lever handle 15 for a certain time (e.g., within 0.3 seconds) and then grips it again. As a result, the refueling signal transmitted from the transmitter 10 to the receiver 20 is turned off for a certain time (e.g., within 0.3 seconds). The receiver 20 detects this and resets the alarm for the worker S, and continues the refueling operation associated with the reception of the refueling signal. On the other hand, if the receiver 20 detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter 10 has exceeded a second predetermined time (e.g., 2 minutes) without detecting that the refueling signal from the transmitter 10 has been turned off for a certain period of time (e.g., within 0.3 seconds) while issuing a warning to the worker S, the receiver 20 stops operation of the refueling device even if the refueling signal from the transmitter 10 is being received.

[0059] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 Wireless deadman switch 10 Transmitter 11 Emergency stop button 12 Mode change button 15 Lever handle 17 Control board 18 Deadman's Switch 20 Receiver 21 Transmitter charging holder 25 Pairing switch 100 Aircraft Refueling Truck 200 aircraft

Claims

1. A wireless deadman switch in which a transmitter and a receiver are connected so as to be able to communicate wirelessly, for operating a refueling device installed in an aircraft refueling vehicle to refuel an aircraft with aviation fuel, The transmitter an operation unit for transmitting a refueling signal to the receiver; A mode change button that allows you to change the amount of fuel supplied, Emergency stop button for fueling, a display unit for displaying a communication status with the receiver and a fuel supply amount changed by the mode change button, The receiver includes: a transmitter holder on which the transmitter can be installed; a pairing switch for setting pairing with the transmitter; a display unit for displaying a pairing status with the transmitter and an installation status of the transmitter; a wireless deadman switch configured to operate the refueling device to refuel the aircraft with aviation fuel at the refueling amount set by the mode change button while the receiver is receiving the refueling signal from the transmitter;

2. The receiver includes: further having a timer function for monitoring the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter; The timer function When it is detected that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter has exceeded a first predetermined time, an alarm is issued; If it is detected that the refueling signal received from the transmitter has been turned off for a certain period of time while the warning is being transmitted, the transmission of the warning is canceled; 2. The wireless deadman switch according to claim 1, wherein if it is not detected that the refueling signal received from the transmitter has been turned off for a certain period of time while the warning is being transmitted, when it detects that the continuous reception time of the refueling signal received from the transmitter has exceeded a second predetermined period of time, the wireless deadman switch stops operation of the refueling device even if the refueling signal is being received from the transmitter.

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