Towbarless aircraft tractor

Abstract

The invention relates to a towbarless aircraft tractor (100) comprising an aircraft-type-recognition device (120) which has at least one camera unit (116) which is designed and intended to capture at least one image of at least the nose landing gear of the aircraft to be maneuvered, and an image-evaluation unit (118) which is designed and intended to recognize, on the basis of the at least one image captured by the at least one camera unit (116), the type of the aircraft to be maneuvered and to transmit a corresponding signal to a control device (112).

Description

[0001] Towbarless aircraft tractor

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to a towbarless aircraft tractor with a substantially U-shaped chassis, with a receiving space enclosed by the chassis with a receiving opening formed between the two free ends of the side legs of the U-shape, with a coupling device for gripping and lifting a nose gear of an aircraft to be maneuvered, and with a control device for controlling the operation of the coupling device depending on the type of aircraft to be maneuvered.

[0004] In known towbarless aircraft tugs, such as those known from DE 10 2016 204 543 A1, the driver of the aircraft tug manually enters the type of aircraft to be maneuvered into the control device via an input unit. This input affects various parameters of the coupling device, such as the preload pressure of the coupling device, which is responsible for ensuring that the aircraft's nose gear is actually raised so that it no longer has contact with the ground. An error in selecting the aircraft type can have dramatic consequences. If, for example, an aircraft type that is too light was selected, the nose gear of the actually heavier aircraft can at least slightly open the coupling device. If this error goes unnoticed, the nose gear can come into contact with the ground, which in the worst case can result in the nose gear being destroyed.

[0005] The aim of the present invention is to avoid this.

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a towbarless aircraft tractor of the type mentioned at the outset, which further comprises an aircraft type recognition device comprising at least one camera unit designed and intended to capture at least one image of at least the nose gear of the aircraft to be maneuvered, as well as an image evaluation unit designed and intended to recognize the type of aircraft to be maneuvered on the basis of the at least one image captured by the at least one camera unit and to forward a corresponding signal to the control device.

[0007] In the towbarless aircraft tractor according to the invention, the entire process of identifying the type of aircraft to be maneuvered is automated. This eliminates human error, thus reliably preventing errors as described above.

[0008] To increase the reliability of aircraft type recognition, a further development of the invention proposes that a triggering unit be assigned to the at least one camera unit. This triggering unit can, for example, ensure that the at least one image of the nose gear is always recorded from essentially the same viewing angle and at essentially the same distance from the nose gear.

[0009] In a towbarless aircraft tractor, this can be advantageously achieved by the triggering unit comprising at least one light barrier, the light barrier elements of which are arranged in the chassis adjacent to the free ends of the two side legs of the U-shape. The triggering unit is designed and intended to output a corresponding triggering signal when the nose gear of the aircraft to be maneuvered interrupts the light barrier. The use of at least one light barrier as a triggering unit takes advantage, on the one hand, of the U-shape of the chassis of towbarless aircraft tractors and, on the other hand, of the fact that, in order to fulfill its intended purpose, the aircraft tractor must be moved towards the nose gear of the aircraft in a very specific way, namely such that the nose gear enters the receiving space through the receiving opening.This inevitably results in a situation in which the nose gear, regardless of the aircraft type, assumes a substantially predetermined orientation relative to the aircraft tractor, and at a substantially predetermined distance from it.

[0010] As an alternative to the light barrier, the triggering unit can also comprise a distance measuring device, for example an ultrasonic device or a lidar device or another suitable type of distance measuring device. In this case, the triggering signal can be output, for example, when the distance between the nose gear of the aircraft and the distance measuring device falls below a predetermined value. This predetermined distance value can be selected to ensure that the nose gear has already entered the receiving space through the receiving opening. Thus, in this case, too, a situation arises in which the nose gear assumes an essentially predetermined orientation relative to the aircraft tractor, regardless of the respective aircraft type.

[0011] The trigger signal output by the trigger unit can be fed directly to the at least one camera unit. However, it is also conceivable to first feed the trigger signal to the control device, which then forwards it to the at least one camera unit.

[0012] An advantageous viewing angle and an advantageous distance can be obtained, for example, by arranging the camera unit or at least one of the camera units on the base leg of the U-shape, preferably on its side facing the receiving opening.

[0013] In order to minimize, if not completely eliminate, the influence of weather on the function of the aircraft type recognition device, the camera unit or at least one camera unit can be arranged in a driver housing of the aircraft tractor.

[0014] In order to ensure the function of the aircraft type recognition device regardless of the lighting conditions, it is proposed that it further comprises at least one lighting unit which is designed and intended to illuminate the receiving opening and its vicinity, for example as a function of a trigger signal emitted by the trigger unit.

[0015] To improve the recognition result, at least one of the following additional measures can be taken:

[0016] • Use of a number of camera units that record the aircraft’s nose gear from different angles,

[0017] • Use of a plurality of camera units which operate in different spectral ranges, for example at least one daylight camera unit and at least one infrared camera unit,

[0018] • Use of at least one filter to block out electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined property, for example a predetermined spectral range, a predetermined polarization or the like.

[0019] To improve the recognition result, the image evaluation unit may further comprise a pre-evaluation unit that determines those partial images in the at least one image that represent characteristic elements of the nose gear. These characteristic elements may be, for example:

[0020] • the wheels of the nose gear (different aircraft types have different sized and / or different width wheels), and / or

[0021] • the nose gear spring cylinder(s) (different aircraft types have spring cylinders of different sizes), and / or

[0022] • the headlights of the nose gear (different aircraft types have headlights of different sizes, designs and locations), and / or • the steering cylinders of the nose gear (different aircraft types have steering cylinders of different sizes, designs and locations), and / or

[0023] • other characteristic components that are only located on the nose gear of certain aircraft types.

[0024] Additionally or alternatively, it is proposed that the image evaluation unit comprise a AI unit, i.e., a unit operating on the basis of artificial intelligence (AI), which has been pre-trained on the basis of a plurality of previously acquired images of nose gears, each of which has been assigned the aircraft type depicted therein. For this purpose, a FLIR® Firefly® DL, for example, can be advantageously used as a camera unit with AI image evaluation.

[0025] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings. It shows:

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a towbarless aircraft tractor according to the invention; and

[0027] Figures 2 and 3 show two schematic front views of nose landing gears of different aircraft types.

[0028] In Figure 1, a towbarless aircraft tractor is generally designated 100. The aircraft tractor 100 comprises a chassis 102, which is essentially U-shaped with a base leg 102a, which supports, among other things, the driver's cab 104, and two side legs 102b and 102c. The chassis 102 encloses a receiving space 106, which serves to accommodate a nose gear 130 (see Figure 3) of an aircraft to be maneuvered by the aircraft tractor 100. The free ends of the side legs 102b, 102c form a receiving opening 106a of the receiving space 106 between them. The wheels of the aircraft tractor 100 are indicated in Figure 1 by dotted lines at 108.

[0029] Furthermore, a coupling device 110 is arranged in the receiving space 106, which is designed and intended, in a conventional manner, to grip and raise the nose gear 130 of the aircraft. The operation of the coupling device 110 is controlled by the driver of the aircraft tractor 100 from the driver's cab 104. For this purpose, the aircraft tractor 100 has a control device 112 with an input device 114 arranged in the driver's cab 104.

[0030] According to the invention, the aircraft tractor 100 further comprises a camera unit 116, which is designed and intended to capture an image of the nose gear 130 of the aircraft to be maneuvered. The image captured by the camera unit 116 is forwarded to an image evaluation unit 118, which is designed and intended to recognize the type of aircraft to be maneuvered based on the image content of this image and to forward a corresponding signal to the control device 112. The camera unit 116 and the image evaluation unit 118 together form an aircraft type recognition device 120.

[0031] In a further development of the invention, the camera unit 116 is assigned a triggering unit 122 in the form of a light barrier 124, for example, a light barrier 124 with an active light barrier element 124a and a passive light barrier element 124b. The active light barrier element 124a can comprise both a light source and a light detector, while the passive light barrier element 124b comprises only a reflector.

[0032] As soon as the nose gear of the aircraft interrupts the light barrier 124 arranged at the receiving opening 106a upon entering the receiving space 106, the active light barrier element 124a of the light barrier 124 sends a corresponding signal to the control device 112, which then outputs a trigger signal to the camera unit 116. As an alternative to the light barrier 124, a distance measuring device 125 can also be used, for example an ultrasonic device or a lidar device or another suitable type of distance measuring device. In this case, the trigger signal can be output, for example, when the distance between the nose gear 130 of the aircraft and the distance measuring device 125 falls below a predetermined value. This predetermined distance value can be selected such that it is ensured that the nose gear 130 has already entered the receiving space 106 through the receiving opening 106a.

[0033] In order to be able to record the nose gear from the most favorable angle possible, the camera unit 116 is arranged on the base leg 102a of the chassis 102, specifically on the side facing the recording space 106. If desired, the camera unit could also be arranged in the driver's cab, as indicated by dotted lines at 116' in Figure 1.

[0034] It should be added at this point that it is fundamentally conceivable to use multiple camera units. This can be useful, for example, to image the nose gear 130 from different angles. However, it is also conceivable to use camera units that operate in different spectral ranges, such as daylight and infrared cameras, or that are equipped with different filters. All of this serves the purpose of better imaging the nose gear for better aircraft type recognition. However, it is often sufficient to arrange one or more lighting units 126 on the aircraft tug 100, which can better illuminate the scene even in the dark or when visibility is otherwise impaired.

[0035] If desired, the image evaluation unit 118 can include a pre-evaluation unit 128, which determines in the at least one image those partial images that represent characteristic elements of the nose landing gear 130. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, which show the nose landing gears 130 and 130' of two quite different aircraft types for clarity, these nose landing gears 130, 130' differ in several characteristic elements. Merely by way of example, reference should be made to the wheels 132, 132' and / or the spring cylinders 134, 134' and / or the headlights 136, 136' and / or the steering cylinders 138, 138' and / or other characteristic components 140, 140', which are arranged on the nose landing gear 130, 130' only in certain aircraft types.

[0036] However, the provision of the pre-evaluation unit 128 is optional, especially when the image evaluation unit 118 operates on the basis of artificial intelligence (Kl), which has been pre-trained on the basis of a plurality of previously acquired images of nose landing gears 130, 130', ..., each of which has been assigned the aircraft type depicted thereon. Such image evaluation using Kl can be implemented, for example, using one or more FLIR® Firefly® DL camera units.

[0037] It should also be added that the signal lines connecting the various components of the aircraft type recognition device 120 are shown in dashed lines in Figure 1.

Claims

Claims 1. Towbarless aircraft tractor (100) • with a substantially U-shaped chassis (102), • with a receiving space (106) enclosed by the chassis (102) with a receiving opening (106a) formed between the two free ends of the side legs (102b, 102c) of the U-shape, • with a coupling device (110) for gripping and lifting a nose gear of an aircraft to be maneuvered, and • with a control device (112) for controlling the operation of the coupling device (110) depending on the type of aircraft to be maneuvered, characterized in that it further comprises an aircraft type recognition device (120) which comprises: • at least one camera unit (116) which is designed and intended to capture at least one image of at least the nose gear (130) of the aircraft to be maneuvered, • an image evaluation unit (118) which is designed and intended to recognize the type of aircraft to be maneuvered on the basis of the at least one image captured by the at least one camera unit (116) and to forward a corresponding signal to the control device (112).

2. A towbarless aircraft tractor according to claim 1, characterized in that a trigger unit (122) is assigned to the at least one camera unit (116).

3. A towbarless aircraft tractor according to claim 2, characterized in that the triggering unit (122) comprises at least one light barrier (124), the light barrier elements (124a, 124b) of which are arranged in the chassis (102) adjacent to the free ends of the two side legs (102b, 102c) of the U-shape, wherein the triggering unit (122) is designed and intended to, when the nose gear device (130) of the aircraft to be maneuvered interrupts the light barrier (124), to issue a corresponding trigger signal.

4. A towbarless aircraft tractor according to claim 2, characterized in that the triggering unit (122) comprises at least one distance measuring device (125).

5. A towbarless aircraft tractor according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the camera unit (116) or at least one of the camera units is arranged on the base leg (102a) of the LI shape, preferably on its side facing the receiving opening (106a) 6. A towbarless aircraft tractor according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the camera unit (116') or the at least one camera unit is arranged in a driver housing (104) of the aircraft tractor (100).

7. A towbarless aircraft tractor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it further comprises at least one lighting unit (126) which is designed and intended to illuminate the receiving opening (106a) and its vicinity, for example as a function of a trigger signal emitted by the trigger unit (122).

8. A towbarless aircraft tractor according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the image evaluation unit (118) comprises a pre-evaluation unit (128) which determines in the at least one image those partial images which represent characteristic elements of the nose gear (130).

9. A towbarless aircraft tractor according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the image evaluation unit (118) comprises a Kl unit which has been trained in advance on the basis of a plurality of previously taken images of nose landing gear (130), each of which has been assigned the aircraft type depicted thereon.

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