Aircraft fuselage

Abstract

Aircraft fuselages and associated systems and devices are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, an aircraft fuselage (600) includes a fuselage wall (605) having a cross-section lying on horizontal and vertical axes, and an interior space. The fuselage wall (605) has an inner maximum lateral cross-sectional dimension along the horizontal axis of at least 267 cm (105 inches). The fuselage wall (605) is shaped such that, relative to a perfect circle (700) centered at an intersection between the horizontal and vertical axes: (a) the fuselage wall (605) is tangent to the perfect circle (700) (i) at a left end of the fuselage wall, (ii) at a right end of the fuselage wall, and (iii) at a first angle (Al) above the horizontal axis, and (b) the fuselage wall (605) has a stretched radius at a second angle (A2) below the horizontal axis. The interior space is sized and shaped to receive one or more LD3 ULDs (200) in a lateral orientation.

Description

AIRCRAFT FUSELAGECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 636,843, filed April 21 , 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present technology generally relates to aircraft and, more particularly, to aircraft fuselage configurations configurable without substantial modifications of the fuselage for carrying passengers and / or unit load devices above the cabin floor inside the fuselage.BACKGROUND

[0003] After WWII, surplus military aircraft were used by airlines to build out their routes, and as the airlines transitioned over time to newer aircraft, they relegated their usable military surplus to shorter commuter or regional routes. Starting in the 1950's, aircraft manufacturers started to develop point designs for regional aircraft. Like other aircraft markets, over the years there have been regional aircraft designs that were created with the intent, or even luck, of being able to elongate or "stretch" their fuselage in order to accommodate more passengers.

[0004] Specific to regional turboprop aircraft, there is the four-abreast seating De Havilland Dash 8 family, which spans from 37 passengers with the Dash 8-100 to over 80 passengers with the Q400, and there is the four-abreast ATR 42 and 72, accommodating 40-50 (e.g., 48) and 68-78 (e.g., 72) passengers, respectively. For regional jets we see the three-abreast Embraer 135, 140, and 145 offering 37, 44, and 50 passenger seats respectively, the four-abreast Bombardier CRJ 100 / 200 series, which has been stretched from 50 seats to 104 seats with the CRJ1000, and as more recent developments the four-abreast Mitsubishi Spacejet Ml 00 at 84 seats and the four-abreast Embraer E170, E175, E190 and E195 stretching from 72 seats to 124 seats.

[0005] Regional aircraft are also widely in use for transporting cargo. The cargo LD3 Unit Load Device is found widely in use today, fitting the cargo hold from small twin turboprop aircraft such as the Cessna SkyCourier to large long-range airliners such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. The advantage of having a standardized Unit Load Device is that it can betransferred between different aircraft models, for example between a long-range airliner and a regional aircraft. Cargo aircraft operators can therefore operate a fleet of aircraft through a hub- and-spoke network, like passenger aircraft operators.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed on illustrating clearly the principles of the present disclosure. The drawings should not be taken to limit the disclosure to the specific embodiments shown, but are provided for explanation and understanding.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a side view of an aircraft configured in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an LD3 Unit Load Device (ULD).

[0009] FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of a conventional aircraft fuselage overlaid with an LD3 ULD in a longitudinal orientation and in a lateral orientation, respectively.

[0010] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another conventional aircraft fuselage overlaid with an LD3 ULD in a lateral orientation.

[0011] FIG. 5 illustrates a comparison between arranging LD3 ULDs in lateral orientations and arranging LD3 ULDs in longitudinal orientations.

[0012] FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views of a cabin area and a cargo area, respectively, of an aircraft configured in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0013] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustrating a geometry of an aircraft fuselage configured in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0014] FIG. 8 illustrates loading an LD3 ULD in an aircraft configured in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0015] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an aircraft housing LD3 ULDs in lateral orientations in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0016] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another aircraft housing LD3 ULDs in lateral orientations in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0017] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an aircraft housing LD3 ULDs laterally in a centered and uniform configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0018] FIGS. 12A and 12B are cross-sectional and perspective views, respectively, of an aircraft housing LD3 ULDs laterally in a centered and alternating configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0019] FIGS. 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views of a relatively smaller aircraft and a relatively larger aircraft, respectively, housing LD3 ULDs laterally in a centered configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0020] FIGS. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the larger aircraft of FIG. 14 housing LD3 ULDs laterally in an alternating and shared-rail configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0021] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the larger aircraft of FIG. 14 housing LD3 ULDs laterally in a weight-balanced configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.

[0022] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the larger aircraft of FIG. 14 housing palettized cargo units in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONA. Overview

[0023] Embodiments of the present technology are generally directed to aircraft fuselages that can be selectively configured for four-across passenger seating and for carrying LD3 Unit Load Devices (ULDs) in lateral orientations. To illustrate, FIG. 1 is a side view of an aircraft 100 configured in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. The aircraft 100 can include a fuselage 102 having a first door 104 positioned towards the front of the fuselage 102 and a second door 106 positioned towards the rear of the fuselage 102. In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 can be a commercial / regional aircraft sized to be a four-abreast aircraft. In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 can be a configured for carrying a number of LD3 ULDs arranged in a lateral orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft 100. Accordingly, for example, the first door 104 can be a passenger entry and exit door, and the second door 106 can be a cargo entry and exit door for loading and unloading LD3 ULDs.Additional details regarding the fuselage 102 and how it can accommodate LD3 ULDs are illustrated in and described below with reference to FIGS. 6A-17.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an LD3 ULD 200. As shown, the LD3 ULD 200 can have a generally prismatic form factor with a cut or chamfered edge. The LD3 ULD 200 can be, for example, a standard LD3 container having a length L of about 79.0 inches, a width W of about 60.4 inches, and a height H of about 64.0 inches. The LD3 ULD 200 can include a bottom flange for receiving fasteners, clips, cables, and / or the like for securing the LD3 ULD 200 within an aircraft.

[0025] In today’s regional aircraft market, there is not one aircraft with four-abreast seating designed with the consideration of how to accommodate LD3 ULDs loaded laterally. To illustrate, FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of a conventional aircraft fuselage 302 overlaid with the LD3 ULD 200 in a longitudinal orientation and in a lateral orientation, respectively. The fuselage 302 can include a floor 303 for supporting passengers seats, cargo, and / or the like. The LD3 ULD 200 and the floor 303 are illustrated with a gap therebetween to fit rails on which the LD3 ULD 200 can slide. The fuselage 302 can be the fuselage of, for example, the ATR 42 and 72, or the De Havilland Dash-8, or the Embraer E175 to E195. The fuselage 302 can have an outer lateral cross-sectional dimension DI of about 9’ 5”, the floor 303 can have a lateral width D2 of about 7’ 7”, and the fuselage 302 can have an inner lateral cross- sectional dimension D3 of about 8’ 9”.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3 A, the fuselage 302 can fit the LD3 ULD 200 in the longitudinal orientation in which the length L (FIG. 2) of the LD3 ULD 200 is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fuselage 302. The conventional fuselage 302, however, includes a lot of wasted space on both sides of the LD3 ULD 200. Moreover, because the length L represents the largest dimension of the LD3 ULD 200, the number of LD3 ULDs 200 that can be housed in the conventional fuselage 302 can be limited. Thus, it can be desirable to house the LD3 ULDs 200 in the lateral orientation in which the width W (FIG. 2) of the LD3 ULD 200 is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conventional fuselage 302. As shown in FIG. 3B, however, the conventional fuselage 302 cannot fit the LD3 ULD 200 in the lateral orientation (e.g., the top comers extend past the inner walls of the conventional fuselage 302).

[0027] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another conventional aircraft fuselage 402 overlaid with the LD3 ULD 200 in the lateral orientation. The conventional fuselage 402 can include a floor 403 for supporting passengers seats, cargo, and / or the like. The LD3 ULD 200and the floor 403 are illustrated with a gap therebetween to fit rails on which the LD3 ULD 200 can slide. The conventional fuselage 402 can be the fuselage of, for example, the Embraer 190F, which has additional cargo volume available under the floor 403. This additional cargo volume, however, is only suitable for bulk cargo which can be slow to load and thus avoided by most cargo aircraft operators. The conventional fuselage 402 can have an outer lateral cross-sectional dimension D4 of about 9’ 11”, the floor 403 can have a lateral width D5 of about 8’ 6”, and the fuselage 402 can have an inner lateral cross-sectional dimension D6 of about 9’ 0”.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, the conventional fuselage 402 cannot fit the LD3 ULD 200 in the lateral orientation (e.g., the top corners extend past the inner walls of the fuselage 402 by about 2 inches each). While a lowering the height of the floor 403 would allow the LD3 ULD 200 to fit, because the floor 403 is part of the aircraft structure and carries pressurization loads, the floor 403 cannot be lowered without a prohibitive redesign and recertification of the aircraft.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 3A-4 together, the ability of conventional four-abreast aircraft to load LD3 ULDs only in the longitudinal orientation creates several significant drawbacks. First, a lot of empty space is wasted inside the fuselage (e.g., relative to three-abreast aircraft, which may carry the LD3 ULDs longitudinally with a more optimal fit). This empty space creates drag, weight, and operating cost penalties relative to three-abreast aircraft, which can carry the same number of LD3 ULDs with smaller cross-sections, weight, fuel demands, etc. Second, loading and unloading LD3 ULDs in the longitudinal orientation from the side of the fuselage requires large cargo doors having a width of more than 79 inches (e.g., larger than the length L of the LD3 ULD 200). This leads to additional weight penalties and costs.

[0030] Third, fewer LD3 ULDs can be installed in the same fuselage when loaded in the longitudinal orientation compared to when loaded in the lateral orientation. FIG. 5, for example, illustrates a comparison between arranging LD3 ULDs 200 in the lateral orientation and arranging LD3 ULDs in the longitudinal orientation. 50 four-abreast cabin seats 510 are illustrated as a reference. As shown by comparing instances 520 and 530, with a seat pitch of 31 inches, a total of six LD3 ULDs 200 loaded in the longitudinal orientation occupy generally the same length along the fuselage as a total of eight LD3 ULDs 200 loaded in the lateral orientation. Air cargo operations are typically volume-limited rather than weight-limited, so the ability to load more LD3 ULDs 200 can represent a competitive advantage. Also, distributing the same total cargo weight across more LD3 ULDs 200 is expected to provide further advantages. Assuming an average cargo payload of 250 lbs per passenger, the illustrated 50 four-abreastcabin seats 510 can result in a total cargo pay load of 12500 lbs. If the fuselage can only house six LD3 ULDs 200 in the longitudinal orientation (instance 520), each LD3 ULD 200 must carry 2083 lbs of cargo. In contrast, if the fuselage can house eight LD3 ULDs 200 in the lateral orientation (instance 530), each LD3 ULD 200 need only carry 1562 lbs of cargo. It is appreciated that this principle applies even to fuselages having a different number of total seats and / or a different length. For example, for a 76-seat four-abreast cabin fuselage, a total of nine LD3 ULDs 200 may each need to carry 2111 lbs of cargo if oriented longitudinally, or a total of 12 LD3 ULDs 200 may each need to carry 1583 lbs of cargo if oriented laterally.B. Select Embodiments of Aircraft Fuselages and Associated Methods of Loading Such Aircraft

[0031] FIGS. 6A-17 illustrate various configurations and features of four-abreast seating fuselages that can also be selectively configured to house LD3 ULDs in a lateral orientation in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. As discussed in further detail herein, aircraft configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include one or more of the following features: (i) the four-abreast cabin cross-section can be more optimized for the lateral loading of LD3 ULDs, allowing for more LD3 ULDs to be housed inside the fuselage compared to a conventional fuselage having the same number of seat rows in a four-abreast cabin configuration, (ii) a standard cargo door (e.g., for the baseline passenger aircraft) can be suitable for loading LD3 ULDs in the lateral orientation without modifications, (iii) the fuselage cross-section can allow for increased cabin overhead bin capacity, addressing increasing passenger demands for larger carry-on bags capacities, and (iv) latches that secure the LD3 ULDs can be mounted symmetrically, asymmetrically, or in another configuration on the cabin floor as desired.

[0032] FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views of a cabin area and a cargo area, respectively, of an aircraft 600 configured in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. Referring first to FIG. 6A, the aircraft 600 can include a fuselage 602 having a fuselage floor 603 and a fuselage wall 605. The fuselage floor 603 and the fuselage wall 605 can define an interior space of the fuselage 602, which can house four-abreast seating rows with seats 607 on the floor 603, and an aisle 609. In the illustrated embodiment, the fuselage wall 605 can define (i) an outer lateral cross-sectional dimension D7 of about 115 inches, (ii) an inner lateral cross-sectional dimension D9 of about 107 inches, (iii) an inner vertical cross-sectional dimension D10 (e.g., measured from the floor 603) of about 83 inches, and (iv) an outer vertical cross-sectional dimension DI 1 of about 98 inches. In particular, the inner lateral cross-sectionaldimension D9 can be at least 104 inches, 105 inches, 106 inches, 107 inches, 108 inches, 109 inches, or 110 inches. The floor 603 can have a width D8 of at least 88 inches, 90 inches, 92 inches, or 94 inches, such as about 93 inches. Referring next to FIG. 6B, the fuselage 602 can be configured to house one or more LD3 ULDs 200 in the lateral orientation with clearance. The LD3 ULD 200 and the floor 603 are illustrated with a gap therebetween (e.g., about two inches) for rails, a cargo floor roller system, and / or the like that the LD3 ULDs 200 can be moved on.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustrating a geometry of the aircraft fuselage 602. The fuselage 602 is illustrated with a solid line, and a perfect circle 700 is illustrated in a dotted line. In particular, the fuselage 602 and the perfect circle 700 are overlaid such that they are concentric (e.g., centered at the intersection between horizontal and vertical axes that pass through the maximum cross-sectional dimensions thereof) and are tangent at (i) at a left end of the fuselage 602 along the horizontal axis, (ii) at a right end of the fuselage 602 along the horizontal axis, and (iii) at a first angle Al above the horizontal axis. The first angle Al can be between 30-60 degrees, between 30-50 degrees, or between 40-50 degrees, such as about 45 degrees.

[0034] As shown, the fuselage 602 can deviate from the perfect circle 700 in several aspects. First, the fuselage 602 can have a smaller or larger radius than the perfect circle 700 at the top by a distance DI 4. The distance D14 can be such that the radius of the fuselage 602 at the top is no more than 2.5 inches smaller than and / or no more than 1 inch greater than the radius of the perfect circle 700 at the top. Second, the fuselage 602 can have a greater radius than the perfect circle 700 by a distance D15 at an angle A2 below the horizontal. Thus, this radius of the fuselage 602 is also referred to herein as “the stretched radius.’- The distance D 15 can be between 1-12 inches, between 1-8 inches, or between 1-4 inches, such as about 2.75 inches. The angle A2 can be between 30-60 degrees, between 30-50 degrees, or between 35-45 degrees, such as about 39 degrees. Third, the fuselage 602 can have a smaller or larger radius than the perfect circle 700 at the bottom by a distance DI 6. The distance D16 can be such that the radius of the fuselage 602 at the bottom is no more than 8 inches or 4 inches smaller than and / or no more than 8 inches or 4 inches greater than the radius of the perfect circle 700 at the bottom. For example, the radius of the fuselage 602 at the bottom can be smaller than the radius of the perfect circle 700 at the bottom by about 2 inches. Thus, in some embodiments, the fuselage 602 is not tangent to the perfect circle 700 (i) at a top end of the fuselage 602 along the vertical axis and / or (ii) at a bottom end of the fuselage 602 along the vertical axis.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 6A-7 together, the fuselage 602 cross-section deviates from that of the perfect circle 700 by at least three geometric changes, First, the cross- section of the fuselage 602 can be widened near the floor 603 in order to increase the floor width D8 and create more spacious and comfortable leg space for window-seat passengers. Second, the cross section of the fuselage 602 can be widened around the overhead bins for increased carry-on capacity (e.g., allowing one large (e.g., 9 x 14 x 22 inches, 10 x 14 x 24 inches) carry-on bag for each passenger). Uniquely, the widening also allows the LD3 ULD 200 to fit laterally inside the fuselage 602, as shown in FIG. 6B. Third, the top and bottom of the fuselage 602 are at least somewhat flattened in order to reduce frontal area and aerodynamic drag. Thus, by enabling LD3 ULDs to be loaded in a lateral orientation (e.g., with the 79-inch edge of the LD3 ULD 200 oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 602), the fuselage 602 disclosed herein can accommodate a greater number of cargo containers than existing fuselages having the same or similar lengths and seats-per-row.

[0036] While the maximum gross weight of the LD3 ULD 200 is nominally 3500 lbs, in practice, most cargo operators are volume limited rather than weight limited, with each LD3 ULD 200 having an average net weight of 1500 lbs. Therefore, lateral orientation of the LD3 ULDs 200 in the embodiments disclosed herein allows for a much better balance between the weight and volume constraints of the aircraft during operation, and fuselages configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology are expected to provide about 33% additional total LD3 ULD volume capacity (e.g., eight LD3 ULDs 200 versus six LD3 ULDs 200, as illustrated in FIG. 5) for similar operating costs. In other words, the operating cost per LD3 ULD 200 can be significantly lower for aircraft having fuselages configured in accordance with the present technology compared to conventional aircraft of the same or similar passenger seating arrangement and capacity.

[0037] While conventional pressurized airplanes have more circular fuselage crosssection shapes and may exhibit lower structural weight, reasonable deviations from a circular cross-section shape with acceptable weight penalties are generally advantageous in order to meet the aforementioned geometric constraints to, for example, fit LD3 ULDs laterally, as well as to reduce the frontal area and aerodynamic drag of the aircraft, which reduces energy consumption. The fuselage cross-section shapes for aircraft configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can also be driven by specific geometric constraints such as passenger comfort, aisle width, overhead bin dimensions, underfloor baggage hold, and / or the like.Therefore, each aircraft can have its unique set of constraints, and may have fuselage cross- sectional profiles that differ from the cross-section shapes of existing aircraft designs.

[0038] FIG. 8 illustrates loading LD3 ULDs 200 in an aircraft 800 configured in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. The aircraft 800 can include a fuselage 802 having dimensions and a shape or form factor similar to the fuselage 602 illustrated in and described above with reference to FIGS. 6A-7. As shown, the fuselage 802 can house multiple LD3 ULDs 200 in the lateral orientation. Also, the fuselage 802 can include a sidewaysfacing cargo door 808 having a height D17 and a width DI 8 sized to fit LD3 ULDs 200 in the lateral orientation. For example, the height D17 can be between 65-80 inches, such as about 68 inches, and the width DI 8 can be between 61-80 inches, such as about 64.5 inches. In some embodiments, each of the height D17 and the width D18 is sized to provide at least two inches of clearance over the height H and the width W (FIG. 2) of the LD3 ULD 200.

[0039] Because the LD3 ULDs 200 can be loaded in the lateral orientation, the cargo door 808 can be smaller than conventional cargo doors sized to fit the LD3 ULDs 200 in the longitudinal orientation. Thus, the cargo door 808 can be comparable in size to a passenger door (e.g., as opposed to being comparable only to other cargo doors). For example, while the ATR- 42 and the De Havilland Dash-8 cannot carry the LD3 ULDs 200 laterally, their baggage hold doors are of smaller but similar dimensions, both measuring 60 inches wide by 50 inches high. This indicates that the cargo door 808, capable of laterally loading LD3 ULDs 200, is not oversized for normal passenger operations, contrary to a much wider cargo door allowing the longitudinal loading of the LD3 ULD 200. Furthermore, since the baseline passenger aircraft variant already incorporates a door that allows the lateral loading of LD3 containers, no extensive and complicated structural modifications are required for converting the passenger aircraft variant aircraft to a cargo aircraft variant capable of carrying LD3 containers.

[0040] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an aircraft 900 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present technology. The aircraft 900 is configured as a mixed cargopassenger "combi" configuration, having a fuselage 902 including a cabin area 910 housing passenger seats and a cargo area 920 aft of the cabin area 910 (and a partition therebetween). For example, the fuselage 902 can be sized as a 50-seat variant, but configured to host 30 seats in the cabin area 910 and three LD3 ULDs in the cargo area 920, as shown.

[0041] In some embodiments, the LD3 ULDs can be specially designed to allow passengers to self-load their luggage into the LD3 ULD before boarding, then operators canpromptly load the LD3 ULD inside the aircraft via a cargo door 906at the cargo area 920. This is expected to alleviate the need for baggage handling infrastructure and reduce the time between check-in and boarding, offering airlines more options. In some embodiments, the cargo area 920 can be loaded with two LD3 ULDs, leaving space for bulk loading of passengers’ bags as is typically done with regional turboprops.

[0042] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another aircraft 1000 housing LD3 ULDs in lateral orientations in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. The aircraft 1000 can be generally similar to the aircraft 900 of FIG. 9, and can include a fuselage 1002 having a cabin area 1010, a cargo area 1020 aft of the cabin area 1010, and a cargo door 1006 at the cargo area 1020. The fuselage 1002 can be longer than the fuselage 902 of FIG. 9. For example, the fuselage 1002 can be sized as a 76-seat variant, but configured to host 50 seats in the cabin area 1010, four LD3 ULDs in the cargo area 920, and bulk loading of passenger bags in the remaining volume of the cargo area 1020, as shown.C. Select Embodiments of Cargo Sliding Assemblies

[0043] Continuing with reference to FIG. 10, once a LD3 ULD is loaded via the cargo door 1006 near the rear of the fuselage 1002, the LD3 ULD needs to be moved forward and toward the cabin area 1010 to allow additional LD3 ULDs to be loaded. FIGS. 11-17 illustrate example embodiments of latches, rollers, and / or other cargo sliding assemblies that can facilitate the sliding or general movement of the LD3 ULDs along a longitudinal axis of the fuselage within the cargo area.

[0044] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an aircraft 1100 housing LD3 ULDs 200 in a centered and uniform configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. The aircraft 1100 can include a fuselage 1102, a floor 1103, and a cargo sliding assembly 1130 positioned within the fuselage 1102 and on the floor 1103. As shown, the LD3 ULDs 200 are loaded in the lateral orientation in the fuselage 1102 such that their lengths L are centered with a central axis C-C of the fuselage 1102 (“centered”). Also, the LD3 ULDs 200 are loaded in the same orientation with their chamfered edges aligned (“uniform”).

[0045] The cargo sliding assembly 1130 can include one or more pairs of latches 1132, 1134, each pair for each LD3 ULD 200. The pair of latches 1132, 1134 can be mounted on rails extending along a longitudinal axis of the fuselage 1102, and can be coupleable (e.g., releasably coupled) to a corresponding one of the LD3 ULDs 200. The pair of latches 1132, 1134 can constrain vertical movement of the corresponding LD3 ULD 200 within the fuselage 1102, andmay optionally fix a position of the corresponding LD3 ULD 200 along the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 1102. To account for the asymmetric geometry of the LD3 ULDs 200, the latches 1132 can be mounted on a rail positioned at a lateral distance D19 from the central axis C-C and the latches 1134 can be mounted on a rail positioned at a lateral distance D20 from the central axis C-C and on the opposite side of the central axis C-C as the latches 1132. The distance D19 can be different from the distance D20 such that the cargo sliding assembly 1130 is asymmetric across the central axis C-C.

[0046] Because the length L of the LD3 ULDs 200 is centered with the central axis C-C but the shape of the LD3 ULDs 200 is asymmetric, the center of gravity of the LD3 ULDs 200 may be offset from the central axis C-C, creating a lateral imbalance. While this lateral imbalance may involve a large weight component, the moment arm of the center of gravity relative to the central axis C-C can be small enough such that the total moment is generally acceptable. If the lateral imbalance is not acceptable, the LD3 ULDs 200 may be loaded as illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B.

[0047] FIGS. 12A and 12B are cross-sectional and perspective views, respectively, of an aircraft 1200 housing LD3 ULDs 200 in a centered and alternating configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. Referring first to FIG. 12 A, the aircraft 1200 can include a fuselage 1202 and a cargo sliding assembly 1230 positioned within the fuselage 1202. As shown, the LD3 ULDs 200 are loaded in the lateral orientation in the fuselage 1102 such that their lengths L are centered with the central axis C-C of the fuselage 1202 (“centered”). Also, the LD3 ULDs 200 are loaded such that their chamfered edges alternate (“alternating”).

[0048] The cargo sliding assembly 1230 can include one or more first pairs of latches 1232a, 1234a and one or more second pairs of latches 1232b, 1234b, each pair for each LD3 ULD 200. Referring momentarily to FIG. 12B, the one or more first pairs of latches 1232a, 1234a can be mounted on rails 1236a, 1238a, and the one or more second pairs of latches 1232b, 1234b can be mounted on rails 1236b, 1238b. Referring back to FIG. 12A, the latches 1232a and 1232b can be positioned at the lateral distance DI 9 from the central axis C-C on opposite sides, and the latches 1234a and 1234b can be positioned at the lateral distance D20 from the central axis C-C on opposite sides. Thus, each of the first and second pairs of latches is arranged asymmetrically about the central axis C-C. Accordingly, while the center of gravity of each individual LD3 ULD 200 may be offset from the central axis C-C, any moment created by aLD3 ULD 200 may be counterbalanced by the moment created by another LD3 ULD 200 oriented in the opposite direction.

[0049] FIGS. 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views of a relatively smaller aircraft 1300 and a relatively larger aircraft 1400, respectively, housing LD3 ULDs 200 in a centered configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. For an aircraft configured for four-abreast seating, a reasonable minimum clearance between the upper comers of the LD3 ULD 200 and the structure of the aircraft (e.g., the fuselage) can be 2-3 inches, optionally allowing approximately one inch of cabin liner. Referring first to FIG. 13, the aircraft 1300 includes a fuselage 1302 sized and shaped to provide a clearance R1 of about three inches at both corners. Referring next to FIG. 14, the aircraft 1400 includes a fuselage 1402 sized to provide a clearance R2 of about 10 inches at both comers. In some embodiments, the clearance provided ranges between 1-12 inches, 3-10 inches, or 5-7 inches. While the fuselage 1402 is bigger than the fuselage 1302, the aircraft 1400 may still be small enough to be unable to accommodate five-abreast seating. Thus, both aircraft 1300 and 1400 can be four-abreast seating aircraft.

[0050] FIGS. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the aircraft 1400 housing LD3 ULDs 200 laterally in an alternating and shared-rail configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. As shown, the fuselage 1402 can be large enough to house the LD3 ULDs 200 in alternating orientations while mounted on pairs of latches 1532, 1534 mounted on the same pair of rails. The fuselage 1402 can be sized to provide a clearance R3 of about three inches at the top corner of each LD3 ULD 200 that is closer to the fuselage 1402.

[0051] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the aircraft 1400 housing LD3 ULDs 200 laterally in a weight-balanced configuration in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. As shown, the typical or expected center of gravity CG of each LD3 ULD 200 can be located near or aligned with the central axis C-C of the aircraft 1400, thereby eliminating the lateral imbalance issue mentioned above. Accordingly, the LD3 ULDs 200 can be loaded uniformly (e.g., as shown in FIG. 11) or altematingly (e.g., as shown in FIG. 12A). As shown, the fuselage 1402 can be sized to provide a clearance R5 of about 6 inches at the upper comer of the LD3 ULD 200 closer to the fuselage 1402 and a clearance R4 of about 14 inches at the upper corner of the LD3 ULD 200 farther from the fuselage 1402.

[0052] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the aircraft 1400 housing palettized cargo units 1700 in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. In the illustratedembodiment, the palettized cargo units 1700 can have a height D23 of, for example, about 63 inches and a width D24 of about 96 inches. As shown, the fuselage 1402 can be sized to provide a clearance R6 of about 3 inches at the upper comers of the palettized cargo units 1700. FIG. 17 illustrates the ability of the fuselage 1402 to accommodate cargo units larger than LD3 ULDs while still being sized as a four-abreast aircraft. For example, the fuselage 1402 can also fit LD9 and LD26 containers longitudinally, as well as the illustrated palettized cargo units 1700. In some embodiments, the palettized cargo units 1700 significantly longer and may require a cargo variant having front loading capabilities.D. Examples

[0053] The present technology is illustrated, for example, according to various aspects described below as numbered examples (1, 2, 3, etc.) for convenience. These are provided as examples and do not limit the present technology. It is noted that any of the dependent examples may be combined in any combination, and placed into a respective independent example. The other examples can be presented in a similar manner.1. An aircraft fuselage, comprising: a fuselage wall having a cross-section lying on a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, wherein the fuselage wall has an inner maximum lateral cross-sectional dimension along the horizontal axis of at least 105 inches, and wherein the fuselage wall is shaped such that, relative to a perfect circle centered at an intersection between the horizontal axis and the vertical axis and oriented parallel to the cross-section of the fuselage wall: the fuselage wall is tangent to the perfect circle (i) at a left end of the fuselage wall along the horizontal axis, (ii) at a right end of the fuselage wall along the horizontal axis, and (iii) at a first angle above the horizontal axis, wherein the first angle is between 30-60 degrees, and the fuselage wall has a stretched radius at a second angle below the horizontal axis, wherein the stretched radius is greater than a radius of the perfect circle; and an interior space defined by the fuselage wall and sized to receive one or more LD3 UnitLoad Devices (ULDs) in a lateral orientation such that a 79-inch edge of each ofthe one or more LD3 ULDs is oriented generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage.2. The aircraft fuselage of example 1 wherein the first angle is between 40-50 degrees.3. The aircraft fuselage of example 1 or example 2 wherein the second angle is between 30-50 degrees.4. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-3 wherein the stretched radius of the fuselage wall is greater than the radius of the perfect circle by 1-12 inches.5. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-4 wherein the first angle is about 45 degrees, wherein the second angle is about 39 degrees, and wherein the stretched radius of the fuselage wall is greater than the radius of the perfect circle by about 2.75 inches.6. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-5 wherein the fuselage wall is not tangent to the perfect circle (i) at a top end of the fuselage wall along the vertical axis and (ii) at a bottom end of the fuselage wall along the vertical axis.7. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-6 wherein the fuselage wall has a top radius at a top end of the fuselage wall along the vertical axis, wherein the top radius is no more than 2.5 inches smaller and no more than 1 inch greater than the radius of the perfect circle.8. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-7 wherein the fuselage wall has a bottom radius at a bottom end of the fuselage wall along the vertical axis, wherein the bottom radius is no more than 4 inches smaller and no more than 8 inches greater than the radius of the perfect circle.9. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-8, further comprising a cargo door having a height between 65-80 inches and a width between 61-80 inches, wherein the cargo door is configured to receive the one or more LD3 ULDs in the lateral orientation.10. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-9 wherein the interior space is sizedur-abreast passenger seating.11. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-10 wherein the interior space is sizedve at least eight LD3 ULDs in the lateral orientation.12. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-11 wherein the interior space includes: a cabin area sized to fit at least 30 seats in a four-abreast passenger seating arrangement; and a cargo area aft of the cabin area and sized to fit at least three LD3 ULDs.13. The aircraft fuselage of any of examples 1-12 wherein the interior space includes: a cabin area sized to fit at least 50 seats in a four-abreast passenger seating arrangement; and a cargo area aft of the cabin area and sized to fit at least four LD3 ULDs and at least one passenger bag.14. An aircraft configured for four-abreast passenger seating, the aircraft comprising : an aircraft fuselage having a cross-section lying on a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, wherein the aircraft fuselage includes a fuselage floor and a fuselage wall having an inner maximum lateral cross-sectional dimension along the horizontal axis of at least 105 inches, and wherein the fuselage wall is shaped such that, relative to a perfect circle centered at an intersection between the horizontal axis and the vertical axis and oriented parallel to the cross-section of the fuselage wall: the fuselage wall is tangent to the perfect circle (i) at a left end of the fuselage wall along the horizontal axis, (ii) at a right end of the fuselage wall along the horizontal axis, and (iii) at a first angle above the horizontal axis, wherein the first angle is between 30-60 degrees, and the fuselage wall has a stretched radius at a second angle below the horizontal axis, wherein the stretched radius is greater than a radius of the perfect circle; anda cargo sliding assembly mounted on the fuselage floor and configured to move and secure one or more LD3 Unit Load Devices (ULDs) in a lateral orientation and along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage.15. The aircraft of example 14 wherein the cargo sliding assembly includes a pair of latches coupleable to a LD3 ULD, and wherein the pair of latches are positioned asymmetrically about the vertical axis such that a 79-inch edge of the LD3 ULD is centered about the vertical axis.16. The aircraft of example 14 or example 15 wherein the cargo sliding assembly includes: a first pair of latches positioned asymmetrically about the vertical axis, wherein the first pair of latches is configured to be coupled to a first LD3 ULD in a first lateral orientation; and a second pair of latches positioned asymmetrically about the vertical axis, wherein the second pair of latches is configured to be coupled to a second LD3 ULD in a second lateral orientation opposite the first lateral orientation, wherein the first pair of latches and the second pair of latches are positioned such that a first 79-inch edge of the first LD3 ULD and a second 79-inch edge of the second LD3 ULD are both centered about the vertical axis.17. The aircraft of any of examples 14-16 wherein, when a LD3 ULD is received by the aircraft fuselage, the aircraft fuselage provides a clearance between an upper corner of the LD3 ULD and the fuselage wall of 3-10 inches.18. The aircraft of any of examples 14-17 wherein the cargo sliding assembly includes: a first pair of latches positioned symmetrically about the vertical axis, wherein the first pair of latches is configured to be coupled to a first LD3 ULD in a first lateral orientation; and a second pair of latches positioned symmetrically about the vertical axis, wherein the second pair of latches is configured to be coupled to a second LD3 ULD in a second lateral orientation opposite the first lateral orientation.19. The aircraft of any of examples 14-18 wherein the cargo sliding assembly includes a pair of latches configured to be coupled to a LD3 ULD and positioned such that, when the LD3 ULD is received in the aircraft fuselage, an expected center of gravity of the LD3 ULD aligns with the vertical axis.20. The aircraft of any of examples 14-19 wherein the aircraft fuselage is sized to receive one or more palettized cargo units each having a height of about 63 inches and a width of about 96 inches.Conclusion

[0054] It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the present disclosure. In some cases, well known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments of the present technology. Although steps of methods may be presented herein in a particular order, alternative embodiments may perform the steps in a different order. Similarly, certain aspects of the present technology disclosed in the context of particular embodiments can be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. Furthermore, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the present technology may have been disclosed in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments can also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages or other advantages disclosed herein to fall within the scope of the technology. Accordingly, the disclosure and associated technology can encompass other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein, and the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

[0055] Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include the plural or singular term, respectively. For example, throughout this disclosure, the singular terms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Moreover, unless the word “or” is expressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other items in reference to a list of two or more items, then the use of “or” in such a list is to be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of the items in the list. Furthermore, as used herein, the phrase “and / or” as in “A and / or B” refers to A alone, B alone, and both A and B. Additionally, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and “with” are used throughout to mean including at least the recited feature(s) such that any greater number of the same features and / or additional types of otherfeatures are not precluded. Moreover, as used herein, the phrases “based on,” “depends on,” “as a result of,” and “in response to” shall not be construed as a reference to a closed set of conditions. For example, a step that is described as “based on condition A” may be based on both condition A and condition B without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall be construed in the same manner as the phrase “based at least in part on” or the phrase “based at least partially on.”

[0056] Reference herein to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “some embodiments” or similar formulations means that a particular feature, structure, operation, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present technology. Thus, the appearances of such phrases or formulations herein are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, various particular features, structures, operations, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0057] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing numerical values used in the specification and claims, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present technology. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. The terms “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially” as used herein shall be interpreted to mean within ±10% of the stated value. Additionally, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompass the endpoints, and any and all subranges subsumed therein. For example, a range of “1 to 10” includes any and all subranges between (and including) the minimum value of 1 and the maximum value of 10 (e.g., any and all subranges having a minimum value of equal to or greater than 1 and a maximum value of equal to or less than 10, such as 5.5 to 10).

[0058] The disclosure set forth above is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim or example requires more features than those expressly recited in that claim or example. Rather, as the preceding examples and the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the preceding examples and the following claims are hereby expressly incorporated intothe Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. This disclosure includes all permutations of the independent claims with their dependent claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An aircraft fuselage, comprising: a fuselage wall having a cross-section lying on a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, wherein the fuselage wall has an inner maximum lateral cross-sectional dimension along the horizontal axis of at least 105 inches, and wherein the fuselage wall is shaped such that, relative to a perfect circle centered at an intersection between the horizontal axis and the vertical axis and oriented parallel to the cross-section of the fuselage wall: the fuselage wall is tangent to the perfect circle (i) at a left end of the fuselage wall along the horizontal axis, (ii) at a right end of the fuselage wall along the horizontal axis, and (iii) at a first angle above the horizontal axis, wherein the first angle is between 30-60 degrees, and the fuselage wall has a stretched radius at a second angle below the horizontal axis, wherein the stretched radius is greater than a radius of the perfect circle; and an interior space defined by the fuselage wall and sized to receive one or more LD3 Unit Load Devices (ULDs) in a lateral orientation such that a 79-inch edge of each of the one or more LD3 ULDs is oriented generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage.

2. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the first angle is between 40-50 degrees.

3. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the second angle is between 30-50 degrees.

4. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the stretched radius of the fuselage wall is greater than the radius of the perfect circle by 1-12 inches.

5. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the first angle is about 45 degrees, wherein the second angle is about 39 degrees, and wherein the stretched radius of the fuselage wall is greater than the radius of the perfect circle by about 2.75 inches.

6. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the fuselage wall is not tangent to the perfect circle (i) at a top end of the fuselage wall along the vertical axis and (ii) at a bottom end of the fuselage wall along the vertical axis.

7. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the fuselage wall has a top radius at a top end of the fuselage wall along the vertical axis, wherein the top radius is no more than 2.5 inches smaller and no more than 1 inch greater than the radius of the perfect circle.

8. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the fuselage wall has a bottom radius at a bottom end of the fuselage wall along the vertical axis, wherein the bottom radius is no more than 4 inches smaller and no more than 8 inches greater than the radius of the perfect circle.

9. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 , further comprising a cargo door having a height between 65-80 inches and a width between 61-80 inches, wherein the cargo door is configured to receive the one or more LD3 ULDs in the lateral orientation.

10. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the interior space is sized to fit four- abreast passenger seating.

11. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the interior space is sized to receive at least eight LD3 ULDs in the lateral orientation.

12. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the interior space includes: a cabin area sized to fit at least 30 seats in a four-abreast passenger seating arrangement; and a cargo area aft of the cabin area and sized to fit at least three LD3 ULDs.

13. The aircraft fuselage of claim 1 wherein the interior space includes:a cabin area sized to fit at least 50 seats in a four-abreast passenger seating arrangement; and a cargo area aft of the cabin area and sized to fit at least four LD3 ULDs and at least one passenger bag.

14. An aircraft configured for four-abreast passenger seating, the aircraft comprising : an aircraft fuselage having a cross-section lying on a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, wherein the aircraft fuselage includes a fuselage floor and a fuselage wall having an inner maximum lateral cross-sectional dimension along the horizontal axis of at least 105 inches, and wherein the fuselage wall is shaped such that, relative to a perfect circle centered at an intersection between the horizontal axis and the vertical axis and oriented parallel to the cross-section of the fuselage wall: the fuselage wall is tangent to the perfect circle (i) at a left end of the fuselage wall along the horizontal axis, (ii) at a right end of the fuselage wall along the horizontal axis, and (iii) at a first angle above the horizontal axis, wherein the first angle is between 30-60 degrees, and the fuselage wall has a stretched radius at a second angle below the horizontal axis, wherein the stretched radius is greater than a radius of the perfect circle; and a cargo sliding assembly mounted on the fuselage floor and configured to move and secure one or more LD3 Unit Load Devices (ULDs) in a lateral orientation and along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 wherein the cargo sliding assembly includes a pair of latches coupleable to a LD3 ULD, and wherein the pair of latches are positioned asymmetrically about the vertical axis such that a 79-inch edge of the LD3 ULD is centered about the vertical axis.

16. The aircraft of claim 14 wherein the cargo sliding assembly includes: a first pair of latches positioned asymmetrically about the vertical axis, wherein the first pair of latches is configured to be coupled to a first LD3 ULD in a first lateral orientation; anda second pair of latches positioned asymmetrically about the vertical axis, wherein the second pair of latches is configured to be coupled to a second LD3 ULD in a second lateral orientation opposite the first lateral orientation, wherein the first pair of latches and the second pair of latches are positioned such that a first 79-inch edge of the first LD3 ULD and a second 79-inch edge of the second LD3 ULD are both centered about the vertical axis.

17. The aircraft of claim 14 wherein, when a LD3 ULD is received by the aircraft fuselage, the aircraft fuselage provides a clearance between an upper corner of the LD3 ULD and the fuselage wall of 3-10 inches.

18. The aircraft of claim 14 wherein the cargo sliding assembly includes: a first pair of latches positioned symmetrically about the vertical axis, wherein the first pair of latches is configured to be coupled to a first LD3 ULD in a first lateral orientation; and a second pair of latches positioned symmetrically about the vertical axis, wherein the second pair of latches is configured to be coupled to a second LD3 ULD in a second lateral orientation opposite the first lateral orientation.

19. The aircraft of claim 14 wherein the cargo sliding assembly includes a pair of latches configured to be coupled to a LD3 ULD and positioned such that, when the LD3 ULD is received in the aircraft fuselage, an expected center of gravity of the LD3 ULD aligns with the vertical axis.

20. The aircraft of claim 14 wherein the aircraft fuselage is sized to receive one or more palettized cargo units each having a height of about 63 inches and a width of about 96 inches.

Images