Above-floor wire routing for aircraft cargo handling systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cargo handling systems for aircraft lack efficient and modular power drive unit (PDU) and control systems that simplify installation, maintenance, and reconfiguration, particularly in terms of wiring and electronics packaging, which complicates the transportation and restraint of unit load devices (ULDs) within the cargo compartment.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a power bus and control data bus routed along the rail section to supply power and control data to multiple PDUs and restraint devices, with modular packaging of electronics and above-floor wiring to simplify installation and maintenance, and includes ULD sensors for detection and control, enabling efficient propulsion and restraint of ULDs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional aircraft wiring penetration methods are used, then power and control signals can be supplied to PDUs, but installation complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent routes power and control wiring from the above-floor space (vertical dimension) rather than penetrating the aircraft floor horizontally. The wire harness extends upward from the cargo deck surface, allowing connections to be made from above without complex floor penetrations, thereby simplifying installation and maintenance while reducing wiring complexity within the cargo compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an above-floor wire harness as an intermediary structure that carries power and control signals. This wire harness acts as a mediator between the power source above the cargo deck and the PDUs below, eliminating the need for direct floor penetrations and simplifying the connection process while maintaining electrical connectivity.
2Ease of repair
If modular PDU design is implemented, then maintenance and reconfiguration become easier, but wiring and electronics packaging complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cargo handling system into modular PDU units, each with its own motor, rollers, and control electronics. This segmentation allows individual PDUs to be easily removed, replaced, or maintained without affecting the entire system. The wire harness is designed with accessible connection points for each modular unit, facilitating quick connectivity during maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal PDUs that can be positioned and connected at multiple locations along the cargo deck. Each PDU unit is designed with standardized interfaces and wiring connections that allow them to perform the same function at different positions, simplifying maintenance through interchangeability while the above-floor wiring approach reduces packaging complexity by providing consistent access points.
3Productivity
If multiple PDUs are installed for efficient cargo transport, then cargo handling capability improves, but system complexity and wiring requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple PDU units along the cargo deck, each independently controllable but part of an integrated system. The above-floor wire harness merges the power and control signal distribution into a single accessible routing structure that serves multiple PDUs, reducing overall system complexity by consolidating wiring pathways while maintaining the productivity benefits of multiple transport units.
Data Source
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Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
A cargo handling system is disclosed. In various embodiments, the cargo handling system includes a conveyance surface having a tray defining an interior section and a rail section; a power drive unit disposed within the interior section; and a power bus routed along a length of the rail section and configured to supply power to the power drive unit.