Aircraft Stairs With Driven Wheels For Automated Maneuvering
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft stair systems are cumbersome and time-consuming to maneuver, especially when weighing over 1.5 tons, due to limitations in weight capacity and the need for manual pushing, which is exhausting and inefficient, especially in confined spaces near aircraft.
Innovation Solution
Aircraft stair systems equipped with a controllable drive device for individual wheel control, allowing precise alignment and direction changes, combined with non-driven wheels for balancing and free rotation, and a remote control system for easy operation, along with sensors for automated alignment and height adjustment to adapt to different aircraft types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If aircraft stairs are manually pushed to the aircraft, then no additional power source is required, but the operation becomes exhausting and time-consuming, especially for stairs weighing over 1.5 tons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical pushing system with an automated drive system consisting of driven wheels with motors. This substitution eliminates the need for manual effort while significantly reducing the time required to position the aircraft stairs, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and time loss.
2Ease of operation
If aircraft stairs are towed by a tow tractor, then heavy stairs can be moved, but the process requires a third party and additional equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drive function from the external tow tractor and integrates it directly into the aircraft stairs through driven wheels with integrated motors. This extraction eliminates the need for external towing equipment and third-party operators, reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to move heavy stairs independently.
3Manufacturing precision
If individual wheel control is implemented, then precise alignment and direction changes are achieved, but the drive device becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the drive system into individually controllable driven wheels, each capable of independent rotation and steering. This segmentation enables precise alignment and direction changes by controlling each wheel separately, while the modular nature of the segmented system makes the increased complexity manageable and beneficial for achieving the desired precision.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
This is an aircraft stair (10) with wheels (16, 17) and a steering device. The aircraft stair (10) has a steerable drive device that works in conjunction with at least one wheel (16).