Cable Aircraft Transfer for Stable Vertiport Parking in Wind
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vertiport systems face challenges in rapidly and stably transferring aircraft within a vertiport while ensuring stability during transfer and parking, particularly in the presence of strong winds, and often require equipment like tug cars, leading to air and noise pollution.
Innovation Solution
A vertiport system utilizing a transfer apparatus with detachable cables connected to the aircraft's landing gear, including a front and rear transfer unit, controlled by motors to provide tension and traction forces, allowing stable transfer and parking without the need for tug cars.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If tug cars are used to transfer aircraft within vertiport, then aircraft can be moved between areas, but air and noise pollution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical tug car system with an electrical cable-based towing system. Motors wound around drums provide tension forces through cables attached to the aircraft, eliminating the need for combustion-engineered tug cars and thereby removing the source of air and noise pollution while maintaining aircraft transfer capability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cable-based transfer system is used, then pollution is reduced, but aircraft stability during transfer may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple cables arranged to provide balanced tension forces that counteract aerodynamic forces and maintain aircraft stability during transfer. The front cable connects to the nose landing gear while rear cables connect to main landing gear, creating a distributed tension system that prevents aircraft overturning or excessive movement even in windy conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different cable tension control strategies to different parts of the aircraft. The front motor provides tension through the front cable while rear motors provide tension through rear cables, allowing localized adjustment of forces applied to different sections of the aircraft to maintain overall stability during the transfer process.
3Measurement precision
If multiple motors are used to control cables, then aircraft transfer precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cable tension control system into separate motor units, with one motor for the front cable and separate motors for rear cables. This segmentation allows independent control of tension forces applied to different parts of the aircraft, improving transfer precision while organizing the complexity into manageable, modular components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid, stable, and pollution-free transfer and parking of aircraft by using cable-based systems that maintain stability and efficiency, reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a motor configured to provide a predetermined degree of tension force to the cable by winding the cable around a drum
Implementation Method 2
a transfer apparatus comprising a cable detachably connected to a landing gear member of the aircraft
Data Source
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AI summary
A vertiport system includes a first area (111), a second area (113) separate from the first area, and a transfer portion configured to transfer an aircraft between the first area and the second area, wherein the transfer portion includes a front transfer apparatus (130) having a front cable (133) detachably connectable to a front portion of the aircraft and a rear transfer apparatus (140, 150) having a rear cable (1443, 153) detachably connectable to a rear portion of the aircraft. A corresponding method is also provided.