165results about "Passenger handling installations" patented technology

An exemplary osculating device for a mobile boarding bridge includes an air charge part that is attached to the end of the canopy of a mobile boarding bridge and that can inject air. A buffer material is provided in the air charge part that can maintain a fixed shape, even if the air is discharged from the air charge part.

A Mobile Security Unit (MSU) has a security checkpoint and a transport. The security checkpoint has an item screening area and a personal screening area. The checkpoint is configured as needed to fit within the transport. The MSU may further separate certain individuals into a secure, enclosed wanding station for additional security screening. The wanding station may be constructed using glass (or other strong, visually transparent substance) and metallic (such as aluminum or steel) posts so that people may be securely enclosed in the wanding station but still have a direct line of sight to personal items being screened at another location. The MSU is configured so that most people pass straight through the checkpoint, and people leaving the wanding station can easily obtain their items without delaying others.

A walkway having a series of fixed height corridor units and an inclined gangway unit at its forward end. The units are articulatingly connected and selectively collapsible. The gangway is selectively variable in height, being provided with elevating means at its front end, to permit docking at the raised door sill of the commuter aircraft.

An integrated operational ground mobility and support system (10) that includes an aircraft (12) having one or more service openings on a side of the aircraft (12). The integrated support system (10) may have an airport interface terminal docking port (14) that has a ground support service sub-system. The docking port (14) mates with the aircraft (12) at the service openings and has multiple service levels. The ground support service sub-system provides services to the aircraft (12) through the service openings and on the service levels. The integrated support system (10) may have in addition to or in replacement of the interface terminal docking port an aircraft loader / unloader. The loader / unloader has ground support service sub-systems and mates with the aircraft (12) at one or more of the service openings. The service sub-systems of the loader / unloader include a passenger ingress / egress system (62) and provide services to the aircraft (12).

An exchange station has openings for drones, a passenger check-in / check-out bay for processing passengers, a drone connect / release bay, having apparatus adapted to manage passenger pods mounted on smart chassis, and a computerized control system in wireless communication with control circuitry in the drones and smart chassis, guiding smart chassis with mounted passenger pods and drones, to make the exchange of pods from the smart chassis to drones. A passenger entering the passenger check-in bay is loaded into a pod mounted on a smart chassis, the pod with passenger is transported to the drone-connect / release bay, and the pod is there joined to a bare drone and disconnected from the smart chassis, the drone leaving with the passenger pod to a destination, and the smart chassis traveling away from the drone connect-release bay.

A Mobile Security Unit (MSU) has a security checkpoint and a transport. The security checkpoint has an item screening area and a personal screening area. The checkpoint is configured as needed to fit within the transport. The MSU may further separate certain individuals into a secure, enclosed wanding station for additional security screening. The wanding station may be constructed using glass (or other strong, visually transparent substance) and metallic (such as aluminum or steel) posts so that people may be securely enclosed in the wanding station but still have a direct line of sight to personal items being screened at another location. The MSU is configured so that most people pass straight through the checkpoint, and people leaving the wanding station can easily obtain their items without delaying others.

A servicing bridge (14) for an airport (13) includes multiple servicing levels (82, 102). A bridge (81) includes one or more of the servicing levels (82, 102) and extends from a terminal of the airport (13). A ground support service sub-system is coupled to the servicing levels (82, 102) and is configured to mate with a service opening (26) of the aircraft (12). The ground support service sub-system provides services to the aircraft (12) through the service opening (26) and on the servicing levels (82, 102).

A method and apparatus for boarding an aircraft. Passengers may be lined up in a first line and a second line relative to a doorway for the aircraft. A flow of the passengers in the first line and the second line may be controlled through a corridor connecting the doorway to a first aisle and a second aisle in an interior of the aircraft. The flow of the passengers may pass through a number of spaces in the corridor. The number of spaces may be reserved for a number of crew members during an emergency operation in which the passengers exit the aircraft.

An aircraft (1000) includes multiple servicing levels (1014, 1016) and a flight deck level (1040) that is isolated from the servicing levels (1014, 1016). An aircraft security system (1001) includes a passive system (1030) and an active system (1032) that is in operation with said passive system (1030). The passive system (1030) includes a service opening (1050) for both passengers and cargo and the flight deck (1040) that is isolated from the service opening (1050).

An integrated operational ground mobility and support system (10) that includes an aircraft (12) having one or more service openings. The integrated support system (10) may have an airport interface terminal docking port (14) that has a ground support service sub-system. The docking port (14) mates with the aircraft (12) at the service openings and has multiple service levels. The ground support service sub-system provides services to the aircraft (12) through the service openings and on the service levels. The integrated support system (10) may have in addition to or in replacement of the interface terminal docking port an aircraft loader / unloader. The loader / unloader has ground support service sub-systems and mates with the aircraft (12) at one or more of the service openings. The service sub-systems of the loader / unloader include a passenger ingress / egress system (62) and provide services to the aircraft (12).

A mobile ground servicing unit (470) includes a stand-alone support structure (471). Wheels (473) are coupled to the support structure (471). The support structure (471) has one or more servicing levels (472, 474) that are associated with services. A ground support service sub-system is coupled to the servicing levels and is configured to mate with a service opening (26″) of an aircraft (12′″). The ground support service sub-system provides the services to the aircraft (12′″) through the service opening (26″) and on the servicing levels (472, 474).

A bellows for an airplane boarding corridor for passengers, and a corridor including such bellows. A bellows actuator device of the invention has chambers that can be inflated and deflated on command to enable the bellows to be extended and to allow the bellows to be retracted, and it also returns the bellows to the retracted condition. Advantageously, the inflatable chambers of the actuator device of the invention form at least two rows of tubes disposed symmetrically or substantially symmetrically about a longitudinal plane of symmetry of the bellows, each row being individually inflatable. The present invention is mainly applicable to making equipment, in particular weatherproofing bellows, for airport boarding corridors for passengers.

A floor section is formed at the rear of a vehicle body, at one side of the vehicle body. A lifting floor device having a floor body lifted and lowered by a lifting drive device is placed above the vehicle body. The floor body has a cutout at the left side of the floor body, at the rear half thereof. The right side of the floor body is used as a passage for a physically handicapped person. A stairway device is provided between the floor body and the floor section as a passage for an able-bodied person, on the floor body side in the cutout, and the stairway device is pivotable in a vertical plane. A lifting table is placed behind the vehicle body, on the left side thereof so that the lifting table can face the rear end of the passage for a physically handicapped person.

The current invention concerns an improved system for cargo delivery through (unmanned) aerial vehicles (preferably UAVs or drones) to specifically designed home stations. Additionally, a method is described according to which the system of the invention functions.

The adjustable stairs for passengers to get on and off bus have the structure comprising horizontal stair boards and vertical stair boards, and feature the movable connection between horizontal stair boards and vertical stair boards and at least one extension shaft driven with power unit and connected with the stair boards to change the overall shape of the stairs between stairs and inclined plate. Specifically, the horizontal stair boards and vertical stair boards are hinged, and the power unit may be motor, air pump, hydraulic unit, etc. Change the stairs into one inclined plate makes it possible for the wheeled chair, wheeled case, etc. to get on and off bus conveniently.

An aircraft fuselage section is provided in which an outer skin construction provides at least one door opening having a width, such that it is divided by at least one rib of the fuselage skeleton of the aircraft fuselage section into multiple opening areas.

A servicing bridge (14) for an airport (13) includes multiple servicing levels (82, 102). A bridge (81) includes one or more of the servicing levels (82, 102) and extends from a terminal of the airport (13). A ground support service sub-system is coupled to the servicing levels (82, 102) and is configured to mate with a service opening (26) of the aircraft (12). The ground support service sub-system provides services to the aircraft (12) through the service opening (26) and on the servicing levels (82, 102).

A personal rapid transport system comprising guideways (20) and automated transportation pods (28) containing wireless computer communications (44) allows passengers to undertake transactions with airline, airport and security staff while traveling from intermodal centers (16) directly to aircraft boarding gates (38). The system transports checked bags to the gate and, with the possible exception of security screening, mostly eliminates the need for standing in line and walking long distances. The system issues boarding passes and baggage tags to passengers in the transportation pods, informs them of the waiting time until boarding and offers them their option of waiting areas. The system can ensure passengers arrive at boarding gates at their individually assigned boarding times thus virtually eliminating waiting at the gate. The system can inform arriving passengers when their bags are offloaded so they can deplane, immediately collect their luggage and board a transportation pod for a non-stop return trip to their originating intermodal center or destination of choice. The system can facilitate a security perimeter (24) around all public access airport buildings whereby passenger and other screening can be accomplished prior to entry to such buildings. It can also facilitate the elimination of large public transportation vehicles such as buses from the airport property thus removing a potential terrorist target. In addition, the system can eliminate the potential terrorist target presented by large groups of people waiting with unscreened baggage to be processed through ticketing and bag check-in. The system facilitates the replacement of conventional airport terminal buildings with consolidated concession facilities (26) and allows airport facilities such as runways (10) and concourses (14) to be spaced far apart.

A system and method is provided for improving efficiency of aircraft gate services and reducing time spent by an aircraft parked parallel to an airport terminal wherein aircraft utilities and gate services provided during turnaround are supported by an arrangement of flexibly movable, service and utility-carrying extendable passenger boarding bridges that enable passenger and baggage exchange concurrently with connection of utilities and provision of gate services to the aircraft. Aircraft are maneuvered by a pilot into and out of a parallel parking location in a forward direction by an engines-off electric taxi system that does not rely on the use of aircraft main engines to drive the aircraft, enabling loading bridge, utility, and service connections to be made to multiple aircraft doors as soon as the aircraft arrives at a parking space and then quickly disconnected upon departure.

An aerial vehicle has a passenger cabin for receiving at least one passenger, a load-bearing structure beneath the cabin, and a propulsion system including a number of propulsion units, which propel the aerial vehicle for powered flight and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). The propulsion units are preferably carried by support arms attached to the load-bearing structure and extending upwards therefrom so as to support the propulsion units at a level above the cabin. The aerial vehicle is preferably reconfigurable to a compact configuration after landing, with at least some of the propulsion units overlapping the cabin and / or each other, while still allowing passenger transfer in and out of the vehicle, thereby facilitating efficient use of space for implementing a vertiport.

A public transportation system combines a unique combination of components that includes interoperable electric-powered vehicles, facilities, hardware and software having specifications, standards, processes, capabilities, nomenclature, and concepts of operations that together include a concerted, comprehensive, multi-modal, future system for moving people and goods that is herein named Quiet Urban Air Delivery (QUAD) and in which uniquely-capable, ultra-quiet, one to six-seat, electrically-powered, autonomous aircraft (SkyQarts) fly sub-193 kilometer trips on precise trajectories with negligible control latency and perform extremely short take-offs and landings (ESTOL) with curved traffic patterns at a highly-distributed network of very small, airports (“SkyNests”) that themselves have standardized compatible facilities that interoperate with SkyQarts as well as with versatile, autonomous electric-powered payload carts (EPCs) and robotic delivery carts (RDCs) to provide safe, fast, on-demand, community-acceptable, environmentally friendly, high-capacity, affordable door-to-door delivery of both passengers and cargo across urban, suburban and rural settings across the globe.

An exchange station has openings for drones, a passenger check-in / check-out bay for processing passengers, a drone connect / release bay, having apparatus adapted to manage passenger pods mounted on smart chassis, and a computerized control system in wireless communication with control circuitry in the drones and smart chassis, guiding smart chassis with mounted passenger pods and drones, to make the exchange of pods from the smart chassis to drones. A passenger entering the passenger check-in bay is loaded into a pod mounted on a smart chassis, the pod with passenger is transported to the drone-connect / release bay, and the pod is there joined to a bare drone and disconnected from the smart chassis, the drone leaving with the passenger pod to a destination, and the smart chassis traveling away from the drone connect-release bay.

A terminal (14) for an airport (13) includes multiple servicing levels (82, 102). A ground support service sub-system is coupled to the servicing levels (82, 102) and is configured to mate with a service opening (26) of the aircraft (12). The ground support service sub-system provides services to the aircraft (12) through the service opening (26) and on the servicing levels (82, 102).

A regional aircraft boarding pier can be provided at an airport concourse in place of one or two conventional large aircraft boarding bridges. The regional aircraft boarding pier includes a primary passenger bridge between the airport concourse and a hub. A number of secondary passenger bridges extend from the hub to individual regional aircraft. In this way, an equivalent number of passenger seats can be serviced as between large and regional aircraft, and large and regional aircraft can be docked at a common airport terminal. Consequently, passengers can more efficiently and conveniently transfer between connecting flights that are on both large and regional aircraft. The hub of the boarding pier can take a number of configurations to optimally use the space available. The hub can also support large aircraft boarding bridges as well as the secondary passenger bridges docked to smaller, regional aircraft.

An interstitial regional aircraft boarding pier can be provided at an airport concourse in place of a conventional large aircraft boarding bridge. The interstitial regional aircraft boarding pier includes a primary passenger bridge between the airport concourse and a hub. A number of secondary passenger bridges extend from the hub to at least one individual regional aircraft.