Towbarless airplane tug
US8544792B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 16, 2009 |
| Grant date | Oct 1, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 17, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64F1/227
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Disclosed a towbarless airplane tug and method of operating thereof. The tug comprises a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, at least some of said tug wheels being steerable tug wheels and at least some of said tug wheels being drivable tug wheels; an airplane wheel support turret assembly, rotatably mounted in connection with said chassis and operative to support at least one wheel of a nose landing gear of an airplane; at least one rotation sensor connected to said wheel support turret assembly and operative to sense rotation of said wheel support turret assembly relative to said chassis, said rotation resulting at least from steering control induced movement of the nose landing gear caused by pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane, and to generate an output indicating a direction of said pilot-controlled ground steering of said airplane; at least one tug wheel driver unit operative to drive said drivable tug wheels; at least one tug wheel steering mechanism operative to steer said steerable tug wheels thereby providing steering of said chassis; and at least one tug controller operative to control operation of at least said tug wheel steering mechanism at lea…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.