Abstract:
Passenger loading bridge bumper pads for cushioning and sealing a loading bridge to an aircraft structure, the bridge pads providing a resilient environmental seal and surrounding the bridge. The bottom bumper pad comprising a frangible metallic bumper for absorbing excessive docking forces.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a conversion of provisional application serial No. 60/242,825, filed Oct. 24, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to aircraft loading bridges and more particularly to novel resilient bumper pads adapted to cushion and seal the loading bridge to aircraft interface.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Aircraft passenger loading bridges provide weatherproof enclosure for passengers moving between the airport terminal building and the entry door of an aircraft. Modem bridges are essentially movable, articulating corridors that are capable of retractable, extensible, longitudinal and vertical motion, necessary to allow precise docking positioning to a variety of aircraft fuselage shapes, sizes and entry door heights. Proper alignment and abutment of the bridge against the aircraft is essential to maintaining the environmental seal therebetween, and a safe, unobstructed threshold for passenger foot traffic.  
           [0004]    The process of abutting the characteristically heavy and cumbersome loading bridge against the aircraft involves a considerable risk of inflicting physical damage to the relatively more fragile aircraft fuselage, and also economic damage in terms of dispatch reliability.  
           [0005]    The prior art has provided dense polyethylene foam bumpers to react the bridges inertia &amp; momentum during docking, as well as to provide an environmental seal. The bumpers are covered with a durable, thermally stable &amp; compliant, composite reinforced silicone jacket.  
           [0006]    However, considerable airline experience has demonstrated that the dense polyethylene foam is not compliant enough to react above normal docking forces, thereby resulting in damage to airplane fuselage structure and externally mounted sensor probes. Loading bridge misalignment has resulted in destructive collisions with sensors located in the vicinity of the entry doors resulting in expensive dispatch delaying repairs. The airlines have responded by cutting notches into the prior art bumpers—which expose the internal foam to the environment, thereby accelerating the bumper&#39;s deterioration. Airline experience has also demonstrated that the external silicone jacket deteriorates in service in such a way as to become abrasive. Airline operators have suggested that the bumper jackets acquire an abrasive character to that of #80 grit sandpaper. This has resulted in expensive damage to any aircraft structure abutting the docking bridge bumper. Paint damage is frequently reported when the abutting structure is fuselage. However, small aircraft&#39;s such as the MD-80 and 737, typically experience cockpit and passenger window damage due to the windows being closely located adjacent to the entry doors. Landing gear strut damage is also a concern due to the loading bridges ability to frictionally support the aircraft while it is being loaded. Subsequent loading bridge retraction prior to aircraft departure releases the partial support afforded by the bridge and results in the aircraft abruptly loading its nose landing gear. Abrasive bumpers facilitate this phenomenon.  
           [0007]    Prior art patent literature includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,431, issued Nov. 2, 1993 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,495 issued Apr. 21, 1992 to Larson et al. Show an active loading bridge bumper having proximity feedback to avoid collisions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,825 teaches a foam loading dock bumper that is attached to the dock structure using hook and loop. U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,187 is illustrative of bumpers.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    For the foregoing reasons there is a need for a low cost, easily replaceable, modular loading bridge bumper pad that is capable of maintaining a resilient environmental seal, reacting excessive loading bridge to airplane docking collisions, has docking alignment indicia, and which does not become abrasive with age. The hereinafter described invention is directed to an apparatus and method for providing a solution to these requirements.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a passenger loading bridge showing a bridge bumper pad configuration including two side bumper pads according to a first embodiment of the intention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 shows the back side of a bumper pad utilized in the bumper pad system of FIG. 1;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a passenger loading bridge showing a bumper pad configuration according to a further embodiment of the intention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along the lines  4 - 4  of FIG. 3 showing the frangible bumper pad construction utilized on the bottom bumper pad of the bumper pad configuration shown in FIG. 3;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5A is illustrative of bumper pad deformation as the passenger loading bridge if beginning to contact the aircraft;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5B is illustrative of the significant deformation of the bumper pad configuration occurring upon arrival of the aircraft loading bridge to the aircraft for passenger debarcation; and,  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 shows indicia on the bottom loading bridge bumper 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]    Turning to a first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, there are seen two molded side pads  10  and  12  fastened to loading bridge  30 . The two side pads were provided to prevent damage to the cockpit window and the lower bumper pad  20  was provided to eliminate damage to the pilot probe, door, and aircraft fuselage damage. As seen in FIG. 2, adhesive strips  12 ,  14  and  15  (e.g., Velcro, a registered trademark) were provided on the backside of molded side pads  10  to fasten molded side pads  10  to loading bridge  30 .  
         [0017]    The first embodiment bumper pad configuration of two side pads and single molded bottom bumper pad  20  were utilized in service for a year when an advanced design bumper pad configuration was developed as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0018]    Turning to FIG. 3, it can be seen that a complete set of pads including a specially configured bottom bumper pad shown in detail in cross section in FIG. 4 were provided surrounding the entire rectangular perimeter of the passenger loading bridge  30 .  
         [0019]    The degree of flexure required by the side bumper pads  41  and bottom loading bridge bumper structure  42  can be seen in the approach of passenger loading bridge  30  in FIG. 5A to final coupling of the passenger loading bridge  30  to aircraft  50  as shown in FIG. 5B.  
         [0020]    Special requirements were found to exist through docking experiences with respect to bottom loading bridge bumper  42 . Bottom loading bridge bumper  42  was required to provide a shock absorbing function and further be frangible in providing collapse when higher forces occur between the passenger loading bridge  30  and aircraft  50  to reduce or eliminate aircraft structural damage. To satisfy these requirements, bottom landing bridge bumper  42  as seen in FIG. 4 as shown decreased the weight by fifty percent over that of a single molded bumper pad and the multi-piece construction added greater flexibility and reduced cost when certain wear conditions would require removal of the existing total pad which is limited to one part removal and replacement.  
         [0021]    Since there is no commonality between gates or even with the same manufacturer for repeatability, a special installation kit can be provided so that a double hook and loop system can be added with a special adhesive in all types of weather conditions and taking into account deterioration of the existing canopy of the bridge. A safety walk pad can be provided for bottom loading bridge bumper  42 .  
         [0022]    Turning to FIG. 4, it can be seen that bottom loading bridge bumper  42  includes a centrally embedded structural member comprising aluminum tubing  62  embedded in resilient self-skinning closed cell, polyurethane foam housed within and attached to channel member  63 . The aforementioned structure of loading bridge bumper  42  structure provides a means for acting as a crushing force absorber for excessive docking forces. A plurality of indicia strips  80  as shown in FIG. 6 are provided for facilitating precise bridge abutment alignment.