Patent ID: 8069518

Claim:
A boarding bridge, comprising: a rotunda connected to a terminal building and rotatable around a vertical axis thereof; an extendable tunnel section connected to the rotunda at one end thereof; and a cab connected to the other end of the tunnel section and rotatable around a vertical axis thereof; wherein the tunnel section is structured to extend generally parallel to a fuselage of an aircraft when the cab is attached to the aircraft; and the cab includes a floor extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the tunnel section, a gangplank which is arranged to be projectable forward from a portion of the floor, and by projecting forward, defines a path connecting the floor and a hatch of the aircraft, a slidable table to which the gangplank is attached, and a support table supporting the slidable table so as to be slidable forward toward the aircraft and rearward away from the aircraft; the boarding bridge further comprises a forward/reverse sliding mechanism arranged to slide the gangplank forward and rearward by sliding the slidable table forward and rearward; and the cab is configured to cross the tunnel section in a T shape as seen in plan view such that a front end portion of the gangplank is located on a first side of the tunnel section and a rear end of the portion of the support table is located on a second side of the tunnel section opposite to the first side of the tunnel section.