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EP-4461645-B1 - DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING CENTER OF GRAVITY

EP4461645B1EP 4461645 B1EP4461645 B1EP 4461645B1EP-4461645-B1

Inventors

  • KIM, CHOUNG HYOUNG
  • JUNG, WOO SUK

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20231030

Claims (14)

  1. A device for adjusting a center of gravity in an aircraft, the device comprising: a movable plate (10) configured to support a cargo (3), wherein the movable plate (10) is configured to be spaced apart from a bottom surface of a cargo hold (2) and is configured to be movable within the cargo hold (2); a plurality of air bearings (20) configured to be disposed between the movable plate (10) and the bottom surface and configured to support and float the movable plate (10); and a first driving unit (30) connected to the movable plate (10), and configured to move the movable plate (10) if the movable plate (10) is floated, characterised in that each air bearing (20), of the plurality of air bearings (20), comprises: a mounting bracket (21); a support plate (22) coupled to the mounting bracket (21), wherein a seating groove (26) is formed in the support plate (22) and an air inlet (27) is configured to allow air to flow into the seating groove (26); and a porous plate (23) inserted into the seating groove (26), wherein a plurality of holes are formed in the porous plate (23) and are configured to output air, from the air inlet (27), at a predetermined pressure.
  2. The device of claim 1, wherein the movable plate (10) is configured to be movable in at least a first direction within the cargo hold (2).
  3. The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the air inlet (27) is configured to receive air from an air compressor and to introduce the air into the seating groove (26).
  4. The device of any one of claims 1 to 3, the device further comprising a load sensor (52), wherein the mounting bracket (21) is coupled to the load sensor (52) configured to measure a load of the cargo (3) placed on the movable plate (10).
  5. The device of claim 2 or of claim 3 or 4, when claim 3 or 4 depends on claim 2, wherein the first driving unit (30) comprises: a first rail (31) configured to extend in the first direction near the bottom surface of the cargo hold (2); a first slider (32) configured to slide along the first rail (31) and connected to the movable plate (10); and a first actuator (33) comprising an operating rod (33a) connected to the first slider (32), wherein the first actuator (33) is configured to provide a driving force, via the operating rod (33a), to the first slider (32).
  6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first driving unit (30) further comprises: a first locker (38), configured to control movement of the first slider (32) with respect to the first rail (31), mounted on the first slider (32).
  7. The device of claim 6, wherein: the first locker (38) comprises a locking operating rod (38a); the first rail (31) is provided with a plurality of locking holes (35) arranged in a longitudinal direction of the first rail (31); and the locking operating rod (38a) of the first locker (38) is configured to be inserted into one of the plurality of locking holes (35) to prevent movement of the first slider (32).
  8. The device of any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the first driving unit (30) comprises a plurality of first sliders (32) comprising the first slider (32); wherein the first driving unit (30) comprises a plurality of first actuator (33) comprising the first actuator (33); wherein each first actuator (33) comprises an operating rod (33a) connected to, and configured to provide a driving force to, a corresponding first slider (32) of the plurality of first sliders (32); wherein the driving unit (30) further comprises a first connecting member (39) for connecting the plurality of sliders (32) to each other; and wherein a first portion of the plurality of operating rods (33a) disposed on one side of the first sliders (32) are configured to extend based on a second portion of the plurality of operating rods (33a) disposed on the opposite side of the first sliders (32) retracting.
  9. The device of any one of claims 5 to 8, further comprising a second driving unit (40) interposed between the movable plate (10) and the first driving unit (30), wherein the second driving unit (40) is configured to move the movable plate (10) in a second direction.
  10. The device of claim 9, wherein the second driving unit (40) comprises: a second rail (41) connected to the first slider (32) and extending in the second direction; a second slider (42) configured to slide along the second rail (41) and connected to the movable plate (10); and a second actuator (43) comprising a second operating rod (43a) connected to the second slider (42), wherein the second actuator (43) is configured to provide driving force, via the second operating rod (43a), to the second slider (42).
  11. The device of claim 10, wherein the second driving unit (40) further comprises: a second locker (48), configured to control movement of the second slider (42) with respect to the second rail (41), mounted on the second slider (42).
  12. The device of claim 11, wherein: the second locker (48) comprises a second locking operating rod, the second rail (41) is provided with a second plurality of locking holes arranged in a longitudinal direction of the second rail (41); and the second locking operating rod of the second locker (48) is configured to be inserted into one of the second plurality of locking holes to prevent movement of the second slider (42).
  13. The device of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein: the device for adjusting a center of gravity comprises a or the plurality of first driving units (30) comprising the first driving unit (30); the plurality of first driving units (30) comprise a plurality of second driving units (40), comprising the second driving unit (40), wherein the plurality of second driving units (40) comprise a plurality of second actuators (43); and wherein a first portion, of the plurality of second actuators (43), disposed on one side of the movable plate (10) are configured to extend based on a second portion, of the plurality of second actuators (43), disposed on the opposite side of the movable plate (10) retracting.
  14. The device of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the second slider (42) and the movable plate (10) are fixedly connected to each other via a support, and wherein the operating rod of the second actuator (43) is connected to the support.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a device for adjusting a center of gravity. In particular, the device is configured to determine and adjust a center of gravity to control stability and/or maintain balance, for example, in an aircraft. BACKGROUND If cargo is mounted in an aircraft, a center of gravity of the aircraft is shifted by the center of gravity of the cargo. Matching these centers of gravity is essential for efficient flight and safe flight. For example, unlike a long-distance trip in which an aircraft travels from a departure point to a destination without much change in cargo, if an aircraft has to travel to several places over relatively short distances to make several changes in cargo and/or passengers, the center of gravity of the aircraft may change depending on unloading and/or loading the cargo at intermediate stops. For the aircraft to safely fly to a destination, the cargo would have to be balanced at each change. Conventionally, in order to obtain the center of gravity of an aircraft, a method of actually measuring respective loads applied to landing gears to measure a position of the center of gravity, or performing estimation through calculations according to the load and position of fuel, cargo, and passengers is used. Subsequently, the cargo may be distributed in a cargo hold so that the center of gravity for each stage of the aircraft is disposed within an allowable tolerance range. Accordingly, the distribution of the cargo must be changed for a safe center of gravity whenever the cargo (or other load) is changed, and it is impossible to load or unload the cargo in a short period of time. Accordingly, there may be a problem in that efficient and safe flight cannot be guaranteed. EP 3 006 338 A1 relates to aircraft cargo loading systems, and, more specifically, to a wireless communication unit of an aircraft cargo loading system. SUMMARY The present invention is defined by the device according to independent claim 1. Optional preferred features are recited in the dependent claims. The following summary presents a simplified summary of certain features. The summary is not an extensive overview and is not intended to identify key or critical elements. Systems, devices, and methods are described for adjusting a center of gravity (e.g., of a vehicle). A device according to the invention comprises a movable plate configured to support a cargo, wherein the movable plate is spaced apart from a bottom surface of a cargo hold and is movable within the cargo hold; a plurality of air bearings disposed between the movable plate and the bottom surface and configured to support and float the movable plate; and a first driving unit connected to the movable plate, and configured to move the movable plate if the movable plate is floated. Each air bearing comprises a mounting bracket, a support plate coupled to the mounting bracket and a porous plate. A seating groove is formed in the support plate and an air inlet is configured to allow air to flow into the seating groove. The porous plate is inserted into the seating groove. A plurality of holes are formed in the porous plate and are configured to output air, from the air inlet, at a predetermined pressure. These and other features and advantages are described in greater detail below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a device for adjusting a center of gravity according to the present disclosure;FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating an air bearing with a portion thereof cutaway;FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a portion of a driving unit;FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system for loading and unloading a cargo using the device for adjusting a center of gravity according to the present disclosure;FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for loading and unloading a cargo using the device for adjusting a center of gravity according to the present disclosure; andFIG. 6A and FIG. 6B illustrate a method for loading and unloading a cargo using the device for adjusting a center of gravity according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In adding reference numerals to elements of each of the drawings, although the same elements are illustrated in other drawings, like reference numerals may refer to like elements. In the present specification, an aircraft may refer to a mobility vehicle configured to fly and move through the air. In other words, the aircraft may refer to a rotorcraft, a drone, a tilt rotor aircraft, a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, a fixed-wing aircraft, and the like, and may also include a vehicle