RAPID ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AERIAL DELIVERY SYSTEM
An aerial delivery system for use with aircraft having a rear ramp and a cargo handling system. The aerial delivery system includes a cartridge base platform and a ramp platform. The cartridge base platform locks to the aircraft cargo handling system and the ramp platform locks to the aircraft ramp. A restraint subsystem restrains one or more cargo containers positioned on the cartridge base platform.
1 . An aerial delivery system for use with aircraft having a rear ramp and a cargo handling system, the aerial delivery system comprising:
a cartridge base platform adapted to lock to the aircraft cargo handling system;
a ramp platform adapted to lock to the aircraft ramp; and
a restraint subsystem adapted to restrain one or more cargo containers disposed on the cartridge base platform.
2 . The aerial delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge base platform includes a delivery platform having interface elements adapted to interact with the aircraft's cargo handling system.
3 . The aerial delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the cartridge base platform also includes:
at least one conveyor extending longitudinally along a top surface of the delivery platform; and
a plurality of side guidance elements extending from the delivery platform top surface adjacent to the conveyor.
4 . The aerial delivery system of claim 3 , wherein the conveyor comprises at least one set of roller conveyors.
5 . The aerial delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the roller conveyors are removable.
6 . The aerial delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the roller conveyors are configurable for different payloads.
7 . The aerial delivery system of claim 3 , wherein the cartridge base platform also includes attachments for restraint straps.
8 . The aerial delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the conveyor is adapted to convey a single column of cargo containers and includes first and second sets of roller conveyors, the second set of roller conveyors being adjacent and parallel to the first set of roller conveyors.
9 . The aerial delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the guidance elements include first and second rows of rotating bollards, the first row of bollards being adjacent to an outer edge of the conveyor and the second row of bollards being adjacent to another outer edge of the conveyor.
10 . The aerial delivery system of claim 3 , wherein the cartridge base platform includes first and second conveyors adapted to convey two columns of cargo containers, the second conveyor being adjacent and parallel to the first conveyor, each conveyor including at least one set of roller conveyors.
11 . The aerial delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the guidance elements include first, second, third and fourth rows of rotating bollards, the first row of bollards being adjacent to an outer edge of the first conveyor, the second row of bollards being adjacent to an inner edge of the first conveyor, the third row of bollards being adjacent to an inner edge of the second conveyor and the fourth row of bollards being adjacent to an outer edge of the second conveyor.
12 . The aerial delivery system of claim 3 , wherein the side guidance elements comprise rails having a low friction surface disposed adjacent the conveyor.
13 . The aerial delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the ramp platform includes a delivery platform having interface elements adapted to interact with the ramp's cargo handling system.
14 . The aerial delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the ramp platform also includes:
at least one conveyor extending longitudinally along a top surface of the delivery platform; and
a plurality of side guidance elements extending from the delivery platform top surface adjacent to the conveyor.
15 . The aerial delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the restraint subsystem includes:
a plurality of webbing straps;
a plurality of clevises;
a plurality of tensioning devices; and
a plurality of release mechanisms.
16 . The aerial delivery system of claim 15 wherein the release mechanisms are wireless gate releases.
17 . An aerial delivery system for use with aircraft having a rear ramp and a cargo handling system, the aerial delivery system comprising:
a cartridge base platform including a base delivery platform having interface elements adapted to interact with the aircraft's cargo handling system to lock the cartridge base platform to the aircraft cargo handling system;
a ramp platform including a ramp delivery platform having interface elements adapted to interact with the ramp's cargo handling system to lock the ramp delivery platform to the aircraft ramp; and
a restraint subsystem adapted to restrain one or more cargo containers disposed on the cartridge base platform.
18 . The aerial delivery system of claim 17 , wherein the cartridge base platform also includes:
at least one conveyor extending longitudinally along a top surface of the delivery platform, the conveyor having oppositely disposed side edges; and
a plurality of side guidance elements a one of the side guidance elements extending longitudinally adjacent to one of the conveyor side edges and another of the side guidance elements extending longitudinally adjacent to another of the conveyor side edges.
19 . The aerial delivery system of claim 18 , wherein the conveyor is adapted to convey a single column of cargo containers and includes at least one set of roller conveyors.
20 . The aerial delivery system of claim 19 wherein the conveyor comprises first and second sets of roller conveyors, the second set of roller conveyors being adjacent and parallel to the first set of roller conveyors.
21 . The aerial delivery system of claim 18 , wherein the cartridge base platform includes first and second conveyors adapted to convey two columns of cargo containers, the second conveyor being adjacent and parallel to the first conveyor, each conveyor including at least one set of roller conveyors.
22 . The aerial delivery system of claim 21 wherein each conveyor comprises first and second sets of roller conveyors, the second set of roller conveyors being adjacent and parallel to the first set of roller conveyors.
23 . The aerial delivery system of claim 18 , wherein each of the side guidance elements comprises a row of rotating bollards.
24 . The aerial delivery system of claim 18 , wherein each of the side guidance elements comprise rails having a low friction surface disposed adjacent the conveyor.
25 . The aerial delivery system of claim 17 , wherein the ramp platform also includes:
at least one conveyor extending longitudinally along a top surface of the delivery platform; and
a plurality of side guidance elements a one of the side guidance elements extending longitudinally adjacent to one of the conveyor side edges and another of the side guidance elements extending longitudinally adjacent to another of the conveyor side edges.
26 . The aerial delivery system of claim 17 , wherein the restraint subsystem includes:
a plurality of webbing straps;
a plurality of clevises;
a plurality of tensioning devices; and
a plurality of release mechanisms.
27 . The aerial delivery system of claim 26 wherein the release mechanisms are wireless gate releases.
28 . An aerial delivery system for use with aircraft having a rear ramp and a cargo handling system, the aerial delivery system comprising:
a cartridge base platform including a base delivery platform including
interface elements adapted to interact with the aircraft's cargo handling system to lock the cartridge base platform to the aircraft cargo handling system,
at least one conveyor extending longitudinally along a top surface of the delivery platform, the conveyor having oppositely disposed side edges, and
a plurality of side guidance elements a one of the side guidance elements extending longitudinally adjacent to one of the conveyor side edges and another of the side guidance elements extending longitudinally adjacent to another of the conveyor side edges;
a ramp platform including a ramp delivery platform including
interface elements adapted to interact with the ramp's cargo handling system to lock the ramp delivery platform to the aircraft ramp,
at least one conveyor extending longitudinally along a top surface of the delivery platform, and
a plurality of side guidance elements a one of the side guidance elements extending longitudinally adjacent to one of the conveyor side edges and another of the side guidance elements extending longitudinally adjacent to another of the conveyor side edges; and
a restraint subsystem. adapted to restrain one or more cargo containers disposed on the cartridge base platform.