WO2013081538A1

WO2013081538A1 - Passenger bridge for airplanes and for ships

Info

Publication number: WO2013081538A1
Application number: PCT/SE2012/051312
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nils-Erik Anderberg
Original assignee: FMT International Trade AB
Current assignee: FMT International Trade AB
Priority date: 2011-12-02
Filing date: 2012-11-28
Publication date: 2013-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 2014-06-02
Also published as: SE1151151A1; SE535709C2

Abstract

Passenger bridge for airports and ships, comprising one or several walking tunnels (1,2) for passengers, where, in case the passenger bridge comprises two or more walking tunnels, these are arranged to be telescopic relative one another. The invention is characterised in that each walking tunnel (1,2) is made in parts for later assembly, in that each walking tunnel has side walls (5, 6), a floor (7) and a roof (8), in that the floor and roof of the walking tunnel comprise pipes (9,10) running across the longitudinal direction of the walking tunnel at a predetermined c/c distance, in that each pipe (9,10) is arranged to support a tie rod (11,12) running from one side wall (5) to the opposite sidewall (6), in that the upper tie rods (12) are arranged to be fastened to a U-beam (13) running along the respective side wall upper part, in that an I-beam (Swedish "HEA" ) (14,15) profile runs along the lower part of the respective side wall, in that each tie rod (11) in the pipes (9) in the floor (7) of the walking tunnel is arranged to be fastened to the said I-beam profile (14,15), in that two walking tunnels arranged one after the other are arranged to be fastened to each other by means of the I-beam profiles (14,15) and said U-beams (13), respectively, being fastened to each other, and in that the above said parts have such dimensions so that they can be housed inside a 20 or 40 foot freight container.

Description

PASSENGER BRIDGE FOR AIRPLANES AND FOR SHIPS

The present invention relates to a passenger bridge for airports and for passenger ships.

Nowadays, many airports have passenger bridges, which are connected from a terminal building to an airplane, and through which passengers walk to and from the airplane, respectively. There are several different types of such passen- ger bridges, of which one type is a so called Mobile Telescopic Bridge (MTB) , which consists of a number of telescopic parts, whereof the outermost part is supported by a bogie with individually driven wheels. Using this bogie, the passenger bridge is manoeuvred on the airport apron tarmac to- wards and away from an airplane. At the connection of the passenger bridge to a terminal building, there is a rotunda which can be turned about a vertical axis and which is supported by a pillar which is firmly established in the ground. In the outermost part of the passenger bridge, there is a cabin which can be turned relative to the outermost telescopic element of the passenger bridge. The cabin is the part which is arranged to be connected to the door of an airplane.

It has also become commonplace to use passenger bridges of types corresponding to the one for airports also for docking to passenger ships. Such passenger bridges are vertically and horizontally movable in relation to a ship. Moreover, at least one outer part of the passenger bridge is movable towards and away from the ship.

A major problem is that the part, or those parts, of the passenger bridge where passengers walk are very large. The passenger bridges are designed as walking tunnels with rec- tangular cross-section. It is common for passenger bridges to be more than 20 meters long.

Such passenger bridges are presently being made in factories, in the form of completed walking tunnels. These must then be transported to the position of use, which may be anywhere in the world. Such transport is made by lorry, train and by sea. Because of the size of the passenger bridges, special permissions are required for transport by lorry. Moreover, a number of reloadings take place, depending on destination, which are time consuming since the passenger bridges must be handled with caution in order not to be damaged. Therefore, transport constitutes a problem and is expensive.

When the passenger bridges have been transported to the location of use, two or several passenger bridges are mounted one to the other, to foundations and manoeuvring devices, so that they can be operable.

The present invention solves the transport problem

Hence, the present invention relates to a passenger bridge for airports and ships, comprising one or several walking tunnels for passengers, where, in case the passenger bridge comprises two or more walking tunnels, these are arranged to be telescopic relative one another, and is characterised in that each walking tunnel is made in parts for later assembly, in that each walking tunnel has side walls, a floor and a roof, in that the floor and roof of the walking tunnel comprise pipes running across the longitudinal direction of the walking tunnel at a predetermined c/c distance, in that each pipe is arranged to support a tie rod running from one side wall to the opposite side wall, in that the upper tie rods are arranged to be fastened to a U-beam running along the respective side wall upper part, in that an I-beam (Swedish " HEA" ) I-beam profile runs along the lower part of the respective side wall, in that each tie rod in the pipes in the floor of the walking tunnel is arranged to be fastened to the said I-beam profile, in that two walking tunnels arranged one after the other are arranged to be fastened to each other by means of the I-beam profiles and said U-beams, respectively, being fastened to each other, and in that the above said parts have such dimensions so that they can be housed inside a 20 or 40 foot freight container.

Below, the invention is described more closely, partly in connection to an exemplifying embodiment of the invention as shown in the appended drawings, wherein

- figure 1 schematically shows a passenger bridge

- figure 2 shows a cross section through a passenger bridge, where two walking tunnels overlap telescopically

- figure 3 shows the floor in a walking tunnel as seen from above

- figure 4 shows a part of the floor in figure 3, in cross section and to a larger scale

- figure 5 shows a free end of a walking tunnel

- figure 6 shows the upper right corner in figure 5 to larger scale

- figure 7 shows the lower part of a free end of the walking tunnel

- figure 8 shows the supporting framework of a walking tunnel as well as a frame at its end

- figure 9 shows a section where two walking tunnels are fastened to each other

- figure 10 shows part of figure 9 to larger scale.

It is noted that some of the figures have different scale. In figure 1, a passenger bridge of the present type is schematically shown in a perspective view. The passenger bridge comprises two walking tunnels 1, 2, which are telescopically arranged as is conventional as such, so that the first walk- ing tunnel 1 is telescopically displaceable in relation to the second walking tunnel. The first walking tunnel 1 is intended for permanent connection to for instance a terminal building via a so called rotunda 3, while the second 2 is intended for connection to the door of an airplane via a not shown so called cabin, fastened to the free end of the second walking tunnel. The rotunda 3 achieves that the passenger bridge can be displaceable in a horizontal plane in relation to the terminal building. Hence, the present invention relates to a passenger bridge for airports and ships, comprising one or several walking tunnels 1, 2 for passengers, where in case the passenger bridge comprises two or more walking tunnels, these are arranged to be telescopic in relation to each other.

In figure 2, a cross section of the passenger bridge at the said overlap 4 is schematically shown.

According to the invention, each walking tunnel 1, 2 is ar- ranged in parts for later assembly. Each walking tunnel has side walls 5, 6, a floor 7 and a roof 8. The floor 7 and roof 8 of each walking tunnel 1, 2 comprises pipes or hollow elongated structural elements 9, 10 that run perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the walking tunnel at a prede- termined c/c distance. This is illustrated in figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a projection view and figure 4 is a detail view in cross section through the floor 7. The c/c distance may be 500 millimetres. Each pipe 9, 10 is arranged to support a tie rod 11, 12, running from one of the side walls to the other. In figure 5, a cross section of a walking tunnel 1, 2 is shown. Figure 6 shows, to larger scale, the upper right corner in figure 5, where a part of the pipe 10, as well as a part of the rod 12 is shown.

Furthermore, the upper tie rods 12 are arranged to be fastened to a U-beam 13, which runs along the upper part of the respective side wall 5, 6, see figure 6. Along the lower part of the respective side wall 5, 6, an I-beam profile 14, 15 runs, see figure 5. Figure 6 shows the I-beam profile and the floor in figure 5 to larger scale. Each tie rod 11 in the pipes 9 in the floor of the walking tunnel is arranged to be fastened to said I-beam profile.

Furthermore, two walking tunnels 1, 2 arranged one after the other are arranged to be fastened to each other by means of the I-beam profiles and the U-beams, respectively, being fastened to each other.

A very important embodiment is that tie rods, when the passenger bridge is assembled, are arranged to be pretensioned, so that they are subjected to tensile stress. This results in that the floor 7 can absorb transverse side wind induced loads, so that the passenger bridge does not become bent.

According to a very important feature, the above mentioned parts have such dimensions so that they may be housed in a 20 or 40 foot freight container.

It is preferred that a rectangular frame 16, with dimensions corresponding to the end surfaces of the walking tunnel, is arranged to be fastened to said I-beam profile 14, 15, and to said U-beam 13, see figure 8.

Two walking tunnels 1, 2 arranged one after the other are, as mentioned, arranged to be fastened to each other by means of the I-beam profiles and the said U-beams, respectively, being fastened to each other. To this end, a plate 17 with holes 18, 19 may be welded to the said U-beam 13 at its ends. In a corresponding way, plates 19 - 24 can be welded to the I-beam profiles 14, 15.

In figure 9 is shown a jointing, in which the said plates are fastened to each other. In figure 10, the jointing is shown to larger scale. Bolts (not shown) run through holes in said plates 22, 23, 24.

For example, the length of the walking tunnels is about 20 meters, with an overlap 4 of about 4 meters. Such length of 20 meters means that each walking tunnel in figure 1 consists of two 10 meter walking tunnels that have been joined together in their longitudinal direction. A 10 meter walking tunnel has such dimensions so that the above mentioned parts can be housed inside a 20 foot freight container. The side walls 5, 6, as well as floor 7 and the roof 8, can be trans- ported standing up or lying down in such a freight container.

According to a preferred embodiment, the said pipes are square pipes, which gives a high bending strength. The dimensions of the pipes can be 30 x 30 millimetres.

According to another preferred embodiment, the said pipes are made of aluminium. It is a preferred embodiment that said floor comprises a sandwich construction with pieces of sheet metal 26, 27, see figure 4, that abut against the upper and under side, respectively, of said pipe 9 running in the floor, and that an isolating foam, such as polyurethane or polystyrene, fills the other space between said pieces of sheet metal.

It is also preferred that the said rectangular frame 16 with dimensions corresponding to the end surfaces of the walking tunnel is arranged to be fastened to a plate 19 - 23; 17, in turn being fastened to the I-beam profile 14, 15 and the U- beam 13, respectively, in each corner of the end of the walking tunnel, which plates are welded to, and perpendicularly oriented in relation to, the longitudinal extension of the I- beam profile and the U-beam, respectively.

According to yet another preferred embodiment, the said tie rods and the same frames, as well as two adjacent walking tunnels, are arranged to be fastened to said beams and frames, respectively, using bolt joints.

It is also preferred that the said side walls 1, 2, floor 7 and roof 8 are premanufactured before said assembly. Thus, the present invention results in that a passenger bridge can be manufactured in parts in a factory, and be transported in conventional freight containers from the factory to the place of use, which results in that the initially mentioned problems are solved. At the place of use, the pas- senger bridges may then be easily assembled, without access to any special tools.

Above, a number of embodiments have been described. However, it is apparent to the skilled person that the embodiments can be varied without departing from the inventive idea to make read-to-assemble sections, which may be transported in a conventional 20 or 40 foot container and that after assembly are sufficiently strong for supporting loads.

Therefore, the present invention shall not be limited to the above described embodiments, but may be varied within the scope of the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. Passenger bridge for airports and ships, comprising one or several walking tunnels (1,2) for passengers, where, in case the passenger bridge comprises two or more walking tunnels, these are arranged to be telescopic relative one another, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that each walking tunnel (1,2) is made in parts for later assembly, in that each walking tunnel has side walls (5,6), a floor (7) and a roof (8), in that the floor and roof of the walking tunnel comprise pipes (9, 10) running across the longitudinal direction of the walking tunnel at a predetermined c/c distance, in that each pipe (9,10) is arranged to support a tie rod (11,12) running from one side wall (5) to the opposite side- wall (6), in that the upper tie rods (12) are arranged to be fastened to a U-beam (13) running along the respective side wall upper part, in that an I-beam (Swedish "HEA" ) (14,15) profile runs along the lower part of the respective side wall, in that each tie rod (11) in the pipes (9) in the floor (7) of the walking tunnel is arranged to be fastened to the said I-beam profile (14,15), in that two walking tunnels arranged one after the other are arranged to be fastened to each other by means of the I-beam profiles (14,15) and said U-beams (13), respectively, being fastened to each other, and in that the above said parts have such dimensions so that they can be housed inside a 20 or 40 foot freight container.

2. Passenger bridge according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the said tie rods (11,12), when the passenger bridge (1,2) is assembled, are arranged to be pre- tensioned so that they are subjected to a tensile stress.

3. Passenger bridge according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that a rectangular frame (16) with di- mensions corresponding to the end surfaces of the walking tunnel (1;2) is arranged to be fastened to the said I-beam profile (14,15) and to said U-beam (13).

4. Passenger bridge according to claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that said pipes (9,10) are square pipes .

5. Passenger bridge according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, c h a - r a c t e r i s e d i n that the said pipes (9,10) are made from aluminum.

6. Passenger bridge according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the said floor (7) comprises a sandwich construction with a piece of sheet metal (26,27), which abuts on the upper and lower side, respectively, of said pipe (9) running in the floor, and in that an isolating foam fills the rest of the space between said pieces of sheet metal.

7. Passenger bridge according to claim 3, 4, 5 or 6, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the said rectangular frame (16) with dimensions corresponding to the end surfaces of the walking tunnel is arranged to be fastened to plates (19- 24;17), which in turn are fastened to the I-beam profile

(14,15) and the U-beam (13), respectively, in each corner of the end of the walking tunnel, which plates are welded to, and perpendicularly oriented relative to, the longitudinal direction of the I-beam profile and the U-beam, respectively.

8. Passenger bridge according to claim 3, 4, 5 or 6, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the said tie rods (11,12) and the said frames (16), as well as two adjacent walking tunnels are arranged to be fastened to said I-beam profiles, beams and frames respectively using bolt joints.

9. Passenger bridge according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the said side walls, floor and roof are premanufactured before said assem- bly .