Abstract: A cargo hold of an aircraft having cladding elements and at least one housing element for accommodating electronic components and/or cables. The cladding elements are attached to supports, in particular structural elements, of the aircraft and have a plurality of cladding holes with predefined cladding hole spacings for attachment. The at least one housing element has at least one pair of housing holes for receiving fastening devices. The housing holes have a housing hole spacing which corresponds to at least one pair of cladding hole spacings.

Abstract: A cargo conveying system for conveying cargo items, in particular containers and/or pallets, in a cargo hold of an aircraft having at least one cargo conveying device, in particular roller conveyors. The cargo conveying device includes at least one frame, at least one roller drive unit having at least one roller for conveying the cargo items, at least one main line strand, in particular a partial cable harness, arranged on the frame, and at least one distributor module for connecting the at least one main line strand to at least one further main line strand. The distributor module is arranged on the frame and is connected to the roller drive unit via at least one secondary line strand.

Abstract: A cargo hold of an aircraft having cladding elements and at least one housing element for accommodating electronic components and/or cables. The cladding elements are attached to supports, in particular structural elements, of the aircraft and have a plurality of cladding holes with predefined cladding hole spacings for attachment. The at least one housing element has at least one pair of housing holes for receiving fastening devices. The housing holes have a housing hole spacing which corresponds to at least one pair of cladding hole spacings.

Abstract: A control device for a cargo loading system on a cargo deck of a cargo aircraft. The control device includes a plurality of selection switch elements each for selecting a loading configuration from a plurality of possible loading configurations, at least one first indicator device, comprising a display for outputting an at least partial depiction of the cargo deck, at least one second indicator device to be arranged (directly) on the cargo deck, in particular on system components of the cargo loading system, and a computing unit. The computing unit is configured to: a) determine a selected loading configuration based on signals from at least some of the selection switch elements; b) using the selected loading configuration, determine an identification region on the cargo deck and/or an identification selection of system components; and c) visualize the identification region and/or the identification selection using the first indicator device and the second indicator device (simultaneously).

Abstract: A freight-loading system in a cargo hold of an aircraft is provided that offers enhanced operating safety. The freight-loading system comprises a plurality of power drive units (PDUs), which can be actuated by control signals in such a way that items of freight can be maneuvered into or out of the cargo hold as well as within it. The power drive units (PDUs) are connected by control leads to control panels for actuation by personnel. A control maintenance computer (CMC) is provided and connected to the power drive units (PDUs) and the control panels, and is so designed that status information from the power drive units (PDUs) and the control panels can be read out, and that the power drive units (PDUs) and/or the control panels are controllable by the control maintenance computer (CMC).

Abstract: Roller drive units are used for conveying objects, in particular cargo containers, on a roller conveyor track of an aircraft. They comprise a drive motor, a planetary gear with an input connected to the drive motor and with a first as well as a second gear output. A drive roller is connected to the first gear output to propel the object and a lifting apparatus is connected to the second gear output to lift the drive roller out of a retracted resting position, in which the drive roller does not contact the object, into a raised operating position in which the drive roller can engaged with the object. A first brake is provided to slow down the drive roller and a second brake is provided to keep the lifting apparatus in position. To improve the traction characteristics and in particular to improve the force with which the drive roller can press against the object to be conveyed, the first and second brakes are constructed so as to be controllable.

Abstract: A freight-loading system in a cargo hold of an aircraft is provided that offers enhanced operating safety. The freight-loading system comprises a plurality of power drive units (PDUs), which can be actuated by control signals in such a way that items of freight can be maneuvered into or out of the cargo hold as well as within it. The power drive units (PDUs) are connected by control leads to control panels for actuation by personnel. A control maintenance computer (CMC) is provided and connected to the power drive units (PDUs) and the control panels, and is so designed that status information from the power drive units (PDUs) and the control panels can be read out, and that the power drive units (PDUs) and/or the control panels are controllable by the control maintenance computer (CMC).

Abstract: Roller drive units are used for conveying objects, in particular cargo containers, on a roller conveyor track of an aircraft. They comprise a drive motor, a planetary gear with an input connected to the drive motor and with a first as well as a second gear output. A drive roller is connected to the first gear output to propel the object and a lifting apparatus is connected to the second gear output to lift the drive roller out of a retracted resting position, in which the drive roller does not contact the object, into a raised operating position in which the drive roller can engaged with the object. A first brake is provided to slow down the drive roller and a second brake is provided to keep the lifting apparatus in position. To improve the traction characteristics and in particular to improve the force with which the drive roller can press against the object to be conveyed, the first and second brakes are constructed so as to be controllable.

Abstract: A roller drive unit is provided for an air freight system in an aircraft and comprises a drive roller that can be retracted and raised in order to transport freight containers in various directions. Unlike conventional roller drive units of this type which are only capable of conveying freight containers in forward or backward directions, the roller drive unit of the present invention is adapted to convey freight containers in any desired direction. To this end the roller drive unit comprises a substantially annular fixing device for attachment of the roller drive unit to the floor of a cargo hold and, in a preferably flush relationship thereto, a carrier device for the drive roller. The carrier device can be rotated about an axis perpendicular to the floor of the cargo hold, i.e. about at vertical axis, relative to the fixing device to enable the freight container to be transported in a desired direction.

Abstract: A roller drive unit for use in the transportation of freight containers in the hold of an aircraft. The unit comprises a drive roller, which can be retracted and which can be raised into an operating position by an electric motor, for engagement with a freight container to be transported. Sensors are distributed in a ring around the drive roller so as to be able to monitor the direction of movement of a freight container approaching the roller drive unit. A controller is connected to the sensors and to the electric motor in order that the drive roller can be raised out of its lower, retracted position into an upper, operating position or conversely, according to the signals received by the controller means from the sensors.

Abstract: A drive roller unit is provided for use in a roller drive unit for the conveyance of objects on the freight deck of an aircraft. The drive roller unit comprises a drive motor to drive a drive roller which, when in an operating position, can be brought into frictional engagement with the bottom of an object to be conveyed. A lifting mechanism with a lifting motor is used to raise the drive roller from a retracted, resting position into the raised, operating position. A control apparatus controls operation of the drive motor and the lifting motor. A differential velocity measuring means is also provided for measuring a difference between a velocity of the drive roller and a velocity of said object being conveyed to determine a slippage.