AU2003100268B4 - Trailer - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION

PATENT

Invention Title: Trailer The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: Freehills Carter Smith Beadle Sydney 004390598 004204774 2 Trailer Field of the invention The present relates to a trailer for transporting and positioning a baggage screening unit.

Background of the invention Aircraft security is a major concern for airline operators, passengers and airline industry regulators, therefore in order to ensure safety of passengers and crew it is common for passenger's baggage to be screened before it is placed in the baggage hold of an aircraft.

In most situations a passenger's baggage is screened in the terminal prior to the baggage being loaded into a bin and being transported to the aircraft. However, at times it is necessary to screen baggage after it has left the airport terminal, or just prior to it being loaded into an aircraft. In these instances, it is necessary to transport-a screening unit to the location where the baggage is to be screened.

Accordingly, there is a need for a device for transporting and positioning a baggage screen unit in an efficient manner.

Summary of the invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a trailer adapted to convey and position a baggage screening unit, said trailer including a wheeled chassis towable by a tow vehicle, a generally horizontal support means adapted to receive and support a baggage screening unit in a generally horizontal orientation, and positioning means, the positioning means comprising height elevation means for elevating the support means relative to the chassis whilst keeping the support means generally horizontal, and orientation means for varying the orientation of the baggage screening unit relative to the chassis in use.

Preferably the positioning means includes elevation means adapted to adjust the height of the baggage scanning unit relative to the chassis. The position means can also 004204774 3 include rotation means such as a turntable for allowing the orientation of the scanning unit to be changed relative to the chassis.

Preferably the support means includes a support platform mounted on top of the positioning means.

The elevation means can include a scissor lift, hydraulic or pneumatic ram or other suitable lifting device. The rotation means preferably includes a turntable.

Preferably the trailer further includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the orientation of the support means relative to the chassis. Preferably the locking means is configured to lock the support means in a plurality of predetermined orientations.

The trailer can further include braking means to brake at least one wheel when the baggage screening unit is in use.

The trailer can also include one or more operator decks on which an operator of the baggage screening unit can be supported when operating a baggage screening unit.

Preferably the trailer includes a front operator deck and a rear operator deck.

Preferably the trailer includes two pairs of wheels. It is further preferable that one pair of wheels is steerable. The chassis may be supported on the wheels by a vibration damping means.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the chassis includes an upper surface having a central aperture extending therethrough, which is adapted to receive the support means and positioning means. The baggage support means is preferably moveable between a stowed position in which a support surface of the support means is substantially coplanar to a portion of the upper surface of the trailer, and a deployed position in which the support means is raised above at least a portion of the upper surface of the chassis.

Brief description of the drawings Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 004204774 4 Figure 1 shows a trailer according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the trailer of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an inverted plan view of the trailer of the preferred embodiment; Figure 4 shows a side view of the trailer of Figures 1 to 3 with an X-Ray scanning unit supported thereon; Figure 5 is a photograph of a prototype trailer according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a photograph of the same trailer shown in figure 5, without a positioning or support means installed; Figure 7 shows a photograph of the trailer of figures 5 and 6 with the support means in a stowed position with a baggage scanning unit mounted thereon; Figures 8 to 10 show different views of the trailer and baggage scanning unit of figure 7 in a deployed condition.

Detailed description of the embodiments Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a trailer 10 for positioning and transporting a baggage screening unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The trailer 10 comprises a wheeled chassis 20 having a pair or front wheels 22 and a pair of rear wheels 24. The chassis 20 includes a front deck portion 30 and a rear deck portion 35. The trailer 10 is towable by a tow vehicle via a tow coupling 40. In the central part of the chassis there is mounted a support platform 50 on which a baggage screening unit, such an X-Ray screening unit, or the like, may be mounted for transportation to a desired working location. As will be seen described below, the support platform 50 is mounted on the chassis 20 via elevation means (not shown) which allow the height of the support platform 50 to be varied. The support platform 50 is mounted on a turntable 60 which allows the orientation of baggage screening unit mounted thereon to be rotated relative to the chassis 20. A locking means 70 is also provided which locks the orientation of the 004204774 support platform 50 relative to the chassis 20 when the trailer 10 is being towed, or when an operator is using the baggage screening unit mounted on the trailer.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the trailer shown in figure 1. Parts have been like numbered with the previous figure. The plan view shows more clearly the locking mechanism 7 used to lock the support platform 50 from rotating relative to the chassis The locking means 70 includes a retractable locking pin 72 which is biased into the locked position by spring 74. The locking pin 72 can be retracted from the locked position by lever 73. In order to lock the support platform 50 from rotating the locking pin 72 is located into a co-operatively shaped notch 75 in the locking block 71 which is mounted to the underside of the support platform 50. In order to release the locking means 70 the handle 73 is pushed to retract the locking pin 72 from the notch 75. The support platform 50 can then be rotated on the turntable 60. Once the handle 73 is released the locking pin 72 returns to its extended position under action of the bias spring 74. On rotating the support platform 50 in a clockwise direction the locking block 71A will eventually come into contact with locking pin 72 The angled front face 76 of the locking block 71A urges against the tip of the locking pin 72A and forces the locking pin 72 to retract. On further turning of the support platform 50 the locking pin 72 will be forced by spring 74 into the locking notch 75A and prevent further turning of the support platform Turning now to figure 3 which shows a plan view of the trailer 10, showing the chassis frame and steering mechanism of the trailer. The chassis 20 includes a welded metal frame 300 comprised of a plurality of rectangular hollow sections. Mounted to the frame 300 at the front and rear, are axles 310. The axles 310 are mounted to the frame 300 via a vibration damping means 320. The vibration damping means generally comprises a pair of vibration damping blocks coupled between the axle members 310 and the frame 300. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art many alternative vibration damping systems can be used to achieve a similar effect.

The rear wheels 24 of the trailer are fitted with brakes 350 to prevent the trailer from rolling when an operator is using the baggage scanning unit mounted on the trailer, or when the trailer is parked. The front wheels 22 are steerable to enable the trailer 10 to 004204774 6 more effectively turn corners. In order to steer the front wheels 22 the tow coupling 40 is mounted on elongate member 45 which is connected to the frame by pivotable coupling 360. The distal end 45A of the elongate mentor 45 is coupled to two steering rods 380, each of which is, in turn, coupled to a steering arm of a respective wheel assembly. In use, when the tow coupling 40 is pulled to one side by the tow vehicle the steering rods and steering arms co-operate to turn the front wheels 22 in concert with the tow coupling to steer the trailer The frame 300 additionally includes a pair of overturned C-shaped sections 305 on which the elevation means for raising and lowering the support platform 50 are mounted.

Turning now to Figure 4 which shows a side view of the trailer 10, on which is placed a baggage X-Ray scanning unit 400. In Figure 4 the trailer 10 is shown in a stowed position, ie the support platform 50 is locked against rotation by the locking means and the support platform is fully lowered. In the stowed position the support platform 50 is general coplanar to the front and rear operator decks 30 and 35 of the trailer Turning now to Figure 5 which shows a photograph of prototype trailer 1000 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 more clearly illustrates the elevation means 500 for raising and lowering the support platform above the chassis 20 of the trailer 1000. As can be seen, the elevation means 500 is an electrical driven scissor lift comprising a pair of scissor arms 510 and 530 on each side of a lifting frame 520. Mounted on top of the lifting frame 520 is a turntable, on top of which the support platform 50 is mounted. The drive motor and scissor arms 510 and 530 and lifting frame 520 are mounted within a void 600 in the chassis 20. The void 600 can be clearly seen in Figure 6. By providing a void in the chassis 20 the support platform can be lowered until it is substantially flush with the upper surface of the deck 30/35 of the trailer 1000. This allows the trailer to have a low profile and hence minimises the clearance height necessary for manoeuvring the trailer when a scanning unit is mounted thereon. Figure 6 also shows the brake actuation lever 630 and brakes cable 640 for 004204774 7 operating the brake 350 (as shown in Figure As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the brake operation is substantially the same as that of a car handbrake.

Turning now to Figures 7 to 10, the operation of the prototype trailer 1000 will now be described. Turning firstly to Figure 7, which shows the prototype trailer 1000 on which is loaded a baggage X-Ray unit 700. The baggage X-Ray unit 700 is placed on the support platform 1050, which is in a stowed position. In this position the baggage X-Ray unit 700 lies wholly within the periphery of the trailer, and thus will not collide with objects as the trailer is towed. In this configuration the trailer can be towed to a location the baggage X-Ray unit 700 is needed.

Figure 8 shows the trailer 1000 and baggage X-Ray unit 700 in a deployed position with the baggage X-Ray unit set up for operation.

In the deployed position the support platform 1050 and the baggage unit 700 supported thereon are raised above the chassis of the trailer 1000 to the required height such that conveyer 710 and 720 of the baggage X-Ray unit meet adjoining conveyers: The orientation of the support platform 50 and baggage screening unit 700 is also changed relative to the trailer chassis. With the support platform 1050 rotated into the deployed position, the conveyers 710 and 720 extend beyond the sides of the trailer 1000 to enable them to meet adjoining conveyers.

Figure 9 shows a rear view of the trailer 1000 in the deployed position as shown in Figure 8. As can be seen, the baggage screening unit 700 has an operator's terminal 730 located thereon which the operator uses to view images of baggage passing through the X-Ray unit. The trailer 1000 provides a working deck 1035 on which the operator of the baggage X-Ray unit can stand when working. A rear view of the trailer 1000 is shown in Figure 10. From this view it can also be seen that an additional work platform 1030 is provided on the trailer 1000 to enable the operator to access a rear access panel 740 of the supported baggage X-Ray unit 700.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident 004204774 8 from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

The foregoing describes embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto, without departing from the scope of the present invention.