US 12,312,099 B2
Removable cargo floor systems and methods for cargo aircraft
Blake Poe, Longmont, CO (US)
Assigned to ZSM Holding, LLC, Dover, DE (US)
Filed by ZSM HOLDINGS LLC, Dover, DE (US)
Filed on Jan. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/100,337.
Application 18/100,337 is a continuation of application No. 17/465,790, filed on Sep. 2, 2021, granted, now 11,560,230.
Application 17/465,790 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2021/021793, filed on Mar. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0234707 A1, Jul. 27, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64D 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 9/003 (2013.01) 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A removable cargo bay support system for a cargo aircraft, comprising:
at least one rail disposed in an interior cargo bay of a cargo aircraft, the interior cargo bay having a forward bay portion located in a forward end of the cargo aircraft, an aft bay portion located in an aft end of the cargo aircraft, and the at least one rail extending longitudinally along a length of the forward bay portion and a length of the aft bay portion, the interior cargo bay defining a nominal width and a constricted width along the at least one rail, the constricted width being less than the nominal width and less than a width of the interior cargo bay along the at least one rail forward and aft of a location of the constricted width; and
at least one cargo support segment configured to be removeably attached to the at least one rail, and, when attached to the at least one rail, the at least one cargo support segment is transformable between a first arrangement in which the at least one cargo support segment is translatable along a length of the at least one rail, and a second arrangement in which the at least one cargo support segment is fixedly secured with respect to a location along the length of the at least one rail,
wherein the at least one cargo support segment comprises a fixed central region and opposing lateral end segments moveably coupled to the fixed region and moveable between a first position and a second position, the first position defining a first width of the at least one cargo support segment that is less than the constricted width and the second position defining a second width of the at least one cargo support segment that is less than the nominal width and greater than the constricted width.