Aerial delivery system
AssigneesThe Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Army, The Curators of the University of Missouri, The United Sates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsTravis D. Fields, Oleg A. Yakimenko, Richard Benney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aerial payload delivery system uses a cruciform parachute canopy that is connected to base by plurality of suspension lines including an adjustable control line. A control system includes an actuator to selectively adjust the length of the control line. By adjusting the length of the control line, the parachute can be selectively set to glide or descend substantially vertically subject to wind. In an embodiment, the suspension lines also include a short line and a plurality of long lines. The parachute is set to glide by adjusting the control line to be about the same length as the short line and set to vertically descend by adjusting the length of the control line to differ from the short line.
Claims23
An aerial payload delivery system for delivering a payload released from an elevated location to a target location below the elevated location, the delivery system comprising:
- a base configured to support the payload as the delivery system descends from the elevated location;
- a cruciform parachute canopy configured to be deployed to an open configuration as the payload delivery system descends from the elevated location;
- a plurality of suspension lines connecting the base to the canopy to suspend the base from the canopy when the canopy is deployed to the open configuration, each of the suspension lines having a length extending from the base to the cruciform parachute canopy, the plurality of suspension lines including a control line;
- and
- a control system comprising an actuator operatively connected to the control line to selectively adjust the length of the control line.
A method of guiding a payload from an elevated location to a target location below the elevated location, the method comprising:
- deploying a cruciform parachute from the elevated location, the payload being connected to the cruciform parachute;
- adjusting a length of a control line of the cruciform parachute that connects a canopy of the cruciform parachute to a base to set the cruciform parachute on a glide path toward the target location;
- and
- adjusting the length of the control line to cause the cruciform parachute to rotate about a vertical axis when the cruciform parachute is located generally above the target location such that the cruciform parachute will descend substantially vertically generally onto the target location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.