US 2013/0200218 A1 · ROTORCRAFT ESCAPE SYSTEM

Abstract

The rotorcraft escape system is deployed from a helicopter or gyroplane to provide clearance from the overhead rotor blades for occupants escaping from the aircraft in an emergency. Each occupant of the rotorcraft is provided with an escape container having a parachute and ejection device (rocket, spring, or combination of the two) therein. When escape from the rotorcraft occurs, each seat of the rotorcraft rotates to face laterally outward, and the ejection mechanism of the escape container is actuated to eject the container and the person wearing the container laterally from the rotorcraft. An inflatable stem extends from the escape container to a plurality of inflatable ribs in the canopy. A compressed air tank provided with the container rapidly inflates the pneumatic stem and ribs in the parachute canopy, thereby providing extremely rapid deployment of the parachute canopy with minimal loss of altitude for the escaping occupant.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A rotorcraft escape system, comprising:

an escape container adapted to be worn by an occupant of the rotorcraft;
a thrust device disposed in the escape container, the thrust device selectively providing motive force for ejecting the occupant wearing the escape container;
a parachute foldably contained within the escape container, the parachute having a canopy;
a plurality of pneumatically inflatable ribs disposed radially within the canopy of the parachute;
and
a container of compressed gas disposed in the escape container, the container of compressed gas communicating pneumatically with the inflatable ribs of the canopy of the parachute for selectively inflating the ribs and the canopy of the parachute.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotorcraft escape system

Life of this patent

Rotorcraft escape system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19