Vehicle recovery system
AssigneeAviation Safety Resources, Inc.
InventorsLARRY EDWARD WILLIAMS, ROBERT LAFRANCE, GEORGE GALLOWAY
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle recovery system includes a harness having a hub and a plurality of cords each including opposite first and second ends. The first ends are each coupled to the hub. The second ends are each configured to be connected to a fuselage of a vehicle. A tractor rocket includes a body and a bridle. The bridle includes a first end coupled to the body and an opposite second end. A parachute includes a riser, a canopy and a plurality of suspension lines. The suspension lines each include a first end coupled the canopy and an opposite second end coupled a first end of the riser. An opposite second end of the riser is coupled to the hub. The second end of the bridle is coupled to the first end of the riser.
Claims20
A vehicle recovery system comprising:
- a harness comprising a hub and a plurality of cords each including opposite first and second ends, the first ends each being coupled to the hub, the second ends each being configured to be connected to a fuselage of a vehicle;
- a tractor rocket including a body and a bridle, the bridle including a first end coupled to the body and an opposite second end;
- and
- a parachute including a riser, a canopy and a plurality of suspension lines, the suspension lines each including a first end coupled the canopy and an opposite second end coupled a first end of the riser, an opposite second end of the riser being coupled to the hub, the second end of the bridle being coupled to the first end of the riser.
A vehicle recovery system comprising:
- a harness comprising a hub and a plurality of cords each including opposite first and second ends, the first ends each being coupled to the hub, the second ends each being configured to be connected to a fuselage of a vehicle;
- a retro-rocket including a first body and a first bridle, the first bridle including a first end coupled to the first body and an opposite second end coupled to the hub;
- a plurality of tractor rockets each including a second body and a second bridle, the second bridle including a first end coupled to the second body and an opposite second end;
- and
- a plurality of parachutes each including a riser, a canopy and a plurality of suspension lines, the suspension lines each including a first end coupled the canopy and an opposite second end coupled to a first end of the riser, an opposite second end of the riser being coupled to the hub, the second end of the second bridle being coupled to the first end of the riser.
A method for recovering a vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a vehicle having a fuselage equipped with a vehicle recovery system, the vehicle recovery system comprising:
- a harness comprising a hub and a plurality of cords each including opposite first and second ends, the first ends each being coupled to the hub, the second ends each being configured to be connected to the fuselage,
- a retro-rocket including a first body and a first bridle, the first bridle including a first end coupled to the first body and an opposite second end coupled to the hub,
- a plurality of tractor rockets each including a second body and a second bridle, the second bridle including a first end coupled to the second body and an opposite second end, and
- a plurality of parachutes each including a riser, a canopy and a plurality of suspension lines, the suspension lines each including a first end coupled the canopy and an opposite second end coupled to a first end of the riser, an opposite second end of the riser being coupled to the hub, the second end of the bridle being coupled to the first end of the riser;
- deploying the retro-rocket to reduce a downward speed of the vehicle;
- deploying the tractor rockets after the retro-rocket is deployed such that the canopies each move from a concave orientation to a convex orientation as the parachutes descend to further reduce the downward speed of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.