# US 2021/0276689 A1 · Fracturing system for a canopy of an aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276689 A1 - Document ID: US20210276689A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/807,360 - Filed: 2020-03-03 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-03 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Steven J. Miener - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276689A1 ## CPC - B64C 1/32: Severable or jettisonable parts of fuselage facilitating emergency escape - B64C 1/1476: {Canopies; Windscreens or similar transparent elements} - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS ## Abstract A canopy for an aircraft includes a transparent cover, and a severance cord coupled to the transparent cover. The severance cord includes a fragmenting pattern including a plurality of outer perimeter segments that define an outer perimeter of the fragmenting pattern, and a plurality of inner fragmenting segments that are inside the outer perimeter. The fragmenting pattern is configured to break the transparent cover into numerous fragments when the severance cord is detonated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A canopy for an aircraft, the canopy comprising: a transparent cover; and a severance cord coupled to the transparent cover, the severance cord formed into a fragmenting pattern including: a plurality of outer perimeter segments that define an outer perimeter of the fragmenting pattern, wherein the plurality of outer perimeter segments comprise: a first outer perimeter segment a second outer perimeter segment a third outer perimeter segment and a fourth outer perimeter segment, wherein the outer perimeter is defined by the first outer perimeter segment, the second outer perimeter segment, the third outer perimeter segment, and the fourth outer perimeter segment; and a plurality of inner fragmenting segments that are inside the outer perimeter, wherein the plurality of inner fragment segments comprise: a first inner fragmenting segment a second inner fragment segment a third inner fragmenting segment and a fourth inner fragmenting segment, wherein the fragmenting pattern is configured to break the transparent cover into numerous fragments when the severance cord is detonated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The canopy of claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter is diamond shaped. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The canopy of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inner fragmenting segments form a substantially S-shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The canopy of claim 1, further comprising a frame, wherein the transparent cover is secured to the frame. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The canopy of claim 1, wherein the severance cord further comprises a fore segment and an aft segment, wherein the fragmenting pattern is between the fore segment and the aft segment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The canopy of claim 5, wherein one or both of the fore segment or the aft segment are straight, linear, and aligned with a central longitudinal plane of the canopy. ### Claim 7 (canceled) ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The canopy of claim 1, wherein the fragmenting pattern does not laterally extend around or otherwise to sides of a central longitudinal axis of the canopy. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The canopy of claim 1, wherein the fragmenting pattern is configured to be positioned over a seat assembly within a cockpit of the aircraft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The canopy of claim 9, wherein the fragmenting pattern is configured to not substantially extend past an outer perimeter envelope of the seat assembly. ### Claim 11 An aircraft comprising: a cockpit; a seat assembly within the cockpit; a canopy over the cockpit, wherein the canopy comprises a transparent cover; and a fracturing system that is configured to fracture at least a portion of the transparent cover into numerous fragments during an ejection sequence, the fracturing system comprising a severance cord coupled to the transparent cover, the severance cord formed into a fragmenting pattern including: a plurality of outer perimeter segments that define an outer perimeter of the fragmenting pattern, wherein the plurality of outer perimeter segments comprise: a first outer perimeter segment a second outer perimeter segment a third outer perimeter segment and a fourth outer perimeter segment, wherein the outer perimeter is defined by the first outer perimeter segment, the second outer perimeter segment, the third outer perimeter segment, and the fourth outer perimeter segment; and a plurality of inner fragmenting segments that are inside the outer perimeter, wherein the plurality of inner fragment segments comprise: a first inner fragmenting segment a second inner fragment segment a third inner fragmenting segment and a fourth inner fragmenting segment, wherein the fragmenting pattern is configured to break the transparent cover into numerous fragments when the severance cord is detonated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the fracturing system further comprises an ejection mechanism coupled to the severance cord through an explosive transfer line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the severance cord further comprises a fore segment and an aft segment, wherein the fragmenting pattern is between the fore segment and the aft segment, wherein one or both of the fore segment or the aft segment are straight, linear, and aligned with a central longitudinal plane of the canopy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the fragmenting pattern does not laterally extend around or otherwise to sides of a central longitudinal axis of the canopy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the fragmenting pattern is positioned over the seat assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the fragmenting pattern does not substantially extend past an outer perimeter envelope of the seat assembly. ### Claim 17 A method of manufacturing a canopy for an aircraft, the method comprising: providing a transparent cover; and coupling a severance cord to the transparent cover, wherein said coupling comprises forming the severance cord into a fragmenting pattern, wherein said forming comprises: defining an outer perimeter of the fragmenting pattern with a plurality of outer perimeter segments, wherein the plurality of outer perimeter segments comprise: a first outer perimeter segment a second outer perimeter segment a third outer perimeter segment and a fourth outer perimeter segment, wherein the outer perimeter is defined by the first outer perimeter segment, the second outer perimeter segment, the third outer perimeter segment, and the fourth outer perimeter segment; and disposing a plurality of inner fragmenting segments inside the outer perimeter, wherein the plurality of inner fragment segments comprise: a first inner fragmenting segment a second inner fragment segment a third inner fragmenting segment and a fourth inner fragmenting segment, wherein the fragmenting pattern is configured to break the transparent cover into numerous fragments when the severance cord is detonated. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising disposing the fragmenting pattern between a fore segment and an aft segment. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising forming one or both of the fore segment or the aft segment to be straight, linear, and aligned with a central longitudinal plane of the canopy. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising positioning the fragmenting pattern over a seat assembly within a cockpit of the aircraft. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The canopy of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inner fragmenting segments further comprise: a fifth inner fragmenting segment; a sixth inner fragmenting segment; and eighth inner fragmenting segment; a ninth inner fragmenting segment; and a tenth inner fragmenting segment. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The canopy of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inner fragmenting segments are not collinear.