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US 3,958,780 AGranted
Convertible canopy-to-wing shaped parachute
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsJon T. Matsuo, Lajpat Utreja
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Abstract
A standard hemispherical parachute canopy can be converted optionally by parachutist during a deployment from its fully inflated dome-shaped condition to a high lift-over-drag configuration to enable the parachute to be propelled and maneuvered to a desirable pick up area to avoid capture by the enemy during wartime conditions, and to minimize injury by selecting a more favorable terrain for landing.
Claims3
A convertible canopy-to-wing shaped parachute comprising:
- a normally dome-shaped canopy having a continuous and uninterrupted periphery;
- a plurality of suspension lines connected at their upper ends to spaced points around said canopy skirt and connected at their lower ends to a load;
- a fixed length pull down vent line connected at its upper end to the canopy apex and at its lower end to the load;
- a selected number of said suspension lines having a variable length beyond their normal length;
- said variable lines being graduated in length increasing in an aft direction;
- means for securing said variable length suspension lines in a fore-shortened length so that all of said suspension lines in one mode of operation are of the same length;
- a means for releasing said securing means and the variable length suspension lines whereby the canopy can be converted from a standard symmetrical dome-shaped configuration to a wing-like configuration having a high lift-to-drag ratio for a gliding mode.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.