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US 5,253,826 AGranted
Lightweight sealed parachute and harness assembly
AssigneeSimula, Inc.
InventorsJoseph W. Coltman, Kenneth W. Sego, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An environmentally-sealed parachute deployment system for bail-out parachutes comprising a spring-loaded pilot parachute, an environmentally sealed vacuum bag, a deployment bag having one or two elastic closure loops, and a man-rated parachute. The drag force exerted by the pilot parachute tears open the environmentally sealed bag, initiating deployment of the parachute.
Claims32
An environmentally sealed bail-out parachute system comprising:
- (a) a pilotchute in a container;
- (b) means for ejecting the pilotchute out of the container;
- (c) an environmentally sealed vacuum bag in the container, said vacuum bag having at least three tear initiation points;
- (d) a deployment bag containing a main parachute environmentally sealed inside the vacuum bag, said main parachute having suspension lines;
- (e) an outer bridle connecting the pilotchute to attachment points on the vacuum bag positioned next to and inside of each tear initiation point, such that when the pilotchute is ejected into the airstream during a jump, the force exerted by the outer bridle tears the vacuum bag at the tear initiation points, the tears propagate from the tear initiation points until the tear lines intersect and a section of the vacuum bag is torn completely out of the vacuum bag;
- and
- (f) an inner bridle connecting the outer bridle to the deployment bag, such that the pilotchute, the outer bridle and the inner bridle pull the deployment bag out of the vacuum bag after the vacuum bag is torn open;
- wherein after the deployment bag is pulled out of the vacuum bag, the suspension lines pull the main parachute out of the deployment bag.
5 more elements
An environmentally sealed bail-out parachute system comprising:
- (a) a pilotchute in a container;
- (b) means for ejecting the pilotchute out of the container;
- (c) an environmentally sealed vacuum bag in the container;
- (d) a deployment bag containing a main parachute environmentally sealed inside the vacuum bag, said main parachute having suspension lines;
- (e) an outer bridle connecting the pilotchute to the vacuum bag, such that when the pilotchute is ejected into the airstream during a jump, the force exerted by the outer bridle tears open the vacuum bag;
- (f) an inner bridle connecting the outer bridle to the deployment bag, such that the pilotchute, the outer bridle and the inner bridle pull the deployment bag out of the vacuum bag after the vacuum bag is torn open;
- wherein the deployment bag comprises a closing flap holding the main parachute inside the deployment bag, and the closing flap is held closed by at least one elastic loop holding the parachute's suspension lines against the closing flap, such that when the suspension lines are pulled out of the at least one elastic loop, the closing flap opens and the parachute is pulled out of the deployment bag.
4 more elements
An environmentally sealed bail-out parachute system comprising:
- (a) a pilotchute in a container;
- (b) means for ejecting the pilotchute out of the container;
- (c) an environmentally sealed vacuum bag in the container comprising two eyes located at one end of the vacuum bag, each of said eyes comprising a bushing inside the vacuum bag, the inner surfaces of the vacuum bag being sealed against said bushing, and a hole being punched through the vacuum bag through the center of the bushing to form the eye;
- (d) a deployment bag containing a main parachute environmentally sealed inside the vacuum bag, said main parachute having suspension lines, wherein the suspension lines are divided into equal groups, each group being attached to one eye of the vacuum bag;
- (e) an outer bridle connecting the pilotchute to the vacuum bag such that when the pilotchute is ejected into the airstream during a jump, the force exerted by the outer bridle tears the vacuum bag open;
- and
- (f) an inner bridle connecting the outer bridle to the deployment bag, such that the pilotchute, the outer bridle and the inner bridle pull the deployment bag out of the vacuum bag after the vacuum bag is torn open and the suspension lines pull the main parachute out of the deployment bag.
4 more elements
An environmentally sealed bail-out parachute system comprising:
- (a) a pilotchute in a container;
- (b) means for ejecting the pilotchute out of the container;
- (c) an environmentally sealed vacuum bag in the container, said vacuum bag comprising one tear initiation point and two frangible tear lines extending from the tear initiation point, forming a triangular tear section;
- (d) a deployment bag containing a main parachute environmentally sealed inside the vacuum bag, said main parachute having suspension lines;
- (e) an outer bridle connecting the pilotchute to an attachment point on the vacuum bag positioned next to and inside the tear initiation point, such that when the pilotchute is ejected into the airstream during a jump, the force exerted by the outer bridle tears the vacuum bag at the tear initiation point, the tears propagate from the tear initiation point along the frangible tear lines until the triangular tear section of the vacuum bag is torn completely out of the vacuum bag;
- and
- (f) an inner bridle connecting the outer bridle to the deployment bag, such that the pilotchute, the outer bridle and the inner bridle pull the deployment bag out of the vacuum bag after the vacuum bag is torn open;
- wherein after the deployment bag is pulled out of the vacuum bag, the suspension lines pull the main parachute out of the deployment bag.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.