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US 6,805,323 B2Granted
Pneumatic parachute riser control
AssigneeAtair Aerospace, Inc.
InventorDaniel Preston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic controlled parachute includes a parachute canopy, a flight controller and risers connecting the canopy to the flight controller. Pneumatic actuators are connected along the risers. The flight controller operates the pneumatic actuators to control the length of the risers. The direction of flight of the parachute is controlled by the length of the risers.
Claims9
An automatic parachute control system comprising:
- a parachute, a plurality of suspension lines connected to the parachute, and a plurality of risers, each riser being connected to a set of the plurality of suspension lines;
- a flight controller;
- and
- at least one actuator controlled by the flight controller, wherein the actuator includes at least one end attached to at least one riser such that actuation of the actuator changes an effective length of the riser.
1 more element
A method for automatically controlling a parachute comprising:
- providing a parachute, a plurality of suspension lines connected to the parachute, and a plurality of risers, each riser being connected to a set of the plurality of suspension lines;
- providing a flight controller;
- and
- providing at least one actuator having at least one end attached to at least one riser of a parachute, wherein the at least one riser is connected to a set of a plurality of suspension lines of the parachute, wherein the at least one actuator being controlled by the flight controller;
- determining a position of the parachute relative to a target position by the flight controller;
- steering the parachute toward the target position by actuating the actuator in at least at one direction, wherein actuating changes an effective length of the at least one riser resulting in the parachute changing directions.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.