Drogue parachute drag force actuated programmable controller to generate an event trigger signal
AssigneeBRS, Inc.
InventorFrank Hoffmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A parachute control system is actuated primarily by drogue parachute drag force. Drag force is used as a proxy for vehicle airspeed. The control system uses altitude and force sensors combined with a chronograph to determine the state of a deployed drogue parachute. It then compares the sensed condition with a condition defined by preset altitude, force, and time values. Once both altitude and drogue parachute drag force are below certain maximum values and within pre-determined time windows, an event trigger signal is generated.
Claims18
A parachute control system comprising:
- a force sensor for sensing drogue parachute drag force;
- and
- an event trigger signal generator for producing an event trigger signal after a first preset time has elapsed and after sensed drogue parachute drag force has remained below a preset maximum drag force for a second preset time interval.
A method of triggering further events following drogue parachute deployment, the method comprising:
- preventing event triggering prior to completion of a first time interval following drogue deployment sufficient to allow for full inflation of the drogue parachute;
- sensing altitude;
- preventing generation of an event trigger signal until sensed altitude is below a preset maximum altitude;
- sensing drogue parachute drag force;
- activating the event trigger signal when sensed drogue parachute drag force has remained below a preset maximum drag force for a second preset time interval.
A parachute system, comprising:
- a drogue parachute;
- a drogue parachute deployment mechanism;
- a main parachute;
- a main parachute deployment mechanism;
- a sensor measuring drogue parachute drag force;
- and
- a controller that deploys the main parachute after a first preset time interval has elapsed and sensed drogue parachute drag force has remained below a preset maximum drag force for a second preset time interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.