Enhanced cruciform parachute
OwnerRoy L. Fox, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modified cruciform parachute is configured to provide improved aerodynamic efficiency and/or reduced construction expense. In an exemplary parachute, a shoulder panel is disposed between a center panel and a side panel to at least partially equalize load path lengths in the cruciform parachute. Components of the parachute may be two-dimensional in construction in order to reduce construction expense. Components of the parachute may also be modular and/or interchangeable. The cruciform parachute may be steerable and/or may be configured to glide via inclusion of venting means on the parachute canopy.
Claims9
A modified cruciform parachute, comprising:
- a square center panel;
- a square side panel, the side panel having similar dimensions to the center panel;
- and
- a shoulder panel coupled to the side panel and to the center panel,
- wherein the shoulder panel is configured in the shape of an isosceles triangle,
- wherein the shoulder panel is coupled to the center panel along a first side of the shoulder panel,
- wherein the shoulder panel is coupled to the side panel along a second side of the shoulder panel, and
- wherein the third side of the shoulder panel is configured with a length of (√2−1) times the length of the first side and the second side.
A modified cruciform parachute, comprising:
- a center panel having a center panel side length along a first side of the center panel;
- a side panel having a side panel side length along a first side of the side panel, the side panel side length equal to the center panel side length;
- and
- a shoulder panel configured in the shape of an isosceles triangle,
- wherein the shoulder panel is coupled to the first side of the side panel along a first side of the shoulder panel,
- wherein the shoulder panel is coupled to the first side of the center panel along a second side of the shoulder panel, and
- wherein the third side of the shoulder panel is configured with a length of (√2−1) times the length of the first side and the second side of the shoulder panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.