AU2607399A

AU2607399A - Method for deploying an emergency parachute and parachute system comprising a parachute deployed according to said method

Info

Publication number: AU2607399A
Application number: AU26073/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Alexander Frick
Original assignee: FRICK AEROTECH AG
Current assignee: FRICK AEROTECH AG
Priority date: 1998-03-27
Filing date: 1999-03-09
Publication date: 1999-10-18
Also published as: NO20004824D0; PL343201A1; WO1999050142A1; HUP0100990A2; HUP0100990A3; EP1066196A1; SK13892000A3; NO20004824L; EP0945342A1; KR20010042039A; JP2002509842A; BG104796A; CA2324362A1; CN1293636A; BR9909154A; IL138551A0

Description

Method for deploying an emergency parachute and parachute system comprising a parachute deployed according to said method. The present invention relates to a method of operating and deploying a parachute provided possibly with a spreading mechanism, in which a closed parachute connected through a connecting rope to a object possibly to be brought to a braked landing is shot away from the object and the spreading of the parachute is initiated, and a parachute operated in accordance with the invention. Emergency parachutes are employed at flying apparatuses since a long time, may such be for the rescue of the pilot or of the flying apparatus itself The correctly dimensioned parachutes fulfil the set task when functioning properly, on the condition that the object to be rescued is located at a sufficient distance above the ground. The reason thereto is that every parachute needs a certain time in order to deploy and thus to exhibit the desired effect. The deployment of a parachute can be accelerated by in some cases quite complicated spreading mechanisms. It, however, has been proven that those measures are not yet sufficient enough for a causing of a fast deployment, such that the action is still impossible or at least questionable if close to the ground. Object of the present invention has bee to provide a method which allows a extraordinary fast operation and deployment of the parachute. This object has been met by a method of the above defined kind in accordance with the invention by the features of the claims 1 and 5. Specific embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

-2 The invention is based on the recognition that a fast deployment of the parachute occurs if it is "pulled back" by a jerk-like movement or force, respectively. At present rescue systems the parachutes are shot away. In order to realise the idea of the invention it thus was necessary to act onto the parachute opposite to the shooting away direction and this whenever possible before the connecting rope is "pulled out" completely. Below, the invention is explained somewhat more in detail with reference to embodiments of realisation illustrated purely schematically. There is shown in: Fig. 1 a first embodiment of a parachute system with a firm connecting rope, Fig. 2 a illustration similar to Fig. I with a rubber-elastic connecting rope and Fig. 3 a further embodiment, with a auxiliary rope. The object of all parachute systems illustrated schematically in the drawing is to shoot (for instance by means of a propellant charge, rocket) the closed or packed, respectively parachute 1 away from the object 2, e.g. a flying apparatus, ejection seat, etc. which is to be brought to a braked landing. The parachute 1 is connected through a connecting line 3 to the object 2. The task, such as has already been mentioned above, is to pull the parachute I which has been shot away at the latest at the end of the connecting rope, in a jerk-like manner back again in the direction of the object 2 such that the parachute 1 deploys speedily.

-3 The shooting away and the jerk-like pulling back and thus deploying of the parachute proceeds quite fast (in the range of seconds) such that the parachute is also suitable for a use close to the ground. At the embodiment according to Fig. 1 the connecting rope 3 is connected at the side of the object 2 to a motor driven reeling device 4, which after a complete spending of the rope 3 draws same immediately automatically back (reeling back e.g. by a spring motor which is triggered by a jerk at the end of the rope). By the jerk-like pulling back the parachute is deployed immediately (tenths of seconds). At the embodiment according to Fig. 2 the connecting rope 3 consists of a rubber elastic material. The rope is tensioned and at the end of the path of the stretch it will enlist the stored energy for a pulling back of the parachute 1. The rope 3 which is slack after the pulling back is partly reeled preferably by a reeling mechanism 4', so that the action of the parachute 1 can begin immediately. Finally, at the embodiment according to Fig. 3 a auxiliary rope 3' is foreseen besides the connecting rope 3. It is connected e.g. at the points A and B to the parachute 1 and guided at the object 2 via a guide roller 4". Towards the end of the shooting away path the auxiliary line 3' is dragged along at the point A in the direction away from the object and will accordingly, acting onto point B, pull the parachute 1 jerk-like back and cause its speedy opening. Whether the connection between parachute 1 and object 2 is initially by the rope 3 or the auxiliary rope 3' is unimportant.

Claims

1. Method of operating and deploying a parachute provided possibly with a spreading mechanism, in which a closed parachute connected through a connecting rope to a object possibly to be brought to a braked landing is shot away from the object and the spreading of the parachute is initiated, characterised in that the parachute which has been shot away but has not yet deployed completely is pulled in a as much as possible jerk-like manner at the latest when reaching the maximally attainable distance from the object due to the connecting rope back again by an outer influence of force over a predetermined distance in the direction of the object in order to thereby accelerate the deployment of the parachute.

2. Method of claim 1, characterised in that the elasticity of a rubber elastic connecting rope is made use of for the pulling back of the parachute which has been shot away.

3. Method of claim 1, characterised in that the parachute which has been shot away is opened by a motor driven pulling back of the connecting rope, e.g. by means of a spring operated motor.

4. Method of claim 1, characterised in that for the pulling back of the parachute which has been shot away the of the shooting away energy is utilised in the last portion of the shooting away path in that a auxiliary rope which is lead back over a guide pulley onto the object to be brought to land pulls the parachute back.

5. Emergency parachute system with parachute and connecting rope, with a parachute to be opened in accordance with the method according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that means are foreseen in order to shoot -5 the parachute away from the object to be brought to a braked landing, and in that a device is foreseen in order to pull the parachute back from the object at the latest upon the reaching of the maximal distance in a jerk-like manner and thus to accelerate the deployment of the parachute.

6. Parachute system of claim 5, characterised in that the pulling back device is formed by a elastic, specifically rubber elastic connecting rope, whereby preferably means are foreseen in order to reel the rope partly after the opening of the parachute.

7. Parachute system of claim 5, characterised in that the pulling back device includes a motor driven reeling device for the connecting rope.

8. Parachute system of claim 5, characterised in that a auxiliary rope is foreseen besides the connecting line, which pulls the parachute back by utilisation of the residual shooting away energy.