DE102014005878A1 - Device for finding a black box - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for finding a black box of a damaged aircraft and the aircraft itself, wherein a floatable body, which is guided in the aircraft and ejected in case of emergency from the aircraft, is used and which has signal means for displaying the position. The inflatable body remains connected by a developable rope with the damaged aircraft, wherein the rope is arranged either in the aircraft or in the floatable body.

Description

The invention relates to a device that is intended to facilitate finding a black box together with the damaged aircraft in the water and in particular in seas.

The on-board aircraft and aircraft parameter recording devices consist of flight data recorders and voice recorders. Their evaluation should facilitate the cause determination after a flight accident.

The black boxes are today designed to withstand high temperatures, high impact speeds and high water pressures.

For underwater detection, the devices switch to the signal transmitter mode and send periodic signals at a specified frequency.

The signal search is carried out with ultrasonic receivers in a tow probe, which is moved about 2 km above the seabed.

This search is cumbersome and, above all, less promising if there are only inaccurate or no data available about the crash site.

From the DE 196 09 501 A1 It is known to use the flight recorder in a recording of the aircraft, which is provided with a catapulting device to separate the recording of the aircraft can. Furthermore, the recording should have an inflatable balloon and so float.

The buoyant black box after DE 198 48 801 C2 should also be equipped with an automatic current location determination device and transmit this data by radio.

In the DE 198 52 022 A1 a release mechanism for the flight recorder from the aircraft is described.

In the DE 10 2009 034 527 A1 Pressure sensors are used to trigger the Aufschwimmmechanismus the black box.

A major disadvantage of these solutions is that they drift very quickly from the accident site due to the sea movement and wind. The actual location of the accident can thus only be sought after the evaluation of the data.

The object of the invention is to leave the flight recorder at the accident site.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The device according to the invention for locating the black box of a damaged aircraft and the aircraft itself, wherein a floatable body, which is carried in the aircraft and ejected from the aircraft in case of emergency, is used and which has signal means for position display, provides that the floatable Body remains connected by a developable rope with the damaged aircraft, wherein the rope is arranged either in the plane or in the floatable body.

This ensures that both the flight recorder and the aircraft can be found in a short time.

The black box in the sense used here is preferably the flight data recorder and the voice recorder. Assuming a rope length of approx. 6,000 m, most of the water depths are covered. Such a rope can be wound on a cable drum of 400 mm × 500 mm.

The device is effective even at a fast rate of descent of the damaged aircraft. The floatable body then appears only with a time delay on the water surface.

In order to prevent too large a lateral distance between the position of the aircraft and the floated body, an advantageous embodiment provides that the unwinding of the cable is stopped at the latest when the water surface is reached, but at least is strongly braked.

In a preferred embodiment, the flight recorder is arranged in the inflatable body. This has the advantages that the flight recorder is quickly available for an evaluation and in case of a rope break does not have to be searched under water.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the aufschwimmbare body has a dischargeable from this, by a gas lighter than air inflatable balloon as signaling means which is connected via a further cable with the aufschwimmbaren body.

The buoyant body is so faster to find. Furthermore, this balloon rope can also compensate for depth differences, so that even if the floatable body for some reason does not reach the water surface its location should be indicated by the balloon with high probability.

The floatable body preferably has a buoy shape.

The unwindable rope is arranged in an advantageous embodiment in a separate space of the floatable body, which has at least one opening leading to the outside, through which at least one opening, the cable is guided.

This separate space is preferably located in a portion of the inflatable body that remains farther below the water surface in the popped position. By the then flowing into this room water, the floatable body retains a relatively stable position in the emerged position. This is especially true when the buoyant body has a buoy shape.

In turn, the position stabilization makes it possible to occupy the region positioned above the water surface with photovoltaic cells which charge a battery, which is arranged in the floatable body, for electrically operated signal means.

The electrically operated signal means include, in particular, a luminaire which switches on and off periodically and can be switched on or off in dependence on the brightness. Of course it is also possible to supply radio equipment in this way.

The invention will be explained with reference to the drawing. 1 shows an example of a floatable body 1 in buoy shape. This has the inside of the shell above the separate room 10 float 2 on that the body 1 float after ejecting from a damaged aircraft.

In the floatable body 1 is in the separate room 10 the rope 3 arranged on a drum, which is unwound when floating, so that between the damaged aircraft and the body 1 the rope contact remains. The rope 3 is over one of the openings 11 led to the outside.

Through the openings 11 gets water into the room 10 so the body 1 at the water surface 12 a relatively stable position occupies.

Above the separate room 10 are in the body 1 further the black box 3 , a battery 8th and a balloon easier to inflate with a gas than air 5 and a rope drum with rope 4 to hold the balloon 5 arranged.

At the latest when reaching the water surface 12 becomes the balloon 5 expelled and with gas from a cartridge 13 filled so that it rises and visible from afar the position of the body 1 marked. The balloon 5 is preferably also marked in color.

Another signal means is a lamp 6 is provided, which periodically on and goes out and depending on the brightness on or off.

The power supply of the lamp and other possible signal means is carried out by the battery 8th passing through photovoltaic cells 7 is rechargeable. The photovoltaic cells 7 are on the body 1 in the area which is located above the water surface, arranged outside.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Floating body

2

float

3

Rope with drum

4

Rope with drum

5

balloon

6

lamp

7

Photovolltaikzellen

8th

battery

9

black box

10

separate room

11

Openings for rope and water

12

water surface

13

cartridge

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 19609501 A1 [0007]
• DE 19848801 C2 [0008]
• DE 19852022 A1 [0009]
• DE 102009034527 A1 [0010]

Claims (7)

An apparatus for locating a flight recorder of a breakdown of the aircraft and the aircraft itself, wherein a aufschwimmbarer body, which is guided on the plane with and ejected from the aircraft in Havarierfall, is used and has a signal means for position indication, characterized in that the aufschwimmbare body ( 1 ) by a developable rope ( 3 ) remains connected to the damaged aircraft, the rope ( 3 ) either in the airplane or in the floatable body ( 1 ) is arranged. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the black box ( 9 ) in the floatable body ( 1 ) is arranged. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rope ( 3 ) is detectable by a brake and / or the unwinding of the rope ( 3 ) is brakable by a drum. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the floatable body ( 1 ) via a balloon which can be expelled from it and is inflated by a gas more easily than air ( 5 ) as signaling means, which is connected via another cable ( 4 ) with the floatable body ( 1 ) connected is. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the unwindable rope ( 3 ) in a separate room ( 10 ) of the floatable body ( 1 ) is arranged, the at least one outwardly opening ( 11 ), through which at least one opening ( 11 ) the rope ( 3 ) is guided. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the floatable body ( 1 ) in a region which is positioned above the water surface, with photovoltaic cells ( 7 ), one in the floatable body ( 1 ) arranged battery ( 8th ) for electrically operated signaling devices. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the floatable body as signaling means with a lamp ( 6 ) is periodically switched on and off and depending on the brightness on or off.

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