GB2370022A

GB2370022A - Parachute

Info

Publication number: GB2370022A
Application number: GB0030396A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Stuart Parker; David Richard Jordan Hirst
Original assignee: WARDLE STOREYS Ltd
Current assignee: WARDLE STOREYS Ltd
Priority date: 2000-12-13
Filing date: 2000-12-13
Publication date: 2002-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-13
Also published as: US20040065782A1; GB2370022B; ES2239653T3; US6769650B2; DE60111168T2; DE60111168D1; EP1215116B8; EP1215116B1; GB0030396D0; US20020092952A1; EP1215116A2; EP1215116A3

Abstract

A parachute has a canopy 10, and rigging lines 11, with skirt assist lines 15, connected between a point 16, on each rigging line adjacent a lower edge 12, of the canopy and a point 17, on the interior of the canopy spaced from the lower edge. The arrangement is such that a portion of the canopy between the point 17, and the lower edge 12, is relieved of tension as the canopy is deployed to assist the opening of the canopy. The skirt assist lines are frangible (eg. at a weak point, or by a device that severs the line) in accordance with a predetermined load. This prevents assisted deployment of the canopy, to lower g-forces on the load in high speed opening.

Description

PARACHUTES

The invention relates to parachutes.

5 The term "parachutes" is intended to cover any type of parachute provided with a canopy with rigging lines connecting the canopy to a load. When such a parachute is deployed, air enters the canopy of the parachute and inflates the canopy. When the canopy is deployed at low speeds and at low levels, the inflation may not be sufficiently rapid to ensure satisfactory opening. In order to improve the opening, it 10 is known to provide a plurality of skirt assist lines. Each skirt assist line extends between a respective rigging line and a respective point on the interior of the canopy such that a portion of the canopy between the point and the lower edge of the canopy is relieved of tension as the canopy is deployed. As a result, this portion of the canopy spreads very rapidly and assists in rapid opening of the remainder of the canopy.

It is a problem with such skirt assist lines that, at higher speeds, the rapid deployment of the portion of the canopy between the connection points of the skirt assist lines and the lower edge of the canopy can induce g-forces on a load which are undesirable.

The load may be a parachutist or cargo. This is particularly true where the load is a 20 person and can occur, for example, where the parachute forms part of an ejection seat which may be deployed at high or low levels and at high or low speeds.

According to the invention, there is provided a parachute comprising a canopy having a lower edge, rigging lines connecting the canopy to a load, and a plurality of skirt assist lines, each skirt assist line extending between a respective rigging line and a respective point on the interior of the canopy such that a portion of the canopy 5 between the point and the lower edge is relieved of tension as the canopy is deployed to assist the opening of the canopy, the skirt assist lines being frangible.

By making the skirt assist lines frangible, the skirt assist lines can be rendered inoperative in circumstances where their operation would cause undesirable g-forces.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by

way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a parachute showing a canopy of the parachute in a 15 first stage of deployment and rigging lines for connection to a load with skirt assist lines extending between the rigging lines and the canopy, Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 but showing the skirt assist lines broken.

20 Referring first to Figure 1, the parachute comprises a canopy indicated diagrammatically at 10 by rigging lines, some of which are shown at 1 1, attached to a parachutist or cargo shown schematically at 18. The canopy 10 has a lower edge

12 and an apex 13 and may be of any suitable construction. In general, the canopy will be formed by gores (not shown) interconnected by seams.

The canopy 10 may be of any known shape and be for any intended purpose. For 5 example, the canopy may be generally conical and may be deployed by static line or used in free fall. The canopy may be provided as part of an aircraft ejection seat.

The parachute is provided with skirt assist lines 15. Each skirt assist line 15 is connected between a rigging line 1 1 and the canopy 10. The connection is between 10 a point 160n the riggingline 11 adjacent thelower edge 120fthe canopy and a point 17 on the interior ofthe canopy 10 spaced from the lower edge 12. The length of each skirt assist line 15 is less than the distance between the points 16,17 along the associated rigging line 11 and along the canopy 10. In general, the connection point 17 on the canopy will be along a main seam between two adjacent gores of the canopy 10. There may be a skirt assist line 15 between every rigging line 1 1 and the canopy 10 or only between some rigging lines 1 1 and the canopy.

In use, the canopy 10 and the rigging lines 11 are packed in a deployment bag or container (not shown) from which the canopy 10 is deployed. As indicated above, this 20 deployment may be manual or automatic. On deployment, the canopy 10 streams from the deployment bag or container and adopts the uninflated disposition shown in Figure 1. The effect of the skirt assist lines 15 is to relieve from tension the portion

of the canopy l O between the lower edge 12 and the points 17 of connection of the skirt assist lines 15 on the canopy 10. This allows this portion of the canopy lO to move outwardly rapidly in the air flow to promote fast inflation of the canopy. This is particularly advantageous when deployment is at low level and/or low speed.

s The skirt assist lines 15 are frangible. The purpose of this is to prevent the portion of the canopy 10 between the lower edge 12 and the points 17 of connection of the skirt assist lines 15 on the canopy 10 from moving outwardly on deployment of the canopy lO. This is desirable when the canopy 10 is deployed at high speeds in order to 10 prevent the parachutist or other load 18, being subjected to undesirably high gforces.

Under such circumstances, the higher speed of deployment is sufficient to ensure satisfactory inflation of the canopy 10.

The skirt assist lines 15 may be made frangible and or severable in a number of ways 15 and at any point.

First, each skirt assist line 15 may be provided with a weak point designed to break under a predetermined load equivalent to that experienced by the rigging line 11 when the canopy 10 opens at high speed. Accordingly, on such high speed opening of the 20 canopy 10, the skirt assist lines 15 break at the weak points to prevent rapid outward opening of the portion of the canopy 10 between the lower edge 12 and the points 17

of connection ofthe skirt assist lines 15 on the canopy 10. The g-forces on the load are thus reduced.

As an alternative to weak points, each skirt assist line 15 may be provided with a 5 device that severs the skirt assist line 15 when high speed opening loads are sensed.

This achieves the same effect as the weak points.

Additionally or alternatively, the skirt assist lines 15 may be able to be broken prior to deployment of the canopy lO. For example, the skirt assist lines 15 may be 10 severable at any time before deployment.

Claims

CT AIMS

A parachute comprising a canopy having a lower edge, rigging lines connecting the canopy to a load and a plurality of skirt assist lines, each skirt assist 5 line extending between a respective rigging line and a respective point on the interior of the canopy such that a portion of the canopy between the point and the lower edge is relieved of tension as the canopy is deployed to assist the opening of the canopy, the skirt assist lines being frangible.

10
2. A parachute according to claim 1 wherein the skirt assist lines are frangible prior to deployment of the canopy.
3. A parachute according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the skirt assist lines are frangible during deployment of the canopy if the load in the skirt assist lines 15 exceed a predetermined maximum.
4. A parachute according to claim 3 wherein each skirt assist line includes a weak point designed to break the associated skirt assist line if the load in the skirt assist line exceeds a predetermined maximum.
5. A parachute according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein each skirt assist line is severable.
6. A parachute according to claim 5 wherein means are associated with each skirt assist line for severing the skirt assist line.
7. A parachute substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the 5 accompanying drawings.