RU2039680C1 - Controllable parachute system for delivery of cargoes - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aeronautical engineering. SUBSTANCE: parachute system has gliding-type parachute, suspension system, cargo platform and container for parachute lines control. Control is effected by means of command unit through creating the control overloads by means of tightening the lines on basis of analysis of information of beacon arranged at cargo landing point. Analysis of information is effected by means of detection unit located on cargo platform and connected with command unit; one output of this unit is connected with control unit and its other output is connected with detection unit by means of feedback coupling. EFFECT: accurate landing of cargoes at any time within 24-hour period and reduction of losses of cargoes; possibility of using the system at any time and under any weather conditions. 3 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to aircraft, in particular to guided parachute systems with platforms for the delivery of various cargoes to hard-to-reach areas of natural disasters, accidents, geological and geological exploration.

 Known managed gliding parachute systems (PS), which have a different solution for controlling the aerodynamic parameters of a parachute, for example, pulling lines, shooting masses, etc.

 Known planning a parachute system for transporting a payload [1] which contains a parachute in the form of a wing, a suspension system cargo-parachute, as well as a control unit for slings of a parachute to change the state of the wing and flight path.

 This design, like other known systems, does not have sufficient efficiency, does not provide accurate cargo landing, which leads to significant cargo losses.

 The proposed controlled parachute system for cargo delivery includes a gliding parachute, a suspension system, a cargo platform and a container for managing parachute slings.

 An additional beacon detection unit with an information processing device and a control command generation unit (command unit) are additionally placed on the cargo platform, the output of the detection unit being connected to the input of the command control unit, one output of which is connected to the control container and the other output is feedback to the detection unit.

 With the increase in the number of emergencies, such as the Chernobyl accident, shipwrecks, earthquakes, the occurrence of local armed conflicts (Yugoslavia, Armenia, Abkhazia), when food, medicine, and rescue equipment are needed in hard-to-reach areas, the task of accurately delivering goods to a strictly defined area or to a site limited by small size, the area in the city, the deck of the ship, etc. sometimes in difficult weather conditions (wind, storm, night time).

 These tasks are solved using the proposed invention, in accordance with which the aerodynamic parameters of the parachute are changed based on the analysis of information about the lighthouse located at the place of cargo landing. The analysis of information and the development of control commands are carried out by the detection unit and the command unit in accordance with a predetermined program of functioning.

 Depending on the presence of a lighthouse of a particular type at the place of landing, an appropriate sensor type is installed on the platform, made in a modular version.

 Beacon sensors based on various physical principles, or operating on thermal contrast, or combined, may be used.

 Beacons can be detected using passive detection means, active (using radiation and signal reception systems) or semi-active means (with beacon illumination).

 The use of a parachute system, which is practically homing to the lighthouse, allows achieving accuracy of cargo landing of 5-150 m depending on application conditions, reducing cargo losses by 20% and also using the system at different times of the day and under different weather conditions.

 In FIG. 1 shows the sequence of operation of a controlled parachute system; in FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system; in FIG. 3 diagram of the detection unit for the infrared range.

 The controlled parachute system (PS) contains a gliding parachute 1, a cargo platform, a sling control container 2, a detection unit 3 and a command unit 4 for generating control commands mounted on the cargo platform.

 The system uses a serial guided parachute in the form of a wing, for example UPG-0.1 or PO-300, and a serial platform for accommodating cargo, which has shock absorbing elements to mitigate the impact upon landing.

 The control container is also used as a serial one and includes a power source and a control unit consisting of a mechanical sling drive with electric motors and power amplifiers.

 The detection unit is different for different wavelength ranges; for the infrared range, it may contain an infrared beacon sensor representing a gyroscopic tracking device with an electronic unit, a pumping mechanism, and an accelerator unit for the rotor of the tracking gyroscope.

 The gyroscopic tracking device continuously combines the optical axis of the objective of the sensor of the beacon that receives infrared radiation, with the direction to the beacon.

 The beacon sensor generates a control signal proportional to the angular velocity of the line of sight, and contains (Fig. 3) a receiving device 5, an electronic unit 6, a logic device 7, a correction unit 8, a scanning device 9, and a bearing device 10.

 The command unit 4 contains standard elements: a phase detector of a bearing, a calculator of the difference of signals of a bearing, a zero counter of a bearing, a correction switch, and a device for generating a control command and can be performed on the basis of a microprocessor.

 The process of controlling and launching the parachute system to the lighthouse can be represented in the form of the following stages: bringing the system to the local vertical area to the point of placement of the lighthouse with 2 passes above the lighthouse, turning the system away from the lighthouse after the first detection. Selection of the optimal parameters for the planning of substations and a heading towards the lighthouse; the approach of the system with the lighthouse along the trajectory with the optimal planning angle to the plane of the earth

 The system operates as follows.

 Depending on the presence of a lighthouse of one type or another at the landing site, a corresponding detection unit is installed on the platform, made in a modular version, for example, operating in the infrared range.

 The pilot takes the plane (helicopter) to the disaster area and carries out preliminary target designation. The release of the parachute system with the cargo platform is carried out through the cargo hatch of the carrier in any known manner, for example using a conveyor.

 After PS stabilization, the beacon search and detection mode begins by scanning the underlying surface in a descending spiral until the beacon is detected and captured. The law of search for a lighthouse is determined from the condition of inspection of the underlying surface without a pass in solid angle, taking into account wind drift.

 When scanning, information about the beacon enters the receiving device 5 of the beacon sensor located on the rotor of the gyroscopic tracking device. In block 6 there is an analysis of the information received and a decision on the presence of a beacon. Then the signal is amplified by power and fed to the logic device 7.

 If a beacon is detected, the signal through block 8 in the form of a correction signal enters the receiver 5 of the beacon sensor and the sensor switches to tracking mode.

 If the beacon is not detected, further scanning of the underlying surface occurs: information from the scanning device 9 through the logical device 7 is fed to block 6, where the information received in the next scanning steps is processed.

To avoid false beacons, the parachute system must pass twice over the lighthouse. At the moment the system passes over the lighthouse for the first time, the bearing counter 10 is triggered, by the signal of which a command for controlling the slings is formed in the command unit 4, which is transmitted to the control container 2, while the control by the angular speed of the line of sight is turned off and the PS turns 360 from the lighthouse ^about .

After completion of the reversal occurs at ^about 360 flight heading PS beacon until the second pass over the target. In the sections of the PS turn, the control is carried out by the angle of the bearing, and in the planning sections by the angular velocity of the line of sight.

 At the moment of fixing by the counter 10 the bearing of the second pass over the lighthouse, both control lines are tightened to accelerate the reduction of the system and achieve the specified bearing angle that is optimal for planning to the lighthouse.

After that, there is a U-turn towards the lighthouse. The moment of a turn is determined by the value of the bearing signal in a connected coordinate system. Upon completion of the heading towards the lighthouse, the homing stage begins. The control is carried out by two components of the correction signal U _ku and U _kz .

 The PS velocity vector is always directed along the line of sight of the lighthouse. Since the planning takes place against the wind, the aerodynamic quality of the PS changes due to the simultaneous tightening and weakening of both lines and thereby changes the direction of the system velocity vector in the plane of the local vertical.

Thus, control in the local vertical plane is performed depending on the phase of the correction signal U _ku by symmetric tightening or attenuation of the control lines, and control in the ground plane is performed according to the phase of the corresponding correction signal U _kz by means of a limited amount of pulling or attenuation of one of the lines from symmetrical position.

 To make a soft landing, both control lines are pulled to the optimum length by the signal of the altimeter located on the platform at a certain height.

 To prevent cargo from entering the bonfire when it is used as a beacon, an offset circuit is provided in command block 4.

 The tests and mathematical modeling confirmed the effectiveness of the system with the achievement of the above results.

Claims (1)

 CONTROLLED PARACHUTE SYSTEM FOR CARGO DELIVERY, comprising a gliding parachute, a suspension system, a cargo platform and a parachute sling control container, characterized in that the system further comprises a beacon detection unit and a block for generating sling control commands, the output of the detection unit being connected to the input of the command unit, one output of which is connected to the control units, and the second output is feedback to the detection unit.

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