WO2010027269A1

WO2010027269A1 - A retraction system for a pilot

Info

Publication number: WO2010027269A1
Application number: PCT/NO2009/000307
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sigve RØSVIK
Original assignee: Roesvik Sigve
Priority date: 2008-09-04
Filing date: 2009-09-03
Publication date: 2010-03-11
Also published as: NO20083831L; NO329001B1

Abstract

A retraction system for a pilot (4) in a pilot seat (6) in an aircraft (2), - wherein the pilot seat (6) is provided with a safety belt (10, 12, 18), including at least one shoulder belt (10), for restraining the pilot (4) in the pilot seat (6); - wherein the at least one shoulder belt (10) is operatively connected to at least one roller belt spool (22) for payout and retraction of the at least one shoulder belt (10); and - wherein the roller belt spool (22) is operatively connected to a rotary motor (24) for rotation of the roller belt spool (22), whereby the at least one shoulder belt (10) is structured in a manner allowing it to be tightened so as to retract the pilot (4) towards the back (20) of the pilot seat (6). The distinctive characteristic of the retraction system is that the rotary motor (24) is connected to a manually- operated activation device (26; 34) for the rotary motor (24).

Description

A RETRACTION SYSTEM FOR A PILOT

Area of the invention

The present invention concerns a retraction system for a pilot placed in a pilot seat.

Background of the invention

Several aircraft crashes have occurred recently, for example with airplanes and helicopters. These crashes have occurred despite the presence of two pilots in the aircraft, and without observing any obvious technical deficiencies, bad weather conditions and/or human errors of judgment as the reason for the crashes. It is assumed that the primary reason for this has been that one of the pilots, due to an unexplained cause, has fainted or died and then has fallen on top of vital aircraft control organs and/or aircraft control instruments, for example the control sticks and/or the control pedals of the aircraft. Despite each pilot being provided with an individual set of control sticks and control pedals, the sets are synchronized mechanically. This implies that the respective control sticks and control pedals will move synchronously during the flight. If one pilot, due to said reasons, falls on top of, weighs down and fully or partially blocks his/her set of flight control equipment, the synchronous set of flight control equipment of the other pilot will also become fully or partially blocked. It may thus become very difficult or impossible for the other pilot to operate his/her flight control equipment. As a consequence of such a situation, the aircraft may also have assumed a tilt position and/or dive position, which worsens the situation further. Thereby, the aircraft may have lost control fully or partially. In such an emergency situation, an immediate need will exist for being able to retract the fainted or dead pilot up into an ordinary sitting position, whereby the flight control equipment of the other pilot may be liberated and operated in an attempt to restore control over the aircraft.

It is also conceivable for a similar situation to arise in an aircraft having only one pilot and one set of flight control equipment. If the pilot faints or dies during flight, the pilot may fall on top of and weigh down vi'tal flight control equipment. It may thus become very difficult or impossible for other flight personnel, for example the cabin crew and/or passengers, to retract the pilot up into an ordinary sitting position in an attempt to restore control over the aircraft. It is also conceivable for such a situation to arise in an aircraft having several pilots and several sets of flight control equipment, but wherein all pilots have become inactive, for example due to sabotage or similar.

Accordingly, there appears to be a need within the aircraft industry for a technical solution capable of remedying the abovementioned problems. Prior art

The proprietor of the present application is not aware of any prior art close to the technical solution disclosed in this application.

There are, however, technical solutions aimed at improving the personnel safety in a vehicle by providing for improved restraining of a person in the vehicle.

As such, US 2004/0036345 relates to a seat restraint system for a person in a vehicle. The system comprises, among other things, a four-point safety belt, including torso belts and shoulder belts of the roller belt type connected to inertia- based roller belt spools. Each such roller belt spool is connected to an electric rotary motor for rolling in and tightening of the associated roller belt. The retraction system also comprises an electronic control unit connected, on one side, to each rotary motor and connected, on the other side, to a crash sensor. Upon experiencing impact -related movements of the vehicle, for example during a collision, the crash sensor sends signals to the control unit which immediately sends activation signals onwards to the electric rotary motors for tightening of the torso belts and the shoulder belts. Out of necessity, this course of events must take place very fast given that this system is to ensure that the seat belts are tightened before the associated, inertia- based roller belt spools lock the seat belts against a person located in the seat. Thereby, the person will move minimally within the seat before the roller belt spools lock the seat belts so as to cause lesser strains and potential injuries to the person in the seat. The pre-tensioning of the seat belts is carried out automatically by means of said crash sensors and control unit. Said purpose of the seat restraint system also implies that no persons in the vehicle are to be able to manually control the pre-tensioning of the seat belts.

Devices and systems for such pre-tensioning of seat belts are common in modern vehicles, however usually in connection with ordinary three-point seat belts. Such a pre-tensioning device is described, among other places, in US 2004/0017073.

Moreover, US 2003/0137180 describes a restraint system for a four-point safety belt in a vehicle. The system, however, is directed towards allowing controlled belt payout or retraction of the seat belts, thereby avoiding or reducing strain injuries to a person restrained in the safety belt.

Yet further, EP 0295838 describes an adjustment device for shoulder belts for a child seat in a vehicle. The shoulder belts are attached to a joint, self-winding roller belt structured to be able to be retracted into a resiliently biased roller belt spool disposed below the seat portion of the child seat. The roller belt spool includes a ratchet and a locking pawl collectively preventing payout of the roller belt. The locking pawl is connected to a manually-operated push button mounted in said seat portion. Upon manual depression of the push button, the locking pawl is released from the ratchet. It is thus possible to pay out the roller belt from the spool and thus adapt the shoulder belts to a child when placing it into the child seat.

None of these known technical solutions satisfy the need within the aircraft industry for a technical solution capable of remedying the abovementioned problem associated with a fainted or dead pilot and the resulting crashes of aircrafts.

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a technical solution preventing one or more fainted or dead pilots from causing a crash of an aircraft.

The object is achieved in accordance with features disclosed in the following description and in the subsequent claims.

General description of how to achieve the object

According to this invention there is provided a retraction system for a pilot in a pilot seat in an aircraft. This aircraft may possibly comprise several pilot seats provided each with such a retraction system. In the subsequent description, however, only one such retraction system will be discussed.

According to the invention, said pilot seat is provided with a safety belt, including at least one shoulder belt, for restraining the pilot in the pilot seat; - wherein the at least one shoulder belt is operatively connected to at least one roller belt spool for payout and retraction of the at least one shoulder belt; and - wherein the roller belt spool is operatively connected to a rotary motor for rotation of the roller belt spool, whereby the at least one shoulder belt is structured in a manner allowing it to be tightened so as to retract the pilot towards the back of the pilot seat.

The distinctive characteristic of the retraction system is that the rotary motor is connected to a manually-operated activation device for the rotary motor.

Normally said safety belt for a pilot seat will include two shoulder belts, i.e. one shoulder belt on each side of the pilot's neck, and also two or more belts for restraining the pilot's hip portion. Thereby, the safety belt will be attached to the pilot seat at minimum four, and readily five, six or more points. It is conceivable, however, to use only one shoulder belt together with a hip belt for restraining the pilot. Then the shoulder belt will extend across the pilot's chest and onwards to a roller belt spool, such as in ordinary three-point seat belts for vehicles. In the present retraction system, it is the shoulder belt or shoulder belts that is/are to be used to retract a fainted or dead pilot up into an ordinary sitting position in the pilot seat.

Further, the present manualIy-operated activation device may be, for example, in the form of a push button, lever, handle or similar which, when activated, ensures that a signal is sent to the rotary motor. Advantageously, this activation device may be protected against unintended touch and activation, for example by means of a cover or similar protection device.

If required or desirable, the activation device may also be structured in a manner allowing it to adjust, for example, the rotary speed of the roller belt spool and hence the rewinding speed of the at least one shoulder belt. In addition, the activation device may be connected to one or several control units and/or equipment providing, for example, controlled rewinding speed, controlled stop and similar of the roller belt spool. Such control units and/or equipment may be based upon electronic and/or mechanical components, systems, etc.

As far as the rotary motor of the present retraction system is concerned, it may be comprised of an electric rotary motor. The motive power for the rotary motor may, for example, be taken directly from the electricity supply of the aircraft, or from a battery.

Yet further, the present retraction system may include two shoulder belts operatively connected to a roller belt spool via a joint roller belt. This is a common seat belt construction in aircrafts, wherein the joint roller belt is carried into or via the back of the pilot seat and onwards to an inertia-based, self-winding spool for the roller belt.

Alternatively, the retraction system may include two shoulder belts operatively connected each to an individual roller belt spool, whereby each shoulder belt constitutes a roller belt.

As far as the placement of the manually-operated activation device is concerned, it may be disposed at a distance from the pilot seat. Thereby, the rotary motor and the roller belt spool may be activated by other personnel in the aircraft, for example by the cabin crew and/or passengers. If the pilot faints or dies so as to fall on top of vital flight control organs and/or flight control instruments, other personnel may release the activation device and ensure that the pilot is retracted into the pilot seat in order to gain access to said flight control organs and/or flight control instruments. By so doing, it is possible to restore control over the aircraft before potentially assuming a tilt position and/or dive position, thereby avoiding a potential aircraft crash.

In one embodiment, the manualIy-operated activation device may be disposed within operative reach of another pilot in another pilot seat in the aircraft. This is particularly favourable because the other pilot most likely will be the first one to discover that the first-mentioned pilot has fainted or died, whereby the other pilot may quickly release the activation device for retraction of the first-mentioned, inactive pilot. Thus, the activation device may be disposed on a control stick, on an instrument pedestal between the pilot seats, on the instrument panel in front of the pilots, in the ceiling of the aircraft's cockpit, etc. Moreover, the manually-operated activation device may be disposed at any suitable place in the aircraft, not necessarily in the aircraft's cockpit.

Furthermore , the rotary motor may be connected to the manually-operated activation device via a cabled connection.

Alternatively, the rotary motor may be connected to said activation device via a wireless connection, for example a radio connection at a suitable frequency.

It is also conceivable for the manualIy-operated activation device to be disposed separately from the aircraft, and for the rotary motor to be connected to the manually-operated activation device via a radio connection. By so doing, the activation device may be released wirelessly by personnel located at a completely different place than inside the aircraft, for example by a flight controller or other ground personnel at an airport. Such an act may, for example, be initiated upon receiving emergency signals indicating that the aircraft ha lost control due to a pilot having fainted or died and, as such, having fallen on top of vital flight , control equipment .

Said rotary motor may also be connected to a manually- operated deactivation device for the rotary motor, whereby the tightening of the at least one shoulder strap may be slackened.

In one embodiment, such a deactivation device may be disposed within operative reach of the pilot in the pilot seat connected to the present retraction system. Thereby, the pilot himself/herself may release and slacken the at least one shoulder belt in response to, for example, unintended activation and tightening of the shoulder belt. As an addition or alternative, such a deactivation device may^¬ be disposed within operative reach of another pilot in another pilot seat in the aircraft. Thereby, the second pilot may, at a convenient moment, release and slacken the shoulder belts for a retracted and fainted/dead first pilot in a first pilot seat.

Said distinctive features of the present retraction system distinguish this system from the seat restraint system described in the above-mentioned US 2004/0036345. In the latter seat restraint system, the pre-tensioning of the seat belts of a vehicle is carried out automatically by means of a crash sensor and a control unit, and no persons in the vehicle are to be able to control the pre-tensioning manually. Moreover, the seat restraint system is directed towards maintaining the personnel safety during impact - related movements of a vehicle, for example during a collision. On the other hand, the present retraction system is directed towards avoiding that a collision (crash) arises during flight of an aircraft.

Nor is it considered to be obvious to use the child seat push button according to the above-mentioned EP 0295838 as a manually-operated activation device for the present rotary motor. The push button according to EP 0295838 is structured for release of a locking pawl in an associated ratchet, making it possible to pay out and adapt a roller belt when placing a child into the child seat. In this respect, the push button according to EP 0295838 is an activation device for allowing slackening of a roller belt, whereas the manual activation device of the present retraction system, on the other hand, is to activate the tightening of a roller belt.

Hereinafter, a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of a retraction system according to the invention will be shown. Short description of the figures of the exemplary embodiment

Figure 1 shows a helicopter during flight with a pilot in a pilot seat, wherein the pilot seat is connected to a retraction system according to the invention;

Figures 2-4 show three different perspective drawings of said pilot seat, wherein figures 2 and 4 show details of the retraction system via partial sections through the pilot seat ;

Figure 5 shows a perspective drawing of the helicopter's cockpit provided with two pilot seats, wherein each pilot seat is connected to a retraction system of the present type; and

Figure 6 shows another perspective drawing of one of said two pilot seats and also the helicopter's instrument panel and an instrument pedestal between the pilot seats.

The figures are somewhat simplified and shows only essential elements of the helicopter and the present retractions system. The shape, relative dimensions and mutual positions of the elements may also be somewhat distorted. In the following, identical, similar or corresponding details in the figures will be denoted substantially with the same reference numerals .

Description of the exemplary embodiment

Figure 1 shows a helicopter 2 during flight with a pilot 4 restrained in a pilot seat 6, wherein the pilot seat is connected to a retraction system according to the invention.

The pilot seat 6 is provided with a safety belt 8, which in this exemplary embodiment includes two shoulder belts 10 and three belts 12 for the hip portion 14 of the pilot 4. The belts 10, 12 are shown releasably interconnected vie a joint seat belt buckle 16 of a known type. At the upper end thereof, the shoulder belts 10 are attached to a joint roller belt 18 carried through the back 20 of the pilot seat 6. At the opposite end thereof, the roller belt 18 is wound onto a roller belt spool 22 of ordinary seat belt construction for aircrafts. By means of this self-winding spool 22, the roller belt 18 may be paid out or retracted, as desirable, and also be locked by means of the inertia-based locking mechanism of the spool. This is according to a common mode of operation for such seat belts.

Further, the roller belt spool 22 is connected to an electric rotary motor 24 for rotation of the spool 22. The rotary motor 22 receives motive power from the electricity supply of the helicopter 2, or from an independent battery (not shown) . Upon activating the rotary motor 24, the roller belt 18 and the shoulder belts 10 may be tightened and thus retract the pilot 4 towards the back 20 of the pilot seat 6.

Via a cable (not shown) , the rotary motor 24 is connected to a manually-operated push button 26 for activation of the rotary motor 24. Preferably, the push button 26 is provided with a protective cover (not shown) in order to avoid unintended release and activation thereof. In this exemplary embodiment, the push button 26 is disposed within operative reach of a second pilot (not shown) in a second pilot seat 28 in the helicopter 2. In figure 5, the push button 26 is shown disposed on an instrument pedestal 30 between the two pilot seats 6, 28, but the push button 26 may just as well have been disposed on, for example, an instrument panel 32 in front of the pilot seats 6, 28, or in the ceiling of the helicopter 2. In this exemplary embodiment, the helicopter 2 is also provided with a corresponding retraction system (not shown) for the pilot in the second pilot seat 28. For this reason, a corresponding push button 34, preferably having a protective cover (not shown) , is disposed within operative reach of the pilot 4 in the first pilot seat 6. This is shown in figures 5 and 6. Thereby, the pilot 4 in the pilot seat 6 may push the push button 34 and thus ensure that a fainted or dead pilot in the second pilot seat 28 is ( retracted as fast as possible into his/her pilot seat 28.

If required or desirable, said electric rotary motor 24 in each of these two retractions systems may be connected to a manualIy-operated deactivation device for the rotary motor 24, for example a deactivation lever disposed on said instrument panel 32. Upon releasing the deactivation device, the tightening of said shoulder belts 10 may be slackened after having retracted the fainted or dead pilot into his/her pilot seat. It appears to be of advantage to dispose such a deactivation device within operative reach of the pilot located in the opposite pilot seat in the helicopter 2.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. A retraction system for a pilot (4) in a pilot seat (6) in an aircraft (2) ,

- wherein the pilot seat (6) is provided with a safety belt (10, 12, 18), including at least one shoulder belt (10), for restraining the pilot (4) in the pilot seat (6) ;

- wherein the at least one shoulder belt (10) is operatively connected to at least one roller belt spool (22) for payout and retraction of the at least one shoulder belt (10) ; and

- wherein the roller belt spool (22) is operatively connected to a rotary motor (24) for rotation of the roller belt spool (22), whereby the at least one shoulder belt (10) is structured in a manner allowing it to be tightened so as to retract the pilot (4) towards the back (20) of the pilot seat (6) , c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the rotary motor (24) is connected to a manually-operated activation device (26; 34) for the rotary motor (24) .

2. The retraction system according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the rotary motor (24) is comprised of an electric rotary motor.

3. The retraction system according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the system includes two shoulder belts (10) operatively connected to a roller belt spool (22) via a joint roller belt (18) .

4. The retraction system according to claim 1 or 2 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the system includes two shoulder belts (10) operatively connected each to an individual roller belt spool (22) , whereby each shoulder belt (10) constitutes a roller belt (18) .

5. The retraction system according to any one of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the manualIy-operated activation device (26) is disposed at a distance from the pilot seat (6) , whereby the rotary motor (24) and the roller belt spool (22) may be activated by other personnel in the aircraft (2) .

6. The retraction system according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the manualIy-operated activation device (34) is disposed within operative reach of another pilot in another pilot seat (28) in the aircraft (2) .

7. The retraction system according to any one of claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the rotary motor (24) is connected to the manually-operated activation device (26; 34) via a cabled connection.

8. The retraction system according to any one of claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the rotary motor (24) is connected to the manualIy-operated activation device (26; 34) via a wireless connection.

9. The retraction system according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the wireless connection is a radio connection.

10. The retraction system according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the manualIy-operated activation device (26; 34) is disposed separately from the aircraft (2) ; and - wherein the rotary motor (24) is connected to the manually-operated activation device (26; 34) via a radio connection.

11. The retraction system according to any one of claims 1- 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the rotary motor (24) is also connected to a manually-operated deactivation device for the rotary motor (24) , whereby the tightening of the at least one shoulder strap (10) may be slackened.

12. The retraction system according to claim 11, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the deactivation device is disposed within operative reach of the pilot (4) .

13. The retraction system according to claim 11 or 12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the deactivation device is disposed within operative reach of another pilot in another pilot seat (28) in the aircraft (2) .