Distributed parachute system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10293948-B2
Application number	US-201615338090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2016
Priority date	Oct 28, 2016
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A distributed parachute system is disclosed. In various embodiments, a parachute is at least partially deployed along one or more dimensions. A deployment mechanism configured to deploy the parachute is provided. The distributed parachute system is configured to be deployed in an aircraft that comprises a channel oriented along the one or more dimensions

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A distributed parachute system, comprising: a parachute at least partially deployed along one or more dimensions, and a deployment mechanism configured to deploy the parachute, wherein the distributed parachute system is configured to be deployed in an aircraft that comprises a channel oriented along the one or more dimensions, wherein a tether around a perimeter of a wing of the aircraft in between a top section and a bottom section of the wing is attached to a projectile configured to remove the top section of the wing.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the channel is recessed.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parachute is fully unpacked in one dimension.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parachute is fully unpacked in one dimension and is folded in a perpendicular dimension.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parachute is stored in an oblong shape.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parachute is stored in an irregular shape based on the aircraft.

7. The system of claim 1 , comprising one or more additional parachutes stored in the channel or stored in one or more additional channels.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the aircraft positioned over the parachute is removed during parachute deployment.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the aircraft comprises a hinge, a panel, an adhesive, or a structurally weak material.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the aircraft is tethered to a remaining portion of the aircraft or the parachute.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein a separating mechanism is used to remove a portion of the aircraft during parachute deployment.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the separating mechanism comprises a projectile, an explosive, a reactive gas, a mechanical trigger, or an electrical trigger.

13. The system of 1 , wherein the channel comprises a hollow between a top section and a bottom section of a component of the aircraft.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein an explosive is used to blow off a top section of a component of the aircraft during parachute deployment.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parachute is stored within a wing of the aircraft and the wing is configured to travel away from a fuselage of the aircraft during parachute deployment.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parachute is stored in a boom of the aircraft.

17. The system of claim 1 , comprising multiple parachutes that tethered to the aircraft at a shared location.

18. The system of claim 1 , comprising multiple parachutes that tethered to the aircraft at different locations.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Robertson Cameron
• Vander Lind Damon

Classifications

• B64D17/80 Primary

  in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof · CPC title

• B64D17/62

  Deployment · CPC title