System and method for detaching an extraction unit from an extractable unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10604256-B2
Application number	US-201615159016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2016
Priority date	May 20, 2015
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A system and method for detaching an extractable unit from an extraction unit pulling the extractable unit in an extraction direction out of a cargo bay of an aerospace vehicle for aerial delivery. The system includes a detachment unit which is connectable to an extractable unit and which is operable for controllably detaching an extraction unit from the extractable unit, a guiding system and a release unit. The release unit is movably attached to the guiding system and physically connected to the detachment unit such that the release unit is movable with an extractable unit to which the detachment unit has been connected in the extraction direction along the guiding system. The release unit is controllable to operate the detachment unit to which the release unit is connected for detaching an extraction unit from the extractable unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for detaching extraction units from extractable units in aerial delivery, wherein each extractable unit is adapted to be pulled by a respective extraction unit in an extraction direction through and/or out of a cargo bay of an aerospace vehicle for aerial delivery, the system comprising:
a guiding system;
for each extractable unit, a release unit, a release line, and a detachment unit that is connectable to the extractable unit and that is operable for controllably detaching the extraction unit from the extractable unit; and
for each release unit, an actuator which is configured to tighten the release line if the respective extractable unit jams during extraction,
wherein the release unit is movably attached to the guiding system and is physically connected to the detachment unit such that the release unit is movable with the extractable unit in the extraction direction along the guiding system when the extractable unit is pulled by the extraction unit through and/or out of the cargo bay; and
wherein each actuator is selectively controllable to operate the detachment unit.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the release unit is configured to operate the detachment unit when the extractable unit to which the detachment unit has been connected has been pulled out of the cargo bay of the aerospace vehicle by the extraction unit.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the release unit is physically connected by the release line to the detachment unit, and
wherein the detachment unit is configured to only detach the extraction unit from the extractable unit if a load acting through the release line onto the detachment unit exceeds a predetermined value.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the actuator is configured to tighten the release line until the load acting through the release line exceeds the predetermined value for detaching the extraction unit from the extractable unit.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the release line is configured to transfer a load from the detachment unit to the release unit such that when the extractable unit is pulled in the extraction direction by the extraction unit the release unit moves with the extractable unit along the guiding system in the extraction direction.

6. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the release unit is configured to operate the detachment unit when the extractable unit to which the detachment unit has been attached has been pulled out of the cargo bay,
wherein the detachment unit is operated by the release unit in that further movement of the release unit along the extraction direction is prevented by the guiding system such that the load acting onto the detachment unit through the release line exceeds the predetermined value due to a continued movement of the extractable unit.

7. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the detachment unit is formed by a three-ring release system.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding system is configured to be mounted in the cargo bay of the aerospace vehicle such that the extractable unit moving along a floor of the cargo bay in the extraction direction moves between the floor of the cargo bay and the guiding system.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the release unit for each extractable unit is selectively controllable by an operator.

10. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the actuator comprises a motor.

11. A method for detaching an extraction unit from an extractable unit when the extraction unit pulls the extractable unit in an extraction direction through and/or out of a cargo bay of an aerospace vehicle for aerial delivery of a plurality of extractable units,
wherein, for each extractable unit, the extractable unit is connected to the extraction unit by a detachment unit,
wherein, for each extractable unit, a release unit physically connected to the detachment unit by a release line moves along a guiding system in the extraction direction with the extractable unit when the extractable unit is pulled by the extraction unit through and/or out of the cargo bay,
wherein each release unit comprises an actuator that is controllable to tighten the release line if the respective extractable unit jams during extraction.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the release unit operates the detachment unit and detaches the extraction unit from the extractable unit when the extractable unit has been pulled out of the cargo bay of the aerospace vehicle by the extraction unit.

13. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein the detachment unit only detaches the extraction unit from the extractable unit if a load acting through the release line onto the detachment unit exceeds a predetermined value.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein for detaching the extraction unit from the extractable unit, the actuator of the release unit tightens the release line until the load acting through the release line exceeds the predetermined value.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the release line transfers a load from the detachment unit to the release unit such that when the extractable unit is pulled in the extraction direction by the extraction unit, the release unit moves with the extractable unit along the guiding system in the extraction direction.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the release unit is controlled to operate the detachment unit such that the extraction unit is detached from the extractable unit when the extractable unit has been pulled out of the cargo bay of the aerospace vehicle by the extraction unit by preventing further movement of the release unit along the extraction direction by the guiding system such that the load acting onto the detachment unit through the release line exceeds the predetermined value due to the continued movement of the extractable unit.

17. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the detachment unit is formed by a three-ring release system.

18. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the release unit for each extractable unit is selectively controllable by an operator.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the actuator comprises a motor.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Gad Roland

Classifications

• B64D1/12 Primary

  Releasing · CPC title

• B64D17/38

  Releasable fastening devices between parachute and load or pack · CPC title

• B64D17/62

  Deployment · CPC title