Rotorcraft fall restraint protection attach points and mechanism systems

US11130009B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-11130009-B2
Application numberUS-201615343678-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateNov 4, 2016
Priority dateNov 4, 2016
Publication dateSep 28, 2021
Grant dateSep 28, 2021

How to read this patent

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  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

The present invention includes a safety apparatus and method for protecting users during maintenance operations for a rotorcraft comprising: at least one permanent, semi-permanent, or detachable safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop that is attached or attachable to a rotorcraft, wherein the safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop is positioned in an area or surface between a windshield of the rotorcraft and a tail boom of the rotorcraft and is connectable to a user safety device to provide fall protection from the area or surface.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. A method of providing fall protection during maintenance of a rotorcraft comprising: providing at least one permanent, semi-permanent, or detachable safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop that is integral to a rotorcraft, wherein the safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop is attached in an area or surface at a top of the rotorcraft between a windshield of the rotorcraft and a tail boom of the rotorcraft, wherein the area or surface is at the rotor system, rotor blades, engine, engine cowling, engine firewall, or a shaft that extends from the top of the rotorcraft; and connecting a user safety device to the rotorcraft during maintenance on the rotorcraft, wherein the at least permanent, semi-permanent, or detachable safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop that is attached to the rotorcraft to provide fall protection during maintenance of the rotorcraft on the ground. 2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the strap on the side or top of the rotorcraft to provide an anchor point for the user safety device. 3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting one or more safety bars to one or more sides of the rotorcraft at hard points that are within or outside a body of the rotorcraft, wherein the safety bars have at least one of vertical, horizontal, or diagonal orientation to the ground and provides an anchor point for the user safety device. 4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the safety bar, hook, or loop on a grip or a flapping stop of a main rotor of the rotorcraft. 5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the safety bar, hook, or loop in, on, within, or about a firewall. 6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching the safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop from a rotor. 7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching the safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop to one or more hard points on an engine. 8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching the safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop to a yoke of the rotorcraft. 9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user safety device is a line, belt, harness, fall limiter, sling seat, bosun chair, chest harness, fall prevention device, fall prevention system, fall restraint device, or personal fall arrest system. 10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching the permanent, semi-permanent, or detachable safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop that is attached or attachable to a rotorcraft to a user via the safety device under austere environmental conditions. 11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing maintenance on the rotorcraft. 12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising disconnecting the user safety device from the rotorcraft after performing maintenance on the rotorcraft.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • B64C27/00Primary

    Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto · CPC title

  • Blade travel limiting devices, e.g. droop stops · CPC title

  • Maintaining or repairing aircraft · CPC title

  • Anchors · CPC title

  • Harnesses; Accessories therefor · CPC title

Patent family

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Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US11130009B2 cover?
The present invention includes a safety apparatus and method for protecting users during maintenance operations for a rotorcraft comprising: at least one permanent, semi-permanent, or detachable safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop that is attached or attachable to a rotorcraft, wherein the safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop is positioned in an area or surface between a windshield…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Bell Helicopter Textron Inc, Textron Innovations Inc
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification B64C27/00. Mapped technology areas include Operations & Transport.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Sep 28 2021 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 6 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).