Multi-seat escape system and ejection seat sequencer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11713127-B2
Application number	US-202117549634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2021
Priority date	Dec 13, 2021
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

An article of manufacture may include a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for controlling deployment of aircraft escape and ejection seat subsystems. The instructions, in response to execution by a first sequencer, cause the first sequencer to perform operations which may comprise receiving a power input, determining a seat location and a seat identity of a first ejection seat in which the first sequencer is installed, determining an ejection mode, sending a first deploy command to an escape path clearance subsystem, determining a deployment sequence for a seat rocket catapult subsystem and a plurality of ejection seat subsystems of the first ejection seat based on the seat location, the seat identity, and the ejection mode, sending a second deploy command to the seat rocket catapult subsystem, and sending a series of third deploy commands to the plurality of ejection seat subsystems.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for controlling deployment of aircraft escape subsystems and ejection seat subsystems and that, in response to execution by a first sequencer, cause the first sequencer to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by the first sequencer, a power input;
determining, by the first sequencer, a seat location and a seat identity of a first ejection seat in which the first sequencer is installed;
determining, by the first sequencer, an ejection mode;
sending, by the first sequencer, a first deploy command to an escape path clearance subsystem;
determining, by the first sequencer, a deployment sequence for a seat rocket catapult subsystem and a plurality of ejection seat subsystems of the first ejection seat based on the seat location, the seat identity, and the ejection mode;
sending, by the first sequencer, a second deploy command to the seat rocket catapult subsystem; and
sending, by the first sequencer, a series of third deploy commands to the plurality of ejection seat subsystems.

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, by the first sequencer, an output from an ejection mode selector;
determining, by the first sequencer, the ejection mode based on the output from the ejection mode selector; and
determining, by the first sequencer, whether to power on a second sequencer located in a second ejection seat based on the seat identity and the ejection mode.

3. The article of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining, by the first sequencer, whether a first connector has disconnected from a second connector, wherein a first wire bundle is connected between the first connector and the escape path clearance subsystem, and wherein a second wire bundle is connected between the second connector and the first sequencer; and
sending, by the first sequencer, the second deploy command to the seat rocket catapult subsystem in response to determining the first connector has disconnected from the second connector.

4. The article of claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise determining, by the first sequencer, a time delay for sending the second deploy command to the seat rocket catapult subsystem after determining the first connector has disconnected from the second connector, wherein the time delay is determined based on the seat location, the seat identity, and the ejection mode.

5. The article of claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise determining, by the first sequencer, whether to fire a first clearance assembly of the escape path clearance subsystem, a second clearance assembly of the escape path clearance subsystem, or both the first clearance assembly and the second clearance assembly, based on the seat location, the seat identity, and the ejection mode, wherein the first clearance assembly is configured to remove a first portion of an aircraft canopy and the second clearance assembly is configured to remove a second portion of the aircraft canopy.

6. The article of claim 5 , wherein the sending, by the first sequencer, the first deploy command to the escape path clearance subsystem comprises: sending, by the first sequencer, the first deploy command to at least one of the first clearance assembly or the second clearance assembly.

7. The article of claim 2 , wherein receiving, by the first sequencer, the power input comprises at least one of:
receiving, by the first sequencer, the power input from a first seat primary power source, the first seat primary power source being configured to supply current to the first sequencer in response to actuation of a first seat handle; or
receiving, by the first sequencer, the power input from a first seat auxiliary power source, the first seat auxiliary power source being configured to begin supply current to the first sequencer in response a signal output by the second sequencer.

8. A multi-seat ejection system, comprising:
a first ejection seat including a first sequencer;
a second ejection seat including a second sequencer;
an escape path clearance subsystem operably coupled to the first sequencer and the second sequencer;
a first seat rocket catapult subsystem configured to expel the first ejection seat and configured to receive a first deploy command from the first sequencer;
a second seat rocket catapult subsystem configured to expel the second ejection seat and configured to receive a second deploy command from the second sequencer;
a plurality of first ejection seat subsystems located on the first ejection seat and configured to receive a series of third deploy commands from the first sequencer; and
a plurality of second ejection seat subsystems located on the second ejection seat and configured to receive a series of fourth deploy commands from the second sequencer.

9. The multi-seat ejection system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first seat primary power source connected to the first sequencer;
a first seat handle configured to activate the first seat primary power source;
a first seat auxiliary power source connected to the first sequencer and configured to supply current to the first sequencer in response to receiving a first activate signal output by the second sequencer;
a second seat primary power source connected to the second sequencer;
a second seat handle configured to activate the second seat primary power source; and
a second seat auxiliary power source connected to the second sequencer and configured to supply current to the second sequencer in response to receiving a second active signal output by the first sequencer.

10. The multi-seat ejection system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first connector including a first pin configuration, wherein the first sequencer is configured to determine a seat location of the first ejection seat and a seat identity of the first ejection seat based on the first pin configuration; and
a second connector including a second pin configuration, wherein the second sequencer is configured to determine a seat location of the second ejection seat and a seat identity of the second ejection seat based on the second pin configuration.

11. The multi-seat ejection system of claim 10 , further comprising an ejection mode selector in communication with the first sequencer and the second sequencer.

12. The multi-seat ejection system of claim 11 , wherein the first sequencer is configured to determine an ejection mode based on an output from the ejection mode selector, and wherein the first sequencer determines a first deployment sequence for the first seat rocket catapult subsystem and the plurality of first ejection seat subsystems based on the seat location of the first ejection seat, the seat identity of the first ejection seat, and the ejection mode.

13. The multi-seat ejection system of claim 12 , wherein the second sequencer is configured to determine a second deployment sequence for the second seat rocket catapult subsystem and the plurality of second ejection seat subsystems based on the seat location of the second ejection seat, the seat identity of the second ejection seat, and the ejection mode.

14. The multi-seat ejection system of claim 13 , wherein the first sequencer is configured to determine whether to power-on the second sequencer based on the seat identity of the first ejection seat and the ejection mode.

15. The multi-seat ejection system of claim 14 , wherein the escape path clearance subsystem includes:
a first clearance assembly configured to at least one of r

Assignees

• Ami Ind Inc

Inventors

• Holstine Steve
• Interiano Luis G
• Benjamin Jeff
• Hampton John
• Carson Kassidy L

Classifications

• B64D25/10 Primary

  Ejector seats · CPC title

• B64C1/32

  Severable or jettisonable parts of fuselage facilitating emergency escape · CPC title

• B64D11/0616

  with ejection means · CPC title