Ejection seat active roll correction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12043394-B2
Application number	US-202217902726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2022
Priority date	Sep 2, 2022
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

A roll stabilization system for an aircraft ejection seat may be provided. An integral seat sequencer may activate an ejection sequence causing an aircraft ejection seat to be ejected from an aircraft. In various instances, particularly with lighter occupants of the aircraft ejection seat, the aircraft ejection seat may begin a rotational movement. To ameliorate this rotational movement, a roll correction rocket motor is installed on the aircraft ejection seat and selectively activated by the integral seat sequencer in the event that an undesired rotational movement is detected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ejection seat comprising:
a seat bucket configured to support an occupant;
a seat back extending away from the seat bucket;
a high energy catapult device comprising a gas generation device and a rocket, the high energy catapult device configured to expel the ejection seat from an aircraft along a first trajectory in response to a first actuation signal from an integral seat sequencer corresponding to a first thrust duration;
a trajectory divergence rocket motor attached to the seat bucket and configured to modify the first trajectory of the ejection seat in response to a second actuation signal from the integral seat sequencer attached to the seat so that the ejection seat travels along a second trajectory; and
an active roll correction rocket motor attached to the seat bucket and configured to ameliorate a rotational movement of the ejection seat in response to a third actuation signal from the integral seat sequencer, wherein at least one of the second actuation signal or the third actuation signal corresponds to a second thrust duration that is different from the first thrust duration.

2. The ejection seat according to claim 1 , wherein the trajectory divergence rocket motor is positioned toward a first side of the seat bucket and the active roll correction rocket motor is positioned toward a second side of the seat bucket opposite the first side of the seat bucket.

3. The ejection seat according to claim 2 , wherein the active roll correction rocket motor ameliorates the rotational movement of the ejection seat imparted by the trajectory divergence rocket motor.

4. The ejection seat according to claim 1 , wherein the integral seat sequencer comprises a controller attached to the ejection seat and connected to the high energy catapult device, the trajectory divergence rocket motor, and the active roll correction rocket motor to transmit the first actuation signal, the second actuation signal, and the third actuation signal.

5. The ejection seat according to claim 1 , further comprising a pitch stabilization and control assembly (STAPAC) device comprising a rocket motor centered between the trajectory divergence rocket motor and the active roll correction rocket motor to increase a separation of the ejection seat from the aircraft following the expelling of the ejection seat from the aircraft.

6. The ejection seat according to claim 1 , wherein the integral seat sequencer comprises a controller and an accelerometer providing a first acceleration data to the controller, and wherein the integral seat sequencer selectively transmits the third actuation signal to the active roll correction rocket motor in response to (i) the first acceleration data exceeding a first magnitude and (ii) the first acceleration data indicating the rotational movement of the seat back concentrically about the seat bucket in a first direction.

7. The ejection seat according to claim 1 , wherein the trajectory divergence rocket motor and the active roll correction rocket motor are similar rocket motors.

8. The ejection seat according to claim 1 , wherein the trajectory divergence rocket motor and the active roll correction rocket motor are same rocket motors positioned on opposite sides of the seat bucket.

9. The ejection seat according to claim 1 , wherein the high energy catapult device comprises a rocket motor attached to the seat back.

10. A roll stabilization system for installation on an ejection seat having a high energy catapult device comprising a gas generation device and a rocket, the high energy catapult device configured to expel the ejection seat from an aircraft, the roll stabilization system comprising:
a pair of rocket motors both attached to a seat bucket of the ejection seat,
wherein a first rocket motor of the pair of rocket motors comprises a trajectory divergence rocket motor attached to the seat bucket and configured to impel the ejection seat in a direction away from at least one of (i) the aircraft and (ii) a second aircraft ejection seat of the aircraft, and
wherein a second rocket motor of the pair of rocket motors comprises an active roll correction rocket motor configured to ameliorate a rotational movement of the ejection seat induced by the first rocket motor.

11. The roll stabilization system according to claim 10 , wherein the pair of rocket motors comprise identical motors installed on opposite sides of an underside of the seat bucket of the ejection seat.

12. The roll stabilization system according to claim 10 , wherein the first rocket motor is positioned toward a first side of the seat bucket and the second rocket motor is positioned toward a second side of the seat bucket opposite the first side of the seat bucket.

13. The roll stabilization system according to claim 10 , further comprising an integral seat sequencer comprising a controller and a sensor providing a first acceleration data to the controller, wherein the integral seat sequencer selectively activates the second rocket motor in response to the first acceleration data exceeding a first magnitude in a first direction.

14. The roll stabilization system according to claim 13 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer attached to the ejection seat.

15. The roll stabilization system according to claim 10 , wherein the first rocket motor and the second rocket motor are identical motors.

16. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a controller cause the controller to perform a method for roll stabilization of an ejection seat having a seat bucket configured to support an occupant and a seat back extending away from the seat bucket to support a back of the occupant, the method comprising:
sending, by an integral seat sequencer, a first actuation signal to activate a high energy catapult device configured to expel the ejection seat from an aircraft along a first trajectory;
sending, by the integral seat sequencer, a second actuation signal from the integral seat sequencer to activate a trajectory divergence rocket motor attached to the seat bucket and configured to modify the first trajectory of the ejection seat so that the ejection seat travels along a second trajectory;
sensing, by a sensor of the integral seat sequencer, a first movement of the ejection seat;
determining, by the integral seat sequencer, a direction and a magnitude of the first movement;
conducting a first comparison comprising comparing, by the integral seat sequencer, the direction to a first prohibited direction;
conducting a second comparison comprising comparing, by the integral seat sequencer, the magnitude to a first roll rate limit; and
determining, by the integral seat sequencer, an active roll correction rocket motor status in response to the first comparison and the second comparison;
sending, by the integral seat sequencer, a third actuation signal to activate an active roll correction rocket motor attached to the seat bucket, in response to the first comparison indicating that the direction is the first prohibited direction and in response to the second comparison indicating that the magnitude exceeds the first roll rate limit.

17. The computer-readable medium according to claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
activating the active roll correction rocket motor in response to receiving by the active roll correction rocket motor, the third actuation signal.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 17 , wherein the activating the active roll correction rocket motor is after an activating of the trajectory divergence rocket

Assignees

• Rockwell Collins Inc

Inventors

• Benjamin Jeff
• Hartman Matthew H

Classifications

• G05D1/46

  Control of position or course in three dimensions [3D] · CPC title

• G05D1/0808

  specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title

• B64D25/08

  Ejecting or escaping means · CPC title

• B64D25/10 Primary

  Ejector seats · CPC title