Universal sequencer and wire harness assembly for ejection systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077304-B2
Application number	US-201916415863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2019
Priority date	May 17, 2019
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A universal sequencer for an ejection seat may comprise a connector defining a plurality of pin receptacles. A controller may be electrically coupled to the connector. A tangible, non-transitory may be memory configured to communicate with the controller. The tangible, non-transitory memory has instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations, which may comprise determining an ejection seat or aircraft model and determining an ejection sequence based on the ejection seat or aircraft model determination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A universal sequencer for an ejection seat, the universal sequencer comprising:
a sequencer connector defining a plurality of pin receptacles;
a controller electrically coupled to the sequencer connector; and
a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the controller, wherein a plurality of ejection timetables is stored in the tangible, non-transitory memory accessible by the controller, with a first ejection timetable of the plurality of ejection timetables is associated with a first pin configuration of pins of a first wire harness and a second ejection timetable of the plurality of ejection timetables is associated with a second pin configuration of pins of a second wire harness and wherein the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations comprising:
determining, by the controller, a particular model of an ejection seat within which the universal sequencer is installed, a particular model of aircraft in which the ejection seat having the universal sequencer installed therein is located, and an ejection seat location within the aircraft based on the first pin configuration of pins of a first harness connector of the first wire harness or the second pin configuration of pins of a second harness connector of the second wire harness being coupled to various ones of the plurality of pin receptacles of the sequence connector of the universal sequencer, wherein determining the particular model of the ejection seat in which the universal sequencer is installed, the particular model of aircraft in which the ejection seat having the universal sequencer installed therein is located, and the ejection seat location within the aircraft comprises:
determining, by the controller, which pin receptacles of the plurality of pin receptacles are in an open state indicating either a pin from either the first pin configuration of pins of the first harness connector of the first wire harness or the second pin configuration of pins of the second harness connector of the second wire harness failing to be present in the various ones of the plurality of pin receptacles of the sequence connector of the universal sequencer;
determining, by the controller, which of the pin receptacles of the plurality of pin receptacles are in a closed state indicating either a pin from either the first pin configuration of pins of the first harness connector of the first wire harness or the second pin configuration of pins of the second harness connector of the second wire harness being present in the various ones of the plurality of pin receptacles of the sequence connector of the universal sequencer; and
determining, by the controller, the particular model of the ejection seat in which the universal sequencer is installed, the particular model of aircraft in which the ejection seat having the universal sequencer installed therein is located, and the ejection seat location within the aircraft based on which of the various ones of the plurality of pin receptacles of the sequence connector of the universal sequencer are in the open state and which of the various ones of the plurality of pin receptacles of the sequence connector of the universal sequencer are in the closed state;

determining, by the controller, which of the first ejection timetable or the second ejection timetable to employ based on the determination of the particular model of the ejection seat the universal sequencer is installed, based on the determination of the particular model of aircraft the ejection seat having the universal sequencer installed therein is located, and based on the determination of the ejection seat location within the aircraft; and
implementing, by the controller, either the first ejection timetable or the second ejection timetable based on the determination of which of the first ejection timetable or the second ejection timetable to employ, wherein, when the controller implements the first ejection timetable a parachute mortar fires a first number of seconds after initiation of an ejection sequence, wherein, when the controller implements the second ejection timetable the parachute mortar fires a second number of seconds after initiation of the ejection sequence, and wherein the second number of seconds is greater than the first number of seconds.

2. The universal sequencer of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply electrically coupled to the controller.

3. The universal sequencer of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, by the controller, a current from the power supply; and
outputting, by the controller, the current to the sequencer connector.

4. An ejection seat, comprising:
a universal sequencer electrically coupled to a wire harness, the universal sequencer comprising:
a sequencer connector engaged with a harness connector, the sequencer connector including a plurality of pin receptacles;
a controller electrically coupled to the sequencer connector; and
a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the controller, wherein a plurality of ejection timetables is stored in the tangible, non-transitory memory accessible by the controller, with a first ejection timetable of the plurality of ejection timetables is associated with a first pin configuration of pins of a first wire harness and a second ejection timetable of the plurality of ejection timetables is associated with a second pin configuration of pins of a second wire harness and wherein the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations comprising:
determining, by the controller, a particular model of the ejection seat within which the universal sequencer is installed, a particular model of aircraft in which the ejection seat having the universal sequencer installed therein is located, and an ejection seat location within the aircraft based on the first pin configuration of pins of a first harness connector of the first wire harness or the second pin configuration of pins of a second harness connector of the second wire harness being coupled to various ones of the plurality of pin receptacles of the sequence connector of the universal sequencer, wherein determining the particular model of the ejection seat in which the universal sequencer is installed, the particular model of aircraft in which the ejection seat having the universal sequencer installed therein is located, and the ejection seat location within the aircraft comprises:
determining, by the controller, which pin receptacles of the plurality of pin receptacles are in an open state indicating either a pin from either the first pin configuration of pins of the first harness connector of the first wire harness or the second pin configuration of pins of the second harness connector of the second wire harness failing to be present in the various ones of the plurality of pin receptacles of the sequence connector of the universal sequencer;
determining, by the controller, which of the pin receptacles of the plurality of pin receptacles are in a closed state indicating either a pin from either the first pin configuration of pins of the first harness connector of the first wire harness or the second pin configuration of pins of the second harness connector of the second wire harness being present in the various ones of the plurality of pin receptacles of the sequence connector of the universal sequencer; and
determining, by the controller, the particular model of the ejection seat in which the universal sequencer is installed, the particular model of aircraft in which the ejection seat having the universal sequencer installed therein is located, and the ejection seat l

Assignees

• Ami Ind Inc

Inventors

• Benjamin Jeff
• Bredl Steve

Classifications

• G05B19/0426

  Programming the control sequence · CPC title

• B64D17/725

  by explosive means · CPC title

• B64D11/0616

  with ejection means · CPC title

• B64D25/10 Primary

  Ejector seats · CPC title