Discharge system for aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12129031-B2
Application number	US-202017437109-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2020
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

The present invention provides a discharge system for an aircraft, in which a remaining amount of an aerosol container can be displayed so that an exchange timing can be managed systematically. A discharge device for an aircraft, having an aerosol container and a discharge device for discharging contents from the aerosol container, wherein the discharge system discharges the contents of the aerosol container while the aerosol container is attached to the aircraft, includes remaining amount acquiring means for acquiring information indicating a remaining amount of the contents of the aerosol container, and display means for displaying the remaining amount in accordance with the remaining amount information acquired by the remaining amount acquiring means.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A discharge system for an aircraft, having an aerosol container and a discharge device for discharging contents from the aerosol container, wherein the discharge system discharges the contents of the aerosol container while the aerosol container is attached to the aircraft,
the discharge system comprising a remaining amount acquiring unit for determining a remaining amount of the contents of the aerosol container from information relating to the remaining amount of the contents of the aerosol container, a display unit for displaying the remaining amount of the contents of the aerosol container in accordance with the remaining amount information acquired by the remaining amount acquiring unit, a discharge drive unit for discharging the contents from the aerosol container, a drive control unit for controlling the discharge drive unit by sending a discharge command signal and a stop command signal to the discharge drive unit, and a timer, for measuring a discharge time of the aerosol container, wherein the timer is activated by the discharge command signal and stopped by the stop command signal,
wherein the remaining amount acquiring unit identifies the mounted aerosol container by identification information, stores in advance the discharge time from an initial state to an empty state as a lifespan in a storage unit, obtains a cumulative discharge time by adding the discharge time from the discharge command signal to the stop command signal, and estimates the remaining amount information of the aerosol container from the lifespan and the accumulated discharge time.

2. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the remaining amount acquiring unit includes a weight measuring unit for measuring a weight of the aerosol container and calculates the remaining amount information from the weight measured by the weight measuring unit and an initial weight of the aerosol container.

3. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the remaining amount acquiring unit includes the storage unit for storing an operation history of the discharge device, acquires the cumulative discharge time of the aerosol container, which is stored in the storage unit, and estimates the remaining amount information from the cumulative discharge time.

4. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol container uses compressed gas, and
the remaining amount acquiring unit includes a flow velocity measuring unit for measuring a flow velocity of the contents of the aerosol container when a valve is open, estimates an internal pressure from the flow velocity measured by the flow velocity measuring unit, and estimates the remaining amount from a reduction in the estimated internal pressure.

5. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol container uses compressed gas, and
the remaining amount acquiring unit includes an internal pressure measuring unit for measuring the internal pressure of the aerosol container when a valve is open and estimates the remaining amount from the internal pressure measured by the internal pressure measuring unit.

6. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit is configured to display the remaining amount of the contents, acquired by the remaining amount acquiring unit, on a display of a steering terminal for steering the aircraft.

7. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 6 , wherein the aerosol container is mounted on an exterior of an airframe of the aircraft.

8. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 6 , wherein the aerosol container is mounted in an interior of an airframe of the aircraft.

9. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit is configured to display the remaining amount of the contents, acquired by the remaining amount acquiring unit, on a display of a terminal for controlling a discharge operation.

10. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein the aerosol container is mounted on an exterior of an airframe of the aircraft.

11. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein the aerosol container is mounted in an interior of an airframe of the aircraft.

12. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol container is mounted on an exterior of an airframe of the aircraft.

13. The discharge system for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol container is mounted in an interior of an airframe of the aircraft.

Assignees

• Toyo Seikan Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kominami Atsushi
• Araki Soji

Classifications

• B64U2101/47

  for fire fighting · CPC title

• B64U20/70

  Constructional aspects of the UAV body · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U10/13

  Flying platforms · CPC title

• B65D83/384

  the container body being an aerosol container located in an outer shell or in an external container · CPC title