Catching device for surface rescue based on aircraft platform and surface rescue method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12344359-B1
Application number	US-202519063385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 26, 2025
Priority date	Feb 27, 2024
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a catching device for surface rescue based on an aircraft platform, and a surface rescue method. The catching device for surface rescue based on the aircraft platform includes a throwing mechanism, a flying mechanism, a recovery mechanism, an automatic control module, and a catching net. Both the throwing mechanism and the recovery mechanism are disposed on the flying mechanism, and the automatic control module automatically controls the throwing mechanism and the recovery mechanism. After the flying mechanism flies above a drowning person, the throwing mechanism is configured to throw the catching net towards the drowning person. After the catching net nets the drowning person, the recovery mechanism can drive a bottom of the catching net to close and lift the catching net upwards to approach the flying mechanism, and the flying mechanism is configured to drag the drowning person to a safe location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A catching device for surface rescue based on an aircraft platform, comprising a throwing mechanism, a flying mechanism, a recovery mechanism, an automatic control module, and a catching net, wherein both the throwing mechanism and the recovery mechanism are disposed on the flying mechanism, and the automatic control module automatically controls the throwing mechanism and the recovery mechanism;
after the flying mechanism flies above a drowning person, the throwing mechanism is configured to throw the catching net towards the drowning person;
after the catching net nets the drowning person, the recovery mechanism is allowed for driving a bottom of the catching net to close, and the flying mechanism is configured to drag the drowning person to a safe location; and
a recognition module is further comprised and disposed on the flying mechanism, wherein when the flying mechanism reaches a rescue position, the recognition module is configured to determine a relative position between the drowning person and the rescue position;
when the relative position is determined to be within a horizontal distance error Δx and a height difference h 1 , the automatic control module controls the throwing mechanism to throw the catching net towards the drowning person;
the throwing mechanism comprises a torque output unit and a linear drive unit, wherein the linear drive unit is connected to the flying mechanism, the torque output unit is disposed at a linear displacement end of the linear drive unit, the linear displacement end drives the torque output unit to move up and down, a torque output end of the torque output unit is connected to a top of the catching net, and the torque output unit drives the catching net to rotate and unfold;
when controlling the throwing mechanism to throw the catching net, the automatic control module first controls the torque output unit to output a torque, and when the recognition module recognizes that an unfolded range of the catching net is within a predetermined range, controls the linear drive unit to drive the torque output unit and the catching net above the torque output unit to move down until a lower edge of the catching net enters water and the drowning person is netted; and
after the bottom of the catching net is closed, the linear drive unit is allowed for driving the throwing mechanism to further drive the catching net and the drowning person inside the catching net to move up.

2. The catching device for surface rescue based on the aircraft platform according to claim 1 , wherein the recovery mechanism comprises a winding engine and a plurality of ropes, wherein a first end of each of the plurality of ropes is wound around a drum of the winding engine, a second end of each of the plurality of ropes is connected to the lower edge of the catching net, and the plurality of ropes are arranged around a circumference of the catching net; and the winding engine drives the drum to rotate and winds each of the plurality of ropes onto the drum to close the bottom of the catching net and raise a height of the catching net.

3. The catching device for surface rescue based on the aircraft platform according to claim 1 , further comprising a carrying platform, wherein the flying mechanism is an aircraft, the throwing mechanism is disposed on the carrying platform, and the carrying platform is disposed between two suspension beams at a bottom of the aircraft.

4. The catching device for surface rescue based on the aircraft platform according to claim 1 , wherein the lower edge of the catching net is equipped with a gravity loop, and the gravity loop comprises a retractable rope loop and a plurality of sinkers sequentially arranged around a circumference of the retractable rope loop.

5. A surface rescue method, wherein the surface rescue method performs catching and rescue operations by using the catching device for surface rescue based on the aircraft platform according to claim 1 , and comprises following steps:
step 1: after receiving a task, flying, by the flying mechanism automatically or under manual control, to the rescue position;
step 2: determining whether a horizontal position error and a vertical relative height between the rescue position and the drowning person are within specified thresholds;
step 3: controlling the throwing mechanism to throw the catching net towards the drowning person;
step 4: driving, by the recovery mechanism, the bottom of the catching net to close, and lifting the catching net upwards to approach the flying mechanism; and
step 5: flying, by the flying mechanism automatically or under the manual control, and dragging the drowning person to the safe location.

6. The surface rescue method according to claim 5 , wherein in the catching device, the recovery mechanism comprises a winding engine and a plurality of ropes, wherein a first end of each of the plurality of ropes is wound around a drum of the winding engine, a second end of each of the plurality of ropes is connected to the lower edge of the catching net, and the plurality of ropes are arranged around a circumference of the catching net; and the winding engine drives the drum to rotate and winds each of the plurality of ropes onto the drum to close the bottom of the catching net and raise a height of the catching net.

7. The surface rescue method according to claim 5 , wherein the catching device further comprises a carrying platform, wherein the flying mechanism is an aircraft, the throwing mechanism is disposed on the carrying platform, and the carrying platform is disposed between two suspension beams at a bottom of the aircraft.

8. The surface rescue method according to claim 5 , wherein in the catching device, the lower edge of the catching net is equipped with a gravity loop, and the gravity loop comprises a retractable rope loop and a plurality of sinkers sequentially arranged around a circumference of the retractable rope loop.

Assignees

• Univ Beihang

Inventors

• Wang Lijing
• Cai Tianyang
• Zhao yanzeng
• Zhu Chuanlei
• Xu Haixin
• Zou Yunan
• Li Runhao
• Zou Jiaying
• Zhang Jun

Classifications

• B63C9/26

  Cast or life lines; Attachments thereto; Containers therefor; {Rescue nets or the like}(adaptations of aerial cableways to shipboard use B63B27/18; guns for line throwing F41F; line-carrying missiles F42B12/68) · CPC title

• B63C9/01 Primary

  Air-sea rescue devices, i.e. equipment carried by, and capable of being dropped from, an aircraft (inflatable vessels B63B7/00; inflatable buoys B63B22/22) · CPC title

• B63C2009/265

  Nets or sheet-like devices, e.g. for lifting persons on board or for facilitating climbing on board · CPC title

• B64D1/02

  Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles (jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12) · CPC title