Safety device and flight vehicle provided with safety device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12492005-B2
Application number	US-202218565536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2022
Priority date	May 31, 2021
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

There is provided a safety apparatus that not only has excellent safety performance but also has improved ease of accommodation of an ejected object in a container, and is capable of securing diversity of attachment positions to an aerial vehicle as compared with a related art, and an aerial vehicle including the safety apparatus. The safety apparatus includes a pilot chute ejector 62 and a main parachute storage. The pilot chute ejector 62 includes an actuator 1 , a push-up member 15 pushed up in one direction by the actuator 1 , a pilot chute 16 pushed up while being supported by the push-up member 15 , a bottomed cylindrical container 18 that accommodates the actuator 1 , the push-up member 15 , and the pilot chute 16 , and a lid 21 having a fan-shaped cross section that closes an opening end of the container 18 . The actuator 1 is fixed at a position shifted from a geometric center of the fan-shaped cross section on a bottom surface of the container 18 via a base 2.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A safety apparatus comprising:
a sliding member, including a support that laterally extends from a bottom portion of the sliding member and configured to support an ejected object disposed thereon; an actuator including a power source that generates a driving force for sliding the sliding member toward one side; and a container that accommodates at least the sliding member, the actuator, the support, and the ejected object inside the container, wherein a bottom of the actuator is fixed to a bottom surface of the container in a state of being disposed at a position shifted from a geometric center of the bottom surface of the container, and wherein the support has a shape conforming to a shape of said bottom surface and extends between said bottom surface and said ejected object.

2 . The safety apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the safety apparatus is attachable to an outside of an aerial vehicle, and at least a part of an outer shape of the container has a shape that conforms to an outer shape of a predetermined position of the aerial vehicle.

3 . The safety apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the safety apparatus is attachable to an outside of an aerial vehicle, and the safety apparatus further includes a trigger device that transmits an automatic start signal for automatically starting the actuator to the actuator in a case where the aerial vehicle is in an abnormal state, or transmits a start signal for starting the actuator to the actuator in a case where a trigger signal is received.

4 . The safety apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the trigger device includes an abnormal state determiner that determines whether the aerial vehicle is in the abnormal state, and a stop unit that can transmit a signal for stopping a propulsion device of the aerial vehicle when the abnormal state determiner determines that the aerial vehicle is in the abnormal state.

5 . The safety apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ejected object is a pilot chute and a main parachute, the main parachute is connected to the pilot chute via a coupling member, the container includes a first housing and a second housing, the first housing houses the pilot chute and is provided with the actuator that ejects the pilot chute, and the second housing houses the main parachute.

6 . The safety apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ejected object is any one or more of a net member for capturing or binding, an extinguishing agent, a life aid, or a medicine.

7 . An aerial vehicle comprising: an airframe;
the safety apparatus according to claim 1 , the safety apparatus being joined to the airframe; and a propulsion mechanism that is joined to the airframe and propels the airframe.

Assignees

• Nippon Kayaku Kk

Inventors

• Otsubo Hideki
• Nakamura Hiroshi

Classifications

• B64D17/22

  Load suspension · CPC title

• B64U20/30

  for safety, e.g. with frangible components (rotor guards B64U30/299) · CPC title

• B64U2101/57

  for bringing emergency supplies to persons or animals in danger, e.g. ropes or life vests · CPC title

• B64U2101/69

  the UAVs provided with means for airdropping goods, e.g. deploying a parachute during descent · CPC title

• F15B15/227

  having an auxiliary cushioning piston within the main piston or the cylinder end face · CPC title