Floatation system

• US 20040169109A1
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apical Industries, Inc. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Apical Industries, Inc. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hitzfield, Don V., Parrott, David G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,115,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/107
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2025/325 specially adapted for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/56 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/18 Flotation gear aircraft alighting gear B64C

Abstract

A floatation system for attachment to a helicopter landing skid includes a girt dimensioned to be attached to a landing skid and a plurality of floats attached to the elongate girt, wherein the plurality of floats are adapted to be converted from a packed configuration to an deployed configuration, and wherein at least one of the plurality of floats extends beneath the elongate girt when the plurality of floats is in the deployed configuration.

Claims

1. A floatation system comprising:

a girt; and

a plurality of floats attached to the elongate girt, wherein the plurality of floats are adapted to be converted from a packed configuration to an deployed configuration;

wherein at least one of the plurality of floats extends beneath the girt when the plurality of floats is in the deployed configuration.

2. The floatation system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of floats includes a first float positioned above the girt when the plurality of floats is in the deployed configuration.

3. The floatation system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of floats further includes second and third floats extending beneath the girt when the plurality of floats is in the deployed configuration.

4. The floatation system of claim 3, wherein the second and third floats are substantially identical in size and shape.

5. The floatation system of claim 4, wherein the second and third floats are larger than the first float.

6. The floatation system of claim 4, wherein the second and third floats are mirror images of each other with respect to a vertical plane along a longitudinal axis of the girt.

7. The floatation system of claim 1, wherein the girt has a C-shaped cross-section.

8. The floatation system of claim 7, wherein the C-shaped cross-section of the girt is adapted to fit over a helicopter landing skid.

9. The floatation system of claim 8, wherein the girt is attached to the landing skid with a plurality of bolts.

10. The floatation system of claim 2, wherein the first float is attached to a top surface of the girt.

11. The floatation system of claim 10, wherein the first is attached to the girt using an adhesive.

12. The floatation system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of floats further includes a pair of side floats positioned at either side of the girt.

13. The floatation system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of floats are deployed by inflating them with compressed gas.

14. The floatation system of claim 13, wherein the compressed gas is Helium.

15. The floatation system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of floats are surrounded by a flexible float cover while in the packed configuration.

16. The floatation system of claim 15, wherein the flexible float cover includes two halves, which are fixedly attached to the girt at a first end and releasably attached to each other at a second end using one or more fasteners.

17. The floatation system of claim 16, wherein the one or more fasteners are adapted to release during deployment of the plurality of floats.

18. The floatation system of claim 16, wherein the one or more fasteners are chosen from the group consisting of snaps, hook and loop fasteners and laces.

19. The floatation system of claim 15, wherein the flexible float cover includes a pair of end caps.

20. The floatation system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted to be converted from the packed configuration to the deployed configuration using an actuating member.

21. A floatation system comprising:

a girt having a top surface;

a first float attached to the girt;

a second float attached to the girt;

wherein the first and second floats have a packed and a deployed configuration.

22. The floatation system of claim 21 wherein the majority of said first float is above the top surface of the girt when in the deployed configuration and the majority of said second float is below the top surface of the girt when in the deployed configuration.

23. The floatation system of claim 22 further comprising a third float wherein the majority of said third float is below the top surface of the girt when in the deployed configuration.

24. The floatation system of claim 23 further comprising a cover containing the first, second and third floats when in the packed configuration.

25. The floatation system of claim 23 further comprising an activator which when operated inflates said first, second and third floats.