AIRCRAFT EJECTION SEAT WITH MOVEABLE HEADREST

• US 20100155535A1
• Filed: 02/18/2010
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AMI Industries, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: AMI Industries, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: MASTROLIA, Brad
• Granted Patent: US 7,878,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/122.AG
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/10 Ejector seats

Abstract

An ejection seat includes a headrest that, upon initiation of the ejection seat, moves forward to support the pilot'"'"'s head in a tilted-forward position. By holding the crewmember'"'"'s head in a tilted-forward position, windblast forces are controlled to prevent the helmet from pulling upward and backward on the crewmember'"'"'s head. The headrest may include a pair of struts that extend forward around the sides of the crewmember'"'"'s helmet to support the crewmember'"'"'s head against flailing from the windblast. A flexible panel extending between the struts and the headrest panel may also be included to further support the crewmember'"'"'s head against windblast flailing.

Claims

1. An ejection seat for an aircraft comprising:

a seat frame for supporting an aircraft occupant, said seat frame including a seat portion and a back portion;

a propulsion subsystem for propelling the seat frame free of the aircraft in response to an eject signal; and

a moveable headrest attached to the back portion of said seat frame, said moveable headrest comprising a headrest panel that, in response to said eject signal, extends forward from a stowed position rearward of the occupant'"'"'s head, to a deployed position in contact with the occupant'"'"'s head to support the rear of the occupant'"'"'s head in a position tilted forward at least 35 degrees relative to the occupant'"'"'s torso.

2. The ejection seat of claim 1, wherein:

the headrest panel supports the occupant'"'"'s head in a position tilted forward at least 45 degrees relative to the occupant'"'"'s torso.

3. The ejection seat of claim 1, wherein:

the headrest panel supports the occupant'"'"'s head in a position tilted forward with the occupant'"'"'s head chin-to-chest.

4. The ejection seat of claim 1, wherein:

the moveable headrest includes deployable side members that extend forward of the headrest panel to wrap around the occupant'"'"'s head at least +/−

30 degrees to support the occupant'"'"'s head against lateral forces.

5. The ejection seat of claim 1, wherein:

the moveable headrest includes deployable side members that extend forward of the headrest panel to wrap around the occupant'"'"'s head at least +/−

45 degrees to support the occupant'"'"'s head against lateral forces.

6. The ejection seat of claim 1, wherein:

the moveable headrest includes deployable side members that extend forward of the headrest panel to wrap around the occupant'"'"'s head at least +/−

60 degrees to support the occupant'"'"'s head against lateral forces.

7. The ejection seat of claim 1, wherein:

the moveable headrest further comprises a plurality of struts and at least one flexible coupling, each of the plurality of struts extending generally vertically upward from a pivot attached to the back portion of the seat frame, the at least one flexible coupling attaching at least one of the plurality of struts to the headrest panel, the plurality of struts in the deployed position pivoting forward to extend around the occupant'"'"'s head at least +/−

30 degrees, whereby as the plurality of struts pivot forward, the flexible coupling acts to move the headrest panel from the stowed position to the deployed position.

8. The ejection seat of claim 7, wherein:

the moveable headrest includes deployable side members that extend forward of the headrest panel to wrap around the occupant'"'"'s head at least +/−

60 degrees to support the occupant'"'"'s head against lateral forces.

9. An ejection seat for an aircraft comprising:

a seat frame for supporting an aircraft occupant, the seat frame including a seat portion and a back portion;

a propulsion subsystem for propelling the seat frame free of the aircraft in response to an eject signal; and

a moveable headrest attached to the back portion of the seat frame, the moveable headrest comprising a headrest panel that, in response to the eject signal, extends forward from a stowed position rearward of the occupant'"'"'s head, to a deployed position to support the rear of the occupant'"'"'s head in a tilted-forward position, the moveable headrest including deployable side members that extend forward of the headrest panel to wrap around the occupant'"'"'s head at least +/−

30 degrees to support the occupant'"'"'s head against lateral forces.

10. The ejection seat of claim 9, wherein:

the deployable side members wrap around the occupant'"'"'s head at least +/−

45 degrees to support the occupant'"'"'s head against lateral forces.

11. The ejection seat of claim 9, wherein:

the deployable side members wrap around the occupant'"'"'s head at least +/−

60 degrees to support the occupant'"'"'s head against lateral forces.

12. The ejection seat of claim 9, wherein:

the moveable headrest comprises a perforated surface wherein the frontal area of the headrest is at least 25% open space for permitting a windblast to pass therethrough.

13. An ejection seat for an aircraft comprising:

a seat frame for supporting an aircraft occupant and a parachute assembly, the seat frame including a seat portion and a back portion;

a propulsion subsystem for propelling the seat frame free of the aircraft in response to an eject signal; and

a moveable headrest attached to the back portion of the seat frame, the moveable headrest comprising a headrest panel that, in response to the eject signal, extends forward from a stowed position rearward of the occupant'"'"'s head, to a deployed position to support the rear of the occupant'"'"'s head in a tilted-forward position;

the moveable headrest further moving from the deployed position to a retracted position in response to the parachute assembly separating from the seat frame.

14. The ejection seat of claim 13 further comprising:

deployable side members that extend forward of the headrest panel to wrap around the occupant'"'"'s head at least +/−

30 degrees to support the occupant'"'"'s head against lateral forces.

15. The ejection seat of claim 13 wherein:

the moveable headrest assembly comprises a resilient member for urging the headrest from the deployed position to the retracted position and the parachute assembly comprises a lanyard, wherein the lanyard removes a stop to allow the resilient member to move the moveable headrest moves from the deployed position to the retracted position as the parachute assembly separates from the seat frame.

16. The ejection seat of claim 13 wherein:

the movable headrest supports the occupant'"'"'s head in a position tilted forward at least 35 degrees relative to the occupant'"'"'s torso.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the moveable headrest moves from the stowed position to the deployed position in 500 milliseconds or less.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the moveable headrest moves from the deployed position to the retracted position in 500 milliseconds or less.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the moveable headrest comprises:

a center member that extends forward to engage a rear surface of the occupant'"'"'s helmet to support the occupant'"'"'s head in the acceleration-induced tilted forward position; and

a plurality of rigid struts that extend forward of the center member on either side of the occupant'"'"'s helmet to wrap at least partially around the occupant'"'"'s helmet.

17. A method of ejecting an aircraft occupant wearing a helmet from an aircraft comprising:

providing an ejection seat, the ejection seat having a seat frame, a propulsion subsystem for propelling the ejection seat free of the aircraft in response to an eject signal, and a parachute for supporting the occupant after ejecting from the aircraft;

providing a moveable headrest mounted to the seat frame, the moveable headrest adapted to support the rear of the occupant'"'"'s head in a tilted-forward position;

in response to the eject signal, initiating the propulsion subsystem which exposes the occupant to a vertical acceleration causing the occupant'"'"'s head to assume an acceleration-induced tilted forward position;

in response to movement of the ejection seat in a direction away from the aircraft, moving the moveable headrest to a deployed position in which the moveable headrest supports the occupant'"'"'s head in the acceleration-induced tilted forward position;

thereafter deploying the parachute to separate the occupant from the ejection seat; and

in response to the parachute beginning to deploy, moving the moveable headrest from the deployed position to a retracted position whereby the parachute is able to freely separate the occupant from the ejection seat.