Apparatus for Supporting a Parachute Flight Controller and Flight Controller for a Parachute

• US 20120145833A1
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: McCann, Sean, Baumeister, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,315,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/151.A
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/08 the articles being load-carrying devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/025 for gliding chutes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/343 by reefing means

Abstract

An apparatus for supporting a parachute flight controller from a parachute comprises a bearing member, for example a pulley, a load-bearing coupling, for example a harness, connected to the bearing member and including a connector for connecting the coupling to a parachute flight controller. The coupling includes a load-bearing connector for connecting a payload thereto, and the bearing member is adapted to enable relative movement, controlled by the flight controller, between the bearing member and a support member, for example a flexible coupling line or web for supporting the bearing member connected between first and second suspension lines of a parachute. The flight controller may include one or more control lines connected to the support member or suspension lines which can be wound in or out of the flight controller to effect relative movement between the bearing member and the support member and thereby control the direction of the parachute.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting a parachute flight controller from a parachute, the apparatus comprising a bearing member, a load-bearing coupling connected to the bearing member and including a connector for connecting the coupling to a parachute flight controller, wherein the coupling includes a load-bearing connector for connecting a payload thereto, and the bearing member is adapted to enable relative movement, controlled by said parachute flight controller, between said bearing member and a support member for supporting said bearing member connected between first and second suspension lines of a parachute.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing member is rotatable to enable said relative movement and is rotatably coupled to said coupling.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bearing member comprises a pulley wheel having a circumferential groove or channel for receiving said support member therein.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including said support member and wherein said support member includes a first connector for connecting the support member to said first suspension line and a second connector for connecting said support member to said second suspension line.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing member comprises a first bearing member, and the apparatus further comprises a second bearing member adapted to enable relative movement, controlled by said parachute flight controller, between said second bearing member and a second support member for supporting said second bearing connected between third and fourth suspension lines of said parachute, and wherein said second bearing member is rotatable to enable said relative movement.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first and second bearing members are angled or capable of being angled relative to each other to enable the bearing members relative movement between and said respective first and second support members when said support members are oriented in different directions, for example, substantially orthogonal directions.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further including said second support member.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second support member includes a first connector for connecting the second support member to said third suspension line and a second connector for connecting said second support member to said fourth suspension line.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector for connecting said coupling to said parachute flight controller is adapted for releasably connecting said parachute flight controller thereto.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said connector for connecting said coupling to said parachute flight controller comprises a manually operable release member, movable between a first position which locks said connector to said parachute flight controller and a second position which enables said connector to be released from said parachute flight controller.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in combination with the parachute flight controller, wherein the parachute flight controller includes control means for causing and limiting said relative movement between said bearing member and said support member.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said control means includes a first control line for applying a force on said first suspension line and a second control line for applying a force on said second suspension line and a controller for varying the length of the first and second control lines extending from said parachute flight controller.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said control means includes pulley means for accommodating at least one of (1) a control line for applying a force on said first suspension line and (2) a control line for applying a force on said second suspension line, and drive means for driving rotation of said pulley means to wind and unwind said control line about said pulley means.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said pulley means comprises first pulley means for accommodating a first control line for applying a force to said first suspension line and second pulley means for accommodating a second control line for applying a force to said second suspension line.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, including a releasable coupler for releasably coupling at least one of said first and second pulley means from said drive means.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, comprising a set of pulleys to provide said pulley means, wherein each pulley of the set includes at least a hub about which a control line is wound and at least one hub of a pulley in the set has a diameter that is different from a diameter of a hub of another pulley in the set.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said bearing member comprises a first bearing member, and the apparatus further comprises a second bearing member adapted to enable relative movement, controlled by said parachute flight controller, between said second bearing member and a second support member for supporting said second bearing connected between third and fourth suspension lines of said parachute, and wherein said second bearing member is rotatable to enable said relative movement, and

wherein said parachute flight controller includes means for applying a force on said third and fourth suspension lines to provide relative movement between said second support member and said second bearing member.

32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein said means for applying a force comprises means for varying the length of a control line for applying a force to said third suspension line and for varying the length of a control line for applying a force to said fourth suspension line.

33. An apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein said means for varying the length of a control line comprises pulley means for accommodating a control line.

34. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein said pulley means comprises third pulley means for accommodating a third control line for applying a force to said third suspension line and fourth pulley means for accommodating a fourth control line for applying a force to said fourth suspension line, and drive means for driving rotation of said pulley means.

4. (canceled)

6-9. -9. (canceled)

11-12. -12. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

17-18. -18. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

28-29. -29. (canceled)

35-48. -48. (canceled)

49. A parachute assembly comprising a parachute having a canopy and suspension line means connected to said canopy for suspending an object therefrom, a first suspension line means being connected between different portions of said canopy,

a bearing member to be moveably supported on said first suspension line means to enable relative movement therebetween, and a coupling connected to said bearing member for supporting an object therefrom.

50. A parachute assembly as claimed in claim 49, further comprising a parachute flight controller including a driver for driving said relative movement between said bearing member and said first suspension line means.

51. A parachute assembly as claimed in claim 49, wherein said driver includes pulley means for varying the length of a control line extending from said parachute flight controller for applying a force on said first suspension means to effect said relative movement.

52-54. -54. (canceled)

55. A flight controller for controlling a parachute, comprising:

a first controller adapted to vary the length of a first control line that extends, in use, from said flight controller;

a second controller adapted to vary the length of a second control line that, in use, extends from said flight controller;

wherein said flight controller includes a first adaptation that enables the first controller to be used to control the length of a third control line that, in use, extends from said flight controller; and

said flight controller includes a second adaptation that enables the second controller to be used to control the length of a fourth control line that, in use, extends from said flight controller, and

coupling means for coupling said flight controller to said parachute independently of said first, second, third and fourth control lines.

72. A flight controller as claimed in claim 55, comprising support means for supporting said first and second controllers, and wherein said coupling means comprises a coupling member separable from said support means, and further comprising connecting means for releasably connecting said coupling member to said support means.

73. A flight controller as claimed in claim 72, wherein said connecting means comprises a connector or load bearing member fixed to one of said support means and said coupling member for engaging the other of said support means and said coupling member, and locking means for locking said connector or load bearing member to the other of said support means and said coupling member.

74. A flight controller as claimed in claim 73, wherein said locking means comprises a manually operable lever movable between a first position which locks said connector or load bearing member to the other of said support means and said coupling member, and a second position which enables said load bearing member to be released from the other of said support means and said coupling member.

56-71. -71. (canceled)

75-88. -88. (canceled)