Ejection seat restraint system for limbs and head
First Claim
1. In a flight vehicle, a system for restraining movement of an occupant of an ejection seat during ejection, said system comprising:
- two shrouds located on opposite sides of the seat, each such shroud being attached to its respective side of the seat and having a stowed position along said respective side;
strap means for pulling the shrouds out of their stowed positions laterally inwardly around the occupant;
said strap means including a first portion positioned above and generally at the lateral center of the occupant'"'"'s head, a second portion having a stowed position above and generally between the occupant'"'"'s knees, and an intermediate portion attached to the shrouds; and
tensioning means for tensioning the strap means to pull the shrouds around the occupant and said second portion aftwardly and downwardly between the occupant'"'"'s legs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
During ejection from a high performance aircraft, high wind blast conditions create danger of injuries caused by the flailing of limbs out of their desired positions. The invention provides a system that restrains the arms, legs, and head with one simple mechanism. A side net (28) and a knee strap (40) are attached to each of two center straps (22). Straps (22) extend forwardly from seat (2) to a tension fuse fitting (46) and down to snubbers (48). Deployment of straps (20, 40) and nets (28) is initiated by an inflatable member (20) that projects horizontally forwardly over the helmet (100) of the seat occupant. Deployment is completed by tensioning of straps (22) by upward movement of seat (2). When straps (22) reach a given tension, fittings (46) release straps (22) which drop down between the knees of the occupant. As straps (22) are further tensioned, nets (28) are pulled snugly around the front of the occupant, knee straps (40) are pulled snugly around the lower legs of the occupant, and member (20) is urged downwardly against the occupant'"'"'s helmet (100).
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. In a flight vehicle, a system for restraining movement of an occupant of an ejection seat during ejection, said system comprising:
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two shrouds located on opposite sides of the seat, each such shroud being attached to its respective side of the seat and having a stowed position along said respective side; strap means for pulling the shrouds out of their stowed positions laterally inwardly around the occupant;
said strap means including a first portion positioned above and generally at the lateral center of the occupant'"'"'s head, a second portion having a stowed position above and generally between the occupant'"'"'s knees, and an intermediate portion attached to the shrouds; andtensioning means for tensioning the strap means to pull the shrouds around the occupant and said second portion aftwardly and downwardly between the occupant'"'"'s legs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of restraining movement of an occupant of a flight vehicle ejection seat during ejection, said method comprising:
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providing a shroud on each side of the seat, and attaching a first edge of each shroud to its respective side of the seat; providing two pull straps and attaching an intermediate portion of each such strap to a second edge of a different one of the two shrouds; stowing each shroud, with the attached intermediate portion, along its respective side of the seat; projecting an upper portion of each strap horizontally forwardly above the lateral center of the occupant'"'"'s head to pull a top portion of each shroud laterally inwardly around the occupant; positioning a lower portion of each strap above and generally between the occupant'"'"'s knees; tensioning the two straps to pull the shrouds to the center of the seat all the way around the occupant; and allowing said lower portion of each strap to drop down between the knees of the occupant. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. In a flight vehicle, a system for restraining movement of an occupant of an ejection seat during ejection, said system comprising:
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a shroud on each side of the seat;
said shroud having a first edge attached to a laterally outer portion of the seat, and a second edge;strap means for pulling the shrouds around the occupant;
said strap means including an upper portion attached to the seat behind the occupant'"'"'s head, a lower portion attached to the seat below and generally between the occupant'"'"'s knees, and an intermediate portion between said upper and lower portions and attached to said second edge of each shroud;tensioning means for pulling said lower portion to tension the strap means; stowage means for stowing the shrouds and said intermediate portion of the strap means along a laterally outer portion of the seat; an inflatable member that is carried by the seat and that extends horizontally forward as it inflates to project said upper portion horizontally forward above the occupant'"'"'s head and pull upper portions of said shrouds toward the lateral center of the seat and around the occupant;
said upper portion of the strap means extending across the top of the inflatable member and being connected to a forward edge portion of the inflatable member to cause the inflatable member to push downwardly on a helmet worn by the occupant when the strap means is tensioned;a knee strap on each side of the seat for exerting an aftward pressure on the shins of the occupant to pull the occupant'"'"'s lower legs and feet into and hold them in an aft ejection position;
each such knee strap having a first end attached to a forward portion of the seat, and a second end attached to said lower portion of the strap means; andtension fuse means for slidingly engaging said lower portion, for positioning a part of said lower portion forward of and above and generally between the occupant'"'"'s knees when the strap means is in a stowed position, and for guiding said second end of each knee strap forward of and above and generally between the occupant'"'"'s knees when the strap means is tensioned;
said tension fuse means including release means for releasing said lower portion when the strap means is tensioned a predetermined amount, to allow said lower portion to drop between the knees of the occupant and the knee straps to drop downwardly in front of the shins of the occupant.
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Specification