Air-chute safety system

• US 5,826,827 A
• Filed: 05/05/1997
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Levaina Coyaso, Richard Coyaso
• Original Assignee: Levaina Coyaso, Richard Coyaso
• Inventors: Coyaso, Levaina, Coyaso, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Moica, Virna Lissi
• Application Number:
  US08/851,571
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 244/138 R, 244/139, 244/144, 244/147, 244/107, 244/137.3
• US Class Current: 244/139
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/80 in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/00 Emergency apparatus or devices, not otherwise provided for parachutes B64D17/00, B64D19/00; jettisoning of fuel tanks or fuel per se B64D37/00; specially adapted for protection against criminal attack, e.g. anti-hijacking systems B64D45/0015 ; safety belts or body harnesses in general A62B35/00; safety belts or body harnesses for land vehicles B60R22/00; jettisonable parts of fuselage facilitating emergency escape B64C

Abstract

An air-chute safety system (10) for an aircraft (12) having a fuselage (14) with a cockpit (16) and a tail end (18), and a pair of wings (20) with engines (22). The system (10) comprises a plurality of drag parachutes (24) stored in and deployed from the tail end (18) of the fuselage (14), in conjunction with an aerodynamic braking apparatus in the aircraft (12), which will shut down the engines (22) during an emergency when in flight, so that the aircraft (12) will slow down. A plurality of top parachutes (26) are provided. A structure (28) is for storing each of the top parachutes (26) in vertical spaced apart relationships below a top surface (30) of the fuselage (14) between the cockpit (16) and tail end (18) thereof. A component (32) is for deploying each of the top parachutes (26) from above a bottom surface (34) of the fuselage (14) and below each of the storing structures (28), through the top surface (30) of the fuselage (14), after the drag parachutes (24) are deployed, so that the aircraft (12) will slowly and safely float down to the earth.

Claims

1. An air-chute safety system for an aircraft having a fuselage with a cockpit and a tail end, and a pair of wings with engines, said system comprising:

a) a plurality of drag parachutes stored in and deployed from the tail end of the fuselage, in conjunction with an aerodynamic braking apparatus in the aircraft, which will shut down the engines during an emergency when in flight, so that the aircraft will slow down;

b) a plurality of top parachutes;

c) means for storing each of said top parachutes in vertical spaced apart relationships below a top surface of the fuselage between the cockpit and tail end thereof;

d) means for deploying each of said top parachutes from above a bottom surface of the fuselage and below each of said storing means, through the top surface of the fuselage, after said drag parachutes are deployed, so that the aircraft will slowly and safely float down to the earth;

e) a plurality of wing parachutes stored in and deployed from the wings, so as to stabilize the aircraft when it slowly and safely floats down to the earth, wherein

each said drag parachute, top parachutes and wing parachute includes;

i) a canopy fabricated out of a strong, lightweight, fireproof material; and

ii) a plurality of shroud lines extending from said canopy;

each of said storing means includes;

i) the fuselage having an opening in the top surface with a compartment extending to the bottom surface thereof;

ii) a hatch removably affixed to the top surface of the fuselage over said opening;

iii) a cylindrical canister having an open top end and an open bottom end, whereby said cylindrical canister is retained in said compartment directly under said hatch in the fuselage;

iv) a parachute foundation holder disposed into said cylindrical canister, whereby said canopy of said top parachute is packed into said cylindrical canister with said shroud lines connected to said parachute foundation holder;

v) a base member mounted to the interior of the bottom surface of the fuselage within said compartment; and

vi) a plurality of elastic cords extending between said base member and said parachute foundation holder; and

said parachute foundation holder includes;

i) a top crossbar;

ii) a middle vertical rod affixed at a first end to said top crossbar; and

iii) a bottom crossbar affixed to a second end of said middle vertical rod opposite from said top crossbar, so as to form a generally I-shaped configuration.

2. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 1, further including a plurality of inflatable rafts stored in and deployed from the bottom surface of the fuselage along a longitudinal axis thereof and the bottom surfaces of the wings, whereby said inflatable rafts being filled with oxygen from the aircraft thereby easing an impact of the aircraft upon reaching the ground and protecting the engines from damage, said inflatable rafts aiding floation of the aircraft and causing the aircraft to stay upright upon landing on a body of water.

3. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 2, wherein said cylindrical canister is fabricated out of a strong durable material.

4. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 3, wherein said parachute foundation holder includes:

a) a top crossbar;

b) a middle vertical rod affixed at a first end to said top crossbar; and

c) a bottom crossbar affixed to a second end of said middle vertical rod opposite from said top crossbar, so as to form a generally I-shaped configuration.

5. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 4, wherein said parachute foundation holder is fabricated out of a strong durable material.

6. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 5, wherein each said deploying means is a large compressible coil spring extending between the bottom of said parachute foundation holder and the top of said base member, so that when said hatch is manually opened from within the aircraft, said coil spring will force said parachute foundation holder with said top parachute upwardly through said cylindrical canister, so that said top parachute will exit through said opening in the top surface of the fuselage.

7. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 6, wherein said coil spring is fabricated out of a strong flexible durable material.

8. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 1, wherein said parachute foundation holder is fabricated out of a strong durable material.

9. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 1, wherein each said deploying means is a large compressible coil spring extending between the bottom of said parachute foundation holder and the top of said base member, so that when said hatch is manually opened from within the aircraft, said coil spring will force said parachute foundation holder with said top parachute upwardly through said cylindrical canister, so that said top parachute will exit through said opening in the top surface of the fuselage.

10. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 9, wherein said coil spring is fabricated out of a strong flexible durable material.

11. An air-chute safety system as recited in claim 1, wherein said cylindrical canister is fabricated out of a strong durable material.