Store ejection system with replaceable pressure vessel
First Claim
1. A method of ejecting stores from an aircraft using a gas as the source of energy and the transfer mechanism, the method comprising:
- releasably retaining at least one store with at least one pneumatically-driven jettison mechanism;
releasably connecting an on-board pressure vessel of pressurized non-pyrotechnic gas to a pressure regulator;
releasing a releasable seal of the pressure vessel such that the pressure vessel is fluidly connected to the pressure regulator;
configuring the pressure regulator to an open configuration such that the gas flows from the pressure vessel to at least one accumulator fluidly connected to the pressure regulator; and
actuating a dump valve fluidly connected to one of the accumulators to an open position to fluidly connect the respective accumulator to one of the jettison mechanisms such that the gas flows from the respective accumulator to the respective jettison mechanism and thereby actuates the respective jettison mechanism to jettison a respective store.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a store ejection system and method that use a pressurized non-pyrotechnic gas as the source of energy and transfer mechanism for jettisoning a store from an aircraft. The ejection system includes an on-board pressure vessel for holding the pressurized gas, a releasable seal configured to hermetically seal the pressure vessel, and a pressure regulator fluidly connected to the releasable seal and configured to control a flow of the gas from the pressure vessel when the releasable seal is configured in an open position. The pressure vessel is releasably connected to the pressure regulator and the releasable seal is configured to be released after the pressure vessel is connected to the pressure regulator so that the releasable seal hermetically seals the pressure vessel before the pressure vessel is connected to the pressure regulator. The ejection system also includes at least one actuation system and at least one pneumatically-driven jettison mechanism for releasably retaining the store.
41 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of ejecting stores from an aircraft using a gas as the source of energy and the transfer mechanism, the method comprising:
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releasably retaining at least one store with at least one pneumatically-driven jettison mechanism;
releasably connecting an on-board pressure vessel of pressurized non-pyrotechnic gas to a pressure regulator;
releasing a releasable seal of the pressure vessel such that the pressure vessel is fluidly connected to the pressure regulator;
configuring the pressure regulator to an open configuration such that the gas flows from the pressure vessel to at least one accumulator fluidly connected to the pressure regulator; and
actuating a dump valve fluidly connected to one of the accumulators to an open position to fluidly connect the respective accumulator to one of the jettison mechanisms such that the gas flows from the respective accumulator to the respective jettison mechanism and thereby actuates the respective jettison mechanism to jettison a respective store. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification