Aerial delivery device

• US 7,059,570 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edward Strong
• Original Assignee: Edward Strong
• Inventors: Strong, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/709,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20050230555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 244/142, 244/139, 244/149, 244/147, 244/138.R
• US Class Current: 244/147
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/08 the articles being load-carrying devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/343 by reefing means

Abstract

A guided aerial delivery device which can be used to safely and accurately deliver a payload and supplies from an aircraft in flight to a specific target location in a reduced time. The aerial delivery device uses an overloaded ram-air drogue parachute controlled by a guidance system to steer the payload towards the intended target. When a selected altitude is reached, a recovery parachute is activated and the payload descends the remaining distance under the recovery parachute.

Claims

1. An aerial delivery device capable of delivering a payload, comprising:

an overloaded ram-air drogue parachute;

a descent control system, to which said overloaded ram-air drogue parachute is connected, for steering said overloaded ram-air drogue parachute;

wherein the descent control system includes a suspension plate with one or more suspension straps attached to said suspension plate for engaging the payload, said payload being suspended below said suspension plate and descent control system prior to the deployment of the recovery parachute; and

one or more recovery parachutes.

2. The aerial delivery device of claim 1, wherein the suspension plate is in mechanical connection with and is a part of a control box, said suspension plate being connected to the overloaded ram-air drogue parachute by one or more suspension lines.

3. The aerial delivery device of claim 2, wherein two of said suspension plate includes drogue parachute attachment points and at least one payload suspension point spaced apart from said drogue parachute suspension point.

4. The aerial delivery device of claim 3, wherein said drogue parachute is attached to drogue riser straps attached to said drogue parachute attachment points and wherein said payload is attached to payload straps attached to said payload suspension point.

5. The aerial delivery device of claim 4, wherein said drogue riser straps are attached to said drogue attachment points by ring release mechanisms activated by a cutter.

6. The aerial delivery device of claim 1, wherein, prior to extraction and deployment, said recovery parachute is contained within a recovery parachute container attached to said payload.

7. The aerial delivery device of claim 1 wherein said descent control system includes a link located between the payload, the drogue parachute and the recovery parachute.

8. The aerial delivery device of claim 7, wherein said link is polygonal.

9. The aerial delivery device of claim 8, wherein the link is triangular.

10. The aerial delivery device of claim 9, further comprising a means for reducing the risk of tangling between the link and the drogue parachute.

11. The aerial delivery device of claim 1, wherein said descent control system includes at least one servo motor.

12. The aerial delivery device of claim 1, wherein said descent control system comprises a signal receiver in electronic connection with at least one servo motor.

13. The aerial delivery device of claim 12, wherein at least one servo motor is controlled via one or more joysticks on a remote control.

14. The aerial delivery device of claim 12, wherein said receiver is adapted to receive signals from a remote control, and said remote receiver is adapted to direct said servo motor.

15. The aerial delivery device of claim 1, further comprising means for activating said recovery parachute.

16. The aerial delivery device of claim 1, wherein said payload is attached to said overloaded ram-air drogue parachute by a swivel and one or more parachute riser straps that connect to one or more suspension lines, said suspension lines being directly connected to said overloaded ram-air drogue parachute.

17. The aerial delivery device of claim 1, wherein said aerial delivery device is interfaced with a global positioning system for autonomous navigation of said payload.

18. The aerial delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a means for activating and controlling the deployment of the recovery parachute.

19. The aerial delivery device of claim 1, wherein the means for controlling includes a slider.

20. The aerial delivery device of claim 19, wherein the means for controlling further includes one or more brake lines.