Aerial vehicle launching system and method

• US 7,665,691 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Lange, Joshua J., Hanzlick, Patrick T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen; Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kreiner; Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/679,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20080203220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 244/2, 244/63, 244/171.4, 244/171.3, 446/61
• US Class Current: 244/63
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/10 using self-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles

Abstract

An aerial vehicle launching system includes a launch platform and a restraint system coupled to the launch platform. The restraint system has at least one passive restraint suitably adapted to indirectly restrain an aerial vehicle. The restraint system is configured to coordinate the uniform retention and release of the passive restraint in order to launch the aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. An aerial vehicle launching system comprising:

a launch platform having a glide drawer with a first section and a second section, the first section extendably attached to the second section; and

a restraint system coupled to the launch platform, wherein the restraint system comprises a passive restraint for each main gear and a nose gear to indirectly restrain an aerial vehicle and configured to coordinate substantially uniform retention and release of the passive restraints in order to launch the aerial vehicle,

wherein engagement and disengagement of the passive restraints is at least partly affected by disposition of the first section in relation to the second section,

wherein the passive restraint for each main gear and the nose gear comprises elements to allow the main gear and the nose gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint,

wherein the passive restraint for the nose gear further comprise a tensioned nose gear lever coupled to the second section to apply a downward force to restrain upward motion of the nose gear, and

wherein retraction of the first and second sections retracts the tensioned nose gear lever and removes the passive restraints.

2. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 1,

wherein the passive restraint for each main gear and the nose gear comprises:

wheel chock notches coupled to the second section notch to restrain forward and downward motion of the main gear and the nose gear; and

wheel guides coupled the second section to restrain side motion of the main gear and the nose gear,

wherein the passive restraint for each main gear further comprises a retention rail coupled to the first section to restrain upward motion of the main gear.

3. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 2

wherein for the main gear, the retention rail, the wheel chock notch and the wheel guide are positioned to allow the main gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint,

wherein for the nose gear, the wheel chock notch and the wheel guide are positioned and an amount of tension on the tensioned nose gear lever allow the nose gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint,

wherein the retraction of the first and second sections simultaneously retracts the retention rails and the tensioned nose gear lever to remove the passive restraints from both the main gear and the nose gear allowing the aerial vehicle to launch when brought to a launch velocity, and

wherein retraction of the tensioned nose gear lever causes the tensioned nose gear lever to drop down to a level of the first section.

4. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 3, wherein the restraint system is suitably configured to substantially limit transient movement in the aerial vehicle.

5. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 3, wherein the restraint system is suitably configured to substantially absorb a force associated with launching the aerial vehicle, wherein absorption of the force substantially limits the aerial vehicle from experiencing the force.

6. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 3, further comprising a propulsion vehicle supporting the launch platform, wherein the propulsion vehicle is suitably adapted to bring the aerial vehicle to a launch velocity.

7. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 6, wherein the launch platform and the restraint system are suitably configured to absorb an external force transmitted from the propulsion vehicle to the aerial vehicle.

8. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 3, wherein the restraint system is suitably configured to restrain a plurality of aerial vehicle configurations.

9. A method for launching an aerial vehicle comprising:

providing a launch platform having a glide drawer with a first section and a second section, the first section extendably attached to the second section;

providing a restraint system coupled to the launch platform, wherein the restraint system passively restrains the aerial vehicle using a passive restraint for each main gear and a nose gear, and wherein the restraint system is configured to coordinate substantially uniform retention and retention and release of the passive restraints in order to launch the aerial vehicle;

bringing the aerial vehicle to a launch velocity; and

releasing the aerial vehicle from the restraint system by retraction of the first and second sections,

wherein the passive restraint for each main gear and the nose gear comprise elements to allow the main gear and the nose gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint,

wherein the passive restraint for the nose gear further comprises a tensioned nose gear lever coupled to the second section to apply a downward force to restrain upward motion of the nose gear, and

wherein retraction of the first and second sections retracts the tensioned nose gear lever and removes the passive restraints.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the passive restraint for each main gear and the nose gear comprises:

wheel chock notches coupled to the second section notch to restrain forward and downward motion of the main gear and the nose gear; and

wheel guides coupled the second section to restrain side motion of the main gear and the nose gear,

wherein the passive restraint for each main gear further comprises a retention rail coupled to the first section to restrain upward motion of the main gear.

11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising:

for the main gear, positioning of the retention rail, the wheel chock notch and the wheel guide to allow the main gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint;

for the nose gear, positioning the wheel chock notch, the wheel guide and an amount of tension on the tensioned nose gear lever to allow the nose gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint; and

retracting the first and second sections simultaneously retracts the retention rails and the tensioned nose gear lever and to remove the passive restraints from both the main gear and the nose gear allowing the aerial vehicle to launch when brought to a launch velocity,

wherein retraction of the tensioned nose gear lever causes the tensioned nose gear lever to drop down to a level of the first section.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising employing the restraint system to substantially absorb a force associated with launching the aerial vehicle, and wherein absorption of the force substantially limits the aerial vehicle from experiencing the force.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising providing a propulsion vehicle supporting the launch platform, wherein the propulsion vehicle is suitably configured to bring the aerial vehicle to a launch velocity.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising employing the launch platform and the restraint system to substantially absorb an external force transmitted from the propulsion vehicle to the aerial vehicle.

15. An aerial vehicle launching system comprising:

a propulsion vehicle;

a launch platform coupled to the propulsion vehicle having a glide drawer with a first section and a second section, the first section extendably attached to the second section; and

a restraint system coupled to the launch platform, wherein the restraint system comprises a passive restraint for each main gear and a nose gear to indirectly restrain an aerial vehicle and configured to coordinate substantially uniform retention and release of the passive restraints in order to launch the aerial vehicle,

wherein engagement and disengagement of the passive restraints is at least partly affected by disposition of the first section in relation to the second section,

wherein the passive restraint for each main gear and the nose gear comprise elements to allow the main gear and the nose gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint,

wherein the passive restraint for the nose gear further comprises a tensioned nose gear lever coupled to the second section to apply a downward force to restrain upward motion of the nose gear, and

wherein retraction of the first and second sections retracts the tensioned nose gear lever and removes the passive restraints.

16. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 15,

wherein the passive restraint for each main gear and the nose gear comprises:

wheel chock notches coupled to the second section notch to restrain forward and downward motion of the main gear and the nose gear; and

wheel guides coupled the second section to restrain side motion of the main gear and the nose gear,

wherein the passive restraint for each main gear further comprises a retention rail coupled to the first section to restrain upward motion of the main gear.

17. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 16, wherein for the main gear, the retention rail, the wheel chock notch and the wheel guide are positioned to allow the main gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint,

wherein for the nose gear, the wheel chock notch and the wheel guide are positioned and an amount of tension on the tensioned nose gear lever allow the nose gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint,

wherein the retraction of the first and second sections simultaneously retracts the retention rails and the tensioned nose gear lever to remove the passive restraints from both the main gear and the nose gear allowing the aerial vehicle to launch when brought to a launch velocity, and

wherein retraction of the tensioned nose gear lever causes the tensioned nose gear lever to drop down to a level of the first section.

18. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 17, wherein the restraint system is suitably configured to substantially absorb a force associated with launching the aerial vehicle, and wherein absorption of the force substantially limits the aerial vehicle from experiencing the force.

19. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 17, wherein the propulsion vehicle is suitably configured to bring the aerial vehicle to a launch velocity.

20. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 17, wherein the launch platform and the restraint system are suitably configured to absorb an external force transmitted from the propulsion vehicle to the aerial vehicle.

21. The aerial vehicle launching system according to claim 17, wherein the restraint system is suitably configured to restrain a plurality of aerial vehicle configurations.