×

High efficiency external airbag for crash attenuation

  • US 9,487,301 B2
  • Filed: 02/23/2011
  • Issued: 11/08/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An external airbag for minimizing peak accelerations of an aircraft during a crash landing, the external airbag comprising:

  • a selectively deployable inflatable bladder having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion being generally adjacent to an exterior of the aircraft, the top portion and the bottom portion defining a length and a central axis normal to the aircraft, the inflatable bladder being configured to maintain a selected rectangular shape while absorbing compressive loads along the central axis from the bottom portion contacting a surface;

    a widthwise panel dividing the inflatable bladder into a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion, the widthwise panel being parallel to the central axis of the inflatable bladder and configured to maintain the shape of the inflatable bladder under compression, such that the aircraft experiences approximately linear deceleration during the crash landing; and

    a base plate located on the inflatable bladder, the base plate being configured to couple the top portion of the external airbag beneath a fuselage of the aircraft;

    wherein the base plate partially defines the shape of the top portion;

    wherein the first cylindrical portion is forward of the second cylindrical portion;

    wherein the widthwise panel entirely spans across an interior of the inflatable bladder; and

    wherein the widthwise panel is configured to prevent fluid communications between the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion.

View all claims
  • 3 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×