High efficiency external airbag for crash attenuation
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.
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Abstract
An external airbag for an aircraft includes an inflatable bladder having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion being generally adjacent to an exterior of the aircraft. A widthwise panel divides the inflatable bladder into a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion. The widthwise panel acts to restrict outward bulging of the inflatable bladder. An aperture in the widthwise panel may be used for allowing gas communication between the first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An external airbag for minimizing peak accelerations of an aircraft during a crash landing, the external airbag comprising:
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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 Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An external airbag for minimizing peak accelerations of an aircraft during a crash landing, the external airbag comprising:
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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 shape while absorbing compressive loads along the central axis from the bottom portion contacting a surface; a widthwise panel having a rectangular shape, the widthwise panel attached to the top portion, the bottom portion, and sides of the inflatable bladder, 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; 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 spans across the top portion of the inflatable bladder; wherein the widthwise panel forms a forward cylindrical portion and an aft cylindrical portion; wherein the widthwise panel is configured to prevent fluid communications; and wherein the widthwise panel restricts outward deformation of the inflatable bladder and substantially spans across an interior of the inflatable bladder; and wherein the selected shape is a space efficient rectangular prism shape adjacent the widthwise panel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An external airbag for minimizing peak accelerations of an aircraft during a crash landing, the external airbag comprising:
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a selectively deployable inflatable bladder located exterior to the aircraft, the inflatable bladder having a top portion, and a bottom portion, the top portion being generally adjacent to an exterior of the aircraft, the inflatable bladder being configured to maintain a selected shape while absorbing compressive loads along a central axis from the bottom portion contacting a surface; a diagonal panel located within the inflatable bladder, the diagonal panel being configured to resist a rolling distortion of the inflatable bladder, the diagonal panel extending from the top portion and a forward side of the inflatable bladder to the bottom portion and an aft side of the inflatable bladder to resist deformation of the inflatable bladder due to a forward velocity of the aircraft during the crash landing, such that the aircraft experiences approximately linear deceleration during the crash landing; a base plate located on the inflatable bladder, the base plate being configured to rigidly couple the top portion of the external airbag beneath a fuselage of the aircraft; wherein the diagonal panel is configured to prevent fluid communications; wherein the selected shape resembles a space efficient rectangular prism shape; and wherein the diagonal panel spans across the entire inflatable bladder. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification