Safety system for an aircraft provided with at least one functional device using primary energy

• US 7,994,939 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dassault Aviation (Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault)
• Original Assignee: Dassault Aviation (Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault)
• Inventors: Salvaudon, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SIGMUND N
• Application Number:
  US11/819,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20080001781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 340945-983, 102/254, 102/275.7, 102/247, 244/137.1, 244/137.4
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/04 the articles being explosive, e.g. bombs arming or setting bomb fuzes F42C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/10 Ejector seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/14 Inflatable escape chutes
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/40 wherein the safety or arming action is effected electrically

Abstract

A safety system in which each functional device (such as a payload suspended from a pylon of a combat aircraft or an escape chute of a civil aircraft) includes at least one removable barrier making it possible to arm and disarm the functional device depending on whether the aircraft is in flight or on the ground. The removable barrier is electrically operated and the system also includes a control mechanism placed inside the aircraft in order to electrically switch the barrier between its armed and disarmed positions.

Claims

1. A safety system for an aircraft provided with at least one functional device using primary energy, each functional device comprising at least a first removable barrier making it possible to arm and disarm the functional device depending on whether the aircraft is in flight or on the ground, said first removable barrier being electrically operated, at least a second removable barrier including an electrically operated mechanical blocking device blocking the kinematics of the functional device when the primary energy is triggered, and a control mechanism placed inside the aircraft and accessible from the cockpit, said control mechanism enabling cockpit personnel to electrically switch said first and second barriers between their armed and disarmed positions, wherein each removable barrier includes a visual indicator for the visual indication of said removable barrier'"'"'s armed and disarmed states.

2. The safety system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first removable barrier includes an electrically operated device for electrically disconnecting a signal that makes it possible to release the primary energy of the functional device.

3. The safety system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second removable barriers also include manual operating mechanisms for arming or disarming the functional device without actuating electrical operation of said barriers.

4. The safety system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control mechanism includes two independent control channels for said removable barriers, said first control channel being arranged to allow the arming or disarming of said functional device as a function of a signal of presence on the ground of said aircraft and said second control channel being arranged to allow the arming and disarming of said functional device as a function of predetermined criteria, independent of those of the first channel and consolidating the instructions of the first channel.

5. The safety system as claimed in claim 1 for an aircraft wherein said functional device includes a plurality of functional devices using primary energy, wherein said control mechanism is centralized in the cockpit of the aircraft and includes a single electric control member allowing the collective arming or disarming of said plurality of functional devices of the aircraft.

6. The safety system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a viewing device is provided close to said single control member to provide a visual report of the armed and disarmed states of said functional devices.

7. The safety system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said viewing device includes as many indicator lamps as there are functional devices in the aircraft to report individually on their armed and disarmed states.

8. The safety system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the armed and disarmed states of said plurality of functional devices are applied to an AND function block connected to a single indicator lamp in order to be able to report collectively the armed and disarmed states of said plurality of functional devices.