Device for assisting the opening process of a rescue parachute for an aircraft

Abstract

A packaging device (100) for lines of a rescue device (50), which reduces the falling speed of an object (40) connected to the rescue device (50) under the influence of gravity compared to free fall by increasing air resistance, in particular for lines of a parachute, in particular for lines of a rescue device of an aircraft, in particular for lines of a rescue device of a paraglider, wherein the packaging device (100) has a receiving space for the lines in a folded state of the rescue device (50), characterized in that the packaging device (100) has at least one main fastening means (12) which fixes a bundle of lines (18) laid in loops with a predetermined tensioning force against detachment of the bundle of lines (18) from the main fastening means (12) by a tensile force acting on the bundle of lines (18) in the receiving space,wherein the predetermined clamping force is designed such that it is only overcome by the air resistance of an at least partially opened rescue device (50).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a packaging device for lines of a rescue device, which reduces a falling speed of an object connected to the rescue device under the influence of gravity compared to free fall by increasing air resistance, in particular for lines of a parachute, in particular for lines of a rescue device of an aircraft, in particular for lines of a rescue device of a paraglider, wherein the packaging device has a receiving space for the lines in a folded state of the rescue device, according to the preamble of patent claim 1.The invention further relates to a rescue device for an object, in particular a parachute, in particular for an aircraft, in particular for a paraglider, wherein the rescue device is designed such that it reduces a falling speed of the object connected to the rescue device under the influence of gravity compared to free fall by increasing air resistance, wherein lines connect the object to the rescue device, according to the preamble of patent claim 12. The invention further relates to a paraglider according to the preamble of patent claim 13.

[0002] A paraglider is an aircraft in which a pilot is connected to a paraglider via a harness. The paraglider is a fabric wing that only takes on the shape of an aerodynamically supporting wing due to the airflow and the excess pressure created within the paraglider. As such, the paraglider has no inherent structural stability. This is one of the advantages of a paraglider as an aircraft, as the fabric paraglider folds up small and compactly and can therefore be easily carried by a paraglider pilot. For example, this allows a paraglider pilot to simply climb a mountain or hill with the entire aircraft packed on their back and reach a suitable launch site. Only then can they unfold the aircraft into a flyable state.On the other hand, this lack of inherent structural stability entails the risk that the paraglider will partially or completely collapse due to external influences during flight. In this state, the paraglider no longer provides any or all of the aerodynamic support. The paraglider and its pilot will plummet more or less uncontrollably towards the ground. Such undesirable paraglider states can occur, for example, when flying through highly thermally active air without suitable control inputs from the pilot, or when entering so-called leeward rolls, which should otherwise be avoided, or after the paraglider has stalled for other reasons, such as incorrect operation of the aircraft by the paraglider pilot. By taking appropriate action, the paraglider pilot can return the paraglider to an open, flyable state.However, there are situations in which the paraglider pilot is unable to do this. This may be due, for example, to the paraglider pilot being too inexperienced to perform the correct interventions, or the collapsed state of the paraglider is so fatal that it is not possible to restore the paraglider's flight capability through appropriate interventions, or the remaining altitude above ground remaining to the paraglider pilot when the paraglider collapses is too low to restore the paraglider to a flightworthy state before it impacts the ground.

[0003] For such situations, the paraglider pilot's harness is equipped with at least one so-called rescue device, or "rescuer" for short. This is a type of parachute, for example in the form of a round canopy, or another paraglider, which is folded up and stowed very compactly in the paraglider pilot's harness, making it easily accessible for the pilot. This rescue device works like any type of parachute. It reduces the falling speed of an object connected to the rescue device under the influence of gravity compared to free fall by increasing air resistance. This reduction in the falling speed relative to the ground means that the pilot can land on the ground essentially without physical injury to the pilot.Depending on the rate of descent, it may also be necessary for the pilot to cushion the landing with a so-called landing fall by rolling, for example via knee-pelvis-shoulder.

[0004] By pulling on a corresponding handle, the paraglider pilot can pull the highly compactly folded reserve out of a storage compartment in the harness or from an external container attached to the harness and throw it away. The aim is for the corresponding lines connecting the reserve to the harness to first stretch or taut and then for the reserve to open from a container in the airflow of the descending aircraft. Unlike so-called parachute aircraft, the paraglider is not designed to be detached from the harness before the rescuer is thrown. The paraglider is therefore still connected to the aircraft harness and is in an undefined state, i.e. usually not airworthy with tangled lines, folded in laterally or frontally and possibly partially rolled up or constricted by lines when the reserve is thrown.The paraglider may also rotate, swing, or perform other unpredictable movements. During the deployment of the rescue device, it sometimes happens that the deploying rescue device comes into contact with the collapsed and uncontrollably moving paraglider, and becomes entangled in the collapsed paraglider due to the movement of the paraglider and the corresponding unfortunate air currents. This is referred to as "rescuer erosion," as the collapsed paraglider literally eats and absorbs the rescue device that is in or immediately before the deployment. Such situations arise primarily when the collapsed paraglider causes the aircraft to rotate, and the center of rotation for this rotational movement is located between the harness and the paraglider.

[0005] In this condition, the rescue device's opening process is blocked, meaning the rescue device cannot perform its function, which is to ensure a controlled and slower descent of the aircraft with the paraglider pilot to the ground by increasing air resistance, allowing the paraglider pilot to land without significant injury, even though the paraglider itself is no longer aerodynamically sound or airworthy. The paraglider pilot must intervene again and pull on a connecting line between the harness and the rescue device, or on the lines connecting the harness to the rescue device, to pull the rescue device out of the paraglider or out of any entanglement with the paraglider, so that the rescue device's opening process can continue. However, this requires the paraglider pilot to act with extreme caution and also involves further loss of altitude until the rescue device can finally perform its function.In some cases, the remaining altitude may not be sufficient for the rescuer to fully deploy after being pulled out of the paraglider and provide its load-bearing function before the aircraft hits the ground.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of supporting the opening process of a rescue device of an aircraft in such a way that malfunctions of the rescue device during the opening process are avoided.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention by a packaging device of the above-mentioned type having the features characterized in claim 1, by a rescue device of the above-mentioned type having the features characterized in claim 12, and by a paraglider aircraft of the above-mentioned type having the features characterized in claim 13. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the further claims.

[0008] For this purpose, in a packaging device of the above-mentioned type, it is provided according to the invention that the packaging device has at least one main fastening means which fixes a bundle of lines laid in loops with a predetermined tensioning force in the receiving space against the bundle of lines being released from the fastening means by a tensile force acting on the bundle of lines, wherein the predetermined tensioning force is designed in such a way that it is only overcome by the air resistance of an at least partially opened rescue device.

[0009] This has the advantage that after the rescue system has been deployed, the lines are secured in the packaging device to prevent them from stretching and tensioning until the rescue system is at least partially opened. A critical phase of the rescue system's opening process can therefore take place at a distance from a location where, during the initial phase of the rescue system's opening, there is a risk that the rescue system will become caught before the actual opening process begins or is completely completed, thus blocking the opening process. The dreaded "rescuer erosion" by other parts of the object, which may be located in the leeward zone of the object, such as a collapsed paraglider sail, can thus be effectively prevented.

[0010] The undesirable condition of so-called "rescuer snagging" is almost completely avoided because the rescuer is positioned between the harness and the collapsed paraglider during or at the beginning of the deployment process, preventing the rescuer from coming into contact with the paraglider during the deployment process. This prevents the rescuer from becoming entangled in or with the paraglider during the deployment process.

[0011] A fixation of the bundle of lines arranged in S-lays in the packaging device once at an end of the bundle of lines facing the rescue device and once at an end of the bundle of lines facing the object with individual adjustment possibility of the predetermined tensioning force at these ends is achieved in that at least one, in particular two or more, main fastening means is or are arranged at an end of the packaging device facing the rescue device and at an end of the packaging device facing the object, wherein between these main fastening means a space is formed in the packaging device in which the bundle of lines folded in S-lays is arranged.

[0012] A better fixation of the line bundle against the risk of entanglement or chafing movement within the line bundle in the packed state of the rescue device is achieved by arranging at least one, in particular two, four or six additional fastening means in the space between the main fastening means.

[0013] In order to ensure that the packaging device can be completely detached from the rescue device after the opening process and the stretching of the line, the packaging device is designed in two parts with an upper part and a lower part, wherein the upper part and the lower part are connected to one another by a detachable closure, in particular a Velcro fastener.

[0014] A particularly simple and functionally reliable closure is achieved by forming the closure along a border of the upper and lower parts.

[0015] A particularly user-friendly packaging device is achieved by arranging main fastening means and / or additional fastening means on the upper part and / or lower part.

[0016] Reusability of the main fastening means and / or additional fastening means after activation of the rescue device is achieved by the fact that the main fastening means are designed as rubber loops, each of which is captively fastened in an eyelet of a wall of the packaging device.

[0017] A particularly durable and therefore often reusable packaging device is achieved by designing the eyelets as metal eyelets.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined tensioning force is selected such that a tensile force on the line bundle of at least 1 N to 300 N, in particular 10 N to 100 N, in particular 5 N, 15 N, 20 N, 25 N, 30 N, 35 N, 40 N, is required to unloop the line bundle from the main fastening means.

[0019] Furthermore, in a rescue device of the above-mentioned type, it is provided according to the invention that the rescue device has a packaging device as described above.

[0020] This has the advantage that after the rescue system has been deployed, the lines are secured in the packaging device to prevent them from stretching and tensioning until the rescue system is at least partially opened. A critical phase of the rescue system's opening process can therefore take place at a distance from a location where, during the initial phase of the rescue system's opening, there is a risk that the rescue system will become caught before the actual opening process begins or is completely completed, thus blocking the opening process. The dreaded "rescuer erosion" by other parts of the object, which may be located in the leeward zone of the object, such as a collapsed paraglider sail, can thus be effectively prevented.

[0021] The undesirable condition of so-called "rescuer snagging" is almost completely avoided because the rescuer is positioned between the harness and the collapsed paraglider during or at the beginning of the deployment process, preventing the rescuer from coming into contact with the paraglider during the deployment process. This prevents the rescuer from becoming entangled in the paraglider during the deployment process.

[0022] Furthermore, in a paragliding aircraft of the above-mentioned type, it is provided according to the invention that the paragliding aircraft has a packaging device as described above.

[0023] This has the advantage that after the rescue system has been deployed, the lines are secured in the packaging device to prevent them from stretching and tensioning until the rescue system is at least partially opened. A critical phase of the rescue system's opening process can therefore take place at a distance from a location where, during the initial phase of the rescue system's opening, there is a risk that the rescue system will become caught before the actual opening process begins or is completely completed, thus blocking the opening process. The dreaded "rescuer erosion" by other parts of the object, which may be located in the leeward zone of the object, such as a collapsed paraglider sail, can thus be effectively prevented.

[0024] The undesirable condition of so-called "rescuer snagging" is almost completely avoided because the rescuer is positioned between the harness and the collapsed paraglider during or at the beginning of the deployment process, preventing the rescuer from coming into contact with the paraglider during the deployment process. This prevents the rescuer from becoming entangled in the paraglider during the deployment process.

[0025] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 a preferred embodiment of a packaging device according to the invention in a schematic plan view without the top part attached; Fig. 2 the preferred embodiment of the packaging device according to the invention in a sectional view along line AA of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the preferred embodiment of the paraglider aircraft according to the invention in a first state after the deployment of a rescue device in a schematic side view; Fig. 4 shows a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment of the paraglider aircraft according to the invention in a second state after the rescue device has been deployed; Fig. 5 shows the preferred embodiment of the packaging device according to the invention in the second state after the rescue device has been triggered in a schematic plan view; and Fig. 6 the preferred embodiment of the paraglider aircraft according to the invention in a third state after the rescue device has been deployed in a schematic side view.

[0026] The Fig. The preferred embodiment of a packaging device 100 according to the invention shown in Figure 1 comprises a lower part 10, four main fastening means 12, six additional fastening means 14 and a hook and loop fastener 16, which extends over the entire edge area of ​​the lower part 10. This packaging device 100 is used for packing lines of a rescue device (not shown in Fig. 1) in a packed state, whereby these lines are usually folded together in a line bundle 18 in S-lays.

[0027] The main fastening means 12 are arranged in pairs at a first end 30 of the packaging device, which corresponds to a harness (not shown in Fig. 1), and at a second end 32 of the packaging device 100, which faces a rescue device (not shown). A space 34 is formed in the packaging device between these paired main fastening means 12, in which the bundle of lines 18 folded in S-shaped loops is arranged. Six additional fastening means 14 are arranged in pairs opposite one another in this space 34.

[0028] As from Fig. 2, the main fastening means 12 and the additional fastening means 14 are designed as follows: In the material of the lower part 10 or an upper part 11 (in Fig. 2 not shown), an opening with an eyelet 20 is formed for each fastening means 12, 14. This eyelet 20 is made of a metallic material. A rubber loop 22 extends through this eyelet 20, forming a closed ring 24 on one side of the eyelet 20 and being captively fixed in the eyelet 20 on the correspondingly other side of the eyelet 20 by means of a clamping device 26 at free ends 28 of the rubber loop 22. By appropriately loosening the clamping device 26 and pushing the free ends of the rubber loop 22 more or less in or out along the clamping device 26, so that the clamping device 26 is arranged at different distances from the closed ring 24 of the rubber loop 22 at the free ends 28 of the rubber loop 22, a tensioning force exerted by the ring 24 on the line bundle 18 passed through this ring 24 can be adjusted.The tensioning force is greater the smaller the distance between the clamping device 26 and the closed ring 24. The greater the tensioning force exerted by the ring 24 of the rubber loop 22 on the line bundle 18, the greater the tensile force required on the line bundle 18 to pull this line bundle 18 out of the ring 24 of the rubber loop 22.

[0029] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a combination according to the invention of the packaging device 100 with a harness 40 and a rescue device 50. The rescue device 50 is connected to the harness 40 via the lines of the line bundle 18. The Fig. 3 shows the state of this aircraft shortly after the rescue device 50 has been activated. The rescue device 50 is spaced from the harness 40, and the lines of the line bundle 18 between the rescue device 50 and the second end 32 of the packaging device 100 are stretched. Furthermore, the lines of the line bundle 18 between the harness 40 and the first end 30 of the packaging device 100 are stretched. Within the packaging device 100, the line bundle 18 is still arranged in S-shaped loops and secured by the main fastening means 12 and the additional fastening means 14. For this purpose, loops 60 of the line bundle 18 are each passed through a ring 24 of the rubber loop 22 of one of the fastening means 12, 14, so that the tensioning force of the respective ring 24 of the respective rubber loop 22 prevents the line bundle 18 or the loop 60 of the line bundle 18 from being pulled out of the closed ring 24.Furthermore, the rescue device 50 itself is still in a closed, folded state. Typically, the rescue device 50 is still located within a corresponding container (not shown).

[0030] According to the invention, the tensioning force of the main fastening means 12 is designed such that the tensile force on the line bundle 18, due to the rescue device 50 not yet being opened, is insufficient to release the loops 60 of the line bundle 18 from the main fastening means 12. However, it should be noted that the tensile force applied to the line bundle 18 by the deployed rescue device 50 in this state is by no means always constant or always the same. This depends on many different factors and external influences. Therefore, it can happen that already in this state of the rescue device 50 or in the next state described below, the tensile force required to release the line bundle 18 from the main fastening means 12 is briefly exceeded due to an air blast or opening blast by the rescue device 50.In order to nevertheless keep the line bundle 18 in S-shaped loops essentially within the packaging device 100, the main fastening means 12 are arranged in pairs. Such a brief impact, as described above, then leads at most to the loop 60 of the line bundle 18 being unlooped from the respective outer main fastening means 12 of the pairs of main fastening means 12. The respective further inner main fastening means 12 is then subjected to a lower tensile force on the line bundle 18 and continues to hold the loop 60 of the line bundle 18 located there, so that the inner S-loops of the lines of the line bundle 18, which are fixed by the additional fastening means 14, continue to remain in this state within the packaging device 100.

[0031] The further course of the opening process of the rescue device 50 is shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. In this state, the rescue device 50 begins to open out of the container (not shown), with the line bundle 18 still being arranged essentially in S-loops within the packaging device 100. This already shows the difference in the opening process with a packaging device 100 according to the present invention compared to the usual course of the opening process with conventional combinations of rescue device 50 and harness 40. With conventional combinations of rescue device 50 and harness 40, the line bundle 18 is first fully stretched before it reaches the state in Fig. 4 comes out of the container with the beginning of the opening of the rescue device 50.

[0032] Fig. Figure 5 shows an enlarged view of the state of the line bundle 18 within the packaging device 100 at this stage of the opening process. The rescue device 50 is already in the rapidly progressing opening process, but the lines of the line bundle 18 are still arranged essentially in S-shaped loops within the packaging device 100. In this case, contrary to the illustration in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 the loops 60 of the line bundle 18 at the two inner main fastening means 12 of the two pairs of main fastening means 12 have not yet been unlooped.

[0033] In the Fig. 4 and Fig. In the state of the opening process of the rescue device 50 shown in Figure 5, the rescue device 50 is opened just wide enough, generating such a large increase in air resistance, that the tensile force on the line bundle 18 increases dramatically and ultimately exceeds the tension force of the main fastening means 12. This results in the line bundle 18 now being completely released from the main fastening means 12. The loops 60 of the line bundle 18 in the additional fastening means 14 are also now released, and with the rescue device 50 now opening very quickly, the lines of the line bundle 18 stretch completely.

[0034] The condition of the now fully opened rescue device 50 is in Fig.6. The lines of the line bundle 18 are now fully stretched and pulled out of the packaging device. In the packaging device itself, the Velcro fastener 16 on the circumference between the lower part 10 and an upper part 11 now releases as the line bundle 18 is pulled out, so that the packaging device completely detaches from the lines of the line bundle 18 and flies away. In this way, the packaging device does not impair the further function of the rescue device 50 in any way. The Velcro fastener is also formed on the edge of the upper part 11, so that a flush overlap of the lower part 10 and upper part 11 connects the two Velcro fasteners to one another, so that the packaging device 100 forms a substantially closed container for the lines of the line bundle 18 laid in S-loops before the rescue device 50 is opened.

[0035] From the above explanation of the opening process, which is modified compared to the prior art by means of the packaging device 100, the following is immediately apparent: The opening process of the rescue device 50 takes place with a bundle of lines 18 folded essentially in S-loops. In this way, it is achieved that the rescue device 50 is located well away from other objects that are additionally connected to the harness 40 and are located in a leeward region of the harness 40 falling due to gravity, for example, during the opening process and especially in a phase of the opening process when the increase in air resistance due to the opening of the rescue device 50 is still relatively small.This collapsed paraglider executes unpredictable movements and can therefore impair the opening process of the rescue device 50, especially at the beginning when the increase in air resistance is still low, up to the point of complete blockage. The packaging device 100 according to the invention ensures that the rescue device 50 can open unhindered at a distance from the harness 40 but also at a distance from the additional object, for example, the paraglider. As soon as a sufficient degree of opening of the rescue device 50 is reached, the increase in air resistance caused by the rescue device 50 becomes so great that even the additional object 40 still connected to the harness, such as the collapsed paraglider, can no longer stop the opening process of the rescue device 50. The so-called and dreaded "rescuer erosion" is thus effectively avoided by the packaging device 100 according to the invention.

[0036] A special feature of the invention is that in order to use the packaging device 100 according to the invention and thus to achieve the modified sequence of the opening process of the rescue device, the aircraft or the rescue device itself does not have to be modified. The packaging device 100 according to the invention is simply additionally installed between the rescue device 50 and the harness 40 when packing the rescue device 50 in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Any necessary new inspections or re-approvals of the combination of rescue device 50 and harness 40 are therefore not necessary. A modification of the harness 40 or the rescue device 50 is also not required. A malfunction of the packaging device 100 according to the invention can only occur if the tensile force on the line bundle 18 becomes unforeseeably greater than expected even before the rescue device 50 is opened.However, this does not impair the basic function of the rescue device 50, but merely results in the opening process proceeding as if no packaging device 100 according to the invention were present. In other words, a malfunction of the packaging device 100 does not lead to a malfunction of the rescue device 50. The intended use of the packaging device 100 according to the invention in existing aircraft is therefore not associated with an increased risk of malfunctions for the rescue device or the aircraft.

Claims

[1] Packaging device (100) for lines of a rescue device (50), which reduces a falling speed of an object (40) connected to the rescue device (50) under the influence of gravity compared to free fall by increasing air resistance, in particular for lines of a parachute, in particular for lines of a rescue device of an aircraft, in particular for lines of a rescue device of a paraglider, wherein the packaging device (100) has a receiving space for the lines in a folded state of the rescue device (50), characterized byin that the packaging device (100) has at least one main fastening means (12) which fixes a bundle of lines (18) laid in loops with a predetermined tensioning force against detachment of the bundle of lines (18) from the main fastening means (12) by a tensile force acting on the bundle of lines (18) in the receiving space, wherein the predetermined tensioning force is designed such that it is only overcome by the air resistance of an at least partially opened rescue device (50). [2] Packaging device (100) according to claim 1, characterized bythat at least one, in particular two or more, main fastening means (12) is or are arranged at an end (30) facing the rescue device (50) and at an end (32) of the packaging device (100) facing the object (40), wherein between these main fastening means (12) in the packaging device (100) a space (34) is formed in which the bundle of lines (18) folded together in S-lays is arranged. [3] Packaging device (100) according to claim 2, characterized by that at least one, in particular two, four or six additional fastening means (14) is or are arranged in the space (34) between the main fastening means (12). [4] Packaging device (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the packaging device (100) is designed in two parts with an upper part (11) and a lower part (10), wherein the upper part (11) and the lower part (10) are connected to one another by a detachable closure (16), in particular a Velcro fastener. [5] Packaging device (100) according to claim 4, characterized by that the closure (16) is formed along a border of the upper part (11) and lower part (10). [6] Packaging device (100) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by that the main fastening means (12) are arranged on the upper part (11) and / or lower part (10). [7] Packaging device (100) according to claim 3 and claim 4 or 5, characterized by that the additional fastening means (14) are arranged on the upper part (11) and / or lower part (10). [8] Packaging device (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the main fastening means (12) are designed as rubber loops (22) which are each captively fastened in an eyelet (20) of a wall of the packaging device (100). [9] Packaging device (100) according to claim 3 and at least one of claims 4 to 8, characterized by that the additional fastening means (14) are designed as rubber loops (22) which are each captively fastened in an eyelet (20) of a wall of the packaging device (100). [10] Packaging device (100) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized by that the eyelets (20) are designed as metal eyelets. [11] Packaging device (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the predetermined tensioning force is selected such that a tensile force on the line bundle (18) of at least 1 N to 300 N, in particular 10 N to 100 N, in particular 5 N, 15 N, 20 N, 25 N, 30 N, 35 N, 40 N, is required to unloop the line bundle (18) from the main fastening means (12) and / or additional fastening means (14). [12] Rescue device (50) for an object (40), in particular a parachute, in particular for an aircraft, in particular for a paraglider, wherein the rescue device (50) is designed in such a way that it reduces a falling speed of the object (40) connected to the rescue device (50) under the influence of gravity compared to free fall by means of air resistance increase, wherein lines connect the object (40) to the rescue device (50), characterized by that the rescue device has a packaging device according to at least one of claims 1 to 11. [13] Paragliding aircraft with a rescue device (50) according to claim 12.

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