Safety devices for aircraft and aircraft

Abstract

To provide a safety device for an air vehicle which enables secure deployment of a deployed body.SOLUTION: A safety device 1 for an air vehicle may be attached to an air vehicle including a propulsion mechanism and includes: a housing provided with a storage space 10a; a deployed body 60; first connection members; an ejection device 30; and second connection members. The housing has: an upper housing 10 including a top plate part 11 provided with a cylindrical part 13; and a lower housing 20 including a bottom plate part 21. Each first connection member is connected to the upper housing 10 and the deployed body 60. Each second connection member is connected to one of the ejection device 30, the lower housing 20, and the air vehicle and the deployed body 60. The ejection device 30 is housed in an inner storage space 10a2 located at the inner side of the cylindrical part 13 to allow the cylindrical part 13 to define a direction of ejection of the upper housing 10 by the ejection device 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a safety device for a flying object attached to a flying object and a flying object to which this is attached.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as flying objects, manned aircraft such as passenger aircraft and unmanned aircraft such as drones are known. In particular, in recent years, with the development of autonomous control technology and flight control technology, the industrial use of unmanned aircraft such as drones has been accelerating.

[0003] A drone has a plurality of rotors, and flies by rotating these plurality of rotors simultaneously and in a balanced manner. At that time, ascending and descending are performed by uniformly increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the plurality of rotors, and forward and backward movement and right and left turns are performed by tilting the aircraft by individually increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of each of the plurality of rotors. The use of such unmanned aircraft is expected to expand worldwide in the future.

[0004] However, unmanned aircraft have a relatively high risk of falling accidents, which has hindered the spread of unmanned aircraft. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of falling accidents, the development of a safety device for a flying object that can be attached to an unmanned aircraft or the like has been promoted. Such a safety device for a flying object reduces the impact at the time of landing of an unmanned aircraft or the like by reducing the falling speed of the unmanned aircraft or the like by deploying a parachute when the unmanned aircraft or the like falls.

[0005] As a safety device for a flying object having the above-described function, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-138355 (Patent Document 1), a piston member is propelled upward by the pressure of gas generated by the operation of a gas generator, and a parachute as an ejectable object is ejected upward by a lifting member connected to the piston member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-138355 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] In this context, it is desirable that the safety device for the aircraft ensures that the ejected deployable object is launched in a highly controlled manner, thereby guaranteeing its successful deployment.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a safety device for an aircraft that can reliably deploy the deployed object, and an aircraft to which the same is attached. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The safety device for an aircraft according to the present invention is attachable to an aircraft equipped with a propulsion mechanism and comprises a housing, a deployable body, a first connecting member, an ejection device, and a second connecting member. The housing has an upper housing including at least a top plate and a lower housing including at least a bottom plate, and has a housing space inside. The deployable body is housed in the housing space. One end of the first connecting member is connected to the deployable body and the other end is connected to the upper housing. The ejection device is assembled to the bottom plate and ejects the upper housing and the deployable body away from the bottom plate. One end of the second connecting member is connected to at least one of the ejection device, the lower housing, and the aircraft, and the other end is connected to the deployable body. The top plate includes a cylindrical portion that protrudes toward the bottom plate when viewed from the top plate. The deployable body is housed in an outer housing space located outside the cylindrical portion of the housing space. Since at least a portion of the injection device is housed in an inner housing space located inside the cylindrical portion of the housing space, the injection direction of the upper housing by the injection device is defined by the cylindrical portion.

[0010] The aircraft according to the present invention comprises an airframe, a propulsion mechanism provided on the airframe for propelling the airframe, and a safety device for the aircraft according to the present invention, as described above, attached to the airframe. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a safety device for an aircraft that can reliably deploy an object to be deployed, and an aircraft to which the same is attached. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an aircraft according to an embodiment and a safety device for the aircraft provided therewith. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the aircraft safety device shown, viewed from the upper right front. [Figure 3] The perspective view of the safety device for a flying object shown in FIG. 1 as seen from the lower right front side. [Figure 4] The schematic cross-sectional view of the safety device for a flying object shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] The schematic cross-sectional view which enlarges the vicinity of the second member shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] The perspective view of the upper housing shown in FIG. 2 as seen from the lower right front side. [Figure 7] The perspective view of the lower housing and the second member shown in FIG. 2 as seen from the upper right front side. [Figure 8] The enlarged perspective view of the fitting part of the upper housing and the lower housing shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 9] The schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the safety device for a flying object shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 10] The schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the safety device for a flying object shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] The schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the safety device for a flying object shown in FIG. 1.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiments shown below exemplify the case where the present invention is applied to a drone as a flying object and a safety device for a flying object attached thereto. In the embodiments shown below, the same or common parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0014] (Embodiment) <A. Configuration of the Flying Object> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a flying object according to an embodiment and a safety device for a flying object provided therein. First, referring to this FIG. 1, the configuration of the flying object 100 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, the flying object 100 includes a fuselage 111, four propulsion mechanisms 112 for propelling the fuselage 111, two legs 113 provided at the lower part of the fuselage 111, an abnormality detection device (not shown) for detecting an abnormality of the flying object 100, and a safety device 1 for the flying object attached to the upper part of the fuselage 111. The four propulsion mechanisms 112 are, for example, propellers. In Fig. 1, two of these propulsion mechanisms 112 are shown. These four propulsion mechanisms 112 are arranged so as to be separated from each other when the flying object 100 is viewed in plan. The abnormality detection device is provided on the fuselage 111. Note that the number and arrangement of the propulsion mechanisms 112 and the legs 113 can be appropriately changed.

[0016] The safety device 1 for the flying object has an upper housing 10 and a lower housing 20 as a housing, and a mounting portion 40 provided on the lower housing 20, and is attached to the fuselage 111 via the mounting portion 40. Here, the safety device 1 for the flying object is preferably provided at a position where it is not interfered with by the four propulsion mechanisms described above so that the ejection of a deployed body 60 (see Fig. 4 etc.) such as a parachute included therein is not inhibited when the ejection occurs.

[0017] <B. Schematic Configuration and Operation of Safety Device for Flying Object> Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the safety device for the flying object shown in Fig. 1 as viewed from the upper right front and the lower right front respectively, and Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV shown in Fig. 2. Next, referring to Figs. 2 to 4, the schematic configuration and operation of the safety device 1 for the flying object according to the present embodiment will be described. In Fig. 4, the illustration of a first connecting member 70 and a second connecting member 80, which will be described later, is omitted.

[0018] <> As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, as described above, the safety device 1 for the aircraft has a box-shaped housing composed of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20, and an accommodation space 10a is provided inside the housing. As shown in FIG. 4, the accommodation space 10a mainly houses a part of the injection device 30 and the deployable body 60, which will be described in detail later.

[0019] When an abnormality detection device provided on the aircraft 100 detects some abnormality during the flight of the aircraft 100, first, the injection device 30 operates, and the upper housing 10 is ejected into the air (see FIG. 10). The ejected upper housing 10 pulls out the deployable body 60 to the outside through the first connecting member 70. As a result, the deployable body 60 is deployed (see FIG. 11).

[0020] The deployed deployable body 60 generates at least one of lift and buoyancy, and these forces are applied to the airframe 111 through the second connecting member 80 and the like. As a result, the falling speed of the airframe 111 is reduced, so that the impact at the time of landing of the airframe 111 can be mitigated.

[0021] <C. Detailed Configuration of the Safety Device for the Aircraft> FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the second member shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper housing shown in FIG. 2 as seen from the front lower right, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lower housing and the second member shown in FIG. 2 as seen from the front upper right. FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the fitting portion of the upper housing and the lower housing shown in FIG. 2. Next, referring to FIGS. 5 to 8 and FIGS. 2 to 4 described above, the detailed configuration of the safety device 1 for the aircraft according to the present embodiment will be described. In FIG. 5, the illustration of the deployable body 60 is omitted.

[0022] <C-1. Housing> As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the housing of the aircraft safety device 1 has a short, roughly cylindrical outer shape with one end and the other end closed in the axial direction when the ejection direction of the upper housing 10 described above is considered as the axial direction. The housing space 10a provided inside the housing houses a part of the ejection device 30 and the deployed body 60 as described above, and a mounting portion 40 is provided on the bottom surface of the housing.

[0023] The upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 are each formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom. The housing is assembled by moving the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 toward a direction that brings them relatively closer together, with their openings facing each other. Here, it is preferable that each of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 be made of a lightweight material, such as a resin material.

[0024] As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 6, the upper housing 10 includes a top plate portion 11 and a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 12 erected from the periphery of the top plate portion 11. The top plate portion 11 includes a cylindrical portion 13 that protrudes toward the bottom plate portion 21 when viewed from the top plate portion 11. The cylindrical portion 13 is located approximately in the center of the top plate portion 11. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 13 is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 28.5 mm or more and 43.5 mm or less.

[0025] The storage space 10a is divided by the cylindrical portion 13 into an outer storage space 10a1 located outside the cylindrical portion 13 and an inner storage space 10a2 located inside the cylindrical portion 13. As a result, the outer storage space 10a1 is defined by the top plate portion 11, the peripheral wall portion 12, the bottom plate portion 21 and the cylindrical portion 13, while the inner storage space 10a2 is defined by the top plate portion 11 and the cylindrical portion 13.

[0026] As shown in Figure 6, the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 12, at the end opposite to the top plate portion 11, is provided with four claw portions 12a, which serve as part of the fixing portion for fitting and fixing the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20. In Figure 6, three of these claw portions 12a are visible. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 12 is provided with four pairs of guide portions 12b that sandwich each of the four claw portions 12a in a direction intersecting the assembly direction (i.e., the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall portion 12), which is the direction in which the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 are assembled. In Figure 6, three of these pairs of guide portions 12b are visible.

[0027] As described above, the provision of a pair of guide sections 12b corresponding to one claw section 12a facilitates the assembly of the aircraft safety device 1, the details of which will be described later. The number of claw sections 12a is not limited to four and can be changed as appropriate, and the number of pairs of guide sections 12b can also be changed accordingly.

[0028] The cylindrical portion 13 is provided with two connecting portions 13a, which are through holes. The connecting portions 13a are for connecting one end of the first connecting member 70 to the cylindrical portion 13. The connecting portions 13a may be provided at any position on the cylindrical portion 13, but it is preferable that they be provided at the end of the cylindrical portion 13 opposite to the top plate portion 11 in the axial direction. This configuration facilitates the assembly work described later.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and FIG. 7, the lower housing 20 includes a bottom plate portion 21 and an annular wall portion 22 erected upward from the periphery of the bottom plate portion 21. Four protrusions 22a are provided on the annular wall portion 22 as a part of a fixing portion for fitting and fixing the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20. These four protrusions 22a all protrude toward the upper housing 10 side, and each of them is provided with a hole portion 22a1 into which the above-described claw portion 12a can be locked. Note that the number of the protrusions 22a is not particularly limited to four, and can be appropriately changed so as to correspond to the number of the claw portions 12a.

[0030] An opening 21a is provided at a substantially central portion of the bottom plate portion 21. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an injection device 30 is assembled to the bottom plate portion 21 so as to close the opening 21a. The opening 21a is provided at a position corresponding to the above-described cylindrical portion 13.

[0031] <C-2. Configuration of Injection Device> As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the injection device 30 includes an igniter assembly 31, a cylinder 32 assembled to the igniter assembly 31, and a piston 33 disposed inside the cylinder 32. The injection device 30 is for injecting the upper housing 10 and a deployable body 60 described later in a direction away from the bottom plate portion 21.

[0032] More specifically, when the igniter 31b included in the igniter assembly 31 operates, the injection device 30 moves the piston 33 disposed inside the cylinder 32 toward the upper housing 10 side by the pressure of the gas generated, thereby pushing up the upper housing 10 and injecting it into the air. At the same time, the injection device 30 pulls out the deployable body 60 connected to the upper housing 10 via the first connecting member 70 by the injected upper housing 10 and injects it into the air.

[0033] As shown in Figure 5, the igniter assembly 31 mainly includes a base portion 31a as an insertion part, the igniter 31b described above, and a sealing member 31c. The base portion 31a constitutes the base of the igniter assembly 31, and the igniter 31b and the sealing member 31c are assembled to the base portion 31a, thereby forming the igniter assembly 31 as a single integrated part.

[0034] An upper recess 31a1 is provided on the upper surface of the base portion 31a located on the top plate portion 11 side, and a lower recess 31a2 is provided on the lower surface of the base portion 31a located on the bottom plate portion 21 side. Furthermore, through holes are provided in the base portion 31a that constitute the bottom of the upper recess 31a1 and the bottom of the lower recess 31a2, so as to reach these upper recess 31a1 and lower recess 31a2.

[0035] The end of the base portion 31a on the side where the lower recess 31a2 is provided is a flange-shaped first mounting portion 31a3 that is fitted against the outer surface of the bottom plate portion 21. The first mounting portion 31a3 is located between the bottom plate portion 21 and the mounting portion 40.

[0036] A crimping portion 31a4 is provided on the upper surface of the base portion 31a, surrounding the upper recess 31a1. The crimping portion 31a4 is a part for crimping and fixing the igniter 31b to the base portion 31a.

[0037] Here, the base portion 31a is preferably made of a material having higher strength than the bottom plate portion 21, and is made of a metal material such as stainless steel, iron or steel, or aluminum alloy.

[0038] The igniter 31b is for generating a flame and has a base 31b1, an ignition part 31b2, and a pair of terminal pins 31b3. The base 31b1 is the part that holds the igniter 31b and the pair of terminal pins 31b3, and is also the part that is fixed to the base part 31a. The ignition part 31b2 contains an igniter that generates a flame by igniting and burning when in operation, and a resistor (bridge wire) for igniting the igniter. The pair of terminal pins 31b3 are connected to the ignition part 31b2 for igniting the igniter.

[0039] More specifically, the ignition unit 31b2 includes a cup-shaped squib cup and a plug that closes the open end of the squib cup and holds a pair of terminal pins 31b3 through which they are inserted. The aforementioned resistor is attached so as to connect the tips of the pair of terminal pins 31b3 inserted into the squib cup, and an igniter is loaded into the squib cup so as to surround or be close to the resistor.

[0040] Here, nichrome wire is generally used as the resistor, and ZPP (zirconium potassium perchlorate), ZWPP (zirconium tungsten potassium perchlorate), lead tricinate, etc. are generally used as the igniter. The squib cup and embolus mentioned above are generally made of metal or plastic. In addition, the ignition unit 31b2 may further contain propellant or gas generating agent depending on the required amount of gas to be generated.

[0041] When an anomaly detection device installed on the aircraft 100 detects an anomaly during the flight of the aircraft 100, a predetermined amount of current flows through the resistor via the terminal pin 31b3. The flow of this predetermined amount of current through the resistor generates Joule heat, causing the igniter to begin burning. The high-temperature flame produced by the combustion ruptures the squib cup containing the igniter. The time from when current flows through the resistor until the igniter 31b activates is generally 2 milliseconds or less when a nichrome wire is used for the resistor.

[0042] The igniter 31b is fixed to the base portion 31a by bending the crimping portion 31a4 described above, while the base portion 31b1 is housed and secured in the upper recess 31a1 of the base portion 31a, with a pair of terminal pins 31b3 inserted from above into the through-holes of the base portion 31a.

[0043] Here, a sealing member 31c, such as an O-ring, is interposed between the base portion 31a and the igniter 31b, thereby closing the gap between the base portion 31a and the igniter 31b and ensuring airtightness in that portion. Note that the method of fixing the igniter 31b is not limited to the fixing method using the crimped portion 31a4 described above, and other fixing methods may be used.

[0044] The lower recess 31a2 of the base portion 31a exposes and positions the pair of terminal pins 31b3 of the igniter 31b. Thus, the lower recess 31a2 and the pair of terminal pins 31b3 constitute a female connector portion.

[0045] The female connector portion is a part for receiving the male connector (not shown) of the harness for connecting the igniter 31b and the abnormality detection device described above. The female connector portion is exposed to the outside of the housing, and when the male connector described above is inserted into the female connector portion, electrical conductivity is achieved between the core wire of the harness and the terminal pin 31b3.

[0046] The cylinder 32 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is assembled to the ignition assembly 31 such that the opening on the bottom plate portion 21 side is closed by the ignition assembly 31.

[0047] A lower recess 32a is provided on the lower surface of the cylinder 32 located on the bottom plate portion 21 side. The lower recess 32a has a crimping portion 32a1 at its tip, which is provided so as to surround the upper recess 31a1 of the base portion 31a. The crimping portion 32a1 is a part for crimping and fixing the igniter assembly 31 to the cylinder 32.

[0048] The piston 33 has a substantially cylindrical outer shape provided with a hollow portion extending along the axial direction, and at least a part of it is disposed inside the cylinder 32 so as to be slidable along the axial direction of the cylinder 32. The piston 33 is formed such that the outer shape of the end portion on the top plate portion 11 side when viewed in plan is slightly smaller than the outer shape of the opening on the top plate portion 11 side of the cylinder 32. The opening on the top plate portion 11 side of the cylinder 32 is closed by the tip side portion of the piston 33.

[0049] <C-3. Assembly to the housing of the injection device> In the state where the upper concave portion 31a1 of the base portion 31a is accommodated and fastened in the lower concave portion 32a of the cylinder 32, the caulking portion 32a1 of the cylinder 32 described above is bent, whereby the base portion 31a is fixed to the cylinder 32. As a result, the injection device 30 composed of the igniter assembly 31 integrated by previously assembling the igniter 31b to the base portion 31a, the cylinder 32 further assembled thereto, and the piston 33 is assembled.

[0050] Furthermore, the cylinder 32 and the piston 33 constituting the injection device 30 are inserted into the opening 21a of the bottom plate portion 21 from below. As a result, most of the cylinder 32 and the piston 33 are inserted into the cylindrical portion 13 of the upper housing 10, and as a result, they are accommodated in the inner accommodation space 10a2 of the housing.

[0051] At this time, the base portion 31a of the igniter assembly 31 is also inserted into the opening 21a from below together with the cylinder 32 and the piston 33. As a result, the base portion 31a projects from the bottom plate portion 21 toward the accommodation space 10a of the housing, and the above-described flange-shaped first indentation portion 31a3 is in a state of being fastened to the bottom plate portion 21. In this state, when the first indentation portion 31a3 is fastened to the bottom plate portion 21, the igniter assembly 31 is fixed to the bottom plate portion 21.

[0052] <C-4. Structure of the mounting portion> On the outer surfaces of the injection device 30 and the bottom plate portion 21 configured as described above, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a curved plate-like mounting portion 40 having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and arranged parallel to the bottom plate portion 21 is mounted. The mounting portion 40 is for mounting the safety device 1 for the flying object to the airframe 111.

[0053] At the main plate portion 41 located at the center of the mounting portion 40, it abuts against the first indentation portion 31a3 of the base portion 31a. The first member fastened to the bottom plate portion 21 together with the second member 50 to be described later is constituted by the mounting portion 40 and the base portion 31a including the first indentation portion 31a3.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3, the main plate portion 41 and the first indentation portion 31a3 are fastened to each other by a plurality of bolts. Further, on the outside of the main plate portion 41 in the longitudinal direction of the mounting portion 40, a plurality of portions fastened to the bottom plate portion 21 by bolts are provided in order to ensure the attachment of the mounting portion 40 to the bottom plate portion 21.

[0055] A pair of slit holes 42 are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the mounting portion 40. The attachment of the safety device 1 for the flying object to the airframe 111 can be performed, for example, by passing a band through the pair of slit holes 42 and tying or winding this band around the airframe 111.

[0056] The mounting portion 40 is preferably constituted by a member having higher strength than the bottom plate portion 21, and for example, it is constituted by a press-formed product formed by pressing a rolled metal plate-like member. Note that the shape of the mounting portion 40 in plan view is not particularly limited to a substantially rectangular shape, and for example, it may be a substantially circular shape, a substantially elliptical shape, a polygonal shape, or the like.

[0057] <Configuration of the Second Member> As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 7, a second member 50, which is a curved plate-shaped member having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and arranged parallel to the bottom plate 21, is attached to the inner surface of the bottom plate 21.

[0058] The second member 50 includes a second support portion 51 located approximately in the center of the second member 50 and fitted against the inner surface of the bottom plate portion 21, and four connecting portions 52 located on the periphery of the second member 50 and provided with through holes 52a.

[0059] An opening 51a is provided at a predetermined position in the second targeting section 51. The injection device 30 described above is inserted through this opening 51a so as to close it.

[0060] The four connecting portions 52 are for connecting the second connecting member 80 to the second member 50, and are located at a distance from each other on the periphery of the second member 50 when viewed along the injection direction of the deployed body 60. The second connecting member 80 is connected to the four connecting portions 52 by means of passing one end through the through hole 52a and tying it. It is preferable that there be multiple connecting portions 52, but there may be one. Also, if there are multiple connecting portions 52, the number is not particularly limited to four and can be changed as appropriate.

[0061] The second member 50 is preferably made of a material having higher strength than the bottom plate 21, and is made of a press-formed product formed by press-working a rolled metal plate-shaped member. The shape of the second member 50 when viewed from above is not particularly limited to a substantially rectangular shape, but may be substantially circular, substantially elliptical, polygonal, etc.

[0062] The first member, consisting of the mounting portion 40 and the base portion 31a described above, and the second member 50 are both fitted against the inner surface of the bottom plate portion 21 and fastened together, thereby ensuring the strength of the aircraft safety device 1 to withstand attachment to the aircraft body 111.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom plate portion 21, the first member composed of the mounting portion 40 and the base portion 31a, and the second member 50 are fixed to each other by two bolts 90 as fastening members. More specifically, with the bottom plate portion 21 sandwiched between the first seating portion 31a3 of the first member and the second seating portion 51 of the second member 50, the first seating portion 31a3 and the second seating portion 51 are fastened by the bolts 90, whereby the bottom plate portion 21, the first member, and the second member 50 are fixed to each other.

[0064] Here, the bottom plate portion 21, the first member and the second member 50 having a higher strength than the bottom plate portion 21 are fastened to each other and integrated. Thereby, the rigidity of the portion of the aircraft safety device 1 attached to the airframe 111 can be dramatically increased.

[0065] <C-6. Configuration of the Deployed Body, First Connecting Member, and Second Connecting Member> As shown in FIG. 4, in the outer accommodation space 10a1 located outside the cylindrical portion 13 in the accommodation space 10a of the housing, a deployed body 60 is accommodated. The deployed body 60 is wound or folded in the non-deployed state accommodated in the outer accommodation space 10a1, and can generate at least one of lift and buoyancy in the deployed state after being ejected by the ejection device 30.

[0066] As the deployed body 60, for example, a parachute made of a film-like member such as a polyamide synthetic resin, a polyester resin, and a polyolefin resin, or a canvas is used. Note that the deployed body 60 is not particularly limited to a parachute, and for example, a paraglider or the like may be used to control the falling direction of the aircraft 100.

[0067] The object to be deployed 60 is connected to a first connecting member 70 and a second connecting member 80 (see FIGS. 11 and the like described later). The first connecting member 70 and the second connecting member 80 are preferably made of lightweight and high-strength members, and are constituted by, for example, metals, alloys, or composite reinforcing members such as fiber-reinforced plastics.

[0068] One end of the first connecting member 70 is connected to the object to be deployed 60, and the other end is connected to the upper housing 10. More specifically, the first connecting member 70 includes two lines each having the other end, and the other ends of these two lines are either connected to two connecting portions 13a provided on the cylindrical portion 13 or connected to these two connecting portions 13a by being clamped together with bolts or the like.

[0069] Note that the number of lines included in the first connecting member 70 is not particularly limited to two, and can be changed as appropriate.

[0070] One end of the second connecting member 80 is connected to the second member 50, and the other end is connected to the object to be deployed 60. More specifically, the second connecting member 80 includes four lines each having the one end, and in the present embodiment, the one ends of these four lines are respectively connected to through holes 52a provided in four connecting portions 52 of the second member 50 or connected to these four connecting portions 52 by being clamped together with bolts or the like (see FIG. 5).

[0071] Note that the one end of the second connecting member 80 does not necessarily have to be connected to the second member 50, and it may be connected to at least any one of the lower housing 20, the injection device 30, the second member 50, and the airframe 111. Also, the number of lines included in the second connecting member 80 is not particularly limited to four, and can be changed as appropriate.

[0072] <D. Assembly of the safety device for the flying object> When assembling the aircraft safety device 1 configured as described above, first prepare the upper housing 10 and the deployable body 60 housed therein, the lower housing 20, the ejection device 30, the mounting part 40, and the second member 50. Here, the deployable body 60 is housed in a substantially annular space defined by the top plate portion 11, the peripheral wall portion 12, and the cylindrical portion 13 of the upper housing 10.

[0073] Next, the other end of the first connecting member 70, one end of which is connected to the unfolded body 60, is connected to the upper housing 10. More specifically, the other end of the first connecting member 70 is connected to the connecting portion 13a of the cylindrical portion 13 which is provided protruding from the top plate portion 11.

[0074] By configuring it in this way, the connection between the deployed body 60 and the upper housing 10 can be made easier compared to the case where the other end of the first connecting member 70 is connected to the upper housing 10 at a part other than the connecting portion 13a, and as a result, the assembly work of the aircraft safety device 1 is made easier.

[0075] In particular, in this embodiment, since the connecting portion 13a is provided at the end of the cylindrical portion 13 opposite to the top plate portion 11 in the axial direction, the connecting portion 13a is located on the opening surface side of the upper housing 10, and the above-mentioned effects are significantly obtained.

[0076] Next, the second member 50 is placed against the bottom plate portion 21 such that the opening 51a provided in the second support portion 51 of the second member 50 aligns with the opening 21a of the bottom plate portion 21, and the injection device 30 is inserted through these openings 21a and 51a.

[0077] Next, with the bottom plate portion 21 sandwiched between the first support portion 31a3 and the second support portion 51 of the base portion 31a, the first support portion 31a3 and the second support portion 51 are fastened together with bolts 90.

[0078] Next, the other end of the second connecting member 80, which has one end connected to the unfolded body 60, is connected to the connecting portion 52 of the second member 50.

[0079] Next, the upper housing 10, which houses the object to be deployed 60, is assembled to the lower housing 20, to which the injection device 30 and the like are fastened. More specifically, the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 are moved in the assembly direction, which is the direction in which their opening surfaces face each other and move closer together.

[0080] At this time, the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 are moved while aligning the claw portion 12a provided on the peripheral wall portion 12 of the upper housing 10 with the protrusion portion 22a provided on the annular wall portion 22 of the lower housing 20. As a result, as shown in Figure 8, the claw portion 12a is locked into the hole portion 22a1 of the protrusion portion 22a, and the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 are assembled together.

[0081] In the aircraft safety device 1, as described above, a pair of guide portions 12b that sandwich the claw portion 12a are provided on the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 12. With this configuration, when assembling the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20, the protruding portion 22a is received and guided by the pair of guide portions 12b. This makes it easy to align the claw portion 12a and the hole portion 22a1, and as a result, the assembly work of the aircraft safety device 1 is made easier.

[0082] Furthermore, in the aircraft safety device 1, the space in which the deployable body 60 is housed and the space in which the ejection device 30 is housed are separated by a cylindrical portion 13, thereby facilitating the assembly work described above.

[0083] That is, when the cylindrical portion 13 is not provided in the upper housing 10, the injection device 30 and the deployable body 60 will be accommodated in one accommodation space. Therefore, it is necessary to perform the above assembly so that the deployable body 60 and the injection device 30 do not overlap and be accommodated, which is a factor that complicates the assembly work. In this regard, in the safety device 1 for a flying object, such a situation is unlikely to occur, so the assembly work of the above assembly can be facilitated.

[0084] Next, the mounting portion 40 is fastened to the injection device 30 and the bottom plate portion 21. More specifically, the main plate portion 41 of the mounting portion 40 is fastened to the first destination portion 31a3 of the injection device 30 with bolts (not shown), and the outer portion in the longitudinal direction of the mounting portion 40 is fastened to the bottom plate portion 21 with bolts. Thereby, the assembly of the safety device 1 for a flying object is completed.

[0085] Note that the above-described method for assembling the safety device 1 for a flying object is merely an example, and the order and the like can be appropriately changed.

[0086] Furthermore, this safety device 1 for a flying object will be attached to the airframe 111 via the attachment portion 40.

[0087] <E. Operation of the safety device for a flying object> Figs. 9 to 11 are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation of the safety device for a flying object shown in Fig. 1. Next, referring to these Figs. 9 to 11, the operation of the safety device 1 for a flying object according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0088] During the flight of the flying object 100, when any abnormality such as an abnormal attitude or a malfunction of the propulsion mechanism 112 occurs, the abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means provided separately in the flying object 100, and the igniter 31b is activated by receiving power from the abnormality detection means.

[0089] When the igniter 31b is activated, first, the ignition charge filled in the ignition portion 31b2 of the igniter 31b is ignited by being heated by the resistor, and the ignition charge burns.

[0090] When the ignition charge burns, a large amount of gas is generated inside the ignition unit 31b2, causing the temperature and pressure of the ignition unit 31b2 to rise, resulting in the ignition unit 31b2, which is made of a fragile material, rupturing or melting. As a result of this rupture or melting of the ignition unit 31b2, the large amount of gas mentioned above increases the pressure inside the cylinder 32.

[0091] As a result of the pressure increase inside the cylinder 32, the piston 33 is moved toward the top plate portion 11 in the axial direction of the cylinder 32, as shown in Figure 9. This causes the piston 33 to come into contact with the top plate portion 11 located above it, pushing the upper housing 10 away from the bottom plate portion 21 (i.e., in the direction of arrow AR1 in the figure), thereby ejecting it.

[0092] Next, as shown in Figure 10, the upper housing 10 is injected in the injection direction by a distance corresponding to the length of the first connecting member 70, causing the first connecting member 70 to change from a relaxed state to a taut state. As a result, the thrust force of the injected upper housing 10 is applied to the unfolded body 60 via the first connecting member 70, and the pulling out of the unfolded body 60 in the injection direction begins.

[0093] As mentioned above, the deployed object, such as a parachute, is a soft material made of a film-like material. Therefore, if only the deployed object is ejected by the injection device without the upper housing, the air resistance experienced by the deployed object will hinder its movement in the direction of ejection, potentially resulting in a situation where the driving force of the injection device cannot be effectively utilized.

[0094] In this regard, in the aircraft safety device 1, the upper housing 10, which is a rigid body made of resin material or the like, is ejected by the ejection device 30, and the deployed body 60 is pulled out by the upper housing 10. As a result, the obstruction of the movement of the deployed body 60 due to air resistance mentioned above can be minimized, and the driving force of the ejection device 30 can be used with high efficiency.

[0095] In addition, in the safety device 1 for the flying object, since the driving force of the injection device 30 can be utilized with high efficiency, the stroke of the piston 33 can be made shorter than in the prior art (that is, the output of the injection device 30 can be made smaller than in the prior art). As a result, not only can the safety device 1 for the flying object be made smaller and lighter, but also the outer shape of the housing can be flattened. Therefore, the center of gravity position of the flying object 100 in the state where the safety device 1 for the flying object is attached to the airframe 111 can be lowered, thereby stabilizing the flight and reducing the air resistance during flight.

[0096] Note that the time required from when the upper housing 10 is ejected until the deployment of the deployable body 60 starts can be appropriately changed by adjusting the length of the first connecting member 70 or the output of the injection device 30.

[0097] Next, as shown in FIG. 11, when the entire portion of the deployable body 60 is pulled out by the upper housing 10, the deployable body 60 is deployed. As a result, the deployable body 60 generates at least one of lift and buoyancy, and these forces are applied to the airframe 111 via the second connecting member 80, the lower housing 20, the mounting portion 40, etc. As a result, the falling speed of the airframe 111 is reduced, so that the impact at the time of landing of the airframe 111 can be mitigated.

[0098] Note that when the deployable body 60 is deployed, a large impact load is applied to the member connected to the other end of the second connecting member 80, one end of which is connected to the deployable body 60. In the safety device 1 for the flying object according to the present embodiment, the second member 50 having high strength is connected to the other end. Therefore, even when the above-described large impact load is applied, the second member 50 having high strength can surely transmit the lift force, etc. to the airframe 111 without causing damage or the like to itself.

[0099] <F. Parentheses> In this embodiment of the aircraft safety device 1, as described above, before the igniter 31b is activated, the cylinder 32 and piston 33 are housed in the inner housing space 10a2 located inside the cylindrical portion 13. This configuration ensures that the deployed body 60 can be reliably deployed.

[0100] In other words, when the igniter 31b is activated and the piston 33 pushes up the upper housing 10 and ejects it, controlling the ejection direction is considerably difficult due to factors such as the inability to secure a sufficient contact surface size between the piston 33 and the top plate portion 11. If no countermeasures are taken, there is a concern that the upper housing 10 may be ejected in an unintended direction, preventing the deployment of the deployed object 60 from proceeding quickly.

[0101] Furthermore, if the contact surface between the piston 33 and the top plate 11 is increased in order to control the ejection direction, the ejection device 30 will become larger, making it difficult to miniaturize and lighten the safety device for the aircraft.

[0102] In this regard, in the aircraft safety device 1 according to this embodiment, as described above, the cylinder 32 and piston 33 are housed in the inner housing space 10a2. With this configuration, even if the trajectory of the upper housing 10 deviates in a direction intersecting the pushing direction of the piston 33 (i.e., the radial direction of the cylindrical portion 13) when the upper housing 10 is ejected, the trajectory is corrected by the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 13 being guided by the outer circumferential surfaces of the cylinder 32 and piston 33.

[0103] Therefore, by configuring it in this way, the ejection direction of the upper housing 10 by the ejection device 30 can be defined by the cylindrical portion 13, thus enabling a safety device for an aircraft that can reliably deploy the object to be deployed, and an aircraft to which it is attached.

[0104] Furthermore, in the aircraft safety device 1 according to this embodiment, as described above, most of the cylinder 32 is housed in the inner storage space 10a2. This configuration prevents the deployed object 60 from entering the space between the cylinder 32 and the cylindrical portion 13, thereby avoiding a situation where the deployed object 60 entering the space hinders the smooth ejection of the upper housing 10 when the upper housing 10 is ejected.

[0105] Furthermore, as in the safety device 1 for aircraft according to this embodiment, by configuring the second member 50 to withstand the large impact load generated when the deployed body 60 is deployed, the safety device 1 for aircraft can be made lighter and the assembly process can be simplified.

[0106] In other words, as a measure to add strength to the aircraft safety device 1 that can withstand the above-mentioned impact load, it is conceivable to attach a component with high strength to one of the lower housing 20, the ejection device 30, or the airframe 111. However, if such measures are taken, the number of components in the aircraft safety device 1 will increase, resulting in a heavier device and a more complicated assembly process.

[0107] In this regard, in the aircraft safety device 1 according to this embodiment, as described above, the second connecting member 80 is connected to the second member 50, which is a member attached to the bottom plate portion 21 in order to ensure sufficient strength to withstand attachment to the aircraft body 111. In this way, by having the second member 50, which is a member for attaching the aircraft safety device 1 to the aircraft body 111, absorb the impact load, the strength of the aircraft safety device 1 can be ensured without increasing the number of parts of the aircraft safety device 1.

[0108] Furthermore, as described above, by using the aircraft safety device 1 according to this embodiment, it becomes unnecessary to increase the number of parts, thus enabling weight reduction of the device and simplification of the assembly process.

[0109] Furthermore, in the aircraft safety device 1 according to this embodiment, the second member 50 that receives the impact load and the first member defined by the mounting portion 40 and the base portion 31a are integrated, and the rigidity of the integrated portion is dramatically increased. Since the second connecting member 80 is connected to a part of the integrated portion, it becomes possible to significantly improve the strength of the aircraft safety device 1.

[0110] Furthermore, in the aircraft safety device 1 according to this embodiment, as described above, the second connecting member 80 is connected to a plurality of connection parts 52 provided on the second member 50. With this configuration, the impact load is distributed and applied to the second member 50, thereby reducing the load on the second member 50.

[0111] In particular, in this embodiment, the multiple connecting portions 52 are located at a distance from each other on the peripheral edge of the second member 50 when viewed along the injection direction of the deployed body 60, so the above-mentioned effects are significantly achieved.

[0112] In the above-described embodiment, a safety device for an aircraft in which the upper and lower housings are assembled by fitting and fixing a claw portion provided on the peripheral wall of the upper housing with a protruding portion provided on the ridge of the lower housing, was described. However, the configuration of the fixing portion that fits and fixes the upper and lower housings is not limited to that described above. For example, the above assembly may be performed by fitting and fixing a protruding portion provided on the peripheral wall of the upper housing with a claw portion provided on the ridge of the lower housing.

[0113] That is, the upper housing and the lower housing are provided with fixing portions that are fitted and fixed by moving them in the assembling direction, which is the direction of bringing them relatively closer to each other. The fixing portion preferably includes a claw portion provided on one of the upper housing and the lower housing, and a protruding portion provided on the other of the upper housing and the lower housing and provided with a hole portion capable of locking the claw portion.

[0114] When configured in this way, a pair of guide portions that sandwich the claw portion in a direction intersecting the assembling direction are provided on one of the upper housing and the lower housing. When assembling the upper housing and the lower housing, the protruding portion is received and guided by the pair of guide portions, so that the claw portion is aligned with and locked to the hole portion.

[0115] Therefore, the alignment of the claw portion and the hole portion can be easily performed, and as a result, the assembly work of the safety device for the flying object can be facilitated.

[0116] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the safety device for the flying object in which most of the cylinder is housed in the inner accommodation space has been described. However, it is not always necessary for most of the cylinder to be housed in the inner accommodation space. That is, at least a part of the cylinder may be housed in the inner accommodation space to such an extent that the cylinder can guide the cylindrical portion as described above.

[0117] <G. Supplementary Note> Summarizing the characteristic configurations of the safety device for the flying object and the flying object disclosed in the above-described embodiment, it is as follows.

[0118] [Supplementary Note 1] A safety device for a flying object that can be attached to a flying object equipped with a propulsion mechanism, having an upper housing including at least a top plate portion and a lower housing including at least a bottom plate portion, and a housing provided with an accommodation space inside, The deployed object housed in the above containment space, A first connecting member, one end of which is connected to the unfolded body and the other end of which is connected to the upper housing, An injection device assembled to the bottom plate portion and ejecting the upper housing and the object to be deployed in a direction away from the bottom plate portion, The system comprises a second connecting member, one end of which is connected to at least one of the above-mentioned ejection device, the above-mentioned lower housing, and the aircraft, and the other end of which is connected to the deployed body, The top plate portion includes a cylindrical portion that protrudes toward the bottom plate portion when viewed from the top plate portion, The unfolded object is housed in the outer housing space located outside the cylindrical portion of the housing space, A safety device for an aircraft, wherein at least a portion of the ejection device is housed in an inner housing space located inside the cylindrical portion of the housing space, so that the ejection direction of the upper housing by the ejection device is defined by the cylindrical portion.

[0119] [Note 2] The upper housing described above further has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion erected from the periphery of the top plate portion, The above-mentioned peripheral wall portion defines the above-mentioned outer containment space, as described in Appendix 1, for the aircraft safety device.

[0120] [Note 3] The above injection device, A cylinder inserted into the cylindrical portion such that one end in the axial direction is located on the bottom plate side and the other end in the axial direction is located at least inside the cylindrical portion, A piston, at least a portion of which is positioned inside the cylinder, so as to be slidable along the axial direction of the cylinder, A safety device for an aircraft as described in Appendix 1 or 2, comprising an igniter provided at one end of the cylinder, which, when in operation, moves the piston toward the top plate, thereby pushing the top plate away from the bottom plate and ejecting the upper housing.

[0121] [Appendix 4] The safety device for a flying object according to any one of Appendices 1 to 3, wherein the other end of the first connecting member is connected to the cylindrical portion.

[0122] [Appendix 5] An airframe, A propulsion mechanism provided on the airframe and propelling the airframe, An aircraft comprising the safety device for a flying object according to any one of Appendices 1 to 4 attached to the airframe.

[0123] <H. Other forms, etc.> In the above-described embodiments of the present invention, the case where an igniter is used as a power source for moving the piston has been exemplified. However, the power source is not limited to an igniter. For example, it may be one that utilizes the elastic force of an elastic body such as a spring, or one that utilizes the pressure of a gas enclosed in a cylinder.

[0124] In addition, the shape, configuration, size, number, material, etc. of each part shown in the above-described embodiments of the present invention can be variously changed as long as they do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

[0125] Furthermore, the characteristic configurations shown in the above-described embodiments of the present invention can be naturally combined with each other as long as they do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

[0126] Thus, the above-described embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the description of the claims.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0127] 1 Safety device for aircraft, 10 Upper housing, 10a Housing space, 10a1 Outer housing space, 10a2 Inner housing space, 11 Top plate, 12 Peripheral wall, 12a Claw, 12b Guide, 13 Cylindrical part, 13a Connection part, 20 Lower housing, 21 Bottom plate, 21a Opening, 22 Annular wall, 22a Protruding part, 22a1 Hole, 30 Ejection device, 31 Ignition assembly, 31a Base, 31a1 Upper recess, 31a2 Lower recess, 31a3 First attachment part, 31a4 Crimping part, 31b Ignition, 31b1 Base, 31b2 Ignition part, 31b3 Terminal pin, 31c Seal member, 32 Cylinder, 32a Lower recess, 32a1 Crimping part, 33 Piston, 40 Mounting part, 41 Main plate part, 42 Slit hole, 50 Second member, 51 Second support part, 51a Opening, 52 Connecting part, 52a Through hole, 60 Deployable body, 70 First connecting member, 80 Second connecting member, 90 Bolt, 100 Flying body, 111 Airframe, 112 Propulsion mechanism, 113 Leg part.

Claims

1. A safety device for an aircraft that can be attached to an aircraft equipped with a propulsion mechanism, A housing having an upper housing that includes at least a top plate and a lower housing that includes at least a bottom plate, with a storage space provided inside, The unfolded object housed in the aforementioned containment space, A first connecting member, one end of which is connected to the unfolded body and the other end of which is connected to the upper housing, An injection device assembled to the bottom plate portion, which injects the upper housing and the object to be deployed in a direction away from the bottom plate portion, The system comprises a second connecting member, one end of which is connected to at least one of the ejection device, the lower housing, and the aircraft, and the other end of which is connected to the deployed body, The top plate portion includes a cylindrical portion that protrudes toward the bottom plate portion when viewed from the top plate portion, The unfolded body is housed in the outer housing space located outside the cylindrical portion of the housing space, Since at least a portion of the injection device is housed in an inner housing space located inside the cylindrical portion of the housing space, the injection direction of the upper housing by the injection device is defined by the cylindrical portion. The injection device is configured to inject the upper housing by contacting the top plate and pushing up the top plate, A safety device for an aircraft, configured such that when the upper housing is ejected, the first connecting member is tensioned, and the thrust of the ejected upper housing is applied to the deployed object via the first connecting member, causing the deployed object to be pulled out by the upper housing.

2. The upper housing further has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion erected from the periphery of the top plate portion, The safety device for an aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall portion defines the outer housing space.

3. The injection device, A cylinder inserted into the cylindrical portion such that one end in the axial direction is located on the bottom plate side and the other end in the axial direction is located at least inside the cylindrical portion, A piston, at least a portion of which is positioned inside the cylinder so as to be slidable along the axial direction of the cylinder, The safety device for an aircraft according to claim 1, comprising an igniter provided at the one end of the cylinder, which, when in operation, moves the piston toward the top plate portion, thereby pushing the top plate portion away from the bottom plate portion and ejecting the upper housing.

4. The safety device for an aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the other end of the first connecting member is connected to the cylindrical portion.

5. The aircraft and, A propulsion mechanism provided on the aircraft and for propelling the aircraft, An aircraft equipped with a safety device for an aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is attached to the aircraft.

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