Parachute bay structure of ejection parachute

Abstract

The parachute bay structure comprises a parachute bay assembly, a gas production assembly, a connecting assembly and a pressure relief assembly, the parachute bay assembly comprises a bay body and a piston, the top of the bay body is provided with an opening, the piston is arranged in the bay body, a closed lower cavity is defined in the bay body, and the gas production assembly is arranged in the lower cavity; and the piston has a fixed state of being fixed with the bottom of the cabin body and a separated state of being separated from the bottom of the cabin body. The ejection parachute bay structure has the beneficial effects that after jacking, the parachute pack can be far away from an unmanned aerial vehicle body, the parachute pack is prevented from being clamped, the timeliness of opening the parachute out of the bay is ensured, meanwhile, a parachute cord can be prevented from hooking and winding protruding parts of the unmanned aerial vehicle body, in addition, interference of disordered airflow around the bay is avoided, and the service life of the parachute is prolonged. The influence of turbulent airflow on parachute opening can be reduced, the airflow is relatively stable, the situation that parachute cords are mutually wound or a parachute canopy cannot be smoothly unfolded can be avoided, and parachute opening stability and reliability are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) parachute recovery technology, and more particularly to a catapult parachute compartment structure. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, parachuting is the primary method for recovering drones. The main function of a parachute is to protect the drone during recovery and prevent damage during landing. Existing drone parachute compartments (such as the one described in application number 201621463510.3, "A Parachute Compartment Structure for a Fixed-Wing Drone") are prone to parachute pack jamming during deployment, leading to delayed parachute exit and deployment. Parachute lines are also susceptible to snagging and tangling around protruding parts of the drone. Furthermore, turbulent airflow around the drone can cause parachute lines to become entangled or the canopy to fail to deploy smoothly, resulting in poor deployment stability and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and propose an ejection parachute cabin structure to solve the technical problem that the existing cabin structure leads to poor parachute opening stability and reliability.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the present invention provides an ejection parachute compartment structure, comprising: A parachute assembly includes a cabin and a piston. The top of the cabin is open. The piston is disposed inside the cabin and encloses a sealed lower cavity inside the cabin. The piston has a fixed state that is fixed to the bottom of the cabin and a separated state that is separated from the bottom of the cabin. The top surface of the piston is used to fix the parachute. A gas-generating assembly is disposed on the chamber and is used to inject gas into the lower cavity to push the piston from a fixed state to a split state and move toward the top of the chamber; A connecting assembly, disposed on the piston and having a retractable structure, is used to engage with the cabin when the piston reaches the top of the cabin, thereby stopping the piston; A pressure relief assembly is installed on the chamber and is used to relieve pressure in the lower cavity when the pressure in the lower cavity reaches a preset value.

[0005] Furthermore, the piston has a accommodating cavity with a top opening for receiving a parachute.

[0006] Furthermore, the parachute assembly also includes multiple fasteners, the top of each fastener being fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the piston, and the bottom of each fastener being fixedly connected to the bottom of the cabin. A weakening groove is formed in the middle of each fastener. When the gas generating assembly injects gas into the lower cavity, the weakening groove breaks, the piston separates from the cabin, and the piston switches from a fixed state to a separated state.

[0007] Furthermore, the fastener includes a nut and a stud. The nut is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the piston. The upper section of the stud passes through the nut and the piston and is screwed to the nut. The lower section of the stud is provided with the weakening groove.

[0008] Furthermore, the gas generating assembly includes a gas generator and a bridge wire. The bridge wire is connected to the gas generator and is also used for electrical connection with the UAV. The UAV releases an electrical signal, which ignites the propellant in the gas generator via the bridge wire, and the gas generator produces high-pressure gas.

[0009] Furthermore, an insertion hole is provided on the side wall of the top of the cabin. The connecting assembly includes a pin and an elastic element. The elastic element connects the piston and the pin so that the pin abuts against the inner wall of the cabin. When the piston reaches the top of the cabin, the pin is inserted into the insertion hole under the push of the elastic element.

[0010] Furthermore, a guide hole is provided on the side wall of the piston, and the pin slides through the guide hole.

[0011] Furthermore, the connecting assembly also includes a mounting block and a collar. The mounting block is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the piston, the collar is fixedly sleeved on the pin, the elastic element is sleeved on the pin, one end of the elastic element is fixedly connected to the mounting block, and the other end of the elastic element is fixedly connected to the collar.

[0012] Furthermore, the connecting components include multiple components, each of which is disposed on a different side wall of the piston.

[0013] Furthermore, each side wall of the cabin is provided with an installation port, and the pressure relief assembly includes multiple rupture membranes, each of which is sealed at the opening of the installation port. When the pressure in the lower cavity reaches a preset value, the rupture membrane bursts.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention include: when recovering the drone, the gas generating component injects gas into the lower cavity, which can separate the piston from the bottom of the cabin. The high-pressure gas pushes the piston towards the top of the cabin. When the piston reaches the top of the cabin, the connecting component can engage with the cabin, thereby fixing the piston at the top of the cabin. Then the gas generating component continues to inject gas into the lower cavity, and the pressure in the lower cavity increases. When the pressure in the lower cavity reaches a preset value, the pressure relief component releases the pressure in the lower cavity. This ejection parachute cabin structure can, after being lifted, keep the parachute away from the drone body, prevent the parachute from getting stuck, and ensure the timely deployment of the parachute. At the same time, it can also avoid the parachute lines getting caught and entangled on the protruding parts of the drone body. In addition, without the interference of turbulent airflow around the fuselage, the influence of turbulent airflow on the parachute deployment can be reduced. The airflow is relatively stable, which can avoid the parachute lines from getting tangled or the canopy from not deploying smoothly, thus improving the stability and reliability of the parachute deployment. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an ejection parachute cabin structure provided by the present invention; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cabin provided by the present invention; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cabin provided by the present invention from another perspective; Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the piston provided by the present invention; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the piston provided by the present invention from another perspective; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the piston structure provided by the present invention; Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Enlarged view of point A in the image; In the diagram: 100 - Parachute pod assembly, 110 - pod body, 111 - insertion hole, 112 - mounting port, 120 - piston, 121 - accommodating cavity, 122 - guide hole, 130 - fastener, 131 - weakening groove, 132 - nut, 133 - stud, 134 - binding ring, 200 - gas generation assembly, 300 - connecting assembly, 310 - pin, 320 - elastic element, 330 - mounting block, 340 - collar, 400 - pressure relief assembly, 410 - rupture membrane. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0017] This invention provides a catapult parachute compartment structure, the structure of which is as follows: Figure 1 - Figure 5 As shown, the device includes a parachute compartment assembly 100, a gas generation assembly 200, a connecting assembly 300, and a pressure relief assembly 400. The parachute compartment assembly 100 includes a compartment body 110 and a piston 120. The top of the compartment body 110 is open. The piston 120 is disposed inside the compartment body 110 and forms a sealed lower cavity within the compartment body 110. The piston 120 has a fixed state where it is fixed to the bottom of the compartment body 110 and a separated state where it is separated from the bottom of the compartment body 110. The top surface of the piston 120 is used to fix the parachute. The gas generation assembly 200 is provided with... The piston 120 is mounted on the chamber 110 and is used to inject gas into the lower cavity to push the piston 120 from a fixed state to a split state and move toward the top of the chamber 110; the connecting assembly 300 is mounted on the piston 120 and has a telescopic structure. When the piston 120 reaches the top of the chamber 110, it is used to engage with the chamber 110 to stop the piston 120; the pressure relief assembly 400 is mounted on the chamber 110 and is used to relieve pressure in the lower cavity when the pressure in the lower cavity reaches a preset value.

[0018] In use, the parachute compartment is embedded entirely into the drone body, ensuring that the top of the compartment 110 abuts against the drone skin. Then, the bottom of the compartment 110 is connected and fixed to the drone's mechanical interface. The parachute is fixed to the top surface of the piston 120, and the parachute straps are connected to the pre-drilled parachute strap holes on the drone body. Finally, the drone's surface is sealed. When recovering the drone, the drone sends a command to the gas-generating assembly 200, which generates high-pressure gas and injects it into the lower chamber. This causes the piston 120 to separate from the bottom of the compartment 110. The high-pressure gas pushes the piston 120 towards the top of the compartment 110. When the piston 120 reaches the top of the compartment 110, the connecting assembly 300 can connect... The cabin 110 is engaged, thereby fixing the piston 120 at the top of the cabin 110. Then, the gas generating component 200 continues to inject gas into the lower cavity, increasing the pressure in the lower cavity. When the pressure in the lower cavity reaches a preset value, the pressure relief component 400 releases the pressure in the lower cavity. This ejection parachute cabin structure allows the parachute pack to be moved away from the UAV fuselage after being lifted, preventing the parachute pack from getting stuck and ensuring the timely deployment of the parachute. It also avoids the parachute lines from getting caught on and tangling with protruding parts of the UAV fuselage. In addition, without the interference of turbulent airflow around the fuselage, the impact of turbulent airflow on the parachute deployment is reduced. The airflow is relatively stable, which can avoid the parachute lines from getting tangled or the canopy from failing to deploy smoothly, thus improving the stability and reliability of the parachute deployment.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 The piston 120 has a top-opening accommodating cavity 121 for receiving the parachute. During the upward movement of the piston 120, the inner wall of the cabin 110 can prevent the parachute from getting stuck.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 6 The parachute assembly 100 also includes multiple fixing members 130. The top of each fixing member 130 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the piston 120, and the bottom of each fixing member 130 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the cabin 110. A weakening groove 131 is formed in the middle of the fixing member 130. When the gas generating assembly 200 injects gas into the lower cavity, the weakening groove 131 breaks, and the piston 120 separates from the cabin 110, switching from a fixed state to a separated state. When the gas generating assembly 200 injects gas into the lower cavity, the pressure in the lower cavity will increase. When the pressure in the lower cavity exceeds the pressure that the weakening groove 131 can withstand, the weakening groove 131 will break, realizing the separation of the piston 120 from the cabin 110, ensuring that the piston 120 can move upward under the push of high-pressure gas.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 6 The fastener 130 includes a nut 132 and a stud 133. The nut 132 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the piston 120. The upper section of the stud 133 passes through the nut 132 and the piston 120 and is screwed to the nut 132. The lower section of the stud 133 is provided with a weakening groove 131. The weakening groove 131 can significantly reduce the strength of the stud 133 at this point, ensuring that the stud 133 can be easily disconnected.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 6 The weakening groove 131 is an annular structure. When the pressure in the lower cavity increases slightly, the weakening groove 131 can break.

[0023] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 6 The fastener 130 also includes a binding ring 134, which is connected to the top of the stud 133 and used to fix the parachute pack. The parachute pack straps are connected to the parachute strap holes reserved in the body to achieve effective fixation of the parachute pack.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 3The gas generating component 200 includes a gas generator and a bridge wire. The bridge wire is connected to the gas generator and is also used to electrically connect to the UAV. The UAV releases an electrical signal, which ignites the propellant in the gas generator via the bridge wire. The gas generator produces high-pressure gas. Compared with other mechanical lifting structures, it can complete the predetermined action in milliseconds, with high reliability and fast response speed.

[0025] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 7 The top side wall of the cabin 110 is provided with an insertion hole 111. The connecting assembly 300 includes a pin 310 and an elastic element 320. The elastic element 320 connects the piston 120 and the pin 310 so that the pin 310 abuts against the inner wall of the cabin 110. When the piston 120 reaches the top of the cabin 110, the pin 310 is pushed into the insertion hole 111 by the elastic element 320, which can fix the piston 120 to the top of the cabin 110 without manual operation and with high stability.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 7 The piston 120 has a guide hole 122 on its side wall. The pin 310 slides through the guide hole 122, and the movement of the pin 310 can be guided through the guide hole 122.

[0027] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 7 The connecting assembly 300 further includes a mounting block 330 and a collar 340. The mounting block 330 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the piston 120. The collar 340 is fixedly sleeved on the pin 310. The elastic element 320 is sleeved on the pin 310. One end of the elastic element 320 is fixedly connected to the mounting block 330, and the other end of the elastic element 320 is fixedly connected to the collar 340, thereby ensuring the stability of the installation of the elastic element 320.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 7 The elastic element 320 is a spring.

[0029] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 The connecting components 300 include multiple components, and each connecting component 300 is respectively disposed on each side wall of the piston 120, which can ensure the stability and strength of the connection between the piston 120 and the cabin 110.

[0030] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5Each of the side walls on the top of the cabin 110 has a corresponding insertion hole 111. Each of the pins 310 is inserted into the corresponding insertion hole 111. When the piston 120 reaches the top of the cabin 110, each of the pins 310 is pushed into the corresponding insertion hole 111 by the corresponding elastic element 320. The piston 120 can be fixed on the top of the cabin 110 without manual operation and with high stability.

[0031] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 Each side wall of the piston 120 is provided with a guide hole 122, and each pin 310 slides through the guide hole 122 in a corresponding manner. The movement of each pin 310 can be guided by the guide hole 122.

[0032] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 Each side wall of the chamber 110 has an installation port 112. The pressure relief assembly 400 includes multiple rupture membranes 410, each of which is correspondingly sealed at the opening of the installation port 112. When the pressure in the lower cavity reaches a preset value, the rupture membrane 410 bursts. The rupture membranes 410 are divided into ordinary rupture membranes 410 and chemically delayed rupture membranes 410, which can achieve segmented bursting, ensuring that the piston 120 rises to a predetermined height, and the elastic element 320 pushes the pin 310 to insert. Within the socket 111, the pressure in the lower cavity is safely released. When the pressure in the lower cavity reaches 10 MPa, the chemically delayed burst membrane 410 automatically initiates a chemical corrosion process. A specially formulated gel-like corrosive agent begins to act on the back of the membrane, causing its strength to decrease steadily. It is not necessary to wait for the pressure in the lower cavity to reach 20 MPa. As long as the corrosion thins the membrane to a certain extent, the membrane will burst precisely under the current system pressure. The delay time from triggering to bursting can be pre-designed and controlled by changing the formulation of the corrosive agent.

[0033] As a preferred embodiment, the rupture membranes 410 are symmetrically distributed, which can ensure the force balance of the chamber 110 and avoid uneven loading. The redundant safety design avoids the risk of single-point failure. The rupture membranes 410 are lightweight and have a simple structure, which significantly reduces the system weight compared with traditional pressure relief valves.

[0034] As a preferred embodiment, the ejection parachute cabin structure can be applied to the coordinated release of multiple parachutes. In the aircraft's parachute cabin layout, a double-layer design layout can be adopted, with a jettisonable parachute cabin on the top and the ejection parachute cabin structure on the bottom. The jettisonable parachute cabin on the top releases the deceleration parachute first. The system decelerates to a preset speed and then ejects the deceleration parachute and the jettisonable parachute cabin. The gas generating component 200 in the ejection parachute cabin structure generates gas to lift the piston 120, raising the parachute pack to a predetermined height and opening the recovery parachute. The staged deceleration optimization adapts to a wide speed range, and the modular design improves reliability and maximizes weight efficiency.

[0035] As a preferred embodiment, the ejection parachute compartment structure can be applied to emergency rescue backup parachutes. In the parachute compartment layout of high-value aircraft or manned aircraft, a double-layer design layout with the main parachute compartment above and the backup parachute compartment below can be adopted. When the main parachute is functioning normally, the backup parachute compartment is not triggered. After the main parachute fails, the main parachute and main parachute compartment are discarded. The gas generating component 200 in this ejection parachute compartment structure generates gas to lift the piston 120, raising the parachute pack to a predetermined height, opening the backup parachute, and completing the emergency rescue.

[0036] As a preferred embodiment, the ejection parachute cabin structure can be used to capture drones. In field conditions, the gas-generating component 200 in the ejection parachute cabin structure generates gas to lift the piston 120, thereby releasing the capture net to capture high-value enemy items.

[0037] As a preferred embodiment, the ejection parachute cabin structure can be applied to space debris recovery. In the vacuum of space, the gas generating component 200 in the ejection parachute cabin structure generates gas to lift the piston 120, thereby releasing the capture net to capture space debris and pull it to a preset orbit for recovery.

[0038] To better understand this invention, the following is combined with... Figure 1 - Figure 7 The working principle of the technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below: In use, the parachute compartment is embedded entirely into the drone body, ensuring that the top of the compartment 110 abuts against the drone skin. Then, the bottom of the compartment 110 is connected and fixed to the drone's mechanical interface. The parachute is fixed to the top surface of the piston 120, and the parachute straps are connected to the pre-drilled parachute strap holes on the drone body. Finally, the drone surface is sealed. When the drone is recovered, it releases an electrical signal, igniting the propellant in the gas generator via the bridge wire. The gas generator produces high-pressure gas, which is then injected into the lower chamber, causing the piston 120 to separate from the bottom of the compartment 110. The high-pressure gas pushes the piston 120 towards the top of the compartment 110. When the piston 120 reaches the top of the compartment 110, the pin 310 engages with the elastic element. Driven by 320, the piston 120 is inserted into the insertion hole 111, which can fix the piston 120 on the top of the cabin 110. Then, the gas generator continues to spray gas into the lower cavity, and the pressure in the lower cavity increases. When the pressure in the lower cavity reaches a preset value, each of the bursting membranes 410 bursts in stages to release the pressure in the lower cavity. This ejection parachute cabin structure can keep the parachute away from the UAV fuselage after being lifted, preventing the parachute from getting stuck and ensuring the timely deployment of the parachute. At the same time, it can also avoid the parachute lines from getting caught and tangled on the protruding parts of the UAV fuselage. In addition, without the interference of turbulent airflow around the fuselage, the influence of turbulent airflow on the parachute deployment can be reduced. The airflow is relatively stable, which can avoid the parachute lines from getting tangled or the canopy from not being able to deploy smoothly, thus improving the stability and reliability of the parachute deployment.

[0039] The ejection parachute cabin structure provided by this invention has the following beneficial effects: (1) In this ejection parachute cabin structure, the UAV releases an electrical signal, which ignites the propellant of the gas generator via the bridge wire. The gas generator produces high-pressure gas. Compared with other mechanical lifting structures, it can complete the predetermined action in milliseconds, with high reliability and fast response speed. (2) The ejection parachute canopy structure is pre-assembled at the factory. Users only need to fix the canopy 110, install the parachute pack, and cover it with the cap. It is easy to operate and has a simple structure. (3) This ejection parachute cabin structure can be applied to multi-parachute coordinated release, emergency rescue backup parachute, capture of drones and space debris recovery, and has a wide range of applications; (4) The ejection parachute canopy structure can lift the parachute away from the UAV body, prevent the parachute from getting stuck, and ensure the timely opening of the parachute. It can also prevent the parachute lines from getting caught on the protruding parts of the UAV body. In addition, without the interference of turbulent airflow around the body, the impact of turbulent airflow on the opening of the parachute can be reduced. The airflow is relatively stable, which can avoid the parachute lines from getting tangled or the parachute canopy from not being able to open smoothly, thus improving the stability and reliability of the opening of the parachute.

[0040] The specific embodiments of the present invention described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made in accordance with the technical concept of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A catapult parachute compartment structure, characterized in that, include: A parachute assembly includes a cabin and a piston. The top of the cabin is open. The piston is disposed inside the cabin and encloses a sealed lower cavity inside the cabin. The piston has a fixed state that is fixed to the bottom of the cabin and a separated state that is separated from the bottom of the cabin. The top surface of the piston is used to fix the parachute. A gas-generating assembly is disposed on the chamber and is used to inject gas into the lower cavity to push the piston from a fixed state to a split state and move toward the top of the chamber; A connecting assembly, disposed on the piston and having a retractable structure, is used to engage with the cabin when the piston reaches the top of the cabin, thereby stopping the piston; A pressure relief assembly is installed on the chamber and is used to relieve pressure in the lower cavity when the pressure in the lower cavity reaches a preset value.

2. The ejection parachute compartment structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piston has a top-opening receiving cavity for accommodating a parachute.

3. The ejection parachute compartment structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The parachute assembly also includes multiple fasteners. The top of each fastener is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the piston, and the bottom of each fastener is fixedly connected to the bottom of the cabin. A weakening groove is formed in the middle of the fastener. When the gas generating assembly injects gas into the lower cavity, the weakening groove breaks, the piston separates from the cabin, and the piston switches from the fixed state to the open state.

4. The ejection parachute compartment structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fastener includes a nut and a stud. The nut is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the piston. The upper section of the stud passes through the nut and the piston and is screwed to the nut. The lower section of the stud has the weakening groove.

5. The ejection parachute compartment structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas generating assembly includes a gas generator and a bridge wire. The bridge wire is connected to the gas generator and is also used for electrical connection with the UAV. The UAV releases an electrical signal, which ignites the propellant in the gas generator via the bridge wire, and the gas generator produces high-pressure gas.

6. The ejection parachute compartment structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, An insertion hole is provided on the side wall of the top of the cabin. The connecting assembly includes a pin and an elastic element. The elastic element connects the piston and the pin so that the pin abuts against the inner wall of the cabin. When the piston reaches the top of the cabin, the pin is inserted into the insertion hole under the push of the elastic element.

7. The ejection parachute compartment structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, A guide hole is provided on the side wall of the piston, and the pin slides through the guide hole.

8. The ejection parachute compartment structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The connecting assembly further includes a mounting block and a collar. The mounting block is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the piston. The collar is fixedly sleeved on the pin. The elastic element is sleeved on the pin. One end of the elastic element is fixedly connected to the mounting block, and the other end of the elastic element is fixedly connected to the collar.

9. The ejection parachute compartment structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting components include multiple components, each of which is disposed on a different side wall of the piston.

10. The ejection parachute compartment structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each side wall of the cabin is provided with an installation port. The pressure relief assembly includes multiple rupture membranes, each of which is sealed at the opening of the installation port. When the pressure in the lower cavity reaches a preset value, the rupture membrane bursts.

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