Parachute landing type grounding lossless recovery device and method

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of parachutes, and particularly relates to a parachute landing type ground contact lossless recovery device and method. The device comprises a head, a cabin body, a parachute mounting structure and an empennage. The parachute mounting structure comprises a parachute hanging point structure at the top of a cabin body, a parachute cabin at the rear end of the cabin body and a cover body capable of being ejected and separated, and the gravity center of the device is located in the geometric center of the device and is lower than the plane of the top of the cabin body in the vertical direction. The passive posture self-adjusting parachute recovery scheme is achieved by optimizing the structural layout, and the problems that the top structure of a parachute recovery device is prone to damage, and the application range is limited are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of parachute technology, and specifically relates to a parachute-type non-destructive ground-contact recovery device and method. Background Technology

[0002] In fields such as unmanned aerial vehicle recovery, spacecraft return capsule landing, and cargo pod airdrop recovery, parachute recovery devices are crucial for safe landings, and their reliability directly affects the integrity of the recovered items. Current technologies typically employ passive cushioning (such as airbags or foam filling) or active attitude control (such as jet propulsion or robotic arm adjustments) to achieve ground contact protection, but these methods have the following drawbacks: 1. Passive cushioning relies on additional inflation devices or cushioning materials, which increases the overall weight and complexity of the device. Furthermore, the cushioning effect is significantly affected by the ground contact angle. When the device touches the ground in a non-preset posture (such as the top or side landing first), the concentrated impact force can easily damage the precision equipment on the top (such as sensors and communication modules). 2. Active attitude control adjusts attitude through the coordinated adjustment of sensors and actuators, which can improve controllability. However, the complex electronic control system not only increases manufacturing costs but also reduces reliability in extreme environments (such as high temperature, high humidity, and strong electromagnetic interference). In addition, it has high energy consumption and is not suitable for small and lightweight recycling scenarios. 3. Some existing devices use center of gravity design to assist in attitude adjustment, but due to unreasonable structural layout (such as the center of gravity deviating from the geometric center, or poor matching between the parachute attachment point and the center of gravity), it is difficult to achieve a stable bottom landing. For example, devices with asymmetrical structures are easily disturbed by airflow during parachute descent, causing the center of gravity to shift, and they cannot complete attitude adjustment through their own structural characteristics at the moment of impact.

[0003] With the development of fields such as drone inspection, deep space exploration, and emergency material airdrop, the demand for miniaturized, low-cost, and highly reliable non-destructive recovery devices is becoming increasingly urgent. Existing technologies have shortcomings in balancing structural simplicity and ground-touching attitude stability. There is an urgent need for a parachute recovery scheme that achieves passive attitude self-adjustment through optimized structural layout to solve problems such as the vulnerability of the top structure and limited adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems in the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a parachute-type ground-touching non-destructive recovery device and method with reasonable structural design, stable and controllable ground-touching process, and the ability to achieve non-destructive protection of top equipment and tail fin through passive attitude self-adjustment.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: A parachute-type ground-contact, non-destructive recovery device includes a cabin, a head connected to the front end of the cabin, and a parachute mounting structure at the rear end of the cabin. The parachute mounting structure includes a parachute attachment point structure at the rear end of the top of the cabin, a parachute compartment located at the rear end of the cabin with its opening facing backward, and a cover that can be ejected and separated to close the opening of the parachute compartment. The parachute is folded and stored in the parachute compartment, with the top of the parachute connected to the cover by a pull rope, and the bottom of the parachute connected to the parachute attachment point structure.

[0006] The canopy installed at the opening of the parachute compartment is ejectable and separates to seal the parachute compartment and protect the parachute. The canopy and the parachute are connected by a pull cord. When the canopy ejects from the parachute compartment, the parachute is simultaneously pulled out and deployed, realizing the linkage control of "canopy ejection-parachute deployment".

[0007] The device is in a parachute-dropping state, with the parachute attachment point structure and the device's center of gravity aligned in a straight line. The bottom of the cabin is at a certain angle to the vertical direction and pointing downwards, while the head faces the direction of ground contact.

[0008] When the device touches the ground, the head touches the ground first and compresses to absorb energy. The parachute no longer provides traction. Due to the preset angle between the bottom of the cabin and the vertical direction during parachute descent, the device's center of gravity generates an overturning moment relative to the head contact point. Under the influence of the moment, the device flips around the head contact point toward the bottom of the cabin until the bottom of the cabin completely touches the ground.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rear end of the cabin is provided with a plurality of tail fins.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tail fin includes two upper tail fins and two lower tail fins, with the upper tail fins located at the top of the cabin and the lower tail fins located at the bottom of the cabin.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the area of ​​the upper tail fin is larger than that of the lower tail fin; in the horizontal state, the lowest point of the lower tail fin is higher than the bottom of the cabin.

[0012] The tail fin is made of composite materials, featuring wear resistance, heat resistance, and fatigue resistance. The upper tail fin has a larger area than the lower tail fin, and the lowest point of the lower tail fin is higher than the bottom of the hull. The tail fin ensures the stability of the device before parachute deployment and prevents the device from flipping during recovery, facilitating smooth parachute deployment and opening.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the center of gravity of the device is located within the range of 40% to 60% of the height of the cabin.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the horizontal state, the umbrella hanging point structure and the center of gravity of the device are not on the same plane.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lower side of the cabin is provided with a buffer structure, and the material of the buffer structure is a honeycomb aluminum plate.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the head is hemispherical in shape and made of a lightweight elastic material.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cross-sectional shape of the cabin is hexagonal.

[0018] A parachute-based, non-destructive ground-contact recovery method includes the following steps: S1: When the device reaches the preset recovery height, the recovery procedure is triggered. The ejectable cover is ejected from the parachute compartment. The cover pulls the parachute through the pull rope, causing the parachute to deploy and inflate synchronously. S2: After the parachute deploys, it falls through the traction device at the rear end of the top of the cabin, with the cabin at a certain angle to the vertical direction and the lower side of the cabin closer to the ground. S3: When the device touches the ground, the head is the first to contact the ground and compress and absorb energy. The center of gravity of the device generates an overturning moment relative to the point of contact, and the device flips around the point of contact of the head towards the bottom of the cabin. S4: The device continues to rotate until the lowest point of the cabin bottom completely touches the ground.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. During the ground contact process, the device of the present invention, through the attitude transformation of "first the head touches the ground - flips around the head - and finally the bottom touches the ground", keeps the top of the cabin and the tail fin away from the ground impact point, completely avoids direct collision, and effectively protects the precision components on the top (such as sensors, communication modules, etc.).

[0020] 2. This invention ensures stable attitude during parachute descent by designing "the hanging point and the center of gravity are not collinear" and "the bottom is preset with an angle", providing a reliable premise for bottom contact when the parachute flips upon landing and reducing the risk of attitude loss of control.

[0021] 3. The mechanical connection between the ejector-type canopy and the parachute enables synchronous linkage control of "canopy opening and parachute opening", reducing parachute opening delay and improving the response speed and reliability of the recovery process.

[0022] 4. This invention does not require complex active attitude adjustment components (such as additional thrusters or servos). Stable recovery can be achieved solely through center of gravity design and mechanical linkage, reducing the weight and cost of the device. It is suitable for various scenarios such as small drones and detection equipment.

[0023] 5. Upon impact with the ground, the head and buffer structure absorb the impact energy in the vertical direction and during the rollover, significantly reducing the overall impact load and extending the service life of the device. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of the invention; Figure 2This is an overall structural diagram of the rear end of the cabin of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the attitude during the parachute descent process of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the posture change during the ground-touch flipping process of the present invention.

[0025] In the diagram: 1-Head; 2-Carrier; 2-1-Top of the Carrier; 2-2-Bottom of the Carrier; 3-Parachute Mounting Structure; 3-1-Parachute Hook Point Structure; 3-2-Parachute Cabin; 3-3-Canopy; 4-Tail Fold; 4-1-Upper Tail Fold; 4-2-Lower Tail Fold; 5-Cushioning Structure; 6-Parachute; G-Center of Gravity. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0027] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of the invention can be combined with each other.

[0028] See Figure 1 , Figure 2 This embodiment provides a parachute-type ground-touch non-destructive recovery device, including a cabin 2, a head 1 located at the front end of the cabin 2, a parachute mounting structure 3 located at the rear end of the cabin 2, and a tail fin 4 located on the external rear end.

[0029] The parachute mounting structure 3 includes a parachute attachment point structure 3-1 located at the top 2-1 of the cabin, a parachute compartment 3-2 with a rearward opening located at the rear end of the cabin 2, and a cover 3-3 that can be ejected and detached from the opening of the parachute compartment 3-2. A buffer structure 5, made of honeycomb aluminum plate, is provided at the bottom 2-2 of the cabin. The parachute 6 is folded and stored inside the parachute compartment 3-2. The top of the parachute 6 is connected to the ejectable cover 3-3 by a pull rope, and the bottom of the parachute 6 is connected to the attachment point structure 3-1.

[0030] The head 1 has a tapered or hemispherical structure and is made of lightweight elastic material. It is lightweight, impact-resistant, and has good cushioning performance. It is used to absorb the initial impact and reduce the damage to the device's structural components and precision equipment such as sensors and communication modules during the impact. This makes the device less susceptible to damage during the landing impact and allows it to be reused.

[0031] Preferably, a tail fin 4 is provided on the external rear end of the cabin 2. The tail fin 4 includes two upper tail fins 4-1 and two lower tail fins 4-2. The tail fin 4 is made of composite material and has the characteristics of wear resistance, heat resistance, and fatigue resistance. Specifically, the area of ​​the upper tail fins 4-1 is larger than that of the lower tail fins 4-2, and the lowest point of the lower tail fins 4-2 is higher than the bottom 2-2 of the cabin. The tail fin 4 can ensure the stability of the device before the parachute opens and prevent the device from flipping during the recovery process, which is conducive to the smooth deployment and opening of the parachute 6.

[0032] Preferably, the center of gravity G of the device is located in its geometric center region, and the parachute attachment point mechanism 3-1 is located at the middle position of the top of the cabin. In the horizontal state, the center of gravity G is lower than the plane of the top of the cabin 2-1 in the vertical direction. Specifically, the center of gravity G of the device is located within the range of 40% to 60% of the height of the cabin 2. In the horizontal state, the parachute attachment point structure 3-1 and the center of gravity G are not on the same plane.

[0033] In this embodiment, the cover 3-3 installed at the opening of the parachute compartment 3-2 is ejectable and separable, used to seal the parachute compartment 3-2 and protect the parachute 6. The cover 3-3 and the parachute 6 are connected by a pull rope. Specifically, when the cover 3-3 ejects from the parachute compartment 3-2, the parachute 6 is simultaneously pulled out and deployed, realizing the linkage control of "cover ejection - parachute opening".

[0034] The specific steps of the recovery method of the parachute-type ground-contact non-destructive recovery device in this embodiment are as follows: S1: When the device reaches the preset recovery height, the recovery program is triggered, and the cover 3-3 can be ejected from the parachute compartment 3-2. The cover 3-3 pulls the parachute 6 through the pull rope, so that the parachute 6 unfolds and inflates synchronously. S2: After the parachute 6 is deployed, it falls through the traction device of the parachute attachment point structure 3-1 on the top of the cabin 2-1; during the parachute descent, since the center of gravity G of the device and the parachute attachment point structure 3-1 on the top of the cabin 2-1 are in force balance on a vertical line, the bottom of the cabin 2-2 is at a certain angle to the vertical direction and tilts downward, ensuring that the head 1 faces the direction of ground contact. S3: When the device touches the ground, the head 1 is the first to contact the ground and compress and absorb energy; at this time, the parachute 6 does not provide traction force, and the center of gravity G of the device located at the geometric center generates an overturning moment relative to the point of contact. Under the action of this moment, the device flips around the point of contact of the head 1 towards the bottom 2-2 of the cabin. S4: The device continues to flip until the bottom 2-2 of the cabin is completely in contact with the ground. The bottom buffer structure 5 absorbs the impact of the flip and touch the ground, avoiding the impact on the rest of the cabin except for the bottom 2-2 and the head 1, and finally achieving lossless recovery.

[0035] Specifically, the working process of the parachute-type contactless recovery device is divided into two stages: parachute attitude stabilization and contact flipping.

[0036] 1. Parachute attitude stability: like Figure 3 As shown, the device is in a parachute-dropping state, with the parachute attachment point structure 3-1 and the device's center of gravity G on the same straight line. The bottom of the cabin 2-2 is at a certain angle to the vertical direction and faces downwards, while the head 1 faces the direction of ground contact.

[0037] 2. Touchdown: like Figure 4 As shown, when the device touches the ground, the head 1 touches the ground first and compresses to absorb energy. The parachute 6 no longer provides traction. Due to the preset angle between the bottom of the cabin 2-2 and the vertical direction during parachute descent, the device's center of gravity G generates an overturning moment relative to the point of contact of the head 1. Under the influence of the moment, the device flips around the point of contact of the head 1 toward the bottom of the cabin 2-2 until the bottom of the cabin 2-2 completely touches the ground. The bottom buffer structure 5 absorbs the impact of the flipping and touching the ground.

[0038] This invention is not limited to the above-described optional embodiments. Anyone can derive other various forms of products under the guidance of this invention. However, regardless of any changes made in their shape or structure, any technical solution that falls within the scope of the claims of this invention shall be protected by this invention.

Claims

1. A parachute-type, non-destructive ground-contact recovery device, characterized in that: The device includes a cabin (2), with a head (1) connected to the front end of the cabin (2) and a parachute mounting structure (3) provided at the rear end of the cabin (2). The parachute mounting structure (3) includes a parachute attachment point structure (3-1) located at the rear end of the top (2-1) of the cabin, a parachute compartment (3-2) located at the rear end of the cabin (2) with its opening facing backward, and a cover (3-3) that can be ejected and separated from the opening of the parachute compartment (3-2). The parachute (6) is folded and stored in the parachute compartment (3-2). The top of the parachute (6) is connected to the cover (3-3) by a pull rope, and the bottom of the parachute (6) is connected to the parachute attachment point structure (3-1).

2. The parachute-type ground-contact non-destructive recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rear end of the cabin (2) is provided with several tail fins (4).

3. The parachute-type ground-contact non-destructive recovery device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The tail fin (4) includes two upper tail fins (4-1) and two lower tail fins (4-2). The upper tail fins (4-1) are located on the top of the cabin (2-1), and the lower tail fins (4-2) are located on the bottom of the cabin (2-2).

4. The parachute-type ground-contact non-destructive recovery device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The area of ​​the upper tail fin (4-1) is larger than that of the lower tail fin (4-2); in the horizontal position, the lowest point of the lower tail fin (4-2) is higher than the bottom of the cabin (2-2).

5. The parachute-type ground-contact non-destructive recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The center of gravity (G) of the device is located in the range of 40% to 60% of the height of the cabin (2).

6. The parachute-type ground-contact non-destructive recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: In a horizontal state, the umbrella hanging point structure (3-1) and the center of gravity (G) of the device are not on the same plane.

7. The parachute-type ground-contact non-destructive recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the cabin (2) is provided with a buffer structure (5), and the material of the buffer structure (5) is a honeycomb aluminum plate.

8. The parachute-type ground-contact non-destructive recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The head (1) is hemispherical in shape and made of a lightweight elastic material.

9. A parachute-type, non-destructive ground-contact recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross-sectional shape of the cabin (2) is hexagonal.

10. A parachute-type non-destructive ground-contact recovery method, using a parachute-type non-destructive ground-contact recovery device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1: When the device reaches the preset recovery height, the recovery procedure is triggered. The ejectable cover (3-3) pops out from the parachute compartment (3-2). The cover (3-3) pulls the parachute (6) through the pull rope, so that the parachute (6) unfolds and inflates synchronously. S2: After the parachute (6) is deployed, it falls through the parachute attachment point structure (3-1) at the rear end of the top of the cabin (2-1). The cabin (2) is at a certain angle to the vertical direction, and the lower side of the cabin (2) is closer to the ground. S3: When the device touches the ground, the head (1) is the first to contact the ground and compress and absorb energy. The center of gravity (G) of the device generates an overturning moment relative to the point of contact. The device flips around the point of contact of the head (1) towards the bottom (2-2) of the cabin. S4: The device continues to rotate until the bottom of the cabin (2-2) is completely in contact with the ground.

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