Airliner fully-automatic parachute

Abstract

To solve the problem that although members of the armed forces, very important persons, and citizens have their own precious lives, military aircrafts and VIP-only aircrafts are equipped with parachutes as safety measures against an aircraft accident while passenger aircrafts are not, and passengers of passenger aircrafts are so large in number and cannot get ready to escape in seconds through carriage, distribution and wearing of parachutes in the aircrafts, and are not trained in descending.SOLUTION: A parachute and an automatic parachute opening device are stored in the "backrest" of a seat of an aircraft, and then once a connecting mechanism between the "stool" and "backrest" of the seat is automatically or manually disconnect for emergency escape, the passenger has the parachute fixed with the seat belt on his or her back and gets free from the seat instantaneously, so that the passenger who is thrown out of the aircraft which has been disintegrated in midair, or jumps out by himself or herself can escape from the aircraft before the aircraft crashes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This invention relates to an airliner fully automatic parachute that allows all passengers to evacuate in an emergency when a passenger plane operated by a commercial airline falls into a severe accident that requires emergency evacuation of passengers. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, there is no transportation system that is completely accident-free. No matter how low the accident rate is, it is impossible to have zero accidents. Therefore, all transportation systems assume accidents and take safety measures. In automobiles, there are seat belts and airbags, in ships, there are life jackets, and in boats and airplanes, there are parachutes. Aircraft equipped with parachutes in case of an accident include military aircraft such as fighter jets, reconnaissance planes, bombers, patrol planes, and transport planes, as well as presidential and VIP aircraft, private jets, training and test aircraft, competition planes, and acrobatic aircraft. Aircraft that are not equipped with parachutes are civil passenger aircraft. Passenger aircraft are equipped with life jackets, emergency escape slides, and rubber boats in case of an emergency landing at sea, but neither the crew nor passengers are equipped with parachutes. Civil aviation companies have a business policy that prioritizes the lives of passengers above all else, so if equipping passenger aircraft with emergency escape parachutes were an effective safety measure, all operators would have already adopted them. The fact that no operators around the world have adopted them at present tells us that there is scientific evidence that, even if they were equipped, they cannot be expected to have a reasonable effect. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-112694 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The reasons (disadvantages) why passenger planes currently are not equipped with parachutes are as follows: 1 Passenger aircraft may encounter a wide variety of emergencies, but among them, emergencies serious enough to require passengers to evacuate from the aircraft in flight are extremely rare. For example, if the aircraft breaks up in mid-air due to a collision or explosion and starts falling freely, or if it loses control and starts wandering around. This can be ignored because the occurrence rate is extremely low. 2 Passenger aircraft carry hundreds of passengers, so they must carry enough parachutes for each passenger. Parachutes have a considerable volume and weight, so they require a large amount of storage space. This would require a significant reduction in the number of passenger seats, which is not cost-effective. 3 In preparation for emergency evacuation of passengers by parachute, flight attendants must go to the storage area to retrieve parachutes, distribute them to all passengers, and have them put them on. This task takes a considerable amount of time. There is a time lag of several tens of minutes between the first passenger and the last passenger. Furthermore, if the aircraft breaks up in mid-air, even if the storage area for the parachutes is not damaged, it is difficult for flight attendants to walk along the aisle, and they may be thrown out of the aircraft the moment they leave their seats, or the aisle itself may disappear. In such a situation, it is practically impossible to allow all passengers to escape by parachute within the time remaining before the aircraft crashes. Therefore, it is irrational and meaningless to equip parachutes, and it is appropriate and justified not to equip them. 4 The series of techniques involved in jumping from an aircraft in flight and landing using a parachute requires a minimum level of proficiency, and the acquisition of a certain level of knowledge and skill is essential. Skill training involves both descents accompanied by an instructor and solo descents. All crew members of military aircraft and other aircraft equipped with parachutes undergo training. It is a waste to suddenly hand inexperienced personnel equipment that they do not know how to use, as they will not be able to use it effectively. 5 Most passenger plane accidents occur during takeoff and landing, so even if the planes are equipped with parachutes, they are too low in altitude to be used. 6 Passenger planes operate at altitudes of around 8,000 to 12,000 meters, so jumping from such a high altitude carries the risk of hypoxia causing loss of consciousness. 7 Passenger planes are large and have hatches on the sides, so if you jump into the air, depending on your position you could be sucked into the engine or come into contact with the fuselage or wing. The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] It is likely that in the 22nd century, all passenger planes will be equipped with emergency escape parachutes as standard equipment. As safety technology advances and consciousness becomes more sophisticated, a paradigm shift inevitably occurs, because that is the direction the times are heading. This invention is an epoch-making device that enables all passengers on a commercial airline aircraft to instantly complete preparations for evacuation, just like the crew of a fighter jet, when an extremely serious emergency occurs in which no other measures are available to save the lives of the passengers other than emergency evacuation. 1 The fact that emergencies serious enough to require passengers to evacuate an aircraft in flight are extremely rare is no reason to create gaps in safety measures. 2 The storage space for the parachutes must be inside the seat back of each passenger's seat. This is the only storage space available, and no other space is permitted. 3 Passengers fasten their seat belts to the "backrests" of their seats. When the aircraft receives a strong impact strong enough to break apart in mid-air, the connecting mechanisms between the "backrests" and "seats" of all seats will be designed to separate automatically or with a single touch. As a result, passengers will be carrying the "backrests" containing the parachutes on their backs, just like a school bag. This eliminates the need to transport, distribute, and fasten parachutes within the cabin, and also eliminates the risk of damage to storage areas. 4 In skydiving, even experienced divers can lose consciousness during descent depending on their physical condition. Therefore, parachutes have a safety system that automatically deploys at the optimal deployment altitude. The concept of using this system on a regular basis, rather than for emergencies, allows even inexperienced divers to land safely. When escaping, passengers simply jump out and do not need to operate anything, regardless of whether they are conscious or not during the descent. 5 The fact that, statistically, aviation accidents occur more frequently at low altitudes during takeoff and landing and less frequently at other altitudes is no reason to create gaps in safety measures. 6 Even if a person loses consciousness due to hypoxia after descending from an altitude of 4,000 meters or less, which is much higher than the maximum altitude for skydiving, there is no problem because the safety system automatically kicks in. Losing consciousness reduces oxygen consumption, relieves beginners from the fear of the descent, and reduces the effects of trauma after surviving. 7 If the engine is not shut down, escape through the hatch behind the engine. Not all of the hundreds of passengers will come into contact with the aircraft, and not all of them will suffer fatal injuries. Such risks should be weighed against the benefits of the passengers escaping safely. The present invention is an airliner fully automatic parachute having the above-mentioned configuration. Effect of the Invention

[0006] This invention dramatically improves the survival rate in accidents, and ensures that most passengers are safely rescued, by enabling emergency evacuation of all passengers, whereas if no emergency evacuation equipment was installed on a passenger aircraft operated by a commercial airline when a severe accident requiring emergency evacuation of passengers would result in "everyone dying."

[0007] Although the present invention is not so necessary at present (the first quarter of the 21st century), the situation in which it will be most effective will be in a future society in which passenger planes will frequently be targets of terrorist attacks. Humans are constantly innovating in every industry. Just as the military industry, IT industry, rocket industry, and aerospace industry are advancing with the times, the terrorist industry is also advancing with the times. Terrorist organizations have difficulty obtaining the latest high-tech weapons, but they will be able to manufacture and procure outdated low-tech weapons that have been developed for 50 or 100 years. For example, a portable surface-to-air missile, the initial model of which was developed in the 1960s, automatically tracks the heat rays of the target aircraft's engine. It does not work on the latest fighter jets, but if it is aimed at a passenger plane, it can be shot down as easily as "twisting a baby's hand." It will be aimed from mountains below the air route or from ships at sea, or it will be mounted on a drone. In response to this, passenger planes will also be equipped with systems that emit early warning alarms and flares (decoy heat sources). In addition, air force aircraft will monitor and escort within range. This will ensure safety, but as a last resort in case of a missed shot, it is predicted that there will be a growing trend to equip passenger planes with parachutes as standard equipment. This is an insight into the inevitable development process of future society, based on human nature and technological progress. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. This invention is a parachute system exclusively for passenger aircraft that can allow all passengers to evacuate in the same time as a fighter jet crew member when a passenger aircraft crashes due to a severe accident such as a collision or explosion in mid-air. It is characterized by a function that allows even those who have no experience in parachuting to land automatically even if they lose consciousness. Passengers on passenger aircraft sit in their seats. The seats are equipped with seat belts, which are fastened as necessary. When the seat belt is attached only to the "backrest" and separated from the "chair rest," passengers place the "backrest" on their back. A special parachute is stored inside this. Similar to the system in which oxygen masks are simultaneously provided to all passengers in an emergency, the system will be designed to simultaneously separate the connecting mechanism between the "chair rest" and the "backrest" of the seats in the event of an emergency evacuation. In anticipation of a breakdown due to the impact of an accident, a lever will also be installed that can be manually separated with one touch. This lever will be installed under the floor at the passenger's feet in a conspicuous color so that it can be easily found even in a panic and will not be mistaken for a seat adjustment lever. In conjunction with the separation of the connecting mechanism, the switch of the automatic parachute deployment device is turned on, which starts receiving signals from the communication satellite and reserves the automatic deployment at the appropriate altitude. Passengers can either remain seated and wait to be thrown or sucked out of the aircraft, or they can simply walk to the nearest breach or hatch to relative safety and jump out. Once inside the aircraft, the automatic parachute system will eventually activate, meaning there is a time limit for descent.

[0010] When considering the storage of parachutes, the calculation method of multiplying the volume, weight, and shape of a typical parachute for skydiving by the capacity of a full flight is wrong in two respects. First, spare parachutes are not necessary. Skydiving enthusiasts' manuals can be ignored. Second, repeated use is not necessary. For example, if a raincoat is used only once, a disposable vinyl type is sufficient and serves its purpose perfectly. Permanent items are always thick and heavy, while disposable items are always thin and light. Handkerchiefs and tissue paper, ceramic tableware and paper tableware, glass cups and plastic cups... As for parasheets, there has been no concept of disposable until now, but the governing laws of physicochemical materials are the same. Parachutes for passenger aircraft have the same or greater durability as general parachutes, and in exchange for the drawback that they break after two uses, an infinitely thin material can be selected. This design philosophy realizes compactness and weight reduction.

[0011] When considering an automatic parachute deployment device, relying on the safety system of a general parachute for skydiving is wrong in two ways. First, passenger planes are not necessarily above a diving spot on a vast plain. It is uncertain whether the diving spot is on land or sea, and even on land, in mountainous areas, the altitude changes significantly with a difference of several tens of meters between ridges, valleys, and cliffs. In urban areas, the altitude also changes significantly with a difference of a few meters between buildings, towers, and bridges. Secondly, the barometric altimeter is different from the true altitude. It must be calibrated from the standard atmosphere to the value of the local airspace of the diving spot. If the air pressure in the local airspace is low, the altimeter will display a higher altitude than the true altitude, and the automatic parachute deployment altitude will be lower, which is dangerous. If the air pressure in the local airspace is high, the error will be on the safe side, so there is no problem. Since it is technically difficult for passenger planes to perform this calibration instantly, it is set to 29.92 inches of standard atmosphere, or a margin slightly higher than that is taken.

[0012] When there is a difference in elevation due to terrain or obstacles, the exact altitude at the landing point can only be determined by a radio altimeter, not a barometric altimeter. A radio altimeter is a primary radar that measures distance (altitude) from the time it takes for the transmitted wave to hit the ground surface and be reflected by the received wave. However, this method has a fatal flaw. The frequency of the received waves for hundreds of people is the same, so interference occurs and individual altitude information cannot be obtained. Therefore, car navigation radio waves are received from the nearest GPS satellite and data processed for three-dimensional positioning for each location information is used. This allows accurate altitude information comparable to that of a radio altimeter to be obtained. The optimal parasol deployment altitude is set using this altitude information. Since this method is for reception only, multiple receiving devices can be used simultaneously.

[0013] In an aircraft emergency, the AI ​​first decides whether to evacuate or to try to avoid the situation using the skills of the AI ​​or human pilots. When the aircraft breaks apart in mid-air, a sensor detects the abnormality and automatically sends a signal to a device that separates the seat "backrest" from the base. If there is wiring at the damaged area, it will break, so the signal is sent by radio. Secondly, the commander decides. He presses a manual switch and also sends a radio signal. Normally, the commander is the captain, but if the captain is faced with an unexpected situation, authority is immediately transferred to another crew member. Therefore, a switch is also installed in the cabin. The same goes for the hatch opening switch. Thirdly, the passengers decide. They operate the manual levers on their seats to evacuate at their own discretion. This is the case when all crew members are faced with an unexpected situation. If passengers attempt to escape on their own initiative in the event of a moderate or minor accident that does not require an emergency evacuation, there is no problem because the commander has the authority to open the hatch. Explanations of the mechanisms of existing technologies, such as mechanical, electrical, electronic, wireless communication, and others, will be omitted. EXAMPLES

[0014] When it comes to escaping from an airliner equipped with parachutes for all passengers, the "law of pre-established harmony" applies. It is a correlation between the "severity of the accident," "flight time," and "escape efficiency." If the degree of breakup is severe, the plane will fall freely and crash in a short time, but the roof of the cabin will also be blown off, so a large number of passengers will be thrown into the air in a short time, increasing escape efficiency. If the degree of damage is not severe, it will take more time to move around the cabin to escape, but the time until the plane crashes will be longer. The escape efficiency is the product of an index that grades the severity of the accident and the remaining flight time, and a certain proportionality constant can be derived. Escape efficiency can be further increased by installing a mechanism to create a large opening for escape in the aircraft as necessary.

[0015] Once you have descended, there is basically nothing to do. Passengers who have the urge to do something can move their arms and legs to move away from obstacles on the ground that are visible directly during the day, and by flashing and stationary collision prevention lights at night. The parachute does not need to be opened manually because it opens automatically at the optimum opening altitude. Passengers who want to open their own parachute can do so by pulling a string. This is in case the automatic parachute fails, and the lock is automatically released at altitudes higher than the optimum opening altitude. During the descent, voice guidance is played from the speaker. The precautions are explained concisely and clearly. This is a lecture by a skydiving instructor during the descent. This gives the passengers a chance to receive a pre-dive lesson. When the parasol reaches the deployment height, it automatically deploys. Conscious passengers land in a shock-absorbing position, minding their feet.

[0016] The "backrest" worn on the back is made of a buoyant material like a life jacket, but in emergency escape mode, a rubber boat with a parachute is automatically released from the bottom of the aircraft. If the landing point is on the sea and it lands nearby, it will be useful. As soon as the parachute opens, a distress signal is automatically sent. However, depending on the location, rescue may not be possible immediately. The purpose of a parachute is to prevent death from falling, but even if a person avoids the impact of an accident, does not come into contact with the aircraft immediately after descent, and the automatic parachute operates normally, and the person lands successfully, there is a chance that they may die after landing due to other causes. For example, they may freeze to death at sea or in the mountains in winter, drown in the sea, be preyed upon by wild animals or marine life, or come into contact with high-voltage power lines.

[0017] Since the purpose of the present invention is for passengers to successfully escape and return safely, the death of a passenger is not an "effect of the invention." However, it is beneficial that the body is not severely damaged by the impact of the fall and that the body can be easily identified from the seat number. And what is most beneficial of all is that even 90% or 80% of the passengers can survive safely in an accident where "everyone would surely die" if there had been no emergency evacuation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0018] 1 Dedicated parachute 2 Seat belt attachment area 3 Display and satellite navigation device 4 Automatic umbrella opening device 5 Spare umbrella cord 6 Seat separation device (automatic) 7 Seat separation device (manual)

Claims

[Claim 1] When a serious accident occurs on a passenger aircraft requiring an emergency evacuation, the connecting mechanism between the "seat" part, including the seat base, and the "backrest" part is released by a signal from a sensor that detects the aircraft breaking apart in mid-air, by a master switch operated by the crew, or by a one-touch lever on each seat, and the "backrest" is instantly separated from the seat, and the "backrest" is placed on the passenger's back using the seat belt that was attached only to that part. This fully automatic airline parachute is characterized by the fact that it has the function of allowing passengers who have no experience using a parachute to safely, accurately, and quickly make an emergency escape from a crashing aircraft by using a dedicated emergency evacuation parachute, an automatic parachute deployment device, a barometric altimeter that provides altitude information to the device, or a receiver for position information radio waves including three-dimensional positioning data from a navigation communication satellite, and other associated devices stored inside.

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