Safety devices, and aircraft equipped with safety devices

The safety device enhances ejection performance in aircraft by using a sliding member and gas generator to separate a push-up member from the piston, improving the injection of safety devices like parachutes, addressing the risk of falling accidents in aircraft with rotating wings.

JP2026060828APending Publication Date: 2026-04-08NIPPON KAYAKU CO LTD
View PDF 1 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-09-27
Publication Date
2026-04-08

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The risk of falling accidents in aircraft with rotating wings, such as drones, hinders their widespread use due to safety concerns, necessitating improved ejection systems like aircraft parachute devices.

Method used

A safety device comprising a sliding member, actuator, push-up member, and container system that uses a gas generator to separate the push-up member from the sliding member upon impact, ejecting an injection material like a parachute or paraglider, with a telescopic structure to enhance injection performance.

Benefits of technology

The system improves the ejection performance by reducing the force applied to the piston member, allowing it to be lighter and easier to slide, thus enhancing the injection of safety devices like parachutes or paragliders, thereby improving safety and usability of aircraft.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure 2026060828000001_ABST
    Figure 2026060828000001_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The present invention provides a safety device that can improve ejection performance, and an aircraft equipped with the safety device. [Solution] The safety device 100 comprises a piston member 10, an actuator 1 having a gas generator 17 that generates a driving force to slide the piston member 10 to one side, a push-up member 15 fixed to the piston member 10 so as to be movable together with the piston member 10 when in operation and supporting the injectable material 16, a bolt member 50 for fixing the push-up member 15 to the piston member 10, and a container 18 that houses at least the piston member 10, the actuator 1, the push-up member 15, the bolt member 50, and the injectable material 16 inside, wherein the push-up member 15 is fixed to the piston member 10 using the bolt member 50 such that the bolt member 50 breaks and separates from the piston member 10 after the piston member 10 slides to one side due to the driving force.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , , , , , ,

[0005] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a safety device and an aircraft equipped with the safety device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the development of autonomous control technology and flight control technology, the industrial use of aircraft equipped with multiple rotating wings, such as drones, has been accelerating. A drone flies, for example, by simultaneously rotating multiple rotating wings in a balanced manner, and ascending and descending are performed by increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the rotating wings, and forward and backward movement can be achieved by tilting the aircraft through increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the rotating wings. Such aircraft are not only used for disaster relief activities, cargo transportation, landscape photography, etc., but it is also assumed that people can board them, and it is expected that their use will expand globally in the future.

[0003] On the other hand, the risk of falling accidents of the above-mentioned aircraft is regarded as dangerous, etc., which has hindered the popularization of aircraft. To reduce such risks of falling accidents, etc., safety devices such as aircraft parachute devices are being commercialized. [[ID=​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a safety device that can improve ejection performance, and an aircraft equipped with the safety device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] (1) The safety device according to the present invention comprises a sliding member, an actuator having a power source that generates a driving force to slide the sliding member to one side, a push-up member fixed to the sliding member so as to be movable together with the sliding member when in operation and supporting an injection material, a fixing member for fixing the push-up member to the sliding member, and a container for housing at least the sliding member, the actuator, the push-up member, the fixing member, and the injection material, wherein the push-up member is fixed to the sliding member using the fixing member such that the fixing member breaks and separates from the sliding member after the sliding member slides to one side due to the driving force.

[0009] (2) The safety device described in (1) above further comprises a support member that slidably supports the sliding member, wherein the sliding member has a projection that protrudes to one side of the support member in the state before operation, the push-up member is supported by the projection, and the fixing member is inserted between the projection and the push-up member.

[0010] (3) In the safety device described in (1) or (2) above, it is preferable that the sliding member has a telescopic structure that slides and extends to one side by the driving force.

[0011] (4) The aircraft according to the present invention is characterized by comprising an airframe, a safety device according to (1) or (2) above which is coupled to the airframe, and one or more propulsion mechanisms which are coupled to the airframe and propel the airframe. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a safety device capable of improving injection performance and an aircraft equipped with the safety device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] [Figure 1] It is a cross-sectional view showing the safety device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a side view showing the lifting member and the like of the safety device in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a plan view showing the lifting member and the like of the safety device in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the sliding member of the safety device in FIG. 1 has slid. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the lifting member of the safety device in FIG. 1 has separated from the sliding member. [Figure 6] It is a front view showing an aircraft equipped with the safety device in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view showing the safety device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the sliding member of the safety device in FIG. 7 has slid. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the lifting member of the safety device in FIG. 7 has separated from the sliding member. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view showing the safety device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the sliding member of the safety device in FIG. 10 has slid. s [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the lifting member of the safety device in FIG. 10 has separated from the sliding member.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, the safety device 100 and the aircraft 30 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the safety device 100 includes an actuator 1, a pushing member 15 pushed upward in one direction (upward in FIG. 1) by the actuator 1, a projectile 16 supported and pushed upward by the pushing member 15, a bottomed cylindrical container 18 for housing the actuator 1, the pushing member 15, and the projectile 16, a lid portion 21 for closing the open end portion of the container 18, and a bolt member 50. In this embodiment, the projectile 16 is a parachute or a paraglider. A closing member 60 is provided in the gap between the container 18 and the lid portion 21 to prevent intrusion of liquid, dust, or the like. As an example of the closing member 60, any member having a waterproof and dustproof function may be used, and examples include an O-ring, a cured resin, and a foam material. As a modified example of the closing member 60, it may be a member that covers at least the edge of the lid portion 21 and the side portion of the container 18 by wrapping with a film-like member.

[0016] The actuator 1 includes a piston member 10 that is a sliding member, a cylinder 14 (an example of a support member) that houses the piston member 10 and is provided with a hole 13 for the piston member 10 to project outward (upward in FIG. 1) during operation, a base 2 (a squib holder) to which one end portion of the cylinder 14 is caulked and fixed and is attached through a hole 25 at the center of the bottom inside the container 18, and a gas generator (such as a micro gas generator) 17 as a power source for moving the piston member 10 within the cylinder 14.

[0017] The base 2 includes a substantially cylindrical member 2A that holds the gas generator 17 that generates power for sliding the piston member 10 on the cylinder 14 side, and a flange portion 2B provided on the side opposite to the cylinder 14 side of the substantially cylindrical member 2A.

[0018] The flange portion 2B is machined into a roughly U-shaped, roughly horseshoe shape (not shown), and includes a plurality of holes 2a used for attachment to the housing 18, a plurality of fixing holes (not shown) used for attachment to the airframe 31 of the aircraft 30 (described later), and an insertion opening 2c used for inserting a connector 22 for energizing the electrode 17b at the bottom of the gas generator 17. The inner wall of the holes 2a is threaded so that a bolt 28 (described later) can be screwed into it. The inner wall of the fixing holes (not shown) is also threaded so that a bolt (not shown) can be screwed into the aircraft 30 (described later) from the airframe 31 side, thereby fixing the base 2 to the airframe 31.

[0019] The connector 22 comprises a main body 22a that can be inserted into the substantially cylindrical member 2A via an insertion opening 2c, a projection 22b (see Figure 4, etc.) protruding from the side of the lower part of the main body 22a, and a hole 22c into which the electrode 17b located inside the substantially cylindrical member 2A is fitted. The projection 22b is electrically connected to a connector 71 that is connected to an external power source via wiring 70 that extends in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the connector 22 (radially from the center of the base 2 when mounted on the base 2). The main body 22a also has a hole 22c inside that is electrically connected to both the electrode 17b and the wiring 70 connected to the projection 22b.

[0020] The piston member 10 has a main body portion 10a having an outer diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the cylinder 14, a rod-shaped portion 10b connected to the main body portion 10a, extending upward and having a smaller diameter than the main body portion 10a, a hole portion 10c provided inside the main body portion 10a and the rod-shaped portion 10b, a female threaded portion 10d provided at the upper end of the rod-shaped portion 10b, and a groove portion 10e provided in the circumferential direction of the main body portion 10a.

[0021] The rod-shaped portion 10b has a protruding portion 10f that, in its pre-operation state, protrudes to one side (upward in Figure 1) from the cylinder 14. In other words, the protruding portion 10f is the part of the rod-shaped portion 10b that, in its pre-operation state, protrudes to one side from the cylinder 14. Furthermore, the tubular member 4 is fitted or loosely fitted to the lower part of the rod-shaped portion 10b, with one end in contact with the main body portion 10a. There may be a gap between the inner wall of the tubular member 4 and the outer wall of the rod-shaped portion 10b, but this gap should not hinder the plastic deformation caused by substantially uniform compression during impact, which will be described later.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the tubular member 4 is held by the holding member 5 at the lower part of the rod-shaped portion 10b, with one end in contact with the main body portion 10a. The tubular member 4 is made of a material that is plastically deformable and has a tensile strength lower than that of the piston member 10 and the stopper member 23 described later (for example, metals such as iron, aluminum, brass, copper, alloys such as stainless steel, resins, etc.). Here, the holding member 5 may be an elastic material such as rubber, or it may be made of the same material as the tubular member 4, and its shape may be ring-shaped or clip-shaped.

[0023] Furthermore, to prevent the tubular member 4 from contacting the inner wall of the cylinder 14, the tubular member 4 and the inner wall of the cylinder 14 are separated by a predetermined distance or more (for example, a distance at which the tubular member 4, which has undergone plastic deformation due to substantially uniform compression upon impact with the stopper member 23, will not come into contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 14). As a result, even if the tubular member 4 undergoes plastic deformation upon impact with the stopper member 23, it will deform without being hindered by the inner wall of the cylinder 14, and the impact on the piston member 10 will be sufficiently mitigated.

[0024] The hole 10c is formed along the central axis from the lower end of the main body 10a to partway along the rod-shaped portion 10b. As a result, the piston member 10 is lighter than if the hole 10c were not formed.

[0025] The female thread portion 10d is formed along the central axis from the tip of the rod-shaped portion 10b (projection portion 10f) up to a certain point. Furthermore, the male thread portion 50b of the bolt member 50, which will be described later, can be screwed into the female thread portion 10d.

[0026] A sealing member 11, such as an O-ring, is provided in the circumferential direction in the groove portion 10e.

[0027] A roughly cylindrical stopper member 23 is provided at the top of the cylinder 14, positioned to surround a portion of the rod-shaped portion 10b of the piston member 10. That is, the rod-shaped portion 10b is inserted through the hole 13 of the stopper member 23.

[0028] The stopper member 23 restricts the movement of the tubular member 4 to the cylinder 14 and has a groove 23a along the outer circumference and a groove 23b along the inner circumference. The groove 23a is used to crimp and fix the other end of the cylinder 14 to the stopper member 23. A sealing member 12, such as an O-ring, is provided in the circumferential direction of the groove 23b.

[0029] The gas generator 17 is press-fitted into the lower open end of the cylinder 14 and is positioned below the main body portion 10a of the piston member 10, which will be described later. Furthermore, a cylindrical member 3 is provided around the cup body 17a of the gas generator 17 to form a predetermined distance between it and the piston member 10.

[0030] The push-up member 15 is made of metal (aluminum or iron, which may be an alloy), resin, or a composite material of resin and metal, CFRP or fiber-reinforced resin, and has a bottomed cylindrical portion 19 that covers a part of the cylinder 14, that is, the outer part of the cylinder 14 excluding the area near the open end on the side where the gas generator 17 is located, and a disc-shaped support portion 20 that is provided as a flange (flange-shaped portion) at the opening of the bottomed cylindrical portion 19 to support the injection material 16.

[0031] The bottomed cylindrical portion 19 has a bottom portion 19a that is roughly flat or roughly columnar (roughly columnar in this embodiment), a hole portion 51 formed on the lid portion 21 side of the bottom portion 19a, a hole portion 52 (second hole portion) with a smaller diameter than the hole portion 51, and a hole portion 53 (first hole portion) that communicates with the hole portion 51 via the hole portion 52 and has a larger diameter than the hole portion 52. The hole portion 51 has a diameter larger than the diameter of the head portion 50a of the bolt member 50. The hole portion 52 has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the head portion 50a and can guide the male threaded portion 50b of the bolt member 50 inserted from the hole portion 51 side to the hole portion 53 side. The hole 53 is substantially the same shape as one end (protruding portion 10f) of the rod-shaped portion 10b, and when one end (protruding portion 10f) of the rod-shaped portion 10b is inserted through the insertion opening 53a provided on the cylinder 14 side of the bottom 19a of the bottomed cylindrical portion 19, it forms a fitting portion in which one end of the rod-shaped portion 10b is slidably fitted.

[0032] The bolt member 50 is an example of a fixing member for fixing the push-up member 15 to the piston member 10. The male threaded portion 50b of the bolt member 50 has threads (not shown) with strength to break when pulled to one side by the push-up member 15 attempting to move to one side due to inertial force, etc., after the piston member 10 has slid to one side (upward in Figure 1) due to the driving force of the gas generator 17, or has a weak portion (not shown) formed to break. The weak portion is, for example, a recess (not shown) such as an annular groove formed in the circumferential direction in the bottom of a valley (not shown) formed between adjacent threads and an inclined portion (not shown) formed between the apex of a thread, and can be any part that will break due to the stress applied during operation. The bolt member 50 is inserted into the protruding portion 10f and the push-up member 15 from one side to the protruding portion 10f and the bottom portion 19a. The bolt member 50 connects the rod-shaped portion 10b and the push-up member 15 by inserting the male threaded portion 50b into the hole 52 from the hole 51 side and screwing it into the female threaded portion 10d of the fitted rod-shaped portion 10b in the hole 53. At this time, one end of the rod-shaped portion 10b is non-circular and is fitted into the hole 53 which is substantially the same shape, so when the bolt member 50 is screwed into the female threaded portion 10d, the rod-shaped portion 10b does not rotate together. Specifically, because the tip of the push-up member 15 and the tip of the piston member 10 are non-circular and fit together, when fastening with the bolt member 50, the push-up member 15 can be rotated while being fixed, and the piston member 10 can be tightened toward the gas generator 17 without rotating together. Furthermore, although the threads of the male threaded portion 50b of the bolt member 50 break during operation as described above, they have sufficient strength so that the male threaded portion is not destroyed when screwed into the female threaded portion 10d of the rod-shaped portion 10b. Here, as an example of modification, instead of the bolt member 50, a brush pin or the like may be used, which can fix the push-up member 15 to the piston member 10 in the initial state and can be disengaged from the female threaded portion 10d by the upward inertial force described above during operation.Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a case where the threads of the male threaded portion 50b of the bolt member 50 break, the threads of the female threaded portion 10d may also be of a strength that breaks during operation, or have a weak portion that breaks during operation, based on the same principle as the breakage of the male threaded portion 50b of the bolt member 50 described above.

[0033] The support portion 20 is initially positioned spaced apart from the inner surface of the bottom of the container 18. The support portion 20 also has a hole portion 26 to reduce the effect of the negative pressure generated between the bottom of the injectable 16 and the support portion 20 during operation, thereby facilitating the injection of the injectable 16. The outer circumference of the support portion 20 is formed so as not to come into contact with the inside of the container 18. At least one (eight in this embodiment) movement prevention member 27 is provided on the upper surface of the support portion 20 to prevent the bottomed cylindrical portion 19 of the injectable 16 from moving in the circumferential direction.

[0034] The movement prevention members 27 are roughly triangular in shape, made of resin, or a composite material of resin and metal, CFRP, or fiber-reinforced resin, and are provided in multiple quantities so as to be rotationally symmetrical with respect to the bottomed cylindrical portion 19. Holes 26 are provided between each of these movement prevention members 27. Here, as one modification, only one movement prevention member 27 may be provided. Even in this case, multiple holes 26 are provided in the support portion 20. Furthermore, if the injection material 16 is a parachute or paraglider, the parachute or paraglider line (a string-like member, etc.) may be tied to one or more of the holes 26 to prevent the push-up member 15 from scattering.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, the bottom of the container 18 is provided with a hole 25 into which the base 2 is inserted, a hole 29a for bolt fastening, and a hole (not shown) that communicates with a fixing hole (not shown) for the flange portion 2B. Furthermore, the bottom of the container 18 has a recessed central section, and this central section and its surrounding area form at least two stepped shapes.

[0036] The opening 25 is closed by fastening a hole 2a, provided in the flange portion 2B of the base 2 located on the outside of the bottom of the container 18, through hole 29a with a bolt 28 from the inside of the container 18. In addition, by reducing the distance between the support portion 20 and the bottom surface inside the container 18, the injection material 16 is prevented from falling onto the bottom surface inside the container 18.

[0037] The projectile 16 is housed within the containment container 18, between the inner surface of the containment container 18 and the outer surface of the bottomed cylindrical portion 19 of the push-up member 15, for example, surrounding the outer surface of the bottomed cylindrical portion 19. The projectile 16 is also folded so that its outer surface does not come into contact with the inside of the containment container 18. The projectile 16 is connected to one end of a string (not shown), for example, and the other end of the string is connected to the inside of the containment container 18 or to the body 31 of the aircraft 30, which will be described later. As one modification, the projectile 16 may be folded so that its outer surface comes into contact with the inside of the containment container 18.

[0038] The gas generator 17 may use only an igniter, or it may be a gas generator equipped with both an igniter and a gas generating agent. Alternatively, a hybrid or stored-type gas generator may be used, which uses a gunpowder-type igniter to break the seal plate in a small gas cylinder and discharge the gas inside to the outside. In this case, the pressurized gas in the gas cylinder can be a non-flammable gas such as argon, helium, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide, or a mixture thereof. Furthermore, to ensure that the piston is reliably propelled when the pressurized gas is released, the gas generator may be equipped with a heating element made of a gas generating agent composition or a thermite composition, etc.

[0039] The injection unit that ejects the material 16 mainly consists of a piston member 10, a cylinder 14, a push-up member 15, a gas generator 17, etc.

[0040] In the configuration described above, when the gas generator 17 is activated when an aircraft 30, for example, on which the safety device 100 is installed, falls, the pressure of the gas generated by the activation causes the piston member 10 to slide upward inside the cylinder 14, the push-up member 15 is propelled upward together with the piston member 10, and the lid 21 is removed. As shown in Figure 4, when the tubular member 4 collides with the stopper member 23 and the upward sliding of the piston member 10 stops, as shown in Figure 5, the push-up member 15 slides upward relative to the piston member 10 due to upward inertial force, etc., causing the threads of the male thread portion 50b of the bolt member 50 or the weak parts provided on each thread (especially the part facing the female thread portion 10d in the initial state) to break, the push-up member 15 is separated from the piston member 10 together with the bolt member 50 and ejected, and the ejected material 16 is ejected together with the push-up member 15. Here, for example, if the push-up member 15 is connected to a string (line) that connects the ejected object 16 and the container 18, the push-up member 15 can be prevented from falling after it separates from the piston member 10 during operation. If the ejected object 16 is a parachute or paraglider, the ejected object 16 is deployed after it is ejected.

[0041] As shown in Figure 6, the safety device 100 is connected and fixed to the aircraft body 31 of the aircraft 30 from the aircraft body 31 side by bolts (not shown) via fixing holes (not shown) of the base 2. Therefore, the aircraft 30 comprises an aircraft body 31, a safety device 100 connected to the aircraft body 31, one or more propulsion mechanisms (e.g., propellers, etc.) 32 connected to the aircraft body 31 and propelling the aircraft body 31, and a plurality of legs 33 provided on the lower part of the aircraft body 31.

[0042] Furthermore, since the flange portion 2B of the base 2 is provided on the outside of the bottom of the housing 18, the base 2 can be directly attached to the airframe 31 of the aircraft 30. As a result, the recoil during operation is received directly by the airframe 31, rather than through the housing 18, but the impact on the housing 18 during operation can be reduced, so the strength of the bottom of the housing 18 can be reduced compared to when the base 2 is provided inside the housing 18. In other words, the strength of the bottom of the housing 18 can be safely reduced compared to before (for example, by designing it so that the thickness of the bottom of the housing 18 is reduced to a safe predetermined thickness), and the housing 18 as a whole can be made lighter than before while ensuring the same level of safety as before. In addition, since a step is provided on the bottom surface of the housing 18, the strength of the bottom surface of the housing 18 can be strengthened compared to a flat surface without a step.

[0043] In the above configuration, when the tubular member 4 collides with the stopper member 23 and the upward sliding of the piston member 10 stops, the push-up member 15 separates from the piston member 10 and is injected, and the injection material 16 is injected together with the push-up member 15. Therefore, the force applied to the piston member 10 when the tubular member 4 collides with the stopper member 23 can be suppressed, and the thickness of the piston member 10 (for example, the thickness of the movement prevention member 27) that is required to ensure the strength of the piston member 10 can be suppressed, so the piston member 10 can be made lighter and the piston member 10 can be slid more easily, thus improving the injection performance. In addition, since the injection material 16 can be injected together with the push-up member 15, the injection performance can be improved.

[0044] Furthermore, an aircraft 30 equipped with a safety device 100 having the configuration described above can be obtained.

[0045] As described above, the safety device 100 in the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a piston member 10, an actuator 1 having a gas generator 17 that generates a driving force to slide the piston member 10 to one side, a push-up member 15 fixed to the piston member 10 so as to be movable together with the piston member 10 when in operation and supporting the injection material 16, a bolt member 50 for fixing the push-up member 15 to the piston member 10, and a container 18 that houses at least the piston member 10, the actuator 1, the push-up member 15, the bolt member 50, and the injection material 16 inside, wherein the push-up member 15 is fixed to the piston member 10 using the bolt member 50 such that after the piston member 10 slides to one side due to the driving force, the threads of the male thread portion 50b of the bolt member 50 or the weak parts provided on each thread break and separate from the piston member 10.

[0046] According to this, after the piston member 10 slides to one side due to the driving force, the push-up member 15 separates from the piston member 10, thus suppressing an increase in the force applied to the piston member 10 after it slides to one side. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the thickness of the piston member 10 in order to ensure the strength of the piston member 10, so the piston member 10 can be made lighter, and the piston member 10 can be slid more easily, thus improving the injection performance. In addition, the injection material 16 can be injected together with the push-up member 15, thus improving the injection performance.

[0047] Furthermore, in the safety device 100 of the first embodiment of the present invention, a cylinder 14 is further provided that slidably supports the piston member 10, and the piston member 10 has a protruding portion 10f that protrudes to one side from the cylinder 14 in the state before operation, the push-up member 15 is supported by the protruding portion 10f, and the bolt member 50 is inserted between the protruding portion 10f and the push-up member 15.

[0048] According to this, the push-up member 15 can be supported by a protruding portion 10f that extends to one side and fixed to the protruding portion 10f with a bolt member 50. This makes it easier to separate the push-up member 15 from the piston member 10 after the piston member 10 has slid to one side, thereby further improving the injection performance.

[0049] Furthermore, the aircraft 30 in the first embodiment of the present invention comprises an airframe 31, a safety device 100 coupled to the airframe 31, and one or more propulsion mechanisms 32 coupled to the airframe 31 for propelling the airframe 31.

[0050] According to this, it will have the same effects as the safety device 100 described above.

[0051] <Second Embodiment> The safety device according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 7 to 9. In this embodiment, reference numerals with the same last two digits as those in the first embodiment are the same and their explanations may be omitted. Also, parts that are not specifically described are the same as the safety device and aircraft in the first embodiment and their explanations may be omitted. Figures 8 and 9 are views taken from a direction perpendicular to the direction shown in Figure 7.

[0052] As shown in Figure 7, the safety device according to this embodiment differs from the safety device 100 in that it includes a piston member 110 instead of a piston member 10, a push-up member 115 instead of a push-up member 15, and a pin 150 instead of a bolt member 50.

[0053] The piston member 110 has a main body portion 110a having an outer diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the cylinder 114, a rod-shaped portion 110b connected to the main body portion 110a, extending upward and having a smaller diameter than the main body portion 110a, and a groove portion 110e provided in the circumferential direction of the main body portion 110a.

[0054] The rod-shaped portion 110b has a protruding portion 110f that, in its pre-operation state, protrudes to one side (upward in Figure 7) from the cylinder 114. In other words, the protruding portion 110f is the part of the rod-shaped portion 110b that protrudes to one side from the cylinder 114 in its pre-operation state. The protruding portion 110f is provided with a hole 110g that penetrates the protruding portion 110f in a direction intersecting the direction in which the piston member 110 slides.

[0055] The push-up member 115 has a hole 119c, a hole 119d (see Figure 8), and a groove 119e. The hole 119c opens to the other side (downward in Figure 7), and a projection 110f is slidably inserted into the hole 119c. The hole 119d penetrates the bottom 119a in a direction intersecting the direction in which the piston member 110 slides, and is provided to communicate with the hole 110g when the projection 110f is inserted into the hole 119c. The groove 119e is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the bottom 119a along the circumferential direction of the bottom 119a and is connected to the hole 119d. The groove 119e is provided with a retaining member 119f, such as an O-ring, to prevent the pin 150 from coming out.

[0056] The pin 150 is an example of a fixing member for fixing the push-up member 115 to the piston member 110. The pin 150 has the strength to break when it is pulled to one side by inertia or the like, after the piston member 110 slides to one side (upward in Figure 7) due to the driving force of the gas generator 117, and the push-up member 115 tries to move to the same side. The pin 150 extends in a direction intersecting the direction in which the piston member 110 slides, is inserted into the projection 110f and the push-up member 115, and is located inside the hole 110g and the hole 119d. The piston member 110 and the push-up member 115 are fixed together when the pin 150 is inserted into the projection 110f and the push-up member 115.

[0057] In the configuration described above, when the gas generator 117 is activated when an aircraft or the like equipped with the safety device according to the second embodiment falls, the pressure of the gas generated by the activation causes the piston member 110 to slide upward inside the cylinder 114, the push-up member 115 is propelled upward together with the piston member 110, and the lid (not shown) is removed. As shown in Figure 8, when the main body 110a collides with the stopper member 123 and the upward sliding of the piston member 110 stops, as shown in Figure 9, the push-up member 115 slides upward relative to the piston member 110 due to upward inertial force, the pin 150 breaks, the push-up member 115 separates from the piston member 110 and is ejected, and the ejected material (not shown) is ejected together with the push-up member 115. Here, for example, if the push-up member 115 is connected to a string (line) that connects the projectile and the container (not shown), the push-up member 115 can be prevented from falling after it separates from the piston member 110 during operation. If the projectile is a parachute or paraglider, the projectile is deployed after it is ejected.

[0058] In the above configuration, when the main body 110a collides with the stopper member 123 and the upward sliding of the piston member 110 stops, the push-up member 115 separates from the piston member 110 and is ejected, and the ejected material is ejected together with the push-up member 115. Therefore, the force applied to the piston member 110 when the main body 110a collides with the stopper member 123 can be suppressed, and the thickness of the piston member 110 (for example, the thickness of the movement prevention member 127) that is required to ensure the strength of the piston member 110 can be suppressed, so the piston member 110 can be made lighter and slide more easily, thus improving the injection performance. In addition, since the ejected material can be ejected together with the push-up member 115, the injection performance can be improved.

[0059] Furthermore, an aircraft equipped with a safety device having the configuration described above can be obtained.

[0060] As described above, the safety device in the second embodiment of the present invention comprises a piston member 110, an actuator 101 having a gas generator 117 that generates a driving force to slide the piston member 110 to one side, a push-up member 115 fixed to the piston member 110 so as to be movable together with the piston member 110 when in operation and supporting the injectable, a pin 150 for fixing the push-up member 115 to the piston member 110, and at least the piston member 110, actuator 101, push-up member 115, pin 150, and a container for housing the injectable inside, wherein the push-up member 115 is fixed to the piston member 110 using the pin 150 such that the pin 150 breaks and separates from the piston member 110 after the piston member 110 slides to one side due to the driving force.

[0061] According to this, after the piston member 110 slides to one side due to the driving force, the push-up member 115 separates from the piston member 110. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in the force applied to the piston member 110 after it slides to one side. Consequently, it is possible to suppress the increase in the thickness of the piston member 110 in order to ensure the strength of the piston member 110, thus making the piston member 110 lighter and easier to slide, thereby improving injection performance. In addition, since the injection material can be injected together with the push-up member 115, injection performance can be improved.

[0062] Furthermore, in the safety device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, a cylinder 114 is further provided that slidably supports the piston member 110, and the piston member 110 has a protruding portion 110f that protrudes to one side from the cylinder 114 in the state before operation, the push-up member 115 is supported by the protruding portion 110f, and the pin 150 is inserted into the protruding portion 110f and the push-up member 115.

[0063] According to this, the push-up member 115 can be supported by a protruding portion 110f that protrudes to one side and fixed to the protruding portion 110f with a pin 150. This makes it easier to separate the push-up member 115 from the piston member 110 after the piston member 110 has slid to one side, thereby further improving the injection performance.

[0064] <Third Embodiment> The safety device according to the third embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 10 to 12. In this embodiment, reference numerals with the same last two digits as those in the first embodiment are the same and their explanations may be omitted. Also, parts that are not specifically described are the same as the safety device and aircraft in the first embodiment and their explanations may be omitted. Figures 11 and 12 are views taken from a direction perpendicular to the direction shown in Figure 10.

[0065] As shown in Figure 10, the safety device according to this embodiment differs from the safety device 100 in that it includes a piston member 210 instead of a piston member 10, and a push-up member 215 instead of a push-up member 15.

[0066] The piston member 210 has a first sliding portion 210h and a second sliding portion 210i, and has a telescopic structure that slides and extends to one side (upward in Figure 10) by the driving force of the gas generator 217. A sealing member 211a is provided between the lower end of the first sliding portion 210h and the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 214. A sealing member 211b is provided between the upper end of the first sliding portion 210h and the second sliding portion 210i. The first sliding portion 210h has a stopper portion 210h1 on the inside of its upper end that restricts the movement of the second sliding portion 210i when in operation. A sealing member 211c is provided between the lower end of the second sliding portion 210i and the inner circumferential surface of the first sliding portion 210h. The second sliding portion 210i has a protruding portion 210j that, in its pre-operation state, protrudes to one side (upward in Figure 10) from the cylinder 214. In other words, the protruding portion 210j is the part of the second sliding portion 210i that protrudes to one side from the cylinder 214 in its pre-operation state. The protruding portion 210j is provided with a hole 210g that penetrates the protruding portion 210j in a direction intersecting the direction in which the piston member 210 slides.

[0067] The push-up member 215 has a hole 219c, a hole 219d (see Figure 11), and a groove 219e. The hole 219c opens to the other side (downward in Figure 10), and the projection 210j is slidably inserted into the hole 219c. The hole 219d penetrates the bottom 219a in a direction intersecting the direction in which the piston member 210 slides, and is provided to communicate with the hole 210g when the projection 210j is inserted into the hole 219c. The groove 219e is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the bottom 219a along the circumferential direction of the bottom 219a and is connected to the hole 219d. The groove 219e is provided with a retaining member 219f, such as an O-ring, to prevent the pin 250 from coming out.

[0068] The pin 250 is an example of a fixing member for fixing the push-up member 215 to the piston member 210. The pin 250 has the strength to break when it is pulled to one side by inertia or the like, after the piston member 210 slides to one side (upward in Figure 10) due to the driving force of the gas generator 217, and the push-up member 215 tries to move to the same side. The pin 250 extends in a direction intersecting the direction in which the piston member 210 slides, is inserted into the projection 210j and the push-up member 215, and is located inside the hole 210g and the hole 219d. The piston member 210 and the push-up member 215 are fixed together by the insertion of the pin 250 into the projection 210j and the push-up member 215.

[0069] In the configuration described above, when the gas generator 217 is activated when an aircraft or the like equipped with the safety device according to the third embodiment falls, the pressure of the gas generated by the activation causes the first sliding portion 210h of the piston member 210 to slide upward within the cylinder 214, the second sliding portion 210i of the piston member 210 to slide upward within the first sliding portion 210h, the push-up member 215 is propelled upward together with the piston member 210, and the lid (not shown) is removed. As shown in Figure 11, when the tubular member 204 collides with the stopper member 223 and the lower end of the second sliding part 210i collides with the stopper part 210h1 provided inside the upper end of the first sliding part 210h, the upward sliding of the piston member 210 stops. Then, as shown in Figure 12, due to upward inertial force, the push-up member 215 slides upward relative to the piston member 210, the push-up member 215 separates from the piston member 210 and is ejected, and the ejected material (not shown) is ejected together with the push-up member 215. For example, if the push-up member 215 is connected to a string (line) that connects the ejected material and a container (not shown), the push-up member 215 can be prevented from falling after it separates from the piston member 210 during operation. If the ejected material is a parachute or paraglider, the ejected material is deployed after being ejected.

[0070] In the above configuration, when the tubular member 204 collides with the stopper member 223 and the lower end of the second sliding part 210i collides with the upper end of the first sliding part 210h, stopping the upward sliding of the piston member 210, the push-up member 215 separates from the piston member 210 and is injected, and the injection material is injected together with the push-up member 215. Therefore, the force applied to the piston member 210 when the tubular member 204 collides with the stopper member 223 and the lower end of the second sliding part 210i collides with the upper end of the first sliding part 210h can be suppressed, thereby preventing damage to the piston member 210 and allowing the stroke amount to one side to be made longer by the telescopic structure, thus improving injection performance. In addition, since the injection material can be injected together with the push-up member 215, injection performance can be improved.

[0071] Furthermore, an aircraft equipped with a safety device having the configuration described above can be obtained.

[0072] As described above, the safety device in the third embodiment of the present invention comprises a piston member 210, an actuator 201 having a gas generator 217 that generates a driving force to slide the piston member 210 to one side, a push-up member 215 fixed to the piston member 210 so as to be movable together with the piston member 210 when in operation and supporting the injectable material, a pin 250 for fixing the push-up member 215 to the piston member 210, and at least the piston member 210, actuator 201, push-up member 215, pin 250, and a container for housing the injectable material, wherein the push-up member 215 is fixed to the piston member 210 using the pin 250 such that the pin 250 breaks and separates from the piston member 210 after the piston member 210 slides to one side due to the driving force.

[0073] According to this, after the piston member 210 slides to one side due to the driving force, the push-up member 215 separates from the piston member 210. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in the force applied to the piston member 210 after it slides to one side. Consequently, it is possible to suppress the increase in the thickness of the piston member 210 in order to ensure the strength of the piston member 210, thus making the piston member 210 lighter and easier to slide, thereby improving injection performance. In addition, since the injection material can be injected together with the push-up member 215, injection performance can be improved.

[0074] Furthermore, in the safety device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, a cylinder 214 is further provided that slidably supports the piston member 210, wherein the piston member 210 has a projection 210j that protrudes to one side from the cylinder 214 in the pre-operation state, the push-up member 215 is supported by the projection 210j, and the pin 250 is inserted between the projection 210j and the push-up member 215.

[0075] According to this, the push-up member 215 can be supported by a protruding portion 210j that protrudes to one side and fixed to the protruding portion 210j with a pin 250. This makes it easier to separate the push-up member 215 from the piston member 210 after the piston member 210 has slid to one side, thereby further improving the injection performance.

[0076] Furthermore, in the safety device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the piston member 210 has a telescopic structure that slides and extends to one side by the driving force.

[0077] According to this, the telescopic structure allows for a longer stroke on one side, thus further improving injection performance.

[0078] <Other Embodiments> Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the above description of embodiments, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are further included.

[0079] In the first embodiment described above, a portion of the base 2 was configured to be located outside the container 18, but the entire base 2 may be configured to be located inside the container 18. The same applies to the second and third embodiments.

[0080] Furthermore, although a gas generator was used as the power source in each of the above embodiments, the configuration is not limited as long as it is capable of providing the sliding member with the driving force necessary for the sliding member to move within the cylinder. For example, an elastic body such as a spring, or a system using pressure from a gas cylinder may be used.

[0081] Furthermore, although the container 18 is formed in a cylindrical shape in the first embodiment described above, it is not limited to this and may be formed in other shapes, such as a square tube. The same applies to the second and third embodiments.

[0082] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, if a parachute or paraglider is used as the projectile, the parachute or paraglider may be packed. The packing is configured to tear or peel off during operation.

[0083] Furthermore, while the above embodiments mention parachutes or paragliders as the ejected objects, the invention is not limited to these, and objects including lift-generating members may also be ejected. Examples of lift-generating members include parafoils, Rogallo-type parachutes, single-surface parachutes, airplane wings, propellers, balloons, etc. If the lift-generating member has a control line, it is desirable that the safety device includes a steering mechanism that can use the control line to change the inclination angle of the ejected lift-generating member. This steering mechanism may include, for example, a plurality of reels that wind up a plurality of control lines connected to the lift-generating member, and a motor that powers these reels. By winding up or unwinding the control lines by driving the motor, the lift-generating member can be pulled or released as appropriate.

[0084] Furthermore, the projectile may be a pilot chute, and the safety device may include a parachute connected to the pilot chute. In this case, for example, the safety device may include a separate housing for the parachute in addition to the housing for the pilot chute.

[0085] Alternatively, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device capable of launching a net instead of a parachute or paraglider. This allows the aircraft to hook onto a hook or protrusion by launching the net at the right time, thereby preventing the aircraft from falling to the ground. Furthermore, instead of a parachute or paraglider, the aircraft may be capable of launching medical supplies, cargo, etc.

[0086] Furthermore, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that allows an actuator to eject a deflated or folded lifebuoy (float) along with a drive mechanism (such as an inflation device including a gas generator), and the drive mechanism to inflate and unfold the lifebuoy. This prevents the aircraft from sinking and also serves as a marker for the recovery location in the event of a crash.

[0087] Furthermore, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that allows an actuator to eject a retracted or folded lifebuoy (float) and parachute together with a drive mechanism (such as an inflation device including a gas generator), and the drive mechanism to deploy the lifebuoy and parachute. This reduces the falling speed of the aircraft when it crashes, prevents the aircraft from sinking into water, and also serves as a marker for the recovery location in the event of a crash.

[0088] Alternatively, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that allows an actuator to eject a parachute along with a drive mechanism (such as a cutting device with a drive unit), and after the parachute is deployed, the drive mechanism cuts some of the multiple connecting members that connect the parachute to the aircraft, shifting the aircraft's center of gravity so that it falls sideways, and then using an airbag device provided on the side of the aircraft that is falling to mitigate the impact of a collision with the ground or the like.

[0089] Alternatively, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that allows an actuator to eject a so-called paramotor along with its drive mechanism (including a power supply and other drive components), and after the parachute or paraglider is fully deployed, the drive mechanism can drive the motor to rotate the propeller. This prevents the parachute or paraglider from becoming entangled in the propeller. A paramotor is a device that can fly by obtaining thrust from a power source (such as a motor-driven propeller rotater) attached to the harness portion of a parachute or paraglider.

[0090] Furthermore, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that allows an actuator to eject a sound-generating device along with a drive mechanism (including a power supply and other drive components), and the drive mechanism to activate the sound-generating device when the aircraft crashes, thereby alerting those in the surrounding area to danger.

[0091] Furthermore, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that allows an actuator to eject a lighting device (such as a flashlight) along with a drive mechanism (including a power supply and other drive components), and the drive mechanism to activate the lighting device when the aircraft crashes, thereby alerting those in the surrounding area to danger.

[0092] Alternatively, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that allows an actuator to eject a fire extinguisher along with a drive mechanism (including a power supply and other drive components), and the drive mechanism to activate the fire extinguisher in the event of a crash, thereby spraying fire extinguishing agent onto the aircraft and its surroundings.

[0093] Alternatively, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that uses an actuator to eject a pre-launched, ejectable payload with a parachute (for example, expensive equipment) along with a drive mechanism, and the drive mechanism deploys the parachute of the payload. This allows for focused protection of the parachute payload.

[0094] Alternatively, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that uses an actuator to eject an airbag-equipped payload (for example, expensive equipment) that has been pre-loaded in a ejectable manner, along with a drive mechanism (such as an inflation device including a gas generator), and inflates and deploys the airbag of the airbag-equipped payload. This allows for focused protection of the airbag-equipped payload.

[0095] Alternatively, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that allows an actuator to eject a distress signal transmitter along with a drive mechanism (including a power supply and other drive components), and the drive mechanism to activate the distress signal transmitter when the aircraft crashes, thereby transmitting a distress signal to the outside. This makes it possible to pinpoint the crash site if the aircraft crashes.

[0096] Alternatively, the aircraft may be equipped with a safety device that uses an actuator to eject a black box with a parachute (such as a flight recorder) along with a drive mechanism (such as an inflation device including a gas generator), and the drive mechanism to deploy the parachute of the black box when the aircraft crashes. This allows for focused protection of the black box with the parachute. As a result, flight data can be protected. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0097] 1,101,201 Actuators 2,102,202 base 2A, 102A, 202A: Approximately cylindrical member 2B, 102B, 202B Flange section 2a,10c,22c,25,26,51,52,53,102a,110g,119c,119d,122c,126,202a,210g,219c,219d,222c,226 Hole 2c, 102c, 202c insertion slots 3,103,203 Cylindrical member 4,204 Tubular member 5,205 Retaining member 10,110,210 Piston Member 10a, 110a Main body 10b,110b Rod-shaped part 10d Female thread section 10e,23a,23b,110e,119e,123a,123b,219e,223a,223b Groove 10f,110f,210j protrusion 11,12,111,112,211a,211b,211c,212 sealing member 13,113,213 Hole 14,114,214 cylinders 15,115,215 Push-up members 16 Projectile 17,117,217 Gas generators 17a, 117a, 217a Cup-shaped 17b,117b,217b electrode 18 containers 19,119,219 Bottomed cylindrical part 19a,119a,219a bottom 20,120,220 Support part 21 Lid 22,71,122,222 connectors 22a,122a,222a Main body 22b,122b,222b protrusion 23,123,223 Stopper member 27,127,227 Movement prevention member 28 volts 29a hole 30 flying objects 31 aircraft 32 Propulsion mechanism 33 Legs 50 Bolt Members 50a Head section 50b Male threaded section 53a Insertion opening 60 Closure member 70,170,270 wiring 100 safety equipment 119f, 219f Retaining member 150,250 pins 210h First sliding part 210h1 Stopper part 210i Second sliding part

Claims

1. Sliding member and An actuator having a power source that generates a driving force to slide the sliding member to one side, A push-up member is fixed to the sliding member so as to be movable together with the sliding member during operation, and supports the injection material. A fixing member for fixing the push-up member to the sliding member, At least the sliding member, the actuator, the pushing member, the fixing member, and the container for housing the injection material inside, Equipped with, The safety device is characterized in that the push-up member is fixed to the sliding member using the fixing member such that the fixing member breaks and separates from the sliding member after the sliding member slides to one side due to the driving force.

2. The sliding member is further supported by a support member that slidably supports the aforementioned sliding member. The sliding member has a protrusion that, in its pre-operation state, protrudes to one side from the support member. The aforementioned pushing member is supported by the aforementioned protrusion, The safety device according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing member is inserted into the protruding portion and the pushing-up member.

3. The safety device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sliding member has a telescopic structure that slides and extends to one side by the driving force.

4. The aircraft and, A safety device according to claim 1 or 2, which is coupled to the aircraft body, An aircraft characterized by comprising one or more propulsion mechanisms coupled to the aforementioned aircraft and propelling the aircraft.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Parachute or paraglider deploying device and unmanned aircraft with the same

    JP2019014320A