Active Combiner Breakaway Mechanism for Pilot Safety

Solution Overview

Problem

Current combiner breakaway mechanisms are passive, relying on inertia or pilot impact to move into a safe position during crashes, which complicates crash safety and certification, and future lightweight designs will exacerbate these issues.

Innovation Solution

An active breakaway mechanism with a biasing element, such as hydraulic, solenoid, or pyrotechnic, that actively directs the combiner into a safe orientation upon crash detection by a release element, including solenoids, electromagnets, or expanding gases.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If passive breakaway mechanisms are used, then the combiner can move to a safe position during crash, but the mechanism cannot satisfy crash safety criteria and creates certification risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrash safetyVSAvoidcertification complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The biasing element is pre-loaded during normal operation to store energy, and the release element is positioned ready to disengage. Upon crash detection, the pre-stored energy is immediately released to move the combiner to the safe position, eliminating the need for complex active control systems during the crash event itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the combiner's own weight and the pre-loaded biasing element to achieve the breakaway motion. The combiner's mass provides the driving force when the release element disengages, eliminating the need for external power sources or complex actuation systems during crash.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If passive breakaway mechanisms rely on pilot impact, then the combiner can move to safe position, but the pilot takes intentional head strike which is dangerous

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebreakaway activationVSAvoidpilot injury

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The biasing element is pre-loaded during normal operation to store energy, and the release element is positioned ready to disengage. Upon crash detection, the pre-stored energy is immediately released to move the combiner to the safe position, eliminating the need for complex active control systems during the crash event itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the potentially harmful pilot impact force into a beneficial trigger mechanism. The crash-induced motion or force on the combiner automatically triggers the release element to disengage, transforming the harmful impact into the activation signal that initiates the protective breakaway action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Weight of moving object

If lightweight combiner designs are used, then optical performance is improved, but crash safety becomes more difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombiner weightVSAvoidcrash safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The biasing element is pre-loaded during normal operation to store energy, and the release element is positioned ready to disengage. Upon crash detection, the pre-stored energy is immediately released to move the combiner to the safe position, eliminating the need for complex active control systems during the crash event itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the combiner's own weight and the pre-loaded biasing element to achieve the breakaway motion. The combiner's mass provides the driving force when the release element disengages, eliminating the need for external power sources or complex actuation systems during crash.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enhances crash safety, improves design flexibility, reduces certification risks, and ensures reliable movement of the combiner into a safe position, addressing the limitations of passive mechanisms.

Implementation Method 1

The breakaway mechanism includes a biasing element to positively direct the breakaway mechanism to a safe state

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Implementation Method 2

The release element may include a hydraulic, solenoid, electromagnet, spring, compressed gas, expanding gas, pyrotechnic, or the like

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnet: Electromagnet

Implementation Method 3

The biasing element may be hydraulic, solenoid, compressed gas, pyrotechnic, a spring, a linear actuator, or the like

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydraulic: Hydraulic Press

Implementation Method 4

The biasing element may be hydraulic, solenoid, compressed gas, pyrotechnic, a spring, a linear actuator, or the like

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPyrotechnic: Combustion

Data Source

PatentUS20240381964A1Assisted combiner breakaway systems and methods for pilot safety and certification

Publication Date: 2024.11.21 ROCKWELL COLLINS INC

AI summary

A combiner includes an active breakaway mechanism. The breakaway mechanism includes a biasing element to positively direct the breakaway mechanism to a safe state, and a release element. In the event of a crash, the release element disengages, and the biasing element pushes the combiner into a safe orientation. A processor and detection element may detect a crash event and actuate the release element. The biasing element may be hydraulic, a spring, a linear actuator, or the like. The release element may include a solenoid, electromagnet, spring, compressed gas, expanding gas, or the like.