Aerial Payload Ejection System with Stabilizer for Sensor Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote unattended sensor and munitions systems require hand emplacement, exposing soldiers to hostile environments and increasing their workload, as they lack efficient methods for autonomous and controlled deployment.
Innovation Solution
A controlled dispense system utilizing an elongated ejection system with axially-displaced ejector bays and a stabilizer to deploy unattended ground components radially, programmed for specific timing sequences to achieve desired coverage patterns, allowing for remote and stable emplacement from aerial vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hand emplacement is used for unattended sensor and munitions systems, then soldiers can directly control component placement, but soldier workload increases and they are exposed to hostile environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical emplacement with an automated aerial ejection system. Components are held in ejector bays and discharged through ejection charges that propel them radially outward, eliminating the need for soldiers to manually handle and place components in hostile environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The ejection system is designed to be self-operating once activated. The timing sequence automatically triggers ejection charges at predetermined intervals, and components self-deploy to their final positions without requiring continuous human intervention or control during the deployment process.
2Area of stationary object
If all components are ejected simultaneously in a radial pattern, then maximum area coverage is achieved, but component density control is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The ejection system divides components into multiple ejector bays arranged axially along the payload assembly. Each bay can be triggered independently by the timing sequence, allowing the system to segment the ejection event into discrete temporal stages. This enables controlled variation in component density at different locations while maintaining overall area coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The timing sequence implements periodic ejection events with predetermined intervals between successive ejections from different ejector bays. This periodic action creates distinct temporal phases of component deployment, allowing control over the spatial distribution and density patterns of components across the coverage area.
3Shape
If payload assembly rotates during flight, then radial ejection pattern is achieved, but precise component placement and orientation are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer is deployed in advance of the ejection event to counteract and prevent unwanted rotation of the payload assembly during flight. By establishing stability beforehand, the system ensures that the payload maintains a fixed orientation throughout the ejection sequence, enabling precise control over component placement and orientation while still achieving the desired radial ejection pattern.
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
Enables precise and autonomous deployment of sensors and munitions in various patterns, reducing soldier workload and exposure, while providing flexible coverage from maximum density to maximum area coverage.
Implementation Method 1
The stabilizer is realized by a small drogue parachute that is deployed upon release of the payload assembly
Implementation Method 2
a small drogue parachute that is deployed upon release of the payload assembly
Implementation Method 3
Each ejector bay is operative to retain the respective components until a respective ejection event upon which the ejector bay ejects all the components of the ejector bay in a generally radial direction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5(b)
Figure 4
AI summary
A dispenser system provides a means to automatically deploy systems using a controlled dispense approach capable of providing desired operational flexibility. Components such as unattended ground sensors (UGS) are deployed according to a method which includes incorporating the components into an elongated ejection system to form a payload assembly, the ejection system including axially-displaced ejector bays each for holding respective components. Each ejector bay retains the respective components until a respective ejection event upon which the ejector bay ejects the components in a radial direction. The payload assembly includes a stabilizer such as a drogue parachute that substantially prevents the payload assembly from rotating about its elongated axis. A timing sequence for the ejection events is programmed into the ejection system to achieve a desired coverage pattern of the components after deployment. The timing sequence can be chosen to result in a coverage pattern along a continuum from maximum component density to maximum total area coverage. The payload assembly is subsequently released from an aerial vehicle above the area with activation of the timing sequence, such that the ejection events occur during flight of the payload assembly at respective times after its release.