Landing Parachute Neck Design for Deflation Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional landing parachutes used in scuba diving often sag or lie down on the surface of the water, leading to deflation due to insufficient tension or strong winds, and require additional valves for pressure relief, increasing manufacturing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A landing parachute design featuring a neck with a smaller section than the opening, which limits air flow and facilitates folding to prevent deflation, combined with a reversible adhesion material on the inner surface of the neck to enhance air retention, eliminates the need for mechanical closure and pressure relief valves, maintaining the parachute's functionality while allowing easy inflation and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a wide opening is provided at the base of the safety parachute to facilitate inflation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because the parachute may collapse or deflate on the surface when tension is insufficient or under strong wind/swell
Solution Approach 1:
The opening part of the parachute is designed with non-uniform cross-section: a wide second end for easy regulator insertion, a narrow neck section to limit air flow and facilitate folding closure, and a first end opening onto the interior volume. This local variation in geometry allows the opening to serve multiple functions - easy inflation from one end while preventing deflation through the narrow neck that folds closed under tension
2Reliability
If a non-return valve is added near the wide opening to prevent deflation, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the valve function entirely from the system by using the geometric configuration of the opening part itself. The narrow neck section with adhesive material creates a passive closure mechanism through folding when tension is applied, eliminating the need for mechanical non-return valves while maintaining reliability against deflation
Solution Approach 2:
The opening part's geometry and adhesive material enable the parachute to self-regulate. When tension is applied or the parachute collapses on the surface, the neck folds closed automatically due to its own structural properties and adhesive bonding, preventing deflation without requiring external valve mechanisms
3Reliability
If an overpressure valve is added to prevent explosion when rising to the surface, then the safety is improved, but the manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the need for separate overpressure valves by designing the opening part with a narrow neck that inherently limits air flow. This geometric constraint prevents excessive pressure buildup during ascent, as air cannot enter or exit the bladder at high rates, naturally preventing explosion risks without additional valve components
4Ease of manufacture
If the opening part has a uniform cross-section, then the manufacturing is simpler, but the reliability deteriorates because air flow is not limited and the parachute cannot fold closed to prevent deflation
Solution Approach 1:
The opening part features localized geometric variation with a narrow neck section between wider ends. This non-uniform cross-section is strategically positioned to limit air flow and enable folding closure, while the rest of the parachute maintains simple geometry for ease of manufacture. The neck's adhesive material further enhances the closure capability
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a landing parachute (1) comprising an inflatable bladder (2) having a main part (4) delimiting a main interior volume (12), and a longitudinal opening part (6) with a first end (14) opening onto the main interior volume (12) and a second end (16) opening onto the exterior. The opening part (6) thus allows the circulation of a gas between the exterior and the main interior volume (12). The opening part (6) comprises a neck (18) whose section is smaller than the section of the first end (14), and the second end (16) is adapted to receive the end of a diving regulator.