Parachute Vent Reefing System for Rapid Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parachute deployment systems face challenges in achieving rapid deployment at low speeds, as the vent portion of the parachute canopy can increase opening time, potentially leading to perilous delays in inflation during emergencies like takeoff or landing, while high-speed deployments can induce shock causing structural damage or injury.

Innovation Solution

A vent reefing system is introduced, featuring a plurality of attachment members around the parachute canopy's vent portion with a break cord that reduces the vent's effective size during low-speed deployments, breaking at a predefined tensile threshold to increase deployment rate, and reverts to the un-reefed configuration at higher speeds to prevent shock.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the vent portion is kept open during deployment, then stability during descent is improved, but opening time increases leading to delayed inflation at low speeds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability during descentVSAvoidopening time

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The vent portion transitions from a closed (reefed) state during initial deployment to an open state during descent. The break cord initially maintains the vent in a closed position to accelerate opening, then breaks under tension to allow the vent to open for stable descent, creating a dynamic adaptation to different deployment phases

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The break cord is pre-configured to hold the vent portion in a closed position before deployment. This preliminary constraint on the vent allows the parachute to deploy rapidly at low speeds by preventing air escape, and the cord is designed to break at a predetermined tension threshold to subsequently allow venting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the vent portion is reduced in size during deployment, then deployment rate increases at low speeds, but shock increases during high-speed deployments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment rateVSAvoidshock

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The vent portion dynamically changes size from closed (reefed) to open based on deployment conditions. At low speeds, the closed vent increases deployment rate by preventing air escape. At high speeds, the vent opens to reduce shock by allowing controlled air escape, adapting to different aerodynamic conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The effective size of the vent portion is changed from a small closed state to a large open state. The break cord maintains the vent in a closed configuration during initial deployment to maximize inflation rate, then breaks to allow the vent to expand to its full size for shock mitigation during high-speed deployments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11591094B2Systems and methods for parachute deployment

Publication Date: 2023.02.28 CIMSA ING DE SISTEMAS

AI summary

A parachute vent reefing system is disclosed. The parachute vent reefing system includes a plurality of attachment members disposed about a vent portion of a parachute canopy and a keeper routed between each attachment member of said plurality of attachment members. The keeper has a diameter less than the diameter of the vent portion and is configured to break at a preselected tensile threshold.