Ami Industries, Inc.

Goodrich Corporation

Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Rohr, Inc.

Kassidy L Carson

John Hampton

Bradley Mastrolia

Jaro S Volny

Steve Andrew Holstine

Casey Andrew Stribrny

Nicholas K Bharucha

Scott Ryan Patterson

Ronald John McCumber

Jeff Benjamin

Cyle Teal

Neil Cross

Ian Walter Haas

Luis G Interiano

Glen Shaw

Steven Andrew Holstine

Patrick Emmett Hyde

John Wade

John R Skola

Donald Borchelt

Aaron H Keene

Daniel R Tribble

Larry Parker

Nathan Eischeid

James Donald Womack

Scott Seeber

Drew Hartman

Matthew H Hartman

Jorge E Muniz

Ryan Roseke

A method is disclosed herein. The method includes receiving, by a processor, an ejection command for ejecting an ejection seat from an aircraft; determining, by the processor, an airspeed and an altitude of the ejection seat; responsive to the altitude of the ejection seat indicating a second mode of operation, determining, by the processor, whether the airspeed of the ejection seat is at or above a first threshold and below a second threshold; and responsive to the airspeed of the ejection seat being at or above the first threshold and below the second threshold: sending, by the processor, a command to deploy a drogue parachute; and, responsive to a first predetermined time period expiring, sending, by the processor, a command to deploy a main parachute and sever the drogue parachute based on a variable drogue severance delay.

Graduated chute delay six mode ejection system

A method is disclosed herein. The method includes receiving, by a processor, an ejection command for ejecting an ejection seat from an aircraft; determining, by the processor, an equivalent airspeed and an equivalent altitude of the ejection seat; and, responsive to the airspeed and the altitude indicating a second mode of operation: sending, by the processor, a command to deploy a drogue parachute; determining, by the processor, a variable drogue severance delay; and responsive to the variable drogue severance delay expiring, sending, by the processor, a command to sever the drogue parachute and deploy a main parachute.

Variable mode timing with divergence inhibit

A parachute assembly may comprise a canopy and one or more reefing lines. The one or more reefing lines may limit inflation of the canopy to attenuate impulse load or otherwise mitigate forces exerted by the parachute assembly on cargo or an occupant during deployment of the canopy. The one or more reefing lines may be broken in stages to selectively limit inflation of the canopy followed by selectively permitting inflation of the canopy in stages.

Parachute assemblies with multi-stage reefing

An endurance haptic system is disclosed herein. The endurance haptic system includes a plurality of tactors, a plurality of air bladders, a tactor driver operably coupled to the plurality of tactors and configured to send vibration commands to the plurality of tactors in response to a first signal received from an aircraft controller, and an air bladder driver operably coupled to the plurality of air bladders and configured to inflate and deflate the plurality of air bladders in response to a second signal received from the aircraft controller.

High comfort endurance haptic cushion

A system is disclosed herein, including a cushion including a plurality of tactors and a plurality of air bladders disposed adjacent the plurality of tactors, a pump assembly operably connected to the plurality of bladders, a processor, and a memory operatively coupled to the processor. The memory includes instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine an inflation sequence for the plurality of air bladders, determine a deflation sequence for the plurality of air bladders, output commands to the pump assembly corresponding to the inflation sequence and the deflation sequence, and output vibrate commands to the plurality of tactors.

A life preserver head restraint may be configured to inflate in response to deployment of a parachute assembly. The life preserver head restraint may comprise an inflatable volume and a charge tank fluidly coupled to the inflatable volume. In an inflated state, the life preserver head restraint may restrict head movement during line stretch of the parachute assembly.

Dual purpose life preserver and inflatable head restraint for parachute assemblies

A system for automatic optimization of an ejection system for an aircraft includes the ejection system having a plurality of adjustable settings. The system further includes an input device configured to receive user input. The system further includes a controller coupled to the ejection system and to the input device and configured to adjust at least one of the plurality of the adjustable settings of the ejection system based on the user input.

Automatic ejection seat performance and accomodation optimization based on active input of aircrew data

An article of manufacture may include a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving, via the processor, an ejection command for ejecting an ejection seat from an aircraft; determining, via the processor, an aircraft or ejection seat altitude and an aircraft or ejection seat speed; and commanding, via the processor, a simultaneous or staged deployment of a drogue parachute and a main parachute upon or just prior to separation of the ejection seat from the aircraft, the simultaneous or staged deployment being described herein.

Ejection seat parachute deployment systems and methods

An output device and/or an output device assembly configured to be initiated in response to different types of input. The disclosed output device may be generally configured so as to be able to receive different types of input in order to produce an output. For example, the two different types of input may be mechanical force and fluid pressure, and thus the disclosed output device may be able to receive either form of input and convert either input into the desired/predetermined output.

Dual input actuator for an output device

An article of manufacture may include a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for controlling deployment of aircraft escape and ejection seat subsystems. The instructions, in response to execution by a first sequencer, cause the first sequencer to perform operations which may comprise receiving a power input, determining a seat location and a seat identity of a first ejection seat in which the first sequencer is installed, determining an ejection mode, sending a first deploy command to an escape path clearance subsystem, determining a deployment sequence for a seat rocket catapult subsystem and a plurality of ejection seat subsystems of the first ejection seat based on the seat location, the seat identity, and the ejection mode, sending a second deploy command to the seat rocket catapult subsystem, and sending a series of third deploy commands to the plurality of ejection seat subsystems.

Multi-seat escape system and ejection seat sequencer

A latch assembly may comprise a keeper and a lever. The keeper may include a keeper channel defined at least partially by a first channel surface and a second channel surface. The lever may be configured to rotate relative to the keeper and between an engaged state and a released state. The lever may comprise a shaft and a lever protrusion extending from the shaft. The lever protrusion may be defined at least partially by a proximal surface and a distal surface. The keeper channel may be configured to receive the lever protrusion. In the engaged state, the proximal surface of the lever may contact the second channel surface of the keeper and the first channel surface of the keeper may be spaced apart from the lever protrusion.

Integrally safe quick release latch-keeper

A multi-staged suspension line length parachute may include a suspension line having a primary length and a secondary length. The primary length may be deployable upon a first deployment of the multi-staged suspension line length parachute. The secondary length may be prevented from deployment until the primary length has fully deployed. An attenuator may attach a first portion of the secondary length to a second portion of the secondary length.

Multi-staged suspension line attenuator

An anti-recoil assembly may include a housing, a shaft, and an energy attenuator. The housing generally defines a cavity, with the housing having a first end portion and a second end portion, according to various embodiments. The shaft may be at least partially disposed within the cavity, and the shaft may be configured to move within the cavity in a first direction from the first end portion to the second end portion. In various embodiments, the energy attenuator is disposed within the cavity at the second end portion. In response to movement of the shaft in the first direction, the energy attenuator is configured to inhibit the shaft from recoiling in a second direction opposite the first direction, according to various embodiments.

Anti-recoil assembly having energy attenuator coupled to a movable shaft, and ejection seat stability system including the same

A system for automatic optimization of an ejection system for an aircraft includes the ejection system having a plurality of adjustable settings. The system further includes a sensor configured to detect user data corresponding to a user of the ejection system. The system further includes a controller coupled to the ejection system and to the sensor and configured to adjust at least one of the plurality of the adjustable settings of the ejection system based on the user data detected by the sensor.

Growing community of inventors

Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America

Kassidy L Carson