The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 17, 2013
Filed:
May. 15, 2012
David Ray Riley, Chesterfield, MO (US);
David Ray Riley, Chesterfield, MO (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A steerable container delivery system ('CDS') includes a pallet configured with a pallet steering mechanism and a range extension device for steering a CDS cargo bundle during free fall when airdropped. The pallet steering mechanism and range extension device may be inflated shortly after deployment using compressed air carried by an air tank in the pallet. A flight management computer ('FMS') continuously monitors the location of the CDS bundle using GPS technology and determines a vector to a drop location based on stored GPS measurements. The FMC continuously monitors and positions the CDS bundle over the drop location, and is able to independently control the position of the CDS bundle, either by rotating the CDS bundle or moving it laterally. At the appropriate altitude, the FMC causes the main parachute to open to slow the descent of the CDS bundle for impact.