Parachute tow and release system with canopy extraction controlled by drag surface

US10717537B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Kitty Hawk Corporation · US

Inventors

• Peter A. Swan · Paradise Valley, US
• Craig Western · San Francisco, US
• Damon Vander Lind · East Palo Alto, US
• Amy Qian · Sunnyvale, US
• Timothy Mattson · San Jose, US
• Eric Miller · Oakland, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 21, 2018
• Grant date: Jul 21, 2020
• Expiry date: Aug 21, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B64D17/80
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

In an embodiment, a parachute deployment system includes a parachute coupled to a release via a first load path. The first path includes crown lines. The release is adapted to attach the parachute to a rocket via the crown lines, and disengage the parachute from the rocket if a load shifts from the first path to a second path. The system also includes a line constrainer between the release and the parachute. The crown lines pass through the line constrainer, and the line constrainer is adapted to restrict an extent to which the crown lines are able to extend away from a longitudinal axis. An example release includes a back plate configured to couple a tow line to crown lines and a soft pin. The pin is adapted to separate from the back plate in response to tensioning of the release line, causing the parachute to disengage.